going on to perfection;

-1-

The

suckling

Church

 

  

We all begin in our following of & fellowship with Messiah from the same position; the new birth. Paul told the believers in Corinth & of course us by extension, ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new’ (2^nd Corinthians 5:17). From that place, we started our journey into discipleship; bursting with enthusiasm, consumed with zeal & glowing white hot with passion. We pledged to do whatever The Lord wanted of us, whenever He asked it of us & in whatever way He directed us to do it. We simply could not get enough of our Saviour, His Spirit or His Word. Nevertheless, we begin knowing nothing much beyond our sins having been forgiven & our justification by faith, through the shed blood of The Lord Jesus Christ. What comes next?

It’s sad to say that many of us stay right there in that initial place, without making any progress, ascending no heights & plumbing no depths. We attend services faithfully. We involve ourselves in Church activities. We share their newfound joy with family & friends, inviting them to Church et cetera, all of which are commendable, yet we go no further. But there is more. Please don’t misunderstand me, I am not questioning anyone’s salvation. But there is more, so much more that many of us are ignorantly missing or wilfully neglecting. There is the reality of The Holy Spirit living within & there is the veracity & necessity of God’s Word. It’s quite a thing. So with these things in view, where do we start?

²³ being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. ²⁴ For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: ²⁵ but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you…¹ Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, ² as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: ³ if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. ⁴ To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ⁵ ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. ⁶ Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.  (1^st Peter 1:23-2:1-6).

Peter isn’t talking about pouring ourselves the occasional tall glass of ice cold, full fat cow’s milk from the fridge. NO. He uses the analogy of an infant breastfeeding from its mother. This promotes growth, supplying essential sustenance. It is vital. It is paramount that we as believers begin with & also maintain a healthy spiritual diet. However, if we have no desire for God’s Word, we have a major problem. Jeremiah said, ‘Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.’ (Jeremiah 15:16). Job said, ‘Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.’ (Job 23:12). We have to desire the sincere milk of The Word. No desire; no Word. No Word; no growth. No growth; no maturity. This is not God’s plan.

Where is the craving, longing for & deep seated love of God’s Word that will affect the changes in our lives that Scripture speaks of? Is it there? For some of us the answer will be a resounding yes, but for others, there will be a very subdued & mumbled no. I know that Scripture can appear intimidating. There are sixty-six books. There are one-thousand-one-hundred-&-eighty-nine chapters. There are thirty-one-thousand-one-hundred-&-two verses. How in the world is anyone expected to drink & chew their way through such a volume? Hunger. Appetite. Desire. Craving. Longing.

No matter how much or how little we may think we know, the important thing is that we are moving in the right direction. The two staples of our discipleship are our life in God’s Word & our life in prayer. These elements will see us move from the basics to the more substantial. However, there is no shortage of believers who are content with a poor replacement. Like plant based milk & vegan alternatives, these substitutes are fashionable & en vogue, but do not bear the hallmarks of the genuine article. A motivational speech does not a sermon make.

⁹ But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. ¹⁰ But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. ¹¹ For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. ¹³ Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ¹⁴ But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. ¹⁶ For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ (1^st Corinthians 2:9-16).

These words from the Apostle Paul are beautiful & wonderfully poetic, dripping with truth & as tasty as warm toast that has been generously spread with pure unsalted butter & dipped in raw honey. Read the whole chapter. However, I have to encourage you to keep reading, because what Paul says next paints a truer picture of the state of The Church at large. We may often think that we are going further & deeper than we actually are, when in reality we are swigging milk instead of chewing meat.

¹And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. ² I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. ³ For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (1^st Corinthians 3:1-3).

Remember what The Apostle Peter said about ‘..laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings..’ (1^st Peter 2:1)? If our growth is retarded, this is one of the reasons why. David said, ‘Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.’ (Psalms 119:9). Please don’t misunderstand me; there is a stage that all of us experience as believers. At one point or another we were all babes in Christ. However, we are not meant to perpetuate this period in our spiritual development. He wills, ‘that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:’(Ephesians 4:14-15). ‘..and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:9-10). We are also told, ‘..As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6-7). So, ‘..ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen (2^nd Peter 3:18).

