Now, as to faith-healing institutions and their pretensions, I find this objection, they are not according to the word. I will not say they do not heal in some cases, for I have reason to believe they do, though I have not met the cases, so that I could not speak from personal knowledge; but, so far as I understand the position which they take, and the ground which they occupy, it savors of Laodiceanism and Judaism. First, as we have seen, in looseness and indifference to Christ-His Person, His word, and His name: though they use His name freely, and are earnest and devoted, in that which they have chosen for themselves. But lest we should judge harshly, let us put this to the test by the word of God.
And first, What is the truth as to the privilege of the child of God according to James 5:13-1613Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:13‑16)? " Is any afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church: and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
These people claim to act on verse 13. But mark this, the apostle does not say, Has any faith among you? let him open a house of healing. The word says, " Is any afflicted? let him pray." This is where the work begins according to truth. And when through exercise of heart and conscience before God, he is led to call for the elders, he is on the ground of faith; and the anointing with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith, follow the faith of the person who at first began to pray over his affliction.
But mark another thing, "If he have committed sins,
they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another that ye may be healed." And this brings in another and a very important point,. for our consideration, as to whether the affliction and sickness is on account of sins allowed and unjudged as in 1 Cor. 11:29-3229For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:29‑32), or given as a preventive, as in 2 Cor. 12:7-97And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:7‑9). And still another very important point in 1 John 5:14-1614And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 16If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. (1 John 5:14‑16), showing that though a person may have been brought to repentance, confession, and self-judgment, yet his sin (and so his sickness) is unto death, and no one led by the Spirit could pray for him, neither could such an one led by the Spirit call for the elders, much less go to a faith-healing institution.
And now, lest any should think I am opposing the truth of God as to the privilege of the child of God in this matter, let me say here, that there are cases of late occurrence, and well authenticated, where persons have been brought into deep exercise by their affliction, and have confessed their sin, and have been raised up according to James 5:14,1514Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. (James 5:14‑15). So that I fully believe in it as a. practical truth of Christianity.
But we are told that there are other scriptures more than these which have been noted. As Mark 16:1717And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (Mark 16:17),. "And these signs shall follow them that believe." Now there is room for question, as to the practical application of this scripture at the present time; and for this reason: It was given to the eleven apostles in connection with the great commission, " Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," and which on the part of the eleven, and even of the twelve, after Matthias was chosen, was never fully carried out. Then God raised up Paul to do a further work, and in the ministry and epistles of Paul we get a complete answer; for we find the same signs following everywhere among the nations. But when failure has come in, and he is addressing the elders of Ephesus, he makes no mention of signs; and in his charge to Timothy and Titus, we find no mention of signs, until in 2 Thess. 2:99Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (2 Thessalonians 2:9); and here it is, after the working of Satan, with all signs and lying wonders." A most startling fact for our consideration in these
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Just one more reference to this side of the question, and then we will look at the Judaistic side. In 1 Corinthians 12: 9, we get " to another gifts of healing by the same 'spirit." Here it is evidently the general statement of the truth, as to gifts in the church. That which the. Lord gives in the beginning, and which might be continued " with signs following," as in Mark, but for the complete failure on the part of the church.
And now let us suppose that these " gifts," "with signs following," had continued until this day, in the midst of the failure and ruin of the church. What should we have had at this time? Rome, with all her arrogant' pretension, proving her authority by miracles, " signs following;" the Greek church doing the same thing; and Protestantism, with its thousand factions and schisms, each setting up its claims, and bringing God in to sanction their heresies by miracles and "signs following." Can any one conceive of anything more terrible? Surely that would make God the author of confusion.
No! beloved re der; God is not the author of confusion in the church. How, then, comes it there? Is it not because man has never been willing to abide in God's order, but is continually introducing his own will and way, and thus departing from God and the truth? Yes, surely, man has proved over and over again in the church, as well as out of it, that he is but a failure, a complete ruin, and that he ruins everything he touches. 'God's work is perfect • His way is also perfect; His order in the church in the beginning was perfect; but who can find it now?
When man departs from God's way, as pointed out in its word, and by the guiding of His Spirit, he goes at his own charges. Satan may help him to work miracles; God never does.
Finally. This thing savors of Judaism. Quotations are taken from Old Testament scriptures as authority for faith-healing, namely, Ex. 15:26;23. 25; Deuteronomy v. 15, and others; and it is claimed that God wants us to be well, and to have healthy bodies-and to support this notion, the promises given under the law are brought in; promises which were conditional, and which Israel never enjoyed because of their failure.
And it is claimed that, through keeping the law, we may claim those promises; and hence we find that, in many cases, this faith-healing is based upon a system of perfectionism, the outcome of man's will, in perverting Christianity by bringing in law-keeping-the error of the Galatians.
Christianity never promises health nor length of days. It comes from heaven, and is in no sense a human invention, but a divine power come into a world under judgment to man, as condemned already, to save him out of it. And in Christ, God's provision is so complete that it saves to the uttermost all who come to God by Him.
And it is an immense comfort that, while we cannot claim exemption from disease, nor miraculous healing of disease, yet we can count on Him who cares for us with an infinite love, and will never leave nor forsake, and will give sickness or health just in the measure and character suited to our need.
And as could be said of Israel, notwithstanding all this sad failure, "In all their affliction he was afflicted." How much more can it be said, " If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
But let us not forget; Adam must go out of Eden, because a sinner could not abide in God's presence. Israelites must suffer affliction, because of their own failure; and the church comes under the same governmental dealing. " Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap ' (Gal. 6:77Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7)), and " The same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." (1 Peter 5:99Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1 Peter 5:9).)
One thought more, and it is this: If there was ever a man who could claim exemption from affliction on the around of faithfulness, was not the apostle Paul that man? But did he? Please tell us wherein? He tells us of one great affliction for which he besought the Lord thrice that it might be taken from him, but it could not. He tells us of Epaphroditus being sick, and nigh unto death, but this is no evidence that he healed him: though he did heal the sick in many cases no doubt. He leaves Trophimus at Miletum sick. (2 Tim. 4:2020Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. (2 Timothy 4:20).) And why did he not heal Timothy, instead of telling him " to take a little wine for his oft infirmity?" Simply because the Holy Ghost did not lead him in that way.
So that we have need to be watchful against Satan's wiles, and careful to test all these pretensions with the word of God, lest in our zeal to get rid of some affliction, we accept deliverance at the instigation of Satan. The blessed Lord would not make bread of stones to feed Himself, much less would He do it at the instigation of Satan. Better to be sick, than to be healed by Satanic agency; for I hesitate not to say, that all clairvoyant and medium-healing is by Satanic agency, and I know not how much more. As to myself, I must see God acknowledged, Christ exalted, His word and His name bowed to and kept, then I can believe in healing power, where the faith is given, not simply to a man to heal, but also to the one who is exercised in a godly way according to James 5:1313Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. (James 5:13).
And now we see that the ground upon which these pretensions are based is not tenable, for it is the ignoring of our true state before God. Sin is here; failure is ours; ruin and confusion have come in, and it becomes us to confess it.
May the Lord give us eyes to see; ears to hear; and hearts to understand and obey; and above all may we endeavor in everything to follow after the things that please Him, who has said, " Behold, I come quickly; (Concluded from page 297.)
hold that fast that thou halt, that no man take thy crown." C. E. H.