Why Isn't Everyone Healed?

Q&A

This week we discussed a huge and controversial topic: God’s plan for healing in our lives. I propose that you can boil it down to this:

Question: Healing always worked for Jesus and the apostles-why doesn’t it always work for me?
Potential Answer 1: It is God’s fault.
Potential Answer 2: It is my fault.
Potential Answer 3: All of the Above.

Let’s pursue which of the answers is correct.

People have answered this question in various ways over the years. Sometimes they say, “Supernatural healing like this was only for those times-we shouldn’t expect those results today.”
Others say, “It is not necessarily God’s will that we get healed every time.”
Others will even say, “Because God ‘works all things together for the good’ then that means that He makes us sick so that we can learn from it.”

If you were to take all these reasons together, you could sum them up as “It is God’s fault.” Now, assuming that is true, there is nothing wrong with that answer. God can do whatever He wants and we should be thankful that He chose to allow any of us to live in the first place. One breath of life is a gift, so if that is all we could hope for then we should be thankful.

However, from what I read in Scriptures, I don’t believe that this is the correct answer. This post will provide a brief intro into this topic. I hope to follow with other posts that will answer these questions in more detail.

It’s Not God’s Fault!

Read these two verses:

Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Matthew 8:14-17
14When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.
16When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."

The conclusion I might draw from this OT/NT duo is that Jesus’ life and death bought my full salvation, both physical and spiritual. Of course it is always risky to base huge doctrinal statements on two verses, so in later posts I will provide other supporting evidence. (See also the Bonus Scriptures.)

Maybe It’s My Fault
So, if it isn’t God’s fault, perhaps it is my fault when things don’t work the way they should. Sure, that sounds judgmental and depressing, but it is actually empowering and a relief. If we could figure out what I am doing wrong, then perhaps I could figure out how to do it right.
Isn’t it likely that the Perfect Man and the first generation of His followers would have been more skillful at some of the more challenging acts of faith? And perhaps if I learn from them and follow their examples then I could have similar results!

Summary
It often takes time to unwrap your mind from an entrenched idea so that you can begin to understand another viewpoint. The modern church, as a whole, looks very different from the first and second generation church in the gospels and Acts. We have many explanations of why that is. Perhaps we have been wrong.

PS: Cecil Paxton, who has way more experience at this stuff than I do, will be teaching about this topic on 10/18 at 10 and 6, and on 10/19 at 7. Come learn. See www.gcfc.net for more info.

Bonus Scriptures

Psalm 91:6-7
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.

John 14:11-13
11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.

Hebrews 11:6
6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Matthew 6:10
…your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Revelation 21:
4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."