Does God Still HealPhil Scove

SECTION 1 KEY WITNESSES 5 GUILT BY ASSOCIATION 6 DIED BELIEVING 6 PHYSICIAN – HEAL THYSELF 8 PRIDE 8 SERVANTS 9 MINISTRY PRESSURES 9 INTERCESSORS 9 HALL OF FAMERS 10 THE FAITH OF JESUS 10

SECTION 2 SPIRITUAL GIFTS 12 MIRACLES DEFINED 12 FADING AUTHENTICITY 13 UNINSPIRED SCRIPTURE 14 MIRACLELESS DISCIPLES 14

SECTION 3 DOCUMENTED PROOF 15 KATHERINE KUHLMAN 16 TRICKS OF THE TRADE 17 BELIEVE IT OR NOT 18

SECTION 4 HEALING METHODS 19 THE APOSTOLIC GIFT OF HEALING 22 POOR PAUL 23 PUNY PALE AND SICKLY 23

SECTION 5 REASONS WHY GOD MIGHT HEAL 24 HIS PERSON 24 HIS PROMISE 25 HIS PATTERN 25 I PETER 2:24 25 FINAL REMARKS 26 CONCLUSION 27 IN NEED OF A MIRACLE 28 OTHER THAN PHYSICAL NEEDS 29 HELP 29

DOES GOD STILL HEAL?

By

Phil Scovell

FORWARD

Brother John MacArthur preached a number of messages which he entitled “Charismatic Chaos.” Later A book was published BY THE SAME TITLE. In these messages he attempted to explain away every false doctrine and erroneous practice he says are characteristic of the Charismatic believer. Though I am not taking the time to address each and every sermon in the series, I felt it necessary to at least focus on some of the more prominent topics. My first was called “Charismatic Chaos And Speaking In Tongues.” Since the subject of healing and tongues is doctrinally harmonious, I suggest the reader write and request it. Some of my own personal testimony is incorporated in that first rebuttal; something omitted from this booklet. I likewise suggest the reader obtain a copy of my booklet entitled “Saved And Healed?” which was a letter written to the Radio Bible Class as a rebuttal to several of their radio teachings on the subject of the atonement and bodily healing. It covers aspects not emphasized in this writing.

I have confessed before, and do so now again, that many of John MacArthur’s sermons are in my personal library. I likewise read his writings, and have often tuned to his radio broadcast over the years. I highly recommend his teachings, except of course in some areas, to any one and appreciate his courageous stand for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This does not, on the other hand, excuse his Biblical errors of interpretation and application on some doctrines. Shoot! No body’s perfect.

My quotes are taken from a sermon I found in electronic form on a Christian bulletin board system (BBS) and downloaded with my computer. I again cannot guarantee that everything I found in this electronic version of John MacArthur’s sermon is the exact reproduction of his recorded message but it claimed to be the basic wording of his taped message. If the reader wishes to obtain the recorded version of his message, write to Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412. Request GC 90-60 entitled “Charismatic Chaos” Part 9 – Does God Still Heal? It is also available in book form from any major Christian bookstore.

As I said in my first rebuttal, I found no copyright symbol in the electronic transcribed version of his sermon nor was there any written statement of such copyright. If I am in violation of any copyright laws, it is unintentional.

Phil Scovell October 1992 INTRODUCTION

As in my first rebuttal on tongues, I have divided Brother MacArthur’s sermon into several sections in order to address each aspect of his teaching systematically. I am only covering the high points, that is the major areas of disagreement, rather than every aspect for obvious reasons; it would simply take volumes.

A TEMPORARY GIFT

One of Brother MacArthur’s favorite hobby horses, besides the subject of speaking in tongues, is the gift of healing. Though he is very adamant about his stand that tongues passed away with the last apostle, whoever he was, he is less so on the topic of healing. Why? Well, because some people do get healed today and he doesn’t want to be caught with foot in mouth saying, “Hey, God doesn’t heal today…that died out with the last apostle. Even people in his own church would laugh him right out of the pulpit on that one. If he were going to be doctrinally consistent, however, he would also confess that tongues and healing died out with the last apostle; whoever he was. He does say, as we will see, that the “gift of healing” itself passed away but he tempers his statement (covers his tracks) by saying God does have the power to heal today but only if He feels like it. “The gift of healing was a temporary sign gift for the authenticating of those who wrote the Scripture and those who preached the message in that first century. And once the Scripture was completed and that authenticity was established, the gift of healing ceased.”

This, of course, is Brother MacArthur’s old standby. The reason is this: If certain things were only given to the apostles/disciples by Christ, then when they died, well then, the gift died, too. The problem with this philosophy is that Scripture never says any such thing but Brother MacArthur says it does. Since I covered this fallacy of the “temporary gifts” extensively in my first rebuttal to his message on tongues, I will not give space to it here.

GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY “Now, let me say this, people are going to say, [Well, are you saying God doesn’t heal?] No, I’m not saying that, if God wants to heal, He can heal. That’s completely, obviously within His power, and if it is in his purpose then He can heal.”

Well, we must give him a little credit since he does confess God “can” heal if He wants but according to Brother MacArthur’s interpretation, God normally isn’t in the mood for such trivial mundane concerns…He’s just interested in getting you saved. You’re apparently on your own for everything else.

Here’s another trapdoor: “I simply say, I want to reiterate that I believe that God can heal. God can do anything He wants to do.”

The unfortunate aspect of this statement is that apparently God normally chooses to do very little about the sick and diseased in His family. What a God! He can, and does, save us totally and for all eternity without batting an eye but as far as anything else, He’s apparently less than willing to meet the needs of His own saved/delivered/rescued people. But then of course we serve the New Testament version of God today; the Old TEstament God was somehow, and somewhat, more powerful.

The truth is that God can’t do anything He wants. The sovereignty of God gets the blame for every unanswered prayer and every unhealed person and anything and everything else that is unexplainable in the Christian’s life. It’s easy. Pray about something for awhile and if nothing happens, well then, it wasn’t God’s will.

What do I mean when I say that God can’t do anything He wants? The very nature of God’s sovereignty prohibits Him from doing certain things. He cannot undue is salvation plan. He cannot reverse promises He has made. He cannot flipflop on His commitment to honor His Word. He cannot cancel His Son as the only means of salvation. He doesn’t wake up some morning and say, “Oh, well, shoot. I wonder what’s new in the universe today. Hey, look at those silly Christians down there playing around. I think I’ll teach them a lesson and change my mind.” Then waving His magic wand, bingo! Everything disappears. God’s own sovereignty makes such impossible. To listen to Brother MacArthur, however, God, though He claims to be our Healer, sometimes doesn’t feel like healing.

QUOTING THE DEVIL

I am often amazed at who Brother MacArthur uses to prove his point. Though I will refer to some of his key witnesses in the first section, look at who he quotes in the following statement. “People who are clear-minded and balanced become irrational. Remember, Satan knows this. That’s why he said in Job 2:4, [Skin for skin, yes, all that a man has will he give for his life.]”

