Results 1 - 5 of 5
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | gift of healing same as prayer of faith | 1 Cor 12:9 | Makarios | 159698 | ||
Greetings Tim, Faith healing and the charismatic movement have grown up together. Acts 19:12 speaks of how Paul's handkerchiefs were taken to the sick.. Paul and the other apostles had been given unique power. Nothing in the New Testament suggests that anyone else could send out handkerchiefs to work healing miracles. The likes of Kenneth Hagin can give all kinds of outlandish examples on television of various healings that occurred from any kind of gimmick that you can think of. The Lord Jesus Christ was the great miracle worker, performing miracles to point to the fact of His deity (see John 2:11; 5:36; 20:30-31; Acts 2:22). Jesus healed people and raised people from the dead, He cast out demons, and He performed miracles of nature - such as multiplying loaves of fish, quieting the sea, and walking on water. Once Christ's work was finished, the apostles had the task of proclaiming and recording His message in Scripture. To authenticate the apostles' work, Christ gave to them the ability to cast out demons and heal the sick (Matthew 10:1). Matthew 10:1 is a single promise from Jesus to the twelve. But as the Spirit was given and the church age began, the apostles continued to manifest the gift of healings. In fact, they were so associated with this gift that Paul reminded the believers at Corinth that "the signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles" (2 Cor. 12:12). These miraculous healing powers were then limited in scope and restricted to the apostles, the seventy, and a few close associates, such as Philip. They were not given to the average Christian (Luke 9:1-2, Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4), though some who were commissioned by an apostle shared in this ministry of miraculous healings (such as Philip, Acts 8:6-7). I believe that these miraculous gifts of healing were distinctively given for the authentication of the apostles. And, since no new Scriptural revelation is being given (Rev. 22:18-19), then there is no need for the presence of these miraculous powers of healing to authenticate a new Scriptural revelation. If every common disciple of Christ could perform the miracle of healing, then why is there a distinction that is noted in Mark 16:20, which says that the apostles' message was confirmed by "accompanying signs"? I also note that Mark 16:20, which is admittedly a highly disputable portion of Scripture, confirms that there is a link between the gospel message and the miraculous healing signs that accompanied them. If the gospel message has already been preached in every part of the world, then what need is there for any further accompanying sign, now that we have the Word of God in Scripture? To make a comparison between the gift of healing being claimed today and that which the Bible teaches, we simply need to take a look at Jesus' ministry. When Jesus healed, He healed disease to demonstrate His deity. He always healed with a word or a touch (see Matthew 8:6-7,13 and Mark 5:25-34). He always healed instantly (Matt. 8:13, Mark 5:29, Luke 5:13, 17:14, John 5:9, 9:1-7). He always healed totally (Luke 4:39-40), it was instantaneous and total. Jesus healed everyone. He did not leave long lines of disappointed people who had to return home in their wheelchairs. And the apostles were able to heal people with a word or touch, instantly, totally, and they could heal anyone. In fact, the apostles were even able to raise people from the dead. People who claim to have the gift of healing today do not spend much time in funeral parlors, funeral processions, or cemeteries. The reason is obvious. No one today is truly exhibiting the healing traits that were exhibited by Christ and the apostles in Scripture. So Tim, how many funerals have you had to conduct because you were not able to use your gift of healing to raise the person from the dead? Blessings to you, Makarios |
||||||
2 | gift of healing same as prayer of faith | 1 Cor 12:9 | Bows44 | 159723 | ||
Makarios, I have been following this discussion and would like to jump in with a few thoughts as this subject is very near and dear to my heart. You see, I minister in the Healing Rooms sponsored by my church. Every week people come to us from all over, even from out of state, to get prayer. I have seen many people touched by the power of God and healed in many ways...physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. We at the healing rooms constantly pray and study to become as proficient as Jesus. Sometimes people are healed instantly, sometimes they are healed by the next day, sometimes weeks later, sometimes through the hands of doctors and sometimes through what I consider the ultimate healing...stepping into the light of eternity. There are many reasons why some don't get healed as we expect, but that doesn't mean that Jesus doesn't heal today. I believe it is Jesus who does the healing through us. We are the body of Christ. It is his hands that touch the people through