But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
Luke 5:15
The multitudes came to “hear” and to be “healed”. They heard Jesus teaching. Faith rose up in their spirits and miraculous healings followed.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus has not changed! His Word still produces faith and people are still receiving miracles by faith.
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17
The source of faith is still the Word of God. We cannot have faith apart from the Word.
Let’s pick up the story of the leper’s healing in Mark 1 that we have been discussing in our previous posts.
The leper was an actual man who lived when Jesus was walking and ministering on the earth. He had a condition that most would consider to be incurable.
And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him…
Mark 1:40
There are different ideas about what leprosy was. Leviticus 13 and 14 goes into great detail about the disease and how those suffering from it should be treated. The following are descriptions that I have been able to find:
- “A disease that is characterized by the formation of nodules that spread causing loss of sensation and deformity.”
- “Includes sever types of psoriasis..”
- “An infectious disease that is characterized by sores, scabs, and spots beneath the skin.”
Leprosy was, and is an awful disease. There have been cases in our time that were characterized by a loss of sensation and feeling. I have read accounts of lepers putting their hands on a hot iron and not even knowing their skin was burning.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
John 10:10
Leprosy is not of God. When God created Adam and Eve He did not put leprosy on them.
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 1:31
God said that everything He had made was good. I don’t believe it is possible to look at something like the pandemic which has swept the globe and say it is good.
Sicknesses, deformities, cancers, and pandemics were not part of the original creation. They are not “very good”. I have had Christians try and argue that sickness must be in the will of God because they are in the earth. Sin is also in the earth and these same people would never argue it is the will of God.
We must examine our beliefs. Are they based in traditions, our experiences, or the Word of God?
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 1:27
Mankind was created in God’s image. God created Adam and breathed life into him.
God is perfect. He is not sitting on His throne with Covid-19 or cancer. Millions of Christians associate Him with their illnesses by arguing it was His will for them to suffer.
- God does not use sickness to teach people.
- God does not use sickness to develop holiness in our lives.
- God does not use sickness to develop our character.
I remember sitting in class and hearing some of my professor tell us things like this. They would become angry when I would ask for Scriptures to back up what they were saying. It took me almost seven years to complete my undergraduate degree and not one professor was able to provide a single Scripture to back up their statements about sickness being the will of God. They did quote commentaries and other ministers but not the Word of God!
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Mark 7:13
I quoted this verse in our last post. We need Scripture to declare something as truth but many ministers have unfortunately replaced God’s Word with tradition. This will not enable us to walk in the power of God!
“I’m sorry but you can’t be healed because it is not God’s will.”
“Be patient. The Lord is teaching you a lesson through your suffering.”
I cannot find one Scripture to back up some of the things I’ve heard ministers say over the years. Unfortunately there are millions of people who have bought into these lies hook, line, and sinker!
The leper came to Jesus questioning His will. Jesus response was, “I will, be thou whole”. He essentially declared healing as the will of God.
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
John 12:49
Jesus would not have said “I will” if He did not receive that from God. We are going to dig deeper into this in the next post.
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