The only problem with quoting the devil here is that Satan was dead wrong and eventually was forced to confessed Job was a tough nut to crack. The truth is, Job wouldn’t even give in after Satan killed his children, burned his farm to the ground, and afflicted him with terrible bodily sores. Read it for yourself if you doubt it. Apparently Brother MacArthur failed to finish reading Job’s story.

WEAK MINDED BELIEVERS

Brother MacArthur also makes several unsettling statements about these silly Charismatics who all believe alike on the doctrine of bodily healing. “Now we all know that desperation accompanies disease. Sickness drives people to do frantic, extreme things they normally wouldn’t do. People who are clear-minded and balanced become irrational. Remember, Satan knows this.” Concerning the “faith healers” themselves, he says: “They play games with people’s minds–the power of suggestion. They prey upon people, making them believe things that aren’t really true and they use deception.”

The thing I dislike the very most about Brother MacArthur’s arguments against the Charismatics is his continual association of Charismatics with all fakes and fonies of every kind. In this sermon he even accuses all those silly dumb people of once being “clear-minded and balanced” but irrational (nincompoops) for believing God. We are even accused of having our minds played with; forcing us to believe in God when God really doesn’t wish to be bothered. Of course it’s true that there are many charlatans who prey on people’s emotions and it is true that many people are fooled. I wonder, though, what God thinks about those who continually preach and teach and write books and produce radio programs to attempt to void His promises clearly stated in His eternal Word. I wonder how God the Father views those who perpetually downplay His Word, canceling His gifts He sent His Son to bleed and die for, and insist we cannot trust God today for certain things because it died out with the last apostle; whoever he was. I wonder if God is pleased more with those who believe Him for some things, though they may never realize the answer to their plea, than those who continually doubt and ridicule those who attempt to trust God.

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

He also says: “It was never intended as a permanent way to keep the Church healthy; yet today Charismatics teach that God wants every Christian well all the time. If that is true, then why did He let them get sick to start with?”

Here again Brother MacArthur uses the technique of attributing some of what he’s heard to all Charismatics. That’s easier, of course, because then you don’t have to justify anything; you can just generalize and people will believe you.

When he asks, “why did He let them get sick to start with?” he’s overlooking what Charismatics generally teach on sickness. You see, Brother MacArthur and many who disbelieve God wants His Church without spot or wrinkle, like to sometimes suggest, especially since they deny God’s healing power for today, that maybe God once and awhile gives us a physical cross to bear in order that we might better glorify Him. The only problem with this idea is that it cannot be found anywhere in the Bible. You do find God allowing disease to come upon the disobedient but those are also healed when they repent. In those cases, God isn’t giving them the disease, He’s allowing it as He did with Job. Job was healed, too, of course; something Brother MacArthur fails to mention.

Let’s set the record straight. Yes, it is true some misguided Bible Believers have wrongly accused the sick of being thus because of sin or because of lack of faith. When it comes to physical infirmities such as blindness, lameness, deformities and the like, God never claimed those has His personal punishment upon those He wanted to improve spiritually. In fact, He told Moses that He had made the blind and the deaf. He did not say, however, He had made them blind or deaf but actually was showing Moses that He, God, since He had made them physically, could make them see and hear.

The answer to Brother MacArthur’s question “why did they get sick in the first place” is immaterial. It could be a result of sin, a demonic affliction, a generational curse, or simply a physical infirmity which occurs naturally in the human race. To say that God let them get sick, therefore, implies that maybe God doesn’t like them or care for them? The emphasis should not be on their sickness but on the healing power of God.

SECTION 1

KEY WITNESSES

Brother MacArthur is notorious for sighting examples of those who have failed in the ministry and concluding what they taught must, therefore, be invalid, wrong, and even heretical. This sermon is no different than the one he taught on the gift of tongues. He sights more than a dozen Charismatic failures as though that proves what they taught was heresy. I agree that many preachers of the Gospel have taught for years and then committed adultery, stapled their fingers, become addicted to drugs and alcohol, suffered obesity, forsaken their families, died in car crashes, discovered to be secret thumb suckers, strayed from the truth of the Bible, stubbed their toe, succumb to cancer, cheated on their wives, gone balled prematurely, been caught with their pants down literally, or even jailed for income tax evasion. I certainly hope that Brother MacArthur is not suggesting that this somehow voids the validity of God and His Word. I’m not attempting to defend anyone Brother MacArthur sighted in his sermon; I’m simply saying that some of the greatest evangelical fundamentalist preachers have sinned. Is that any big surprise? The devil most certainly is going to attack those that are the most visible to the world because there the most damage can be done. Reading over Brother MacArthur’s list of failures is nothing new. Those who have strayed doctrinally should be avoided at all costs. Yes it’s a shame that many Christians are fooled into following certain fakes and quacks but it happens all the time. How many disabled and infirmed people in Brother MacArthur’s church are going to wind up in Heaven some day only to discover he was wrong about tongues and healing. Picking out people such as Brother MacArthur has in his sermon and using them as examples is less than honest. I could parade dozens of evangelical fundamentalists across these pages who have committed homosexual acts, adultery, fornication, been arrested for drunk driving, beat their wives, caught with prostitutes, exposed as pedophiles, or any other horrible sins one wishes to mention. Though they are most certainly wrong, some even worthy to be imprisoned or institutionalized, this in no way changes the Scriptures. In fact, it confirms the Scriptures: “Be sure your sin will find you out.” I could mention names, too, of many who believe in the gift of healing who have not gone off into doctrinal oblivion, lived secret sinful lives, mishandled donor’s monies, and have been healed personally again and again and again. I doubt, though, he would accept their testimony. If Brother MacArthur cannot prove his beliefs with the Bible itself, I can see why he would insist upon using all these witnesses to bolster his case. Our final authority should be the Bible but for some reason Brother MacArthur uses very little Scripture to confirm his teaching on the gift of healing.

GUILT BY ASSOCIATION

One of Brother MacArthur’s famous tactics is associating what Charismatics believe with all the false teachers, cults, and occultists of the world since time began. He apparently believes since what he sees and hears sounds like what they say and do, well shoot then, the Charismatics must have gotten it from all these weirdo cults. Listen to what he says. “Now if false teachers want credibility it is very obvious that they can sure draw a crowd and gain creditability if they can heal. And so that is always a kind of ploy that is used by false teachers–it has been so in history, whether you are talking about tribal witch doctors in Shamanism, in Animism, and in Paganism, or whether you are talking about Occultic kinds of healings, or New Age kind of mind healings, or whether you are talking about the charlatans and the frauds who parade themselves even as Christian healers. It is a great way to draw a crowd. Why? Because the number one human anxiety is illness and death.” He even goes one step further by saying: “It is very much like the occultic kind of healings you hear about in pagan parts of the world. You have the oriental psychic healers who say they can do bloodless surgery. They way their hands over afflicted organs and say incantations and claim people are cured. Witch Doctors, Shamans, claim to raise the dead. Occultist use Black Magic and Lying Wonders to do their thing.”

Those are dangerous comparisons.