There is nothing wrong with drinking milk if we are a babes. We will grow thereby. But eventually we have to move onto solid food. If we are still on a diet of milk when we ought to be eating meat, there is a very real problem. There are truths that we all ought to believe, know & be established in. The first things. The foundational things. The fundamental things. However, these are not present to perfect us, but rather to ground us. As we mature, our basic beliefs are reinforced, but if we do not grow up, Scripture describes us as carnal, fleshly & mere men.

¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

¹² For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. ¹³ For everyone that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14).

² Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. ³ For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. ⁴ Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good (Job 34:2-4).

There is only one avenue available to us for moving out of spiritual childhood & carnality. We must take hold of God’s Word & allow God’s Word to take hold of us. I understand that there are only so many hours in a day. By the time we have been out to work; returned home; prepared our meals; read the newspaper & our favourite magazines; scrolled through our apps; watched whatever it is that takes our attention on the television; updated our social media; added to our online shop; pampered ourselves & ….well you get the picture. After all of that, there is little or no time left for Scripture or for prayer. Milk is easy. There is no cutting. There is no chewing. There is no challenge. There is no discipline. I say again, we attend services faithfully, involve ourselves in Church activities, share our newfound joy with family & friends, inviting them to Church et cetera, all of which are commendable, yet we go no further. We sing the songs. We clap our hands. We enjoy the sweet refreshments. But we make no time to meaningfully engage with The Lord who shed His blood for us & died to save us from our sin.

 

 

End of Part One

 

 

 

copyright © by david Samuel Parkins mmxxv all rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is presented & without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

 

 

Divine Healing

And other related lectures

 

-five-

 

Sickness, suffering & the saints

 

 

Misconceptions abound concerning biblical suffering & there are many believers who may have endured unnecessary illnesses, believing that they were suffering for The Lord, when they could have received deliverance or relief through prayer for their physical healing or proper medical treatment. The purpose of this article is to show the reader that while suffering is a definite part of their christian life, it does not necessarily include sickness or disease. This is not an exhaustive coverage of the subject of suffering; we are dealing with the question of suffering in relation to sickness, disease & the biblical experience of believers. 

While it is true that an illness, prolonged or otherwise, will often allow an individual time for reflection & or even repentance, it is not necessarily true that God originated or allowed their condition. This is a common assumption. Sometimes things just happen. We cannot fight thermodynamics. Either way, the believer ought always to seek The Lord & make Him their first priority & port of call. It is also surprising to me that those who promote suffering sickness & disease as a vehicle of instruction, will seek medical attention to alleviate themselves of it. Surely, they ought to remain sick & in God’s will Just saying.

This begs several questions. Does the type of sickness the individual has, reflect the particular type of lesson they are to learn? More importantly, if a person were to die from their malady, would this mean that they had failed to learn the lesson that The Lord had been trying to teach them? It’s quite a thing, but let’s look, beginning with The Lord Jesus Christ as our chief example.  

⁹ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. ¹⁰ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. ¹¹ For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren (Hebrews 2:9-11). 

Here, the writer quotes Psalm 8 & places Christ centre stage in His role as the suffering servant. The sufferings of Christ were for the purpose of bringing us salvation. 

⁸ though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; ⁹ and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Hebrews 5:8-9). 

He learned obedience. Notice that it does not say that He was taught obedience. There is no suggestion of insubordination on the part of Christ. The blessed truth revealed here is that suffering is a vehicle which directs us to God. The sufferings of Christ allowed Him to exercise the obedience possessed by Him.

¹⁹ For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. ²⁰ For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. ²¹ For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: ²² Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: ²³ Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (1^st Peter 2:19-23).

