During the golden era of televangelism, faith healers abounded. They put on elaborate shows of placing their hands on the sick and crippled, rebuking the illness in the name of the Lord, and supposedly healing individuals of their illnesses. Whether it was the televised revivals or the massive crowds lined up for miracle crusades, these events promoted the idea that certain preachers had the gift to heal. And sadly, many faith healers exploited sick people to gain donations to their ministries and increase their own bank accounts. They were swindlers disguised as messengers of good news and wholeness.
Such preachers and ministers are still present, though they are not in the limelight as much as they were during the heyday of faith healing. Believers and non-believers are less inclined to trust the televangelist or someone who claims a disease can be cured if only they pray enough. Yet the question still lingers – are there Christians who have received the spiritual gift to heal others? What about missionaries and believers around the world who have seen miraculous acts of healing? Are these events genuine, or are they fabricated by more swindling preachers?
As in every area of life and doctrine, we must evaluate claims of healing based on Scripture while also acknowledging that people can and have misused God’s Word to deceive the church. Wisdom and discernment are needed so we do not fall prey to those who seek to exploit our illnesses and the sicknesses of our loved ones. We must remember that in eternity, we will live unhindered by disease or deformity, but for now, God has a greater purpose in mind in preparing and purifying us. Sometimes, that means allowing illnesses that are a consequence of the fall, yet can be used by the Lord for His glory.
The Gift of Healing in Scripture
Consistently throughout the Bible, we find examples of healing, though they are not normative. These were miraculous events done by God’s direct will, not everyday occurrences that followers of God expected. When people received healing, such as in the case of Hezekiah or Naaman, they attributed their freedom from the disease to the Lord. Isaiah was told to place a poultice of figs on Hezekiah’s boil, but the king praised God for being healed, not the prophet (2 Kings 20:6-7; Isaiah 38:10-20). Likewise, Naaman honored the Lord God after being cured of his leprosy, recognizing that Yahweh alone is God (2 Kings 5:13-19). Elisha, the prophet, was merely an instrument used to point Naaman to the Lord.
Likewise, when we read about Jesus healing people of sicknesses and bringing wholeness, we understand that He is God the Son, and as such, His miracles of healing testified to His divinity and identity as the Messiah. He has power over disease and death, and He healed to give a foretaste of the coming Kingdom (Luke 7:22). Christ is also the One who gave the disciples the power to restore sight to the blind (Acts 9:8-19), make the crippled walk (Acts 3:7), and resurrect the dead (Acts 9:36-41). They did not receive supernatural powers, nor was the spiritual gift meant to bring attention to themselves. Rather, the acts of healing affirmed the message they preached to the people – that Jesus Christ died for their sins and rose from the dead, forever alive as the Lord and Savior of all. It was in the name of Jesus that people received healing (see Acts 3:6-8).
Despite the wonderous acts of healing that the Apostles performed by the power of Jesus, this gift did not make them immune to the effects of living in a fallen world. They endured poverty, mistreatment, and even death because they were disciples of Christ. For example, James, the brother of John, was put to death by the sword (Acts 12:2). Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:54-60). Neither of them was resurrected like Tabitha – and this disciple eventually died again, too. Similarly, the Apostle Paul suffered from an unknown “thorn in the flesh,” which some biblical scholars think may have been an infirmity. The Lord did not provide healing despite Paul’s pleas for the thorn to be removed (2 Corinthians 12:7-8). As Jesus told the Apostle, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV).
Christ’s grace was sufficient as He gave the Apostles the strength to persevere despite trials and persecutions. According to church tradition, all the Apostles, except John, were put to death. They did not magically heal themselves after receiving blows or wounds. Instead, they endured suffering for the sake of Christ and rejoiced in the opportunity to be persecuted for His name (see Acts 5:41).
Misuse of the Bible
Much of the confusion about the gift of healing comes from misuse of Scripture. Those who support faith healing and prosperity teachings are often part of the Word of Faith movement, which takes Bible verses about healing out of context. They use the examples of Jesus’ miraculous acts to advocate that the Lord wants to heal people of their illnesses today, and they can receive healing if they claim His promise by faith. According to these teachings, it is God’s will for Christians to be healthy and wealthy.