DIED BELIEVING

Another of Brother MacArthur’s tactics for proving that the gift of healing died out with the last apostle (whoever he was) is that those who believe in such miracles of healing all die. Of course he emphasizes they died with physical illnesses such as heart disease or cancer. One, he says, even died after being in a car crash. All this bothers Brother MacArthur. He even goes to the point of quoting Annette Capps, Daughter of Charles Capps, to prove his point. “Now, it seems obvious, at least a curiosity to all of us, that so many leading advocates of faith healing are sick! Annette Capps, the daughter of Faith Healer Charles Capps, and herself a Faith Healer, raised that question in her book; her book is entitled [Reverse the Curse in Your Body and Emotions.] This is what she writes, [People have stumbled over the fact that the so-called “Healing Minister” later became ill or died. They say, “I don’t understand this. If the Power of God came into operation and all those people were healed, why did the evangelist get sick? Why did he or she die?” The reason is because healings that take place in meetings like that are a special manifestation of the Holy Spirit. This is different from using your own faith. The evangelist who is being used by God in the gifts of healings, is still required to use his own faith in the Word of God to receive divine health and divine healing for his own body. Why? Because the gifts of healings are not manifested for the individual who is ministering, they are for the benefit

of the people.] Now that double-talk basically means that somebody could have faith for somebody else’s healing but not enough faith for their own healing. And so, sometimes without faith for their own healing they die, while they have enough faith for other people’s healings who live. She goes on to say, [Over the years I have seen various manifestations of the gifts of healing in my own ministry, but I have always had to use my own faith in God’s word for my healing. There have been times that I have been attacked with illness in my body but as I ministered many were healed even though I did not feel well. I had to receive my healing through faith and acting on God’s word.] Thus, she astonishingly concludes that if a Faith Healer gets sick, it is because his or her personal faith is somehow deficient when applied to his or herself.”

Apparently Brother MacArthur has trouble reading and understanding plane English. I thought Annette made it very clear. Since we are in fact, according to Brother MacArthur, discussing the “gift” of healing and not simply healing itself, Sister Capps says that the reason some “faith healers” get sick and die is first a matter of gifting. A man or woman may indeed have the gift of healing (perhaps it would be better to say they have a calling or anointing) and when they pray for the sick, things happen; many are healed. I like the way a well known Charismatic Bible teacher explains it. He says he prefers to explain those individual healings as individual gifts of healing; not so much a gifted, or anointed, healer per say imparting the gift. Anyhow, that’s how I see it myself. What Sister Capps is saying, just to be clear, is that gifts are given to those seeking healing because of what they believe; not whom they believe; whom, meaning person, (I.E., the so-called faith healer). Brother MacArthur becomes very concerned about so-called faith-healers that can’t heal themselves. Is it in fact a lack of faith on their part? Perhaps. What amazes me isn’t that they get sick and die, it’s the fact that most of them, the ones that don’t die I mean, keep right on preaching that God heals today. Talk about courage and willing to practice what you preach.

Actually, when you think about it, the concept of the sick preaching healing isn’t so weird. Brother MacArthur, I’m sure, believes in eternal life. I bet he’s never talked face-to-face with someone who has died and come back to earth who was a Christian before their death. I wonder then why he believes in eternal life. Of course! He believes it because the Scriptures teach it. Well, according to his philosophy, though, you have to have physical proof. Has Brother MacArthur ever been physically visited by Jesus Christ? Unlikely. Does he believe Jesus died, was buried, and rose again? Certainly. Do people say Jesus was a fake and that He never performed miracles and that He’s still in the grave? We know many do. Why, and how, does Brother MacArthur believe otherwise? That’s right…by faith.

PHYSICIAN – HEAL THYSELF

Since my brother is bothered by so-called faith healers getting sick, some even dying, and for some reason being unable to heal themselves, perhaps I should address this in more detail.

As Sister Annette Capps pointed out, the gift of healing is a gift. The one presenting this gift, in this case the “faith healer,” is in fact only presenting it. If John MacArthur doesn’t think it’s easier to exercise faith in behalf of others compared to exercising faith for one’s self, then he knows a lot less about faith than I supposed. I can pray for others to be well, get their rent paid on time, or ask that God will help some money to come in for groceries much more easily than for myself. Why? There’s power and authority, according to Jesus, in agreement (Matt. 18:19).

PRIDE

then, of course, there’s the problem of pride. When a person has been called of God, and in some cases even been specially anointed in that area of ministry, it’s difficult, to say the least, to ask others to pray for you. What am I saying? Let’s use brother MacArthur as an example. He’s called, and anointed of God in my opinion, to minister the Gospel, teach the Word, and pastor God’s people. What if Brother MacArthur, after many years of teaching and preaching, begins to experience a personal problem in his life. Let’s say it’s something serious that if others would hear, might become very judgmental. Would it be difficult for a man of God such as Brother MacArthur to admit to anyone, even himself, that he needed help? You know the answer. Faith healers (I hate using the term but since Brother MacArthur does, I will, too) are men and women. They no doubt generally find it easier to minister than to be ministered to by others. It’s very difficult to announce you are something less than what others think and pride is one of our biggest enemies in the ministry.

SERVANTS

There’s yet another aspect of the ministry which most never consider and that is servitude. Those called to the service of Jesus Christ are nothing more than servants. They aren’t super men and women; they aren’t super spiritual human beings; they aren’t “faith healers;” they aren’t the fourth personage of the Trinity. They are servants just like Brother MacArthur. Do you think Brother MacArthur puts the needs of his people and ministry and family ahead of himself? Of course he does and so does every other true servant of God. These so-called faith healers to which he refers often are totally given to God and they could care less if they get sick and die. Oh, sure, they’d like to stay around and continue in the ministry but true servants of God could care less about themselves. People like that may find it very difficult to admit they need prayer and someone else to minister to them. It is wrong for Brother MacArthur, or anyone else, to judge all servants of God by the few visible which are obviously doctrinally off their rocker. “Physician heal thyself” is a dangerous attitude to have when considering God’s servants.

MINISTRY PRESSURES

Something else to consider is the physical and emotional pressures of the ministry. Does Brother MacArthur ever get tired? Does he ever become exhausted from pushing too hard? Has he ever had to subtract himself from the riggers of the ministry just to get some rest? The answer is obvious. Do you suppose he has ever pushed himself too hard and thus become ill from too much hard work? Very likely. Should these so-called faith healers to which he refers be any different? They don’t claim to be supernatural; they just claim to be servants. Servants often push themselves too hard and pay for it physically. I get the impression, though, from reading over Brother MacArthur’s sermon, he believes they shouldn’t even age or die.

INTERCESSORS

Finally, there is the aspect of intercessory ministry. Though little is taught on the ministry of an intercessor today, the truth is that anyone in ministry is serving as an intercessor; one who stands before God in behalf of others. Those who feel called, and perhaps anointed, in the areas of healing are literally intercessors. Though Brother MacArthur is apparently unaware of this, intercessors serve the people in unique ways and are willing to sacrifice themselves in order that others may draw near to God. If they die or become ill in the process, then so be it; why would they care. All an intercessor is concerned about is seeing that others come to God. Actually, an intercessor could be defined as warriors who are happy to die in battle for others.

