Is There a Conflict Between Divine Healing and Medicine?

Copyright © 2013

Introduction

The Christ Centered Approach

Christ's Behavior Towards the Sick

Christ Speaks Well of Doctors

Guilt by Association

Paul Speaks of Luke the Physician

The Greek Word
for "Sorcery"

The Greek Word for "Physician
"

Use All Godly Means to Get Well

Natural Healing in the Bible

Medical Science Helps Multitudes

The Danger of Condemnation of Medicine

Misleading Examples Out of the Past

In Conclusion

All rights reserved. This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New American Standard Version (NASV), Copyright © 1960, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, The Lockman Foundation.

Questions about the relationship between supernatural healing and medicine often come up in various ways. This is not really surprising. Once a Christian has acknowledged that supernatural healing is possible, then he or she is likely to wonder about the relationship between what seems to be two different ways to approach getting well. This is further complicated by widely differing views on this subject.

Some Christians - a vocal minority - take a very negative view of medicine and believe that Christians should never be involved with doctors or medicine. They may accuse Christians of unbelief who seek to get well through medical means. Likewise, they may even accuse people of being involved with sorcery when they use medicine. Other Christians take a less negative view of medicine and doctors and do not believe that God has a problem with medicine. Another group is simply unsure of what to think about this all together and is influenced by what they are hearing in the moment. The way that someone comes to a conclusion is largely dependent upon how they draw their understanding of God's will. 

We draw our understanding of God's will in healing from Christ. This approach in healing has borne much fruit over the years. We have seen
more than 30,000 supernatural healings, miracles and deliverances occur since 1993. We describe our approach as "Christ-centered." This phrase has come to be a common term but has a distinct meaning to us that others who use the same term may not understand.

Being "Christ-centered" goes beyond being aware of the importance of the cross in the matter of healing. It is awareness that Christ shows us the perfect will of the Father in His actions, attitudes, teachings and commands. Therefore, when serious questions about matters in healing ministry arise, we answer them according to what we see in Christ's ministry. What direct evidence can we draw from Christ's ministry concerning medicine and doctors?

Perhaps, we can start with what Christ does not do as He heals the sick. Christ never suggests that someone who is seeking healing needs to quit using medicine or refuse medical care. Christ never indicates that there is a conflict between receiving medical care and receiving healing. Some seem to have created a conflict in their own minds that is not reflected in the ministry of Christ. This
conflict takes this shape:
If you go to a doctor, then it demonstrates that you do not believe in Christ as Healer. Therefore, in order to receive healing, you must refuse medical care.

Some may even intensify the conflict in their own minds and believe that the use of medicine is sorcery.  This is often accompanied by the related accusation that doctors are sorcerers.

These negative ideas are simply not present in the New Testament. Beyond that, we have seen the Lord heal a multitude of people who were receiving medical care at the same time.

For example, in the past we had a Tuesday night meeting where I would teach each week a Christ centered message on receiving and ministering healing. After I would teach, the entire group would minister to those who wanted to receive ministry. On one Tuesday evening, a young man came who was very sick with cancer. He was also suffering nausea because he had taken chemotherapy that day. He was diagnosed with two large cancerous tumors. One tumor was under his ribs and one in his hip.  His facial color was gray from the chemotherapy. We laid hands on him and within moments, his color changed to pink and he was warm all over. The nausea was completely gone and we were fairly sure that he was healed. He went back to his doctor and after some x-rays, his doctor in amazement said that one of the tumors was completely gone and the other was half the size that it was previously. After a second time of prayer with him, he was completely free from cancer. Now, keep in mind that this man was under medical care both before and after his healing. Obviously, Father did not require him to refuse medical care. There is no call to repentance from seeing a doctor or using medicine for the purpose of healing recorded in the New Testament despite there being thousands of healings being recorded.

Again, taking a Christ centered approach to this subject; we need to observe what Christ had to say about doctors. There is one statement from Christ about doctors that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels. The context of the statement is the Pharisee's condemning Christ for his ongoing eating of meals with sinful people. Christ says in response to them:
 

"
It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick."  (Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:31)

Hopefully, any honest reader can note that Christ is certainly not condemning physicians. This is a positive statement about medical care. Christ expects the Pharisees to acknowledge this common sense about doctors. Christ is saying that "Sick people need a doctor." Christ does not expect even His opponents to argue with this common sense about doctors as some unwise Christians will do today. The Holy Spirit seems to want to emphasize this statement as it does appear in three of the Gospels.