Some of these beliefs have sadly infiltrated Christian churches with orthodox doctrine, influencing believers to think if they will only live more faithfully or believe more strongly, then God will bless them with health (and other material blessings). But in Scripture and throughout church history, we do not find this to be true.
Church history testifies that miraculous healings and deliverance from disease occurred in the following few hundred years after the time of the Apostles. For every case of healing, though, there were also numerous examples of believers enduring intense persecution and death for the sake of Christ. And eventually, the accounts about the spiritual gift of healing waned. The church had been established, and its message was already well-authenticated.
Herein lies the debate among orthodox theologians about whether sign gifts have ceased. Those who believe that healing (and other gifts such as speaking in tongues and prophecy) has ceased are known as cessationists, while those who affirm that these gifts are active today are called continuationists. Those who fall somewhere between these stances typically belong to partial cessationism or partial continuationism. Biblical evidence has been supplied for both sides, and each believer should carefully think through what they believe about these issues, understanding that sign gifts are not an essential doctrine of faith like Christ’s death and resurrection. Believers can disagree about the place of healing in the world today. However, we should be aware of preachers and teachers (i.e., those within the Word of Faith movement) who misuse the biblical teaching about the gift of healing to support false doctrine and exploitative practices within their ministries.
Throughout history, there are, of course, examples of those who received healing from the Lord and glorified God because of it. Yet, there are also stories about the steadfast faith of those who endured despite suffering from illness and witnessing the pain of others. We need only consider the examples of history, such as the Christians who lived during the Black Death pandemic in Europe, or the stories of believers who endured chronic illnesses, to understand that the spiritual gift of healing is not normative, even if it might occur today in rare cases.
In contradiction to the false teaching of the Word of Faith movement, God does not promise us a life free from disease or pain. In fact, He told us we would experience tribulation (John 16:33). Anyone who wants to live a godly life will face persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). Perfect health, a problem-free life, and wealth are not what we should expect as followers of Jesus. Instead, we are promised a life of abundance in Christ, rich in spiritual blessings despite any hardship or illness we may encounter (John 10:10).
The Difference if Some Christians Had This Gift Today
Can you imagine the stir in society if believers today had the gift of healing, like the Apostles in the early church? The demand would be overwhelming. Hospitals would be begging these believers to visit, both for acute illness as well as chronic disease. Nursing homes would be another popular destination. If this spiritual gift were operative today, we would expect to see more individuals healed freely and for the glory of Christ.
Yet, when we consider Word of Faith healers and their teachings about finding relief from ailments, they are usually in front of crowds of people who desperately give money with the hope God will answer their prayers for healing. These vulnerable people are exploited and end up receiving no help despite claims from the “healers.” Thus, the name of Jesus is tarnished by those who claim they are acting as divine agents on His behalf.
There are likely places in the world where we see the gift of healing in operation, such as in unreached places where there is no gospel witness. God is certainly able to heal people if he so chooses, and He will ultimately heal every believer at the resurrection. However, there are times when God allows sickness. Our trust in Him during such times arguably provides a greater testimony than the shallowness of those who seek God only to receive healing from Him.
God’s Gracious Provision of Medical Care
Another aspect of the discussion about the miraculous spiritual gifts is that God, in His graciousness, has provided individuals with the ability, knowledge, and technology to practice medicine. He can often bring relief from illnesses (physical and mental) through medicine and other treatments available through doctors, nurses, therapists, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals. Access to medical care is a blessing from the Lord since every good thing comes from Him (James 1:17).
The church needs this reminder because some Christians have become wary of doctors and the use of medicine. Individuals can and should turn to God in prayer to ask Him for help with a disease or health issue (James 5:14-15). However, we should not assume that the Lord will shield us from every problem or that we will never require medicine. Utilizing medical treatments does not diminish our faith or our belief in God’s power to provide healing. On the contrary, healthcare is something for which we should give thanks as part of the Lord’s provision to humankind. Our modern hospitals and healthcare systems have strong roots in Christianity, as it was believers who originally founded hospitals and prioritized caring for the sick.
So, when a loved one grows ill, or we find ourselves suffering from a chronic disease, we need not seek a faith healer. We can pray, entrust ourselves to the Lord, wisely seek counsel from a doctor, and take heart, knowing that God is working regardless of the illness. His will, after all, is not for us to always be perfectly healthy (which is unrealistic in a fallen world) but to refine and shape us to look more like His Son.
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