HALL OF FAMERS

I often wonder if my Brother would criticize all of those in Hebrew 11 who died in faith believing. They died confessing the coming Messiah; they died believing in the cross of Jesus Christ as their salvation future. their faith, however, was seen of God. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder (cut in half), were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Heb. 11:35-40). I would rather be identified with these faithful men and women though

some probably said their faith failed.

THE FAITH OF JESUS

Brother MacArthur continues his attack on Charismatics by saying, “Thus, she astonishingly concludes that if a Faith Healer gets sick, it is because his or her personal faith is somehow deficient when applied to his or herself. Now, to take that a step further, you must understand that these people go so far as to say, “That even Jesus Himself sometimes did not have the faith required for people to be healed.”

Frankly, I’m unaware of Annette Capps ever saying any such thing but let me focus on his comment about what Charismatics believe concerning Jesus.

I hate to say this Brother MacArthur but I have never heard any Charismatic, not even the weird ones, say the faith of Jesus did not always work. It is true, and perhaps this is to what Brother MacArthur is referring, that not everybody with which Jesus made contact, was healed. My Brother actually says the contrary later in his sermon but for now, let me state that he must be fellowshiping with a bunch of way out Charismatics if he’s getting that out of their doctrine.

According to the Gospels, Jesus did not always heal everybody. He did raise the dead several times but not all the dead. He did cast out demons from people but no where in the Scriptures does it report that all demon possessed people were cured that were in the world during our Lord’s ministry. He did open blind eyes many many times but not all blind people were healed. In fact, the Scriptures actually record the following: And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. (Mark 6:4-5). Boy, what a can of worms this passage uncorks. Haven’t you asked

yourself why, if Jesus healed being God, He just didn’t go right ahead and heal those suffering people? The answer is: unbelief. It even says that Jesus marvelled at their unbelief. Wait a minute though. I thought Jesus went around healing everybody all the time. You mean, He didn’t go ahead and heal all these unbelievers? Why not? Why, for that matter, was He taken aback by their unbelief? If Jesus is God, and He is, wouldn’t He have known all this? The answer is that Jesus did not come to earth as God; He came as man. Was He God? Of course, but He did not heal as God; He healed as a Spirit filled man. Read it for yourself. Jesus never did any healing until after the Holy Spirit came upon him. He taught the Scriptures from age twelve but according to all four Gospels, He did no miracles until the Holy Spirit came upon Him. You see, Jesus restricted Himself in order to fully identify Himself with us. That’s why He later told the disciples, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son (John 14:12-13). I know, of course, that people like Brother MacArthur interpret this to mean that the whole body of Christ collectively around the world will do greater works together than little old Jesus did by his lonesome but that’s not what Jesus said. He looked right into the eyes of His disciples and said they would do what He did if they…what…”believed.” There you go. We’re back to that believing bit again. You mean somebody has to believe before they can be healed? Listen, you can’t even get saved unless you believe God first (Rom. 10:9). Then why does Brother MacArthur and others say believing isn’t important? They want magic instead of faith. Jesus didn’t heal magically; He healed with the same power of God that has been available to mankind since the world began. God hasn’t changed; we have and Brother MacArthur confirms it.

In Mark’s Gospel account, he has recorded that Jesus did no “mighty works” there because of their unbelief. The two words are translated (dunamis) which is translated elsewhere in the New Testament as (miracle). Face it Brother MacArthur…Jesus did no miracles among these people because of their own unbelief. The same thing happened to the disciples after Jesus had given them power to cast out demons. They failed at their attempts to cast a demon out of a young boy. The father, in desperation, finally came to Jesus and the Lord cast it out. Later the old disciples cornered Jesus and asked why they had failed. He said it was because of their own unbelief (Matt. 15). As long as John MacArthur and anyone else, for that matter, refuses to believe in God’s gift of healing, it won’t work and they won’t see any real miracles.

SECTION 2

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Brother MacArthur divides spiritual gifts into three categories. The first he says are “gifts of men;” (I.E., apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors/teachers). Actually, I’m not at all sure why Brother MacArthur says this since he believes the first two, apostles and prophets, no longer exist.

The second category he calls the “permanent gifts.” Those he identifies as knowledge, wisdom, preaching, teaching, exhortation, discernment, showing mercy and the like.

Finally, he states the “temporary gifts” are such things as miracles, healings, tongues, and the interpretations of tongues. Well, there’s nothing new here because this is what he says throughout his entire series on Charismatic Chaos. It’s what he launches off into next that I find interesting.

MIRACLES DEFINED

Brother MacArthur is a leading spokesman for the vast number of evangelicals who deny God does miracles today. What most of them mean is they’ve never seen a miracle so they must not exist. They don’t even give God room to do one somewhere else on the planet; they just deny He does them at all. Let Brother MacArthur speak for himself. “God is always acting in a supernatural way, even today. Every time someone is saved that is a supernatural work. But “miracle” is a technical term to describe an act of God which He does through a human agency, and they are very rare. And even when you go back into the Old Testament and you find miracles where God acts through a human instrumentation to authenticate his messenger and the message, they are rare and nothing like the healing ministry of Jesus. No one ever just roamed everywhere, healing everybody. So what you have in the case of Jesus [is something] you have never seen before. Nothing like this has ever happened before in the history of the world. And so this is a very unique thing. And to assume that it never happened before (to know that by Old Testament revelation) and it happened at the time of Christ, uniquely, and then it faded out in the end of the New Testament era, and now for some strange reason it has all come back at the same level as once it did and we are supposed to have this massive kind of healing going on as it did in the day of Christ, is to demonstrate an imbalanced and an unsound perspective of the purpose of the miracle ministry of Jesus. It was to authenticate His Messiahship, and it is therefore irreproducible and unrepeatable.” Now, of course, you have to swallow a big chunk of unbelief all at once

if you wish to agree with these statements. In all fairness, Brother MacArthur does spend a lot of time in some of his other messages attempting to explain away miracles and tongues and such “temporary gifts” of the Holy Spirit. If you really want to find out more, you’ll have to buy his books or purchase his tapes. I did cover some of this in my first rebuttal on tongues but it’s worth repeating.

The logic is apparent. If God does not do any miracles today, then one can easily eliminate a lot of problems concerning the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The strange thing about this fallacy is the lack of Scriptural evidence; there is none to substantiate his erroneous claims. His Philosophy has to do with what he thinks is said concerning that which is perfect is come. Brother MacArthur thinks that’s the completed written Scriptures. He is wrong and I spend a great deal of time discussing this doctrinally erroneous teaching in my first rebuttal.

FADING AUTHENTICITY

Brother MacArthur has figured out that the ministry of Jesus was unique to our Lord’s period of time and is no longer needed today because, shoot, we’ve got the Bible and we apparently don’t need Jesus any longer. I guess Brother MacArthur has forgotten Jesus is the Bible, (I.E., the Word of God). Listen to what he says: “and it happened at the time of Christ, uniquely, and then it faded out in the end of the New Testament era…”

What faded out? Apparently the miracle working power of God. But there’s more. “It was to authenticate His Messiahship, and it is therefore irreproducible and unrepeatable.” Brother MacArthur wants us to believe that God’s power was only

available to do miracles during rare occasions in the Old Testament, a lot during the ministry of Jesus, and for a dwindling period of time with the apostles and some of their helpers. Thereafter it faded right out. No wonder we don’t see miracles today with that kind of teaching.

