Three beliefs
In Christendom when it comes to the doctrine of divine healing, there are three main beliefs which have been established as doctrines and denominational beliefs.
- One erroneous belief which is prevalent in most evangelical churches states that healing is no longer for today but passed away with the apostles. - theologically this is known as Cessationism
While the cessationists sound intellectual, scholarly and very erudite, yet a simple perusing of the Bible will quickly debunk their doctrine. For the most part cessationism is simply intellectual unbelief. Miracles and healings cannot be passed away as that would negate prayer, negate 1 Corinthians 12:9,10, James 5:14 and negate Mark 11:23, 24 to name a few.
- The second erroneous doctrine that sadly has invaded many so-called Pentecostal and Spirit-filled churches says that healing is a special grace for some but not for all and is determined by the sovereignty of God - theologically this is known as Calvinism
While we believe God is sovereign, meaning all powerful, it is unscriptural to say a sickness or an accident is due to the sovereignty of God when Jesus already paid the price for our sins and sicknesses. This belief positions God as a respecter of persons who heals some but not all and unstable rather than a God of principles and his Word.
Using 'sovereignty' as unpredictability is no reflection of the character of God. Reading the Scriptures we can safely conclude that God and his Word are unchangeable. While we believe in the sovereignty of God as the Divine Sovereign and Omnipotent God, we do not believe that the Scripture teaches that God picks and chooses some people to be healed and others not. That is completely against the nature of God whose name is Jehovah Rapha. For your information Calvinists are our brothers in Christ just as the Cessationists and they have other fundamentals of the faith right except for healing and miracles.
- The third belief states that healing is included in the finished atoning work of Jesus Christ on the Cross - theologically this is known as Healing in the atonement
This is what the Word says and this is what we believe. We emphatically believe healing from sickness and disease is included in the atonement made by Jesus on the cross. We believe that the Scripture teaches that the same Cross that paid the penalty for sins also paid the penalty for sicknesses. Genesis prophesied it and Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers gave us the types and shadows of it. Isaiah also prophesied it and Matthew, Peter and Paul acknowledge it.
Once you grasp that healing is in the atonement, you will no longer have any doubt whether God wants to heal you or not,t just like you do not have any doubt whether it is God's will to save any sinner.
Here is an important fact you must understand by the term 'atonement'
The atonement is a reference to the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary's Cross paying the price for our sins, satisfying heavenly justice, legally shutting the mouth of the accuser-satan and enabling or empowering us to be partakers of the divine nature.
The Scriptures make it clear that the same Cross that took away our sins, took away our sicknesses.
The people with the different beliefs about healing are still our brothers and sisters but we believe they are sincerely wrong. Their beliefs will not take them to hell as it is not a heaven and hell issue but a bodily issue.
We believe that healing is part of our redemption and that there is exemption from sickness in our redemption. You will discover that one of the great ways that the Old testament brought out New Testament realities was through types and shadows.
The types in the Old Testament were pointing us to the real deal in the person of Christ and his work on the Cross. The shadows of the Old Testament became the substance in Jesus in the New Testament.
We will show you that healing is part and parcel of the atonement, from seven types in the writings of Moses
- The Genesis Edenic type
- The Exodus Passover type
- The two Leviticus' types
- The two Numbers' types
- The first two revealed redemptive names of God
ALL BELIEVERS (EVERY BELIEVER) SHOULD EXPECT DIVINE HEALING MEANING HEALING FROM GOD IN THEIR BODIES BECAUSE CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS TO ATONE FOR OUR SICKNESSES AS HE DID FOR OUR SINS
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.
Exodus 15:26
The atonement is a reference to the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary's Cross paying the price for our sins, satisfying heavenly justice, legally shutting the mouth of the accuser-satan and enabling or empowering us to be partakers of the divine nature.
This is an excerpt of Glenn's new book, 'How to live and not die'