The writer is not talking about experiencing the same sufferings for salvation that Jesus did, they were unique to Him. None of us are going to the cross to bear the sins of the world. What he is telling us is that in the midst of our sufferings we are to do the same thing that The Lord did; we are to learn obedience. It is very important that we understand this. There is a suffering that is according to the pattern of Christ & the will of God, but does it involve sickness & disease? Does God use this as a tool to teach us, even though we may cry out to him in the midst of it?  

¹ Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; ¹² Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: ¹³ but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. ¹⁴ If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. ¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. ¹⁶ Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (1^st Peter 4:1 & 12-16). 

The writer reveals that the same pattern of comportment demonstrated by The Lord in the midst of His suffering should be enacted by us. He learned obedience through the things that He suffered (Hebrews 5:8) & committed Himself to Him that judges righteously (1^st Peter 2:23). The example that He has left for us to follow is not one of suffering the same things, but rather one of reacting & behaving in the same manner. Our response to suffering is to “..commit the keeping of our souls to Him in well doing..” (1^st Peter 4:19); this parallels the committal of Christ to the righteous judgement of God. In that place of commitment, we are able to learn obedience through the things that we suffer. If we maintain this principle throughout our experiences, we will see great results wrought both in our lives & circumstances. However, if we view sickness & disease as suffering dispensed by The Hand of The Lord, we may endure unnecessary affliction, contrary to the will of God. The believer may well encounter sickness & disease in their life, but this is not partaking of Christ’s sufferings; neither is it suffering according to the will or The Word of God. 

There are those who interpret their experience of sickness & disease as being part of the chastening of The Lord & as such they endure their devilish conditions, believing that they are suffering for Jesus.  There is no evidence to support that idea in this passage of scripture, or in any other part of The Word of God. We are told, “..My son, despise not thou the chastening of The Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him: For whom The Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” (Hebrews 12:5-6). Those in opposition to the ministry of healing will accept sickness & disease as coming from the chastening hand of God, yet they will seek medical attention to alleviate their suffering; this is a gross contradiction. According to the scriptures, chastisement is a sign of God’s love & acceptance & as such it should be embraced. This is preposterous. The presence of God’s correction in our lives is a sign of our sonship & as such it is designed to train and develop us, not hurt, injure, or kill us. He scourges every son He receives, therefore we should all be sick! 

The writer continues, “...we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live.” (Hebrews 12:9). Our earthly fathers discipline us according to the flesh, but our heavenly Father disciplines us according to His Word; God uses spiritual tools to bring about spiritual correction. Not with the haphazardness of frustrated parents who “..chastened us after their own pleasure..”, but with an exact calculation “..for our profit..” (Hebrews 12:10). The correction of parents is usually punishment for something that a child has done wrong, but the chastening hand of God comes to us as part of our development, enabling us to partake of His holiness (Hebrews 12:11). While in subjection to the Father of spirits, we can learn obedience through the things which we suffer. 

If sickness & disease were corrective measures sent from the hand of our Father, the efforts of medical practise in relieving suffering would be useless. Furthermore, once the correction was completed, The Lord would be obligated to remove the said disease from us. When Christ or the apostles ministered to the sick, why was no one ever refused healing on the grounds that they were being disciplined & chastened by The Lord? 

¹⁰ Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. ¹¹ Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy (James 5:10-11). 

The Word of God outlines the believer’s experience of suffering; sickness & disease are never part of it. In Romans chapter eight, the apostle Paul asserts “...if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (vs.17-18). If sickness & disease were included here, Christ would have to be sick also because Paul speaks of suffering with Him & the believer would have to experience sickness & disease in order to experience glory; we know that this is not the case at all. 

⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. ⁶ And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. ⁷ And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation (2^nd Corinthians 1:5-7).  