Actually, Brother MacArthur’s biggest beef is that Charismatics misinterpret the true John MacArthur definition of a miracle. Brother MacArthur gets all bent out of shape if someone says they were healed of a headache and refer to it as a “miracle.” Who cares! Can’t we praise God they no longer have the headache instead of denying it happened because it wasn’t a “John MacArthur miracle?” So what if it doesn’t meet his scientific definition. If he prefers to call it a supernatural act instead of a miracle, I won’t quibble with him over terminology. The only reason he makes this a big deal is because he simply doesn’t believe God does miracles today; they died out with the last apostle, whoever he was.

The bottom line is this. If the miracles Jesus did authenticated His Messiahship, why wouldn’t miracles, or healings, authenticate His Messiahship today? The answer is obvious…they do authenticate that Jesus is still Messiah today. The problem Brother MacArthur has is Jesus isn’t performing them. Of course he’s wrong again because it is in fact Jesus performing the miracle today through his disciples just as He did through His disciples – the twelve and the seventy and all who followed Him. You see, Brother MacArthur is more than willing to admit that Jesus gave such authority and power to the twelve disciples and then to the seventy thereafter. He even admits in his presentations that it is likely that others had this authority given to them – he labels them the “helpers” of the apostles. From there he flat out states that the gifts were not available to anyone else and that they “faded out” toward the end of what he calls the “New Testament era.” For crying out loud! We are still in the New Testament era. If you don’t believe it, ask Peter when he preached about it in Acts 2. Peter clearly states that we are living in the period of time when those who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. He makes it absolutely one hundred percent clear that this period of time, when people can call upon the name of the Lord for salvation, have these spiritual gifts available to them.

UNINSPIRED SCRIPTURE

Brother MacArthur’s greatest trapdoor explanation comes from a passage anti-healing and anti-tongues proponents hate. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:17-18).

The only problem quoting this passage is Brother MacArthur, along with the late Dr. Walter Martin, (a Charismatic Baptist of the Christian Research institute) and many other evangelicals, believe this Scripture isn’t part of the Bible because it isn’t found in every Greek manuscript. Thus the passage is disqualified? This is very convenient because if the passage isn’t the inspired Word of God, well then, it cannot confirm that such spiritual gifts are for today. Nice! On the other hand, those who do believe the passage is in fact part of Mark’s inspired Gospel but still deny God’s miracle working power and the gifts of the Spirit, simply dismiss it by saying all these things passed away with the last apostle; whoever he was.

MIRACLELESS DISCIPLES

Before leaving this doctrine of miracles, I need to mention that Brother MacArthur says the disciples of Jesus didn’t perform miracles. “Now, it is true that Jesus passed on to the Apostles power in two of the three categories. Remember now, He healed diseases, He had power over demons, and He did miracles of nature (natural phenomenon). The first two he gave the Apostles. They never did any miracles of nature. But “Peter,” you say, “Walked on water!” Yes, but that was a miracle Christ was performing and that occurred only in His presence. They never did anything like “Feed the 5,000” or “Walk on water” after that, or “Still a storm” or anything like that. The only two things they were given power to do were “cast out demons and heal the sick (including raising the dead).” Raising the dead isn’t a miracle? One minute Brother MacArthur is

telling us that a miracle is something that denies natural laws of science and the next he’s telling us that raising the dead isn’t a miracle. If raising the dead isn’t a miracle, then I give up.

If my Brother wishes to deny the miracle working power of God today; choosing rather to refer to healings, salvations, and answered prayers as supernatural acts, I’ll yield to this for arguments sake. I, however, believe God does perform miracles and know of some that deny natural laws which in fact would meet Brother MacArthur’s scientific criteria. Do you think he would except them as valid even if they were proved? Besides, how does this change the gift of healing? So what if Charismatics loosely use the term “miracle” when they should be calling them “supernatural acts?” I hardly see how such should negate, or otherwise void, the miracle working power of God. Why then is Brother MacArthur saying it all passed away with the last apostle; whoever he was? Because he doesn’t want to address the administration of the gifts of the Spirit. Why doesn’t he wish to address them? He’d have to then teach them. Why doesn’t he wish to teach them; preferring to say they passed away with the last apostle; whoever he was? Because he’d then have to live by faith. The gifts of the Spirit, you see, are manifested administered, and managed, by the Holy Spirit of God. They work by faith. To believe and teach in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, therefore, means we must live by faith and that’s a lot more complicated in the minds of some than living by rule and regulation.

SECTION 3

DOCUMENTED PROOF

Brother MacArthur begins this part of his sermon by proving the gift of healing has died out because no one today can prove they’ve been healed. His philosophy is evident by the following statement. “But the gift of healing, and the ability to heal, and special anointing for healing, and healings that can be claimed and therefore realized, and all the typical “faith healing” technique billed on the idea that God wants everybody well all the time, has no Biblical sanction whatsoever in the Post-Apostolic era.” From here Brother MacArthur again uses examples of unhealed people to

confirm that God can’t heal today through the gift of healing. Here’s a little flavor of his logic. I corrected the misspelling of one name in the following. “Now if you take a closer look at these healings you will find some very interesting things. The only documented cases that you can find, the only actually documented cases you can find, are cases of people who didn’t get healed. The cases of supposed people who do get healed, you can’t find any documentation. One of the most telling studies of this was done by a medical doctor by the name of William Nolan who decided that he would look into the healing ministry of really the prototype of all of it, Katherine Kuhlman when she was still going strong before her death. And he wrote a book after studying her, called “Healing, a doctor in search of a miracle.” And he went beyond Katherine Kuhlman, but the major section of interest to me was the section on Katherine Kuhlman. And he made the point in his book that Miss Kuhlman did not understand psychogenic disease. She did not understand, that is, disease related to the mind. In simple terms a functional disease might be a sore arm. An organic disease would be a withered arm or no arm at all. Now Katherine would heal a sore arm but not give somebody one who didn’t have one. A psychogenic disease would be thinking your arm was sore and Katherine could make you think that your arm wasn’t sore.” I am very familiar with the book to which he referred by Dr. William

Nolan; author of “Healing, a doctor in search of a miracle.” Though it was a number of years ago when I read this book, no where, that I recall, did Dr. Nolan confess he was a born again Christian. He, Dr. Nolan, claims he was in search of a miracle but there was little doubt in my mind that his search was to prove no such miracles happen; they are all medically, psychologically, or scientifically explained or they were fraudulent. I suggest the reader find Dr. Nolan’s book and judge for yourself. At the time I read his work, I was not a Charismatic and was thrilled to discover there were no miracles being done today. It just proved one more time how crazy the Charismatics really were.

KATHERINE KUHLMAN

Of course Catherine Kuhlman has been dead for a number of years and I doubt Brother MacArthur ever attended one of her healing meetings. I will be the first to admit that I have a number of questions about her ministry. Using an unsaved medical doctor, however, to substantiate Brother MacArthur’s fony healing claims somehow seems odd.

