A doctrinal basis for the conception of Divine healing as being unquestionably in the will of God for all has been provided by most Pentecostal denominations in their official statements of faith. It takes the form of the doctrine that Divine healing has been “provided for in the Atonement” (British Assemblies of God). The American Assemblies of God add the helpful words “and is the privilege of all believers.” The Elim Churches state it slightly more ambiguously as they say—“We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Healer of the body, and that all who will walk in obedience to His will can claim Divine healing for their bodies.” This stresses conditions to be fulfilled “obedience”, but carries the same thought of a “claim.” That an important and powerful truth is embodied in these statements, with their scriptural reference to Isaiah 53:4-5 interpreted on the authority of Matt. 8:16-17, few sill deny who love the message of full salvation in Jesus’ Name. But that it needs the wisdom which only the Spirit of Truth Himself can give in its application seems equally evident. To assert that healing for our bodies rests upon an identical authority with healing for our souls in the atoning work of Christ our Saviour can involve serious problems of personal faith and confidence for those weak in faith if, and when, they see manifest cases where Divine healing, though “claimed” has not been received. It is idle to blind ourselves to the fact that such cases exist. True faith refuses to blind itself to the truth, and persistent sickness can be a very unwelcome and stubborn truth.
The doctrine of Divine healing for the body in the Atonement reaches it maximum value when physical sickness is the result of our personal sin. In such a case it brings unspeakable relief to the sufferer to see that the blood of Christ purchases not only pardon for sin but deliverance from its evil results in the body—“the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Taken very literally by multitudes this has helped them much, and enabled them to have faith to be healed. God be praised!
Fervent preaching of the Atonement occasionally beglects the accompanying truth that sometimes Divine love and wisdom permit a measure of suffering as a result of sin, in order to teach us to sin no more, and make us love righteousness and hate iniquity. The classic example is David, who, though pardoned for his iniquity, had to suffer for the rest of his life because of it (II Sam. 12:13-14; 13:31; 25:14, etc.). A doctrine of Divine healing in the work of the Atonement must consistently leave a similar place for permitted sickness as a method of Divine love and wisdom for purposes of chastisement. The regarding of sickness as a chastisement (i.e. discipline) from our Heavenly Father has undoubtedly been much overdone, and has been made an excuse for a whole lot of rank unbelief and worse, but it is folly to deny all truth in an attitude towards sickness that Christians experience through the ages has consistently sustained. Nevertheless, whenever discipline has fulfilled its purpose its necessity ceases. Recognition of sickness as a method of Divine chastisement does not destroy a true doctrine of Divine healing, the rather it strengthens it.
pages 21&22
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