God's Will and Healing

Last night I revisited an all-important question/issue when it comes to healing, in particular physical healing. What is God's will in the matter? 

If something is possibly NOT God's will, then we are going to pray differently. For example, let's say that I have 2 job opportunities in front of me (assuming that one of them is in fact, God's will for me to have). And I would want to know which one of the 2 jobs would be God's will, or in other words the one God wants for me. I will pray, "Lord, give me job 'A' IF IT BE YOUR WILL, or give me job 'B' IF IT BE YOUR WILL." Again, assuming that one of them is truly God's will (God wants me to have it) and I really don't know what His will is. 

When it comes to healing, there is a HUGE part of the Christian church (and I think of the entire Global Body of Christ) that actually believes that it is not God's will to heal much of the time. It isn't that they believe He cannot heal (everyone believes God is able to heal). What they believe is that He chooses NOT to heal people who ask Him for healing. In short, they believe it is NOT GOD'S WILL in many cases (I would say most based on these Christians' overall lack of results with regards to seeing physical healings when they pray for the sick) to heal. They won't say why. They will claim it is a "mystery". Or they might claim there is some unknown 'plan'. Going back to Augustine, they will most likely say it is for some 'greater good'. 

A recent episode of the Chosen portrays Jesus choosing NOT to heal Little James. This scene illustrates the aforementioned theology of God's will in healing. Admittedly, it is the most creative approach to the issues I've ever seen/heard. Jesus tells James that He isn't going to heal him because He "trusts him". Jesus mentions some mysterious "plan" for James' life and ministry. This is the theology of most Christians - at least Protestants and Catholics (I really don't know what the Orthodox communions believe about this topic as they largely dismiss the influence of Augustine whereas Protestants and Catholics are largely defined by his theology).

I showed 2 scenes from the Chosen in my sermon/teaching last night - the Little James scene and the healing of the leper from Season 1. I called the Jesus and Little James scene the "Popular Perspective". Mind you, it was a totally made-up interaction/conversation. The Gospels never portray Jesus telling someone "No" who wanted to be healed. 

The reason I also showed the healing of the leper from Matthew 8:1-3 is because only ONE TIME in the Gospels is Jesus ever asked if it was His will (and therefore the Father's will) to heal someone and His response was, "I am willing". I, therefore, call that 2nd scene, the healing of the leper, the "Biblical Perspective" because unlike the imaginary (albeit creative and powerful) scene with Little James, the scene with the leper actually happened and is recorded for us in the Scriptures!

Don't get me wrong - I get it. For most of us who have prayed consistently for the sick and diseased (and I've been doing so for more than 20 years now), we often do not see people healed. And with very rare exceptions, we never have any idea as to why someone did not get healed. And it is all too convenient to simply conclude, "I guess it just isn't God's will".

I would challenge/exhort anybody to re-watch the scene where Jesus heals the leper. Here is the link: "Jesus Heals the Leper"

And after watching it, try to imagine Jesus saying "NO". 

Try to imagine Him remaining 'socially distanced' from the unclean, rejected, ostracized man and saying, 

"I could cleanse you, and restore you to society, but I checked with the Father and we are choosing to 'trust you' with this affliction for a secret, unknown purpose. But don't worry, you'll be healed in heaven after the horrible life you have lived and will continue to live because no one will ever approach you or relate to you normally". 

All of us who know Jesus, know that He would never have done that. He would never have said that. It would have been cruel. It would have been evil. 

And yet, many attribute such a posture to God in saying that He is able to heal and yet chooses to say 'No' to many (if not most) who in desperation ask Him for His help. 

Yes, many are not healed. And yet, let us not come to the conclusion that God doesn't want to heal them. And when the theology of Augustine (and therefore Calvin) creeps back in, RE-WATCH the scene of Jesus healing the leper and let the Bible correct the aberrant theology that misrepresents the ministry of Jesus, who Himself said, "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father".