You can tell Brother MacArthur has an axe to grind when he says the following. “Perhaps a more familiar name in the healing movement would be the name of one who is elevated almost to the status of the Roman Catholic elevation of Mary, and that’s a woman by the name of Katherine Kuhlman. Katherine Kuhlman died of heart failure in 1976, curiously enough. She had battled heart disease for nearly twenty years, and that statement is made by Jamie Buckingham who would have been one of her disciples.”

I’m not sure why my Brother tries to associate Katherine Kuhlman with the Roman Catholic Mary but I have never heard Katherine Kuhlman called such by any Christian until now. I don’t know if Brother MacArthur studied Katherine Kuhlman’s doctrine but I noticed right off the bat that he never mentioned what she believed and taught; he was only interested in what some unsaved doctor said about her.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

Throughout his sermon, Brother MacArthur pummels the faith healers by calling them every name in the book which apparently helps Scripturally prove his case that they are a bunch of fakes. As I showed earlier, he even equates Charismatics with all kinds of cult and occultic groups to make sure we get the idea that such people should be avoided at all costs. I laughed, however, when he brought forth another unsaved, nonchristian, disbelieving witness to absolutely, positively, no question about it, beyond a shadow of a doubt prove it’s all fakery. “More recently, a very interesting man by the name of James Randy- -Have you heard that? He’s called the “Amazing Randy” (he gave himself that name). He is a professional magician. As a professional magician he has written a book in which he examines the claims of “faith healers.” Why? Because he knows all the gimmicks. He is the man who exposed television evangelist Peter Popoff’s fakery in 1986, on the “Tonight Show.” You remember that Peter Popoff was one of the healers that claimed to get “words of knowledge.” He would stand there and he would say, “Jesus is telling me this about you.” And the truth was he had a little earphone and his wife was giving him all this information because everybody who came to the meeting had to fill out a card. And I don’t know if you know about how that works but healers throughout the years have always had the “preservice” meeting, when everybody who wants to be cured and get in the “healing line” fills out a very full card. And there is a very simple way, by staggering the cards, that the guy can be holding up a card to his head and telling you all you need to know about yourself, to convince you that this man speaks for God. In the case of Peter Popoff he was repeating information his wife was putting in his ear, from the “crib sheets” assembled in the “pre- meeting.” Now the “Amazing Randy” is really not so amazing, he’s just a magician. But he is openly antagonistic to Christianity. His antagonism is fed, I think, continually by what he finds out. But, nevertheless, he seems to have done his investigation thoroughly. He asks scores of “faith healers” to supply him with direct, examinable evidence of true healings. Quote, he said, [I have been willing to accept just one case of a miracle cure, so that I might say in this book that at least on one occasion a miracle occurred.] But not one “faith healer” anywhere has given him a single case of medically confirmed healing that couldn’t be explained as natural convalescence, psychosomatic improvement or outright fakery. What is Randy’s conclusion? I quote, [Reduced to its basics, “faith healing” today (as it always has been) is simply magic! Though the preachers vehemently deny any connection with the practice, their activities meet all the requirements for the definition; all of the elements are present and the intent is identical.]” Well, shoot. How can a Christian who believes in healing argue with

Randy and Brother MacArthur on this one? I mean, if Randy says all “faith healers” are fakes, well then, they must all be fakes? Randy isn’t a Christian. Do you honestly think if The Amazing Randy ever saw a real miracle that he would be converted to Christ? Jesus said the rich man in hell requested that Lazarus be resurrected from the dead so he could go and witness to his brothers in order that they might be converted. The rich man thought if his brothers could see a miracle, a living resurrected miracle, they’d be converted and wouldn’t wind up in hell like he did. Abraham said that they, his five brothers, had the witness of the Scriptures and that was all they needed. The rich man still wished Lazarus to be raised from the dead in order that his own family wouldn’t die in their sins and suffer in the fires of hell. Abraham said that even if they witnessed the miracle of the resurrection of the dead, they would not believe. [See Luke 16:1-31]

BELIEVE IT OR NOT

A missionary friend of mine in Mexico recently returned to the states for a few weeks and told me of some experiences he had praying for the sick. One, he said, looked like a broken arm. The woman’s arm was bent at an impossible angle and though he confessed not to be a doctor, he said it look fractured. He prayed and touched her arm and before everyone’s eyes in the room, the bone popped back into place instantly. The woman began running around the room shouting and waving her arm; showing everyone what had happened.

I often tell the story of my son when he was nine years old. From the age of two, he had occasionally experienced extremely acute stomach pains; often late at night. One night he had one of these stomach attacks and I helped him into our bedroom to have him closer to us during the night. Though I laid him on the foot of our bed, he got up and lay on the floor; doubled over from the pain. After several minutes of listening to his moans, I got up and knelt beside him. I asked him to show me where the pain was and he placed my hand low on his right side. With my hand on the sore area and my other on his back, I prayed silently for less than sixty seconds. As I prayed, I claimed several verses of Scripture that related both to the promises of healing and the promises that God would hear and answer my prayers. Suddenly, my son stood up, lay down on the foot of the bed and fell fast asleep. The next day he was in the basement helping his mom do some things and they both came up talking excitedly. My wife said, “You need to hear what Trenton just told me.” My son then said that during the night when he knew I was laying hands on him and praying, he suddenly felt this tingling feeling all over his body. Then he said he felt this snap inside his stomach right where the pain was the worst. I asked him to explain what he meant by a snap but he only could explain it as a snap; like a twig breaking. “What happen then,” I asked eagerly. He said the pain instantly vanished and that was when he got up off the floor and lay down on the foot of the bed. He’s never suffered one of these attacks since.

If you want to hear of something really weird, I even have a personal friend whose tooth had a large whole filled with something that looks like gold. To make this bizarre healing even worse, you can clearly see little tiny crosses on the surface of the filling. I said it was weird.

While I’m on the subject, a pastor friend’s mother had been to the local small town dentist the day before they had a healing service with a guest speaker. The woman invited the dentist; explaining there would be a healing service. Though not a Christian, he thought he’d attend just to prove it was fake. Suddenly, during the healing service, the pastor’s mother explained something had happened to her teeth. Her dentist, having just worked on her teeth the day before, asked her to open her mouth. After examining her teeth, he reported that he had no idea what that stuff was in her teeth because it wasn’t what he had put in. Why does God do it that way? I don’t know.

I could take the next few pages and relate stories of stillborn children suddenly brought back to life, inoperative medical cases mysteriously cured, skin diseases and skin growths disappearing before the very eyes of onlookers, a stomach and internal organs eaten away with cancer mysteriously regrown; confirmed by doctors, sight restored, and multiple sclerosis cured to name a few. I personally have been healed instantly twice at home as I prayed when suffering from a bad cold and another time from the stomach flue. I doubt, however, none of this will change Brother MacArthur’s, or The Amazing Randy’s, minds. You see, they must have proof. There is no doubt in my mind that if they had such proof, they still wouldn’t believe. At least that’s what Jesus said about the rich man in hell. The proof needed is the Bible itself. If you won’t believe the Bible; you won’t believe even the physical proof.