our's. We do not take any of the Glory for ourselves, but give it to God. There were some who Jesus didn't heal becasue of lack of faith. ( Matt. 13:58) Jesus did not heal everyone at the pool of Bethseda, only the one. Jesus certainly had the power. Why didn't he? Today we can't just go to hospitals and empty them out. I want to, but from speaking with my Pastor about it, I was informed of hospital rules. You can't just walk in and start praying for people. You have to be invited by the person or the person's family. Earlier you said something about Jesus healing, the apostles healing and the others who are mentined in the Bible as having a gift exclusive to themselves. You stated that today healing is wrought through the Holy Spirit. True, it is the Holy Spirit who heals and I believe it always has been. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus after being baptised was full of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1), in Luke 9:1-2 the twelve were sent out on Jesus' Authority, same for the 70/72 sent out; after Jesus' resurrection he breathed on the disciples and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." Many Old Testament characters were filled with the Spirit of God or the Spirit came on them to do mighty works. These scriptures tell me that it is the power of the Holy Spirit that heals and performs miracles. So everyone who is filled with the Holy Spirit and believes should be able to lay their hands on the sick and see them recover. The more I grow in my understanding of this principle, the greater the success rate I personally have. Why isn't everyone healed? Some don't believe, some don't really want to becasue to be healed would mean they would have to work again and only come for prayer on the insistance of family or friends, others are in sin and won't repent, still others are required first to do something like Naman the leaper who God required to bathe seven times in the Jordon, still others God wishes to bring healing through the hands of doctors for various reasons. These are just a few reasons, but none is because Jesus has stopped healing people. Hope this helps, Bows44 |
||||||
3 | gift of healing same as prayer of faith | 1 Cor 12:9 | Makarios | 159803 | ||
Greetings Bows44, The simple fact of the matter is that the present day church does not have the healing "powers" as exhibited by Christ and the apostles. A simple comparison of the healings that are accomplished in Scripture with what is claimed today does not show that the gift of healings exists today. Blessings to you, Makarios |
||||||
4 | gift of healing same as prayer of faith | 1 Cor 12:9 | Bows44 | 159809 | ||
Greetings Makarios, I am an artist, but I have not painted any pictures in years. That doesn't mean I am no longer an artist. It just means I haven't used my talent in a few years. I admit the church as a whole is not showing forth the same healing powers that the Bible talks about, but that doesn't mean we don't have the powers. It just means most are not using them. Scripture does not support the discontinuation of healing. What we need to ask ourselves is why aren't we personally laying hands on the sick and seeing them recover, raising the dead, etc. Then seek to grow in those areas until we all come to the unity of faith and grow up into Jesus. If we are not yet perfected, that is not because God has stopped working on or in or through us. It just means we have more growing to do. You don't tell a baby that running is not for them because they have only learned to crawl. You give them time to learn and you encourage and them along the way. Let's give every Christian encouragement and help in growing up into Jesus and being and doing all that God desires for each of us to do. Be blessed and encouraged in your growing, Bows44 |
||||||
5 | gift of healing same as prayer of faith | 1 Cor 12:9 | Makarios | 159812 | ||
Greetings Bows44! I apologize, I did not mean to state that you did not have the gift of healings yourself. But I surely know that I personally have not been blessed with this gift. When I place my hand on a person who is sick, the illness is more likely to attach itself to me rather than going out of the person.. :-) I do not tell you this out of any "unbelief", I simply know that this particular gift was not in God's original design to bless me with. However, I do see a rather large disparity between that which is given to us in Scripture and that which we have today. While I do not deny that others 'could' have this gift, I simply do not see any true evidence of this gift in the church. I know that you have come into this discussion rather late, and I appreciate your contributions. But I believe that there is very little more that could be added, and it does not seem very promising that more useful information will be dealt with. For that reason, I am attempting to close this discussion. But I still remain unconvinced that my position is correct, and I am comfortable with that, even though I may not have enunciated my position in the best possible way. Blessings to you, Makarios |
||||||