Last week, I began a two-part series about divine healing. Click here to read part 1; part 2 is below.
7 Reasons Christians Should Believe in Divine Healing
8. Jesus said healing is an expression of God’s goodness. In Mark 3:1-6, Jesus identified healing as an act of goodness and a means of saving lives. Furthermore, Acts 10:38 portrays the ministry of healing as a manifestation of divine goodness. Therefore, numerous scholars and theologians contend that the depiction of God in the Scriptures as good, as it relates to divine healing, underpins the belief that physical healing is a deliberate component of His saving action, since it aligns with His goodness as an expression of His divine will. Since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, we should expect Him to continue to express His goodness through divine healing (Heb. 13:8).
9. Jesus healed to express His compassion. Some people say Jesus only healed to prove His divinity. However, when He healed the leper, He was motivated by His compassion (Mark 1:40-44). Also, in some instances, He even commanded those healed not to share what happened but to go home (Mark 1:44).
10. Limiting the atonement to spiritual healing is a form of Gnosticism. The notion that God is indifferent to our material well-being is rooted in Gnosticism, an influence stemming from Greek thought, which rigorously divided the world into distinct categories, undervaluing the material realm and the physical body in favor of spiritual matters. This viewpoint was deemed heretical compared to the Hebrew tradition, which embraced a holistic view of human existence—integrating spirit, soul and body—thereby never divorcing physical well-being from spiritual blessing (1 Thess. 5:23). This comprehensive perspective on spiritual and physical health was even reflected in a common benediction among early Christians, “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2, LSB), highlighting the interconnectedness of our material and spiritual lives.
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11. Jesus connected divine healing with preaching the gospel. Jesus’ ministry was characterized by both preaching the gospel and healing the sick, illustrating that physical healing was a significant aspect of the kingdom of God’s inbreaking reality (Matt. 4:23-24). This is why Jesus commanded the disciples to preach the gospel and heal the sick. “He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal” (Luke 9:2, ESV). He told the 70, “Whenever you enter a town, and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you'” (Luke 10:8-9).
12. Jesus’s healing expressed God the Father’s will. After Jesus healed the man at the pool of Bethesda, He said, “My Father is working until now and I am working” (John 5:17). He also said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Jesus was the exact expression of the Father’s character and nature, which is why He said, “if you have seen me you have seen the Father” (John 14:9, CEV; see also Heb. 1:3). When He healed everyone who came to Him, He was expressing the fact that healing is the general will of God.
13. Divine healing is a testament to God’s unchanging nature. Scripture affirms that God does not change and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Mal. 3:6, Heb. 13:8). If we see God’s healing power at work in the Bible, it stands to reason that He continues to heal today, because His nature and character remain unchanged.
14. It encourages believers in their faith. In my experience, divine healing is an extraordinary means to elevate corporate and individual faith. Experiencing or witnessing divine healing can uplift one’s faith, encouraging a deeper trust in God and His provisions. This aspect of healing highlights its value as a physical remedy and as a spiritual catalyst, promoting spiritual growth, increasing reliance on God and fostering a more intimate relationship with Him. In this way, divine healing serves a dual purpose: It addresses immediate physical needs and nurtures long-term spiritual development.
Common Arguments Challenging the Concept of Divine Healing
Arguments often include questions such as “If you believe in God’s healing power, why not empty all hospitals?” or “Why aren’t all individuals who are prayed for healed?” These inquiries, however, overlook the complexity of healing’s integration with atonement. A similar line of questioning could be applied to salvation: “Why isn’t everyone preached to instantly saved?” or “Why can’t a preacher bring salvation to an entire stadium of people at once?” These questions highlight the nuanced nature of both salvation and healing. Some argue that Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12 was a physical ailment. Yet contextually, it appears more as a metaphor for a “messenger of Satan” causing disturbances, such as riots and hardships, akin to Old Testament descriptions of adversaries as “thorns.”
This does not imply that illness equates to being out of God’s will or sin any more than emotional or mental distress does. Many Christians live fulfilling lives despite physical disabilities, achieving great things not because of but despite their conditions.
The interplay of salvation and accompanying physical healing is complex, involving factors such as forgiveness (Mark 11:25-26), the collective faith of a community (1 Cor. 11:17-34), personal belief (Matt. 9:27-31, Mark 9:23), individual openness to healing (John 5:6) and God’s sovereign will and timing for His ultimate purpose and glory.
The book of Job and John 9:1-7 illustrate that God’s reasons for allowing suffering and the timing of healing are often beyond human comprehension, aimed at revealing divine truths or to manifest His glory. This underscores the importance of sensitivity to the Holy Spirit when praying for healing and discerning underlying issues for more effective ministry.
Finally, while God generally desires health for us, the manifestation of healing is a divine mystery, influenced by a myriad of human and spiritual variables. The promise of a lifespan (Ps. 90:10) does not preclude God’s sovereign decision to allow departures from this earthly life for reasons within His omniscience.
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Dr. Joseph Mattera is an internationally known author, consultant and theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence culture. He is the founding pastor of Resurrection Church and leads several organizations, including the U.S. Coalition of Apostolic Leaders and Christ Covenant Coalition.
