S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

"Stripes," (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24) in the language of the King James Version of the Bible, and in some others, means "wounds," as seen in more modern translations such as the New International ...

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July 01 2013 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Ezekiel Kimosop

I agree with Michael on his interpretation of Isaiah 53:5. I will add some few observations on my answer to firm up the position. 

My view is that it was spiritual healing that Christ primarily accomplished for us at the cross. If indeed the dimension of Christ's atonement contemplated in Scripture was physical healing, how come believers do not enjoy permanent physical health on earth? Why are we not free from earthly perils? 

I have heard some prosperity teachers claim that believers are not to suffer any form of physical infirmity because Christ took it away at Calvary. They also teach that every illness or infirmity must be healed because Christ took it away on the cross. This, in my view, is an open misrepresentation of Biblical truth! 

While I do not deny the power of God in healing diseases, I am not persuaded by the view that believers are totally shielded from disease or infirmity or any other earthly perils. Granted that God can and often does heal all manner of illnesses, including the most dreaded of all, His primary focus on Calvary was, in my view, spiritual restoration of sinners to God. 

We live in a fallen world and there are perils that we have to contend with while under the sun. Only until we appear before Christ shall we be freed from pain and affliction. To enjoy the kind of health contemplated under the prosperity gospel, we must first be taken away from this world! 

My view is that believers will suffer on earth, not just from disease but other physical pains. Besides, Christian sufferings including illnesses are part of the afflictions that God uses to strengthen our faith (cf. James 1:2-4). 

Jesus Himself taught that those who will follow Him in obedience must be prepared to carry the cross. The pains of the cross are primarily persecutions for our faith but we do know from Paul's experience in 2 Corinthians12 that God can use some unpleasant circumstances to accomplish His divine purposes for us. 

Philippians 2:1-10 illustrates the suffering that Christ experienced in His obedience and the exaltation that God accomplished for Him by reason of His suffering. 

Last week we buried my cousin's wife who died at 62 after a long illness bravely borne. She was a great hero of faith who lived for Christ till her last moment. 

I guess a prosperity Bible teacher may be quick to claim that Satan took her life prematurely. I believe God chose to rest her from the pain after prolonged suffering, all to His glory. God must have permitted this suffering on His servant for His divine purposes in line with the teaching of Psalm 34:19; Romans 8:31-39.

To teach otherwise would imply that God abdicated the divine protection over His children. Psalm 23:4 reveals that God watches over His saints even in the most dangerous terrains of life. Nothing catches Him by surprise! 

My view is that God may permit on believers one or other form of suffering including physical illness, all for reasons for which He owes us no explanation. He is the sovereign God who makes no mistakes.

Even as we pray for healing, we ought to reckon that God has the final word on our healing or physical wellbeing. Even if He chose to use illness or infirmity as a means of ushering us into the next life, we should always glorify Him in that His perfect will for us should be accomplished and that our faith is securely anchored in Him. 

This is the biblical truth that many have departed from in their pursuit of the popular but cheap modern gospel of health and wealth (cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-9).

November 27 2016 • 7 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

R K

It is clear from the Isaiah 53 passage that healing does include both spiritual and physical healing. I believe that both are in the atonement. HOWEVER, as salvation (spiritual healing) is a process (past, present and future) so is physical healing. All believers will ultimately experience total freedom (healing) from our fallen physical bodies and their propensity to be "sick", when we are resurrected at the rapture. PRAISE GOD. But until then we will have to wait patiently and sometimes in great pain, until the comping of Christ.

February 10 2019 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report