Divine Healing

Dear Brethren,

What do the Scriptures say about God's promise to heal us, and what does discerning the body of Jesus Christ have to do with our healing?  This is a crucial question.  In fact, because of its far reaching implications, this is the most important question that we in the Church of God can ask ourselves today.  "For he that eats and drinks [the Passover symbols] unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." (1Corinthians 11:29)

God has promised to heal us according to our faith.  He is our Divine Healer.  Since we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose, we understand that God is fully in control of our lives (Romans 8:28)   Therefore, time and chance do not happen to the people of God.  When we go to God in faith through anointing, accepting the sacrifice of Christ to cover our sins, our prayer is heard.  "Whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.  (1 John 3:22-23)

And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."  (1 John 5:14-15)

Jesus personally bore our sins in His own body when He was killed, so that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness (1 Peter 2:24).  It is because of the entire ordeal of Christ's anguish, torment and suffering, that total healing is available to converted brethren (John 12:40).  Jesus paid the price that we may be made whole physically, emotionally, psychologically and especially, spiritually.

Do we really understand what Paul meant by, "the Lord's body?"  When we read the words, "the Lord's body," we should understand that Paul was referring to the Christian believers who make up the Church of God.  "...The Church, which is His body."  (Ephesians 1:22-23)

Too many Christians today see the phrase, discerning the Lord's body, as meaning only that we must recognize the healing that we receive as a result of the beaten body of Jesus.   Paul was inferring so much more!

Jesus' anguish and suffering began before He ever felt a fist, a thorn, a whip, a nail, or a spear.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was overwhelmed by such grief that He could hardly breathe. "Jesus began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith He unto the disciples, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me."  (Matthew 26:36-39)

Jesus would not have prayed that appeal to His Father if His anguish had been tolerable.  Jesus knew that he would be physically marred more than any man, but His greater grief and sorrow stemmed from man's betrayal and rejection of Him (Isaiah 52:14).  Most Christians do not realize that next to loving God, Himself, it is His desire that the brethren care for one another.  They also do not realize that a Godly, brotherly love is the primary prerequisite for healing.  "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep [are dead]." (1Corinthians 11:30)  The "cause" was division among the brethren, which constituted not discerning the Lord's Body.

Division among the brethren was Paul's subject when he wrote that the Lord's body was not being properly discerned.  He said that we must examine ourselves as to whether or not we are a part of any division.  "For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you." (1 Corinthians 11:18)  This is the very reason that God refrained from healing them.

By addressing division within the Church, Paul shows that, not only our healing, but our very salvation depends on our truly caring for one another.  Scripture does not allow for Christians to co-exist without properly relating to one another.  It is clear that for us to have a right relationship with God, it is first necessary to "get right" with others.   Jesus tells us that, as Christians, our priority must be to reconcile, not only with God, but also with one another.  Christ taught that reconciliation has a higher priority than even church attendance.  "Be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."  (Matthew 5:24)

How does a Christian become a part of the Lord's Body?  True Christians enter the Body of Christ at their baptism.  Since our unity with the Father and the Son begins at baptism, then so does our unity with one another.  "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body ... and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13)

How much more clearly could it be written?  Brethren become unified spiritually - one in Spirit, and one in the Body of Christ.  By definition, it is absolutely impossible to have Christian love for only a part of the Body of Christ.  We cannot serve some brethren while neglecting other brethren. "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling."  (Ephesians 4:2-4)

It is very clear what God's intent is - that people learn to live, to love, to work, to associate, etc., together.  God wants us to learn how to live with one another now, so that we will know how to live with Him eternally.  We cannot hate, despise, or reject any of the saints, as that behaviour defines "not" discerning the Lord's body.  We are obligated to extend our realm of fellowship to include all who have the earnest of God's Holy Spirit.  Paul characterized our self examination as properly "discerning the Lord's body."  (1Corinthians 11:29)  Brethren, do we understand the full extent of this Scripture?  Our healing depends on it!

There is a direct correlation between Divine healing and the unity and oneness we share with all of the children of God, who constitute the Lord's body.  Paul said that sickness and death, not healing, was the result of partaking of the Passover while division existed among the saints."  In eating every one takes before others his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunk."  (1Corinthians 11:21)

Those brethren, who Paul was addressing, had not discerned the Lord's body because there was partiality between the brethren.  We are reconciled to God the Father by the death of His Son.  We are healed by His stripes.  Our ultimate healing, which is our salvation, awaits us because Jesus was raised to life by the Father, and so we shall be saved by His life (1 Peter 1:18-21).

This entire healing and salvational process is contingent on our having direct positive interaction and unity with God's people.  If we, who are called of God, possess a genuine devotion and Godly tenderness for the brethren, we will not diminish the sacrifice of Christ. "Love does no harm to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.  And do this [ loving our neighbour ], knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed."   (Romans 13:10-11)

When we worship the True God, keep His commandments, love the brethren, and discern the Lord's Body, our petition to the Divine Healer is heard.

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Sermon:

"Divine Healing"