Since my early days of accepting the Lord Jesus, I taken God's Word as the truth. But God's word itself can be twisted by some and misrepresented. I do not intend to go deep into academic debate here. But I will just state my understanding as I believe God leads me. Basically from much of Scripture and knowing the character of Jesus and God, I conclude that it is God's will to heal. Some of the passages showing this below are: Matthew 9, Matthew 8, Mark 10. There are many others including a sick (or was it blind) man that called to Jesus and asked "If you WILL, please heal me". Jesus answered "I will" (forgot what passage this was).
Why many Christians get sick? - there are many reasons. But one reason which I believe is a gross distortion of the truth is "God uses sickness to glorify Himself". This distortion comes from the truth in John 9, where the blind man was in fact blind not because of any sin of himself or his parents but so that the Glory of God can be revealed. I accept on this occassion God's purpose for letting the man be blind until Jesus came along is to glorify himself. God did various such things to glorify himself, such as the recent passages in this blog on Exodus including the 10 plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea and the Manna from heaven. God also appeared to Moses and Paul. However, it is not God's main mode of operation to appear to people (like Moses and Paul) - we accept this. It is also not God's main mode of operation to bring plagues and miracles on the scale of the Exodus in modern times which is no doubt a sinful time. Therefore the thought just hit me that although God used the sickness of the man to glorify himself in John 9, that is not God's main mode of operation.
As we know Jesus deeper, hopefully we will see that God's intention is for us to get healed and he sees no pleasure or purpose in our pain, except for certain circumstances which are rare. Jesus died for us, taking away our sins and our sickness so that we no longer have to bear it. Not only that, but health is part of the Abrahamic covenant that we Christians now can enjoy.
John 9
A Man Born Blind Receives Sight
1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I[a] must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind[b] said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”
9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”[c]
He said, “I am he.”
10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
11 He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of[d] Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”
12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?”
He said, “I do not know.”
Matthew 9
A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed
18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.
20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.
23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land.
Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant
Matthew 8
5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”
7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus
Mark 10
46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.
Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”
50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”
52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road
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