Rev. Angus Stewart
Here are 5 simple facts regarding healing as it occurred in the Bible, in contrast to typical healing meetings today:
- All the people who came to be cured by Christ or the prophets or the apostles were always healed (Matt. 4:23-24; 8:16; 9:35; 12:15; 14:36; 15:30-31; 21:14; Mark 6:56; Luke 4:40; 6:17-19; 9:11; Acts 5:16; 28:8-10). In Scripture, no one ever left unhealed for there was a 100% success rate. This is very different from healing meetings today.
- All the people who were cured in the Bible were undeniably healed, having both ailments and cures that were verifiable (I Kings 13:6; II Kings 5:14; Isa. 35:5-6; Matt. 8:4, 14-15; 9:6-8, 29-31, 33; 11:4-5; 19:2; Mark 3:5-6; Luke 7:22; 13:10-17; 14:1-6; 17:14; John 2:23; 3:2; 4:45; 5:5-16; 6:2; 7:31; 9:1-34; 11:39-48; 12:1, 9-11, 17-19, 37; Acts 2:22; 3:7-12; 4:14-16; 5:12-16; 6:8; 8:6-8, 13; 9:33-35, 36-42; 14:3-4). That is, they had something obviously wrong with them (e.g., paralysis, withered hand, leprosy, fever) and then they were clearly healed (e.g., the lame walked, the blind saw). There are no scriptural healings of unverifiable ailments with unverifiable cures (e.g., headache or back pain). In this, too, biblical healing is very different from healing meetings today.
- All the people who were cured in the Bible were completely healed (I Kings 13:6; Matt. 12:13, 22-23; 14:36; 15:28; Mark 1:30-31; 3:5; 5:26, 34; 6:56; 8:25; Luke 7:10; 8:35, 48; 11:14; 13:11-13; 17:14; 22:51; John 5:8-9; 7:23; 9:6-7; Acts 3:2, 7-9, 16; 4:9-10; 9:33-34; 14:8-10). No one was ever partially healed in Scripture, needing later rehabilitation or medical care. In this, too, biblical healing is very different from healing meetings today.
- All the people who were cured in the Bible were immediately healed when they were with Christ or the apostles or the prophets (Matt. 8:3; 15:28; 20:34; Mark 1:31, 42; 2:11-12; 5:29, 42; 7:35; 10:52; Luke 13:13; John 5:9; Acts 3:7; 9:17-18, 34; 16:18; 22:13) or when God’s extraordinary office-bearers spoke the Word regarding those needing healing who were not present bodily (Matt. 8:6, 13; 15:28; John 4:50-53) or when they performed the prescribed action (II Kings 5:10-14; Luke 17:14; John 9:7). In Scripture, no one was ever miraculously healed over a period of days or weeks or months. In this, too, biblical healing differs from healing meetings today.
- The people who were cured in the Bible were healed of various and serious afflictions, with some even being raised from the dead (I Kings 17:17-24; II Kings 4:32-37; Matt. 4:23-24; 9:35; 10:1, 8; 11:5; 15:30-31; Mark 1:32-34; 16:17-18; Luke 4:40; 7:11-17, 22; John 5:5-15; Acts 5:15-16; 8:7; 20:9-12). There is no record of anyone in Scripture being cured of relatively minor ailments (e.g., the cold) or of miraculous healers only being able to cure people with certain types of illnesses but not others. In this, too, biblical healing differs from healing meetings today.
A close consideration of the many recorded healings in the Bible will also reveal that they happened “without” the following 3 things, in contrast to typical healing meetings today:
- All the people who were cured in the Bible were healed without relapses a few minutes or hours or days or weeks or months later. No one was ever merely temporarily healed in Scripture. In this, too, biblical healing is very different from healing meetings today.
- All the people who were cured in the Bible were healed without anything designed to whip up the crowd or play on their emotions. In no instance of healing in Scripture is it performed in connection with fanfare, singing, music, dancing, drama or anything akin to the techniques of hypnosis or auto-suggestion. In this, too, biblical healing is very different from healing meetings today.
- All the people who were cured in the Bible were healed without any sort of remuneration for the healer. In fact, in Scripture it is sinful to give or receive money or goods for miraculous healing (I Kings 13:7-8; II Kings 5:15-16, 20-27; cf. Acts 8:18f.). What about this factor in healing meetings today?
In short, in God’s Word, those who sought to be cured by Jehovah’s true messengers were always, undeniably, completely and immediately healed of various and serious afflictions, without relapse or remuneration or anything designed to play on people’s emotions. How many of these 8 biblical characteristics are evident at the healing meetings of the various healers of whom you are aware? 0/8, 1/8, 2/8, 3/8, 4/8, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8 or 8/8? Biblical healings have all 8 of these traits, unlike modern claims of miraculous healing today. Remember, anything short of all 8 traits indicates that these things are not of God!
This audio, “Miracles and the End of the World” (II Thess. 2:9-12), brings up other crucial scriptural teaching about those who claim to perform healings or miracles today in the post-apostolic age.
For more on miraculous gifts, ongoing prophecy, tongue speaking, the Holy Spirit, etc., see Cessationism Resources, which include articles, audios, videos and a debate, etc.