Do the abundant sufferings of Christ include sickness & disease? If they did, we would have to conclude that The Lord suffered sickness while He was on the earth, if indeed we are partaking in His suffering. We would also have to believe that the only way to experience the consolation & salvation of Christ would be to experience sickness & disease. Paul said that these things are “..effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which [they] also suffer:..” (2^nd Corinthians 1:6). In Philippians 1, the apostle says, “For unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.” (Philippians 1:29-30). Is Paul speaking of their suffering sickness & disease on the behalf of Christ? No! Is he talking about them bearing the same ailment as he? No! He is saying the same thing that he said to the Corinthians; having the same conflict is tantamount to the enduring of the same sufferings. They were not sick, neither was the apostle Paul. He continues, “..that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” (Philippians 3:10).  

⁴ so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: ⁵ which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: (2^nd Thessalonians 1:4-5). 

Were these saints suffering sickness & disease? If they were, we would have to conclude that only those who are afflicted could be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God. These believers were enduring persecution for their faith in Christ. 

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ⁹ whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. ¹⁰ But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you (1^st Peter 5:8-10). 

Sickness & disease are not designed to make you perfect, they will not establish, strengthen & settle you; they may kill you. It is the onslaught of persecution that believers suffered, not sickness & disease.

When The Lord Jesus appeared to Ananias concerning Saul (Paul), He told him, “..Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:15-16). Throughout the book of Acts and The Church epistles, we have a record of Paul’s ministry & suffering; there is no indication that he became sick for the name of Jesus. He endured many horrible things for the Christ’s sake but not once did he experience any illness from the hand of God for the furtherance of the Gospel. He may very well have had health issues, but they were not given to him by God in order to teach him something. 

There are those who would argue that Luke travelled with Paul as his personal physician & consequently treated the apostle’s illnesses, never bothering to record them; this is not an unreasonable assumption, but it’s an assumption nevertheless. Even if this were true, there would be no connection between any sickness Paul had suffered & the Gospel he preached. He endured persecution for the message of Christ. 

Not once was Paul struck down with sickness or disease as part of the suffering that he encountered for preaching the Gospel; there would have been no purpose in that. Instead, because of the unique nature of his apostolic ministry, Paul faced a severe & unrelenting onslaught of persecution, suffering & affliction wherever he went but this did not include sickness & disease. On the contrary, healing would have been an ever present reality to him. It would not be unreasonable to suggest that Paul, who had ministered healing to so many others, would also have received healing himself from Christ, as well as possible medical attention from Luke, whom he described as the beloved physician (Colossians 4:14). 

 ²³ Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. ²⁴ Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. ²⁵ Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶ in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷ in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. ²⁸ Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches (2^nd Corinthians 11:23-28).  

Nowhere does Paul allude to sickness & disease being part of his suffering according to the will of God; whether he was sick or not is another matter. Although the believer may encounter sickness & disease in their life, it is never part of their suffering for the sake of the Gospel of Christ & as such, their claim to desire for healing is a valid one. Beloved, you may very well have times in your life when you’re afflicted but sickness & disease are not instruments that God uses to make us suffer for Him. 

¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

 

 

 

 

copyright © by david Samuel Parkins mmxxv all rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is presented & without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

 

 

Divine Healing

and other related lectures

 

-four-

 

God’s intention / man’s invention;

Do we do or don’t we do the doctor?

 

 

Whenever the subject of physical healing arises, a fundamental & often inevitable question is asked by many who affirm healing as God’s will; ‘If The Lord is our healer, is it right for believers to go to the Doctor?’ In my view, it is not a question of right or wrong, but rather, one of necessity; in other words, ‘If The Lord is our healer, is it necessary for believers to go to the Doctor?’ Let’s look at this biblically & carefully. 

Among those who uphold a staunch belief in healing, there is a hard core who declare that it is wrong, or even a sin to go to the doctor, or take medication of any kind. Of course, when I asked why certain leaders within this group wore glasses, I got into a little bit of trouble. Me & my big mouth! Pregnant women still attended hospitals in order to have their babies delivered with medical assistance & these same people underwent dental procedures. 