One more thing before leaving this section. Brother MacArthur refers to Dr. William Nolan and his book to prove Katherine Kuhlman was a fake. I have a personal friend who is a medical doctor and was in several Katherine Kuhlman meetings. He personally told me he sat near a woman who cried out during the service and when he quickly looked over to see what was wrong, something fell from her eye. The woman began shouting she could see. In the excitement of the moment, the doctor said she reported she had an artificial eye. Was it a plant? Was she a fake? I don’t honestly know. The one thing I do know is the gift of healing is still available today and people can still be healed by the power of God. Miracles are still around, too, even if The Amazing Randy and John MacArthur deny the power of God and the Biblical evidence.

SECTION 4

HEALING METHODS

In this section of his sermon, Brother MacArthur attempts to discredit the gift of healing today as not representative of those methods Jesus and His disciples employed. He stresses six different aspects of those methods which I will list and then comment on individually.

Brother MacArthur identifies our Lord’s healing methods as:

1. Jesus healed with a word or a touch.
2. Jesus healed instantaneously.
3. Jesus healed totally.
4. He healed anybody.
5. He healed organic disease.
6. He raised the dead.

I, of course, have no disagreement with the first; Jesus healed with a word or a touch. Sometimes even with His spit. I do, however, disagree somewhat with the second; Jesus healed instantaneously. Here’s what Brother MacArthur says: “Never in all His healings does the Bible say He healed somebody and they started getting better. No, there was never a process, because if there was a process the point wasn’t made. Right? Because if there was a process then it could be explained in another way. It was instantaneous.” From here, Brother MacArthur sights several examples of instantaneous

healings by our Lord. He claims the Centurion’s servant, the woman with an issue of blood, the ten lepers, and the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda were all healed instantaneously.

May I point out a few people Jesus did not heal instantly? Two that come to mind right off the bat are both blind. The first blind man was brought to Jesus in order to be given his sight. Jesus led him by the hand out of the town and then, get a hold of yourself, spit on his eyes! Then our Lord laid hands on his eyes, according to Mark’s Gospel record, and after removing His hands, asked the man if he could see. The blind man said, “I see men as trees, walking.” Jesus again laid his hands on the man’s eyes and this time the man was fully healed. [See Mark 8:22-25.]

Another case of the blind being healed is recorded in John’s Gospel chapter 9. Here Jesus spit on the ground, made clay, pressed it in the eye sockets of the blind man and instructed him to go to a certain pool and wash. Why did Jesus do it this way? I mean, it’s kind of unsanitary. I think it’s likely the man had no eyes. Though it’s true the man was healed the moment he washed the goop from his eyes, Jesus did not heal him on the spot. Brother MacArthur claims Jesus always healed instantly.

Then, too, Brother MacArthur is mistaken when he claims Jesus healed the ten lepers instantly. Jesus told all ten men to go to the priest and offer sacrifice and the Scriptures record they were healed as they went; not on the spot. [See Luke 17:12-19]. Honestly, I wonder if Brother MacArthur is reading the same Bible.

Then, of course, we have the healing of the nobleman’s son in John’s Gospel. This man requested Jesus to come with him in order that his son might be healed. Jesus told the nobleman to go his way because his son was healed. The man believe Jesus and went home. Before he arrived, some of his servants met him and told him his son was healed. Here’s what was said next. “Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” When he began to amend? If you study the words “when, began,” and “amend,” you’ll discover a gradual recovery following the immediate cure of the fever. The word for “amend” in this verse is actually a word that means (to get better) or (to bring to amend). It actually means to convalesce, (I.E., to gradually return to normal health or to recuperate). Some may say my interpretation is subject to personal opinion. It is quite interesting to me, however, that this word translated “amend” in this passage is the only time the Greek word appears in the entire New Testament.

My point is Brother MacArthur simply is mistaken when he claims Jesus always healed instantly. The reason Brother MacArthur makes this claim of instant healing is to discredit anyone who fails to get healed instantly today. If it isn’t instant, it isn’t the healing power of God? Shoot, even James 5:14-15 to which he refers in his sermon doesn’t claim instantaneous healing for the sick that come for anointing.

In his third statement, Brother MacArthur says Jesus healed totally; implying no partial healings. I agree. Why he believes, however, this means everyone must be healed totally and suddenly today is a mystery.

I have some trouble with his fourth statement. “He healed anybody. You didn’t have to have a long line of people filling out cards. And He certainly didn’t have a whole group of people who came into the meeting in wheelchairs and left in wheelchairs (if they had wheelchairs, or crutches, or whatever). Luke 4:40 says, “While the Sun was setting, all who had any sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on everyone of them, He was healing them.” It’s an incredible thing. He healed everybody. He healed everybody instantaneously. He healed everybody totally and He healed everybody with a word. There wasn’t some folderol there was just a word!”

Well, first, I’ve already shown that Brother MacArthur is incorrect when he says Jesus healed everybody instantaneously. Then, of course, I spoke earlier how Jesus Himself was amazed at the unbelief of some and didn’t heal but a few sick people, performing no miracles, in that particular place. It is incorrect to say Jesus healed “anybody” and “everybody.” Certainly there are places in the Gospels which state Jesus healed everybody but it is in reference to those that came for that purpose. It would be convenient to say Jesus healed everybody, of course, because then we could compare what He did with what is being done today but the truth is, Jesus simply did not heal everybody; He healed those who came to Him for that purpose. I can say that for the same reason I said earlier; Jesus did not raise all the dead. More on this in a moment.

I likewise agree with his fifth statement concerning the fact that Jesus healed organic disease. Brother MacArthur’s implication is, however, that no body can do that today nor has anyone been healed organically.

Concerning his sixth and final aspect of our Lord’s healing ministry, He says, “He raised the dead. He came up on a funeral and he raised the dead! You remember that? Here comes the funeral procession; the widow is going to bury her son and Jesus stops the procession, touches the casket and says, “Young man, arise!” and the dead man sat up and began to speak. Now, I will tell you something, people who tout the gift of healing today don’t spend a lot of time in funeral processions; the reason is obvious. And you need to note, by the way, that Jesus did virtually all His healings and raising the dead in public before vast crowds of people. Why? Because the gift of healing was real and it was an authenticating gift. He used it to confirm the claim that He was the Son of God in a way that displayed His power and compassion.” The implication here again is that Jesus raised the dead everywhere he

went and such simply isn’t true. Of course Brother MacArthur and other doubters love to make fun of those who believe in the gift of healing by saying they never go to the graveyards and hospitals. Shoot, Jesus never even did that Brother John. Name one Scripture that says Jesus went to a graveyard and raised every person from the grave. Jesus even went to the cemetery to raise Lazarus from the dead after four days but He never raised any other single person in that cemetery. Furthermore, there is no record that Jesus went to a hospital simply to raise all the sick from their beds of affliction. In fact, in John chapter 5, Jesus went to the pool where the Bible says many sick folk lay in hopes of a miracle. Jesus only healed one single person in that makeshift hospital. It is, on the other hand, recorded again and again that Jesus healed the multitudes that followed him. He, too, healed people along the way as He traveled. If you red the Gospel’s carefully, however, it will be discovered that Jesus healed mostly those who came to him because they believed He would heal them. He also healed in behalf of those who represented others unable to be brought to Him because of their condition. Jesus was not a magician nor did He just have “a gift” of healing; He was “The Healer.” No body I’ve ever heard in the healing ministry today who has authentic Bible doctrine has claimed to have what Jesus had; they simply claim to be His servants. That, however, doesn’t seem to be good enough for Brother MacArthur; he wants proof; before and after proof.

