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This is a puzzling article. The author sucks us in with a title, but does absolutely nothing to explain his beliefs regarding how God does miracles. In fact, this article was really written to criticize the prosperity gospel, not to explain miracles or biblical healing.
Sadly, the author manages to quote the Bible only once (which we edited out, since it was a not a Scripture about healing or the miraculous [Acts 8:20].)
Sadly, the author manages to quote the Bible only once (which we edited out, since it was a not a Scripture about healing or the miraculous [Acts 8:20].)
Then he creates a false choice. Either we accept his views, or it's prosperity gospel. Of course there are more choices than these two.
After a healing service among a group of charismatics in our community was held in our city’s convention center, I publicly critiqued it—pointing to their unbiblical doctrine and practices. (It would be helpful if the author provided a link to this critique, so that we might know his actual perspective.)
It didn’t take long to start receiving hate mail, (I doubt there was much hate mail. More likely it was people who simply disagreed.)
(...)
What about that charge of rejecting the miraculous because I critiqued the healing services? First, we must remember that God’s miraculous powers are not for sale. (He writes "first," but no "second" will appear in his narrative.
It would seem obvious that God's gifts are not for sale. We were hoping the author will explain how critiquing a healing service has anything to do with accepting or rejecting the miraculous, or what reason he would need to tell us what is for sale.
Sadly, the author will not do this.)
It didn’t take long to start receiving hate mail, (I doubt there was much hate mail. More likely it was people who simply disagreed.)
(...)
What about that charge of rejecting the miraculous because I critiqued the healing services? First, we must remember that God’s miraculous powers are not for sale. (He writes "first," but no "second" will appear in his narrative.
It would seem obvious that God's gifts are not for sale. We were hoping the author will explain how critiquing a healing service has anything to do with accepting or rejecting the miraculous, or what reason he would need to tell us what is for sale.
Sadly, the author will not do this.)
Many people within the charismatic circles have twisted the Bible and used God’s miraculous powers as a “Christian” market whereby people give money in hope of getting healed. (Examples? references? Relevance?)
We see this with the many different charlatans who appear on the TBN network. Those who proclaim the health, wealth, and prosperity message are heretics that must be avoided. Their gospel is not good news to the soul. (Indeed. But this has nothing to do with the Bible's teaching about healing.)
Why do healing services in arenas and conference centers need to be organized? (Why shouldn't people be healed in arenas?)
Why not gather around the sick in their homes and privately pray with faith that if God chooses—he can heal the sick and restore the health of the afflicted? (False choice. Healing in arenas is not in any way relevant to healing in homes.)
Why organize television programs around healing services? (Should healing services not be televised?)
It’s typically about money and the way people demonstrate faith is by giving money (often referred to as seed gifts) to a faith healer in the name of Jesus. (This is certainly a bad thing, but why shouldn't it be televised?)
Such practices are not only unbiblical (Why are they unbiblical? We will have to take his word for it, since he hasn't yet told us anything from the Bible about healing.)
We see this with the many different charlatans who appear on the TBN network. Those who proclaim the health, wealth, and prosperity message are heretics that must be avoided. Their gospel is not good news to the soul. (Indeed. But this has nothing to do with the Bible's teaching about healing.)
Why do healing services in arenas and conference centers need to be organized? (Why shouldn't people be healed in arenas?)
Why not gather around the sick in their homes and privately pray with faith that if God chooses—he can heal the sick and restore the health of the afflicted? (False choice. Healing in arenas is not in any way relevant to healing in homes.)
Why organize television programs around healing services? (Should healing services not be televised?)
It’s typically about money and the way people demonstrate faith is by giving money (often referred to as seed gifts) to a faith healer in the name of Jesus. (This is certainly a bad thing, but why shouldn't it be televised?)
Such practices are not only unbiblical (Why are they unbiblical? We will have to take his word for it, since he hasn't yet told us anything from the Bible about healing.)
—they’re devilish schemes that must be exposed for what they are. (By doing what, taking them off T.V.?)
People need the gospel—for without the gospel they will perish. Why focus on the health of the afflicted while ignoring the depravity of their soul? (False choice. Who does this? Examples? Quotes? Documentation?)
The biblical pattern is to preach the gospel and pray for the sick. (Again, we'll have to take his word for this, absent biblical documentation.)
People need the gospel—for without the gospel they will perish. Why focus on the health of the afflicted while ignoring the depravity of their soul? (False choice. Who does this? Examples? Quotes? Documentation?)
The biblical pattern is to preach the gospel and pray for the sick. (Again, we'll have to take his word for this, absent biblical documentation.)
We preach the gospel to the soul and pray for God’s healing hand upon the sick. If a sinner comes to faith—that’s a miracle. If a person with stage 4 cancer is healed—that’s a miracle. (This is the totality of what the author will write about the topic contained in the title.)
Sadly, many charismatics find more joy out of a cancer patient being healed than they do out of a lost sinner coming to faith in Jesus. (They do? Who does this? Examples? Quotes? Documentation?)
(...) (Now comes a tangential story about someone with cancer...)
If you’ve been led astray by the unbiblical and greedy message of the prosperity gospel—I would urge you to read the Scriptures (Please, give us one! A single Scripture would be wonderful at this point!)
and see how the prosperity gospel fails to line up with the gospel of Jesus. (In what way? Are you going to explain anything?)
and see how the prosperity gospel fails to line up with the gospel of Jesus. (In what way? Are you going to explain anything?)
Don’t be fooled by wells without water and clouds without rain. (See, he really intended to criticize the prosperity gospel, not how God still performs miracles. But he doesn't actually explain anything.
Again, we believe we were sucked in by a misleading title. If God still performs miracles, what is his doctrinal basis for this assertion? Had he actually decided to write about healing, he might of quoted and discussed these Scriptures:
Again, we believe we were sucked in by a misleading title. If God still performs miracles, what is his doctrinal basis for this assertion? Had he actually decided to write about healing, he might of quoted and discussed these Scriptures:
1Co. 12:8-9 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit...
Ja. 5:14-16 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
1Pe. 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
The author may have a doctrinal perspective on healing, which we could then evaluate, but we will not know what the basis for his perspective is since he never tells us.)
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