There are still those who would rather die than take medicine or submit to a medical procedure of any description. Some believers are often in an absolute quandary when it comes to the question of medical science. There are those who affirm God’s ability to heal the sick & they make a bold proclamation of it. Their belief in healing also comes with a denouncement of doctors & medical science, accompanied by scathing condemnation of believers who submit themselves to the same. The strength of their conviction & the force of their argument rests in their personal experience of healing which seemingly confirms their contentions, or in the assertions of those to whom they listen. Their leaders & teachers. As such it is unreliable as a basis for their stance. 

There is also the belief that while God is well able to heal the sick, not all believers can attain it or receive it because of a lack of faith, therefore, it is wise to seek medical attention, even though it isn’t God’s best. Trust me, I’ve heard this said. The main thrust of their argument is based on the fact that medical science is also striving to make people well, therefore it is not in opposition to healing. In their view, it could even be considered complimentary. 

As well as these prevailing views there is also the misguided warning that modern medical practise has its roots in witchcraft & sorcery. 

These unnecessarily polarized points of view are often centred around questions of right or wrong. They do not deal with the matter of necessity. Let’s be honest if there were sufficient Holy Ghost power manifested within The Church, we would not hesitate in promoting healing in the world because reliance upon medical science would not be needed. This is not the case. Therefore, because there is no manifestation of healing, we divert the sick to the doctor, or we pray for them until they die. It is not a question of whether it is right, or whether it is wrong; it is a question of necessity. To answer these questions & address these objections we must go to The Scriptures. Let’s look. 

²³ The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. ²⁴ And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead (1^st Kings 15:23-24).

¹¹ And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. ¹² And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. ¹³ And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. ¹⁴ And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him (2^nd Chronicles 16:11-14). 

Among those who oppose medical practice, there is the popular belief that it was The Lord who smote Asa. I have certainly heard this taught. Their reasoning is that had the king sought The Lord, he would have lived, but because he went to the physicians, The Lord allowed him to die. Excuse me while I sigh deeply & very slowly roll my eyes. 1^st Kings tells us that Asa was in his old age. 2^nd Chronicles tells us that there was somewhere in the region of a two year period between Asa’s feet becoming diseased & his eventual death. Yes, I agree that he could & should have sought The Lord, but Asa should not have left things so long. The simple truth is that Asa had allowed the disease in his feet to develop to the point where it was now beyond medical help. While it is true that God could certainly have healed him at that late stage, Asa died because the physicians he sought were unable to alleviate his suffering or remedy his condition. The Lord did not smite the man, the man used little or no wisdom. Go to The Lord first, but also visit your doctor with your symptoms & discover what it is that’s wrong with you! This case is not a slam dunk against seeking medical aid. 

Those who support medical science cite the case of Hezekiah & the prophet Isaiah as an endorsement of medicine & its compatibility with healing.   

¹ In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. ² Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, ³ I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. ⁴ And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ⁵ Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord. ⁶ And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. ⁷ And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered (2^nd Kings 20:1-7). 

I have absolutely no idea whether figs contain any inherent healing properties, but it was what the prophet prescribed. However, unlike Asa, Hezekiah had enough common sense to cry out to The Lord before it was too late for him. ^‘For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover’ (Isaiah 38:21).  

There are those who disapprove of medical practice on the grounds that physicians were also sorcerers, therefore to submit to the doctor was tantamount to a surrender to witchcraft. This is a very weak argument & one that has no foundation in The Word of God. Yet it is a claim that has been made. Again, in order to answer these questions & address these objections we must go to The Word of God. Forgive me, but allow me to show you this absurdity for what it is. 

²² Is there no balm (sorcerer’s potion) in Gilead; is there no physician (witch or warlock) there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? (Jeremiah 8:22). 

¹¹ Go up to Gilead, and take balm (sorcerer’s potion), O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines (witch’s concoctions); for thou shalt not be cured (Jeremiah 46:11). 

