About Healing / Ji Kim

                    Mk 3:1~6

 

Today's text is about <Jesus heals a man with a shriveled hand>

▶Healing is not the final destination

When we read 4 Gospels,

the most frequent event in Gospels is 'Jesus' healing ministry.'

So that some people easily think

'for Jesus, healing is the most important ministry with teaching of words.

so that comtemporary church must do same emphasis on healing as Jesus did.'

It is somewhat right. Basically I agree to that idea.

However, the opposite idea must be considered together

to support the 'healing ministry theology' 

▶There are some extremes on the healing ministry. 

Jesus wants to help and heal the sick,

however sickness could be God's will for someone, not for everyone.

For example, apostle Paul had prayed 3 times

for the healing of his thorn (disease) in his flesh.

 

Listen to Paul's confession;

 

2Cor12:9, But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you,

for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,

so that Christ's power may rest on me.

And as we know, Mrs. Fanny Closby, the wonderful hymn writer,

God never healed her blindness.

Then she accepted her blindness as God's will,

and she could do more works for God than who had healthy eyes.

Generally, healing of any kind of diseases is God's will.

At the same time, however, we have to admit that sickness also could be God's will,

as we have seen in apostle Paul and Fanny Crosby.

▶Theologically speaking, all our diseases are cured completely

when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior

because Bible has pronounced 'by his wounds you have been healed.' 1Pet2:24, Is53:5.

(this is my 1st point)

When we go to heaven, we will come to know that

all of our diseases are completely healed.

However as long as we live on this earth,

we could be sick even though we were already healed.

For example,

when I take medicine for my flu,

the effects of the medicine is seen several hours later.  (after we go to heaven)

Still I am sick though I have taken the pill.

Still I could be sick though I have taken the healing power of the cross,

as long as we live on this earth.

However when I go to heaven, I will know that I was completely healed.

 

(The first effect has begun since the time I have belived.

The final and perfect healing will be shown at heaven and at the resurrection.)

 

So that all Christians must believe that 'we are healed by the work of Jesus on the cross.'

It is basic and fundamental idea (theology) on the healing for Christians.

But in our reality,

We could be sick and some diseases are never be healed,

in spite of thousands of church members prayers for the healing.

Therefore we cannot help admitting that some diseases are God's will.

though God has healed all the diseases.

 

▶My 2nd point is,

There is more important consideration than healing.

It is <God's sovereign will> or <for my mission completed>.

For someone, God allows him to be sick

and he never answer to all the church members prayer for his healing.

Because it is God's sovereign will.

We mere human never know his perfect will even 0.1% of it.

So that we have to accept the idea that

'some diseases are God's sovereign will'

Moreover we need to know that

God allow our disease <for our mission completed.>

For some people, his sickness is more helpful than his healing

as we looked at the cases of apostle Paul and Fanny Crosby.

There is a more important consideration than unconditional healing.

<Doing my mission completed> is more important than my unconditional healing.

For someone, God will give him healing for <his mission completed>.

And for others, God will have him sick continually for <his mission completed>,

because 'God's grace is sufficient for him.'

▶In conclusion,

Unconditional healing itself is not the final destination/purpose.

We could be healed or not be healed

it depends on our mission and His sovereign grace and will.

All of Christians, when they are truly converted, are already healed from all kinds of disease.

It will be proven true at heaven.

(It is some notion like "already not yet")

We were already healed but not yet completely healed.

In heaven, we will be perfectly healed, though we are already healed.