THE SPIRITUAL GIFT OF HEALING: Part 2

Memorial Drive 7/12/20 THE SPIRITUAL GIFT OF HEALING (Pt. 2) Various Texts "For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills." (I Cor. 12:8-11) Archeology - Carefully clearing non-essential material to expose beauty and authenticity Review ... * Some believe healing and other miraculous gifts authenticated the apostles. * When the apostles passed from the scene and the Scriptures were complete, these gifts passed as well. * There are numerous evidences to the contrary but the clearest is Paul's writing in I Corinthians 12:8-11 concerning these miraculous gifts being entrusted to the church for growth, not ONLY to the apostles for authentication. Some say: "Every Christian CAN and SHOULD be healed, IF they just have enough faith!" HEALING AND THE PROBLEM OF OVER-REALIZED ESCHATOLOGY ... Eschatology - "End-times" stuff - Including, benefits accompany Christ's kingdom? The Centrality of the Good News of the Kingdom ... Mark 1:15 John the Baptist proclaimed: "The kingdom of God is AT HAND!" Luke 9:1-2 Christ sent the 12 out to proclaim "the Kingdom of God" Luke 10:8-9 The 70 are to say, "The kingdom of God has COME NEAR!" Matthew 12:28 "The kingdom of God HAS COME UPON YOU The "Here but Not Fully Realized" Kingdom ... "Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. YOUR KINGDOM COME, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:9-10) The kingdom of God is AT HAND, NEAR, and UPON YOU! But it's not yet fully realized! What It Will It Look Like When It's FULLY Realized ... 2 Corinthians 4:4 The deceiver is "the god of this world" John 12:31 This "ruler of this world" will be cast out Galatians 1:4 Christ gave Himself for our sins to "rescue us" from this present evil age The rescue is "in process" but not yet completed! Revelation 20:10 A glimpse of the future shows the devil's future Revelation 20:3-5 a glimpse of the future shows us our "kingdom realities" God sometimes gives us a TASTE of future kingdom realities! The Problem With "OVER-Realized" Eschatology ... Over-realized eschatology "happens" when Christians enthusiastically, and unbiblically, insist that WHAT WILL ONE DAY COME IN FULLNESS is ALREADY FULLY REALIZED! "Well, we don't need to worry about that, because we have healing in the atonement!" Is there healing through Christ's work? Is there a biblical basis for this belief? "... He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed." (Isa. 53:5) Colossians 1:12 Qualified ... Rescued ... Transferred The Reality of the Here and Now ... Romans 8:22-25 We have "first-fruits" - a TASTE - but we're WAITING for the fullness to come Philippians 2:27 Epaphroditus was sick but God had mercy on him Acts 19:11, Galatians 4:13 Paul did extraordinary miracles but wasn't healed of his malady (2 Cor. 12:8-9 He joyfully embraced it) 2 Tim. 4:20, 1 Tim. 5:23 Paul's friends weren't healed HEALING AND FAITH-FORUMLA TEACHING ... Closely related to "health through faith" teaching is "wealth through faith" teaching Hebrews 11 FAITH resulted in great things for some, hardship for others What are we to do with all of this? * DON'T quench the Spirit! (I Thessalonians 5:19-22) * DON'T despise prophetic utterances (Implication: Or any of the Spirit's gifts!) * DO desire earnestly the spiritual gifts (I Corinthians 14:1) * DO examine everything carefully! Keep what is good! Reject what is not! Next: FAITH AND HEALING: A Biblical Approach. 2