In saying this, Christ is identifying with doctors in a positive way. Christ is declaring Himself to be a physician to these people. There is not a hint of condemnation of doctors or medicine in this statement. It is an endorsement of both. Additionally, there is another positive statement by Christ about medicine or doctors. It only appears in the Gospel of Luke. Luke writes:
"And He (Christ) said to them, "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your home town as well.'"" (Luke 4:23)

Again, Christ identifies in a positive way with physicians despite noting the sharp criticism of His ministry. Christ quotes an apparently well known proverb among Jewish people in the First Century. The Jews believed that physicians were involved in healing. (They did not believe that doctors were sorcerers.) Christ says that they will "no doubt" quote the proverb about Him. While these people were challenging Christ to do in His hometown what He had done elsewhere, neither they nor Christ were being negative about physicians. Quite the contrary is true. Christ and His hearers believed that physicians were involved in healing people and should heal themselves as well.

Beyond this, Christ does list sins in some passages. He does not mention using or practicing medicine as one of these sins. If it is wrong to go to a doctor, then Christ would address this as sin but He does not do this. Christ - who is deeply committed to supernatural healing - does not condemn physicians should be convincing evidence. The fact of His validation of physicians by His statements should be enough to settle this matter with any reasonable person.

Occasionally, someone will innocently but ignorantly think that there were no Jewish doctors in the First Century. However, this is simply not true. In Christ statements, he certainly expects His hearers to understand exactly what a doctor does in healing.  The New Testament does record doctors functioning among the Jewish people. For instance, the story of the woman with the issue of blood begins with this piece of information:
 

And a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse, (Mark 5:25-26)

Mark does not indicate that
going to a doctor was a sinful thing for her to do. The passage does not refer to these doctors as "sorcerers" when it could have done so.  Later, when she encounters Christ, He does not address her going to doctors as a sin either.

Despite the fact of their ineffectiveness in helping this woman, she had access to "many physicians."  In discussing this verse, the Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible says
 

"The Rabbis ordained that every town must have at least one physician, who was also to be qualified to practice surgery, or else a physician and a surgeon."
[1]
  

These physicians were not considered "sorcerers" in any way.

Some that condemn doctors, point out that doctors may be involved in the sin of abortion, misusing their authority to prescribe drugs or some other abuse. However, this is a condemnation of a whole class of people in a profession based on what a few
of bad character may do. It is "guilt by association." This is like saying that a few policemen do bad things, therefore they are all evil. It is like saying that a few Christian ministers are greedy, so they are all evil. Hopefully, no one believes this "guilt by association" argument against medicine and doctors. Most doctors do a lot of good but that does not make an abortionist a good person either. We should recognize bad reasoning when we hear it.

Because we are Christ centered, we start with Christ as the foundation of what we believe and practice. Then we observe what the rest of the New Testament says. What does the rest of the New Testament reveal about doctors and medicine?
The author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles is Luke, the physician. Some may not be aware that Luke was often a companion of the Apostle Paul as he traveled throughout the Roman Empire. Paul does identify Luke as a doctor. Luke was present with Paul when Paul wrote this:

"Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings..." (Colossians 4:14)

Again, the absence of condemnation of the medical profession is certain here. Quite the contrary is apparent. Paul is supportive of Luke's profession as a doctor. Paul did not have to mention that Luke was a doctor. He would not have mentioned it if he had thought negatively of this. Yet, the Apostle Paul makes it plain that he approves of Luke being a doctor.

Paul does not distinguish Luke as a different kind of physician who doesn't really use medicine because he believes in healing. That idea is certainly not present here. That idea cannot be added to support someone's negative view of doctors when that idea is not found in the New Testament or this verse.

By the fact of Luke continuing to be a physician and a strong believer in Christ, it does support our view that it is entirely possible to believe the Lord for supernatural healing while under the care of a doctor. It is also possible to be a doctor, like Luke, who believes both in natural and supernatural healing. I have personal relationships and acquaintances with a number of Christian doctors who both practice medicine and pray successfully for the sick to be healed. The idea that you can't do both is certainly bogus and not found in the New Testament. In order to continue to condemn doctors, you really have to disregard the fact that Paul does not condemn his companion Luke and does approve of him being a doctor.

The Apostle Paul writes using the Greek word "pharmakeia" in Galatians Chapter 5. That passage says this:
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)