Dual Application of Healing Scriptures (5)

By Hazel Holland

In our study so far we have clearly seen that forgiveness of sins has been provided for us in Jesus Christ, and is guaranteed in this life here and now because of the atonement. However, although God clearly stands on the side of physical healing, it does NOT appear that physical healing is guaranteed here and now in the same way that spiritual healing is. In order to understand the reason for this I believe we need to be aware of the eschatological nature of the atonement.

The physical healing we are guaranteed in the atonement is eschatological in nature. This means that it is “completely fulfilled at the end of time, at the final resurrection, when God's Kingdom comes in all its glory.”[1] Only then will we exchange our mortal bodies for glorified ones. However, things which are eschatological in nature can also to a certain extent be present here and now.

An example of this was when God the Son became man in the person of Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of God was present in the Person of Jesus Christ and began to break forth on earth. However, His Kingdom was not of this world, because it was a spiritual Kingdom that resides in the hearts of those who embrace the Good News. Although the Kingdom was present and described by Jesus Himself as being “within you”, it was also still yet to come. It was present and future at the same time.

At the present time, the Holy Spirit, who is our down payment guaranteeing our salvation, gives us assurance of these ultimate realities which we receive here and now by faith as we wait in hope for the final restoration of all things in Christ. In the same way, here and now by faith we receive assurance of forgiveness for our sins because we believe in the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Similarly, here and now by faith we follow the command to pray for the sick (James 5: 14). Sometimes when people are physically healed, they are healed as a sign of the Kingdom of God present here and now on earth (See Romans 8:23-24 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-4). While physical healing proclaims God's glory and is an affirming sign to the believing community and a witness to unbelievers, it is NOT guaranteed here and now.”[2]

However, those believers who support the word of faith teachings advocate that physical healing is guaranteed here and now, because they apply a theology of future glory to the believer in the here and now. This root error of the “name it and claim it” faith movement treats God as if His entire purpose in heaven is simply to do our bidding.[3] But sound biblical theology teaches us that God, who is the creator of all things, is sovereign in all things, not man.

Therefore, as believers we should not claim here and now what God in His sovereign grace has promised only for the future. When we do cross over that line we are not only forced to ignore texts that do not support our belief system, but we also fail to consider the original intent of certain Scriptural passages. Unfortunately this results in completely wrong interpretations of key passages of Scripture, and brings untold heartache and confusion to many in the body of Christ.

We have already addressed the fact that Christ’s work on the cross for us is finished, while the total effect of our redemption is not yet complete. This tension between the atonement being completed at the cross, and the reality that we have not yet received our glorified bodies is sound biblical truth that Paul clearly states in the following verse.

“And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” Romans 8:30 (NIV)

Paul reminds us here that the first three stages, predestination, calling, and justification have already happened, but the fourth stage, glorification, while assured the believer is still in the future. It has not yet taken place. The physical aspect of our redemption—the glorification of our bodies is our great hope that we grasp by faith, but it is still future.

As we read further in the same chapter of Romans, Paul says,

"But it is not just creation alone which groans; we who have the Spirit as the first of God's gifts also groan within ourselves as we wait for God to make us his children and set our whole being free. For it was by hope that we were saved; but if we see what we hope for, then it is not really hope. For who of us hopes for something we see?" Romans 8:23-24

What Paul is explaining to us here in very clear terms is that the physical aspect of our redemption, the glorification of our bodies (See Philippians 3:21) is our great hope—something in the future that has not yet taken place. While Christ did buy perfect health for us at the cross by dying for our sins, that perfect health will not go permanently into effect until the glorification of our bodies, and thus cannot be claimed now.

[1] www.does-god-always-heal.com

[2] Ibid.

[3] Kenneth Hagin, “How to write your own ticket to God”.

(To continue this study go to "Relationship Between Healing and Suffering" at: http://sound-the-trumpet.blogspot.com/2008/09/relationship-between-healing-suffering.html)