⁸ Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm (sorcerer’s potions) for her pain, if so be she may be healed. (Jeremiah 51:8). 

Are you getting the picture? Don’t close your Bible just yet, I have one or two other examples to share with you. I’m spending some time here because there are literally lives at stake. People have suffered & even died needlessly because of the foolish belief that I am highlighting right now. I kid you not!! 

¹⁰ And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. ¹¹ And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? ¹² But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician (sorcerer), but they that are sick (Matthew 9:10-12).  

²⁵ And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, ²⁶ and had suffered many things of many physicians (sorcerers), and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse (Mark 5:25-26). 

²³ And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician (sorcerer), heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country (Luke 4:23). 

Do you remember Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:9-24)? Or was he Simon the physician? He offered the Apostles money in exchange for the ability to impart The Holy Spirit through the laying on of his hands. This gift not have been used as part of Simon’s bedside manner, but rather as a demonstration & enhancement of his craft. This is the reason that Peter reacted as he did. If Simon were a physician, then the ‘..gall of bitterness..’ & ‘..bond of iniquity..’ (Acts 8:23) would be referring to Simon’s medical practise. This was not the case because Simon was a sorcerer & not a physician, there is no correlation between the two; they are not synonymous terms. 

Luke, the writer of the third Gospel, & author of the book of Acts, was a physician. When the apostle wrote to The Church at Colosse, he concluded his epistle with the words ‘Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you.’ (Colossians 4:14). Paul calls Luke beloved. If our brethren are correct in their supposition, we could read this verse thus, “Luke, the beloved sorcerer, and Demas greet you.”. It is highly unlikely that Paul would have travelled extensively with a sorcerer, or endorsed his ministry. Because Paul addresses Luke as a physician, there are grounds to suppose that he may still have been practicing medicine to some degree. If this were the case, according to those objecting to the use of medicine, Luke would have been practicing sorcery. 

⁶ And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer (physician), a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: ⁷ which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (physician) (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. ⁹ Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, ¹⁰ and said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord (Acts 13:6-12). 

We will now examine this incident supposing that the terms physician & sorcerer were synonymous. If this is the case, Luke has incriminated himself in no uncertain terms & Paul has proved himself to be a hypocrite of the highest order. 

The Apostle’s companion describes Bar-Jesus as ‘..a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew,.’ (Acts 13:6). All things being equal, Luke has given us a self-portrait; grounds for rejecting his Gospel & the entire book of Acts, if it was penned by him. Paul describes Bar-Jesus as one ‘..full of subtilty and all mischief,..’, a ‘..child of the devil..’ & ‘..enemy of all righteousness..’. well why in the world would anyone speak to a medical professional in this way? He says to him, ‘..wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of The Lord?’ (Acts 13:10). All things being equal, the Apostle is summing up his companion Luke if he too were a sorcerer; for him to deal with Bar-Jesus in this way but allow Luke to continue practicing witchcraft is a demonstration of double standards.

⁸ And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. ⁹ But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. ¹⁰ And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. ¹¹ And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: ¹² so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them (Acts 19:8-11). 

If those who oppose medicine were correct in their assumption, we would have to conclude that for two years the apostle Paul held his meetings in a place where witchcraft was taught. Why? Well, it’s because the school of Tyrannus was a medical school; therefore, if physicians were sorcerers, this is one of the places in which they would have learned their art. Tyrannus had been a doctor in Rome & upon returning to Ephesus, he had opened a medical training facility. Paul held daily meetings there for two years. They must have had the sorcerer’s apprentices going in through the front door & Paul casting demons out of them in the back!!  

Notwithstanding all of this, there is still no condemnation or endorsement of medical practise in The Word of God. The question, ‘Is it right to go to the Doctor’ becomes obsolete; we ask instead, ‘Is it necessary to go to the Doctor?’ There are times when it is most definitely necessary, if only for diagnosis & identification of our maladies.