THE APOSTOLIC GIFT OF HEALING

Brother MacArthur then attempts to make the point that the apostles healed in the exact same way Jesus did and manifested all six of the aspects of our Lord’s healing methods. Note how Brother MacArthur equates this to our period of time in the following statement concerning the healing ministry of the disciples. “They healed organic disease, not just functional, psychosomatic, symptomatic problems, and the apostles even raised the dead. Now, nobody is exhibiting those six traits in a healing ministry today. So if this is supposed to be the recapturing of the Apostolic era it is really “out of sync” with that.” Of course he fails to mention the apostles weren’t perfect. They

failed miserably when a demon possessed boy was brought before them and they couldn’t cast it out. I thought, though, the apostles had the gift. After all, Jesus had given it to them; even Brother MacArthur says he believes they had the gift. Well, shoot then, if you’ve got the gift, shouldn’t you be able to exercise that gift every single time and never fail? If you’re Jesus perhaps but if you’re just a born again servant of God, you might miss it once and awhile. Not according to Brother MacArthur; you’ve got to be perfect if you have the gift.

He finally gets around to saying exactly what he means in this statement. “And a final note; according to Scripture, those who possess those abilities to heal could use their gift at will. That’s not true of the contemporary healers because they don’t have that gift. They play games with people’s minds–the power of suggestion. They prey upon people, making them believe things that aren’t really true and they use deception.” That’s right. When you flat out don’t believe the gift of healing is

used by God today to heal His own people for whom Christ died, you must conclude they are all a bunch of screwball fakes playing with your mind and trying to get your money.

POOR PAUL

Continuing with this logic of the gifts of the Spirit passing away with the last apostle, whoever he was, Brother MacArthur makes sure we note that the Apostle Paul had at least two friends mentioned in the New Testament that he failed to heal. Well, join the club. The other apostles had trouble even when Jesus was still on earth so I’m not surprised Paul had some healing failures, too. It kind of made me feel sorry for poor old Paul the way Brother MacArthur suggested that perhaps the temporary gift of healing was slipping away; fading right into the sunset; the close of the apostolic New Testament era. I’m surprised Paul made it as far as he did in the ministry. He must have been as weak as a kitten, spiritually speaking, by the time he died.

PUNY PALE AND SICKLY

Here’s something else Brother MacArthur believes concerning the gift of healing and the Charismatics in general. “It was never intended as a permanent way to keep the Church healthy; yet today Charismatics teach that God wants every Christian well all the time.” Yes, we also believe in preaching that God doesn’t want anyone to sin.

Do they? Of course. Then why preach it. We also preach people can have eternal life in Jesus Christ. Do people still die? You bet they do. Then why preach it. We preach against divorce. Do people, even Christians, still get divorced? Yes. Then why preach it. We likewise preach the soon return of Jesus Christ. Has He come? Then why preach it. If you are going to criticize Charismatics for preaching that their Heavenly Father wants them well by suggesting their lack of one hundred percent health means their doctrine is false, you’re not being honest Brother MacArthur. I will comment Scripturally on this concept of perpetual bodily health and the will of God shortly.

SECTION 5

REASONS WHY GOD MIGHT HEAL

In Brother MacArthur’s closing remarks, he admits we can look to God for healing today. He gives three reasons.

1. He might heal because of His person.
2. God heals because of His promise.
3. God heals because that is His pattern.

The problem is that he conditionalizes each of these by limiting, or otherwise restricting, God.

First, remember that Brother MacArthur has canceled all miracles of God for today’s Christian. He claims God might heal you today if you have a disease or an illness; he does not allow for miracles. What does that mean? Well, everybody in a wheelchair has no hope. The blind are without hope. Cancer victims are without hope. Physically inured people of all kinds are without hope. If you’re minus a limb, you’re without hope. Why? Brother MacArthur says God stopped doing miracles when the last apostle died; whoever he was. All of those people today in need of a miracle must wait until they get their glorified body’s upon the return of Christ. You see, God no longer handles the impossible cases. Oh, sure, He once did because, according to Brother MacArthur, there was no written Scriptures and God had to prove His authenticity. Now, however, because we have the Bible, God somehow has lost His miracle working power. Sure, Brother MacArthur says, God can heal sicknesses once and a great while. God can also heal someone of a little illness but nothing else. The rest of the poor suffering “organically” infirmed Body of Christ are beyond God’s help and concern.

HIS PERSON

Here’s what Brother MacArthur says concerning God’s healing power today. “1. He might heal because of His person. You remember his Old Testament name, that wonderful name: it’s really Yahweh Rapecca (sp.)–The Lord that Heals. God heals because of His person. “I the Lord am your healer,” He told the Israelites. – But why did he choose to heal people? Because He was demonstrating His compassion, and a compassionate God has a heart to heal.”

Remember, though, God is kind of like those modern-day faith healers to whom Brother MacArthur refers throughout his message; He, God can’t heal physical disabilities; He’s just into psychological and emotional healings today. Maybe, if you’re lucky, God will touch somebody with a disease or an illness but that’s it.
HIS PROMISE

Though my Brother claims God will keep His eternal promises which He made to His own, he conditionalizes God’s promises to make sure God conforms to his doctrinal teachings on the gift of healing. Notice how Brother MacArthur words it. “2. God heals because of His promise. He says, [Whatever we ask in His name, believing and according to His will, He will do it.] – If in God’s will He has designed that [then] He will do that because of His promise.”

It’s sad God can’t keep His promises. Aren’t you glad God hasn’t done that with salvation? I mean, what would we do if God promised to save us and once we claimed His promise, we later discovered the promise died out with the last apostle; whoever he was.

HIS PATTERN

Finally, Brother MacArthur gets around to telling us it’s God’s pattern to heal so God “might heal” if He wants. “3. God heals because that is His pattern. It is true that in the atonement God bore our diseases, Matthew 8 says it. Matthew 8 says, “He Himself took our infirmities, and carried away our diseases.” Now, we have already discussed 1 Peter 2:24 and I won’t do it again; it doesn’t mean that healing for every sickness is in the atonement for now! But healing for every sickness is in the atonement for someday–isn’t it? And someday He will remove all of those diseases. Ultimately, eternally we will be delivered from sickness and infirmity. And it may just be that He would choose because of that pattern of providing a salvation that ultimately delivers us from bodily infirmity when we get a glorified body, that maybe He will give us a taste of glory divine.”

How can Brother MacArthur accuse Annette Capps of double talk in her book after making that statement. In one breath he claims God provides for our sicknesses and diseases in the atonement and in the next he says but not for today. Man, I’ve heard of limited atonement but that’s ridiculous.

I PETER 2:24

Those who disbelieve God can, and does, do miracles today and who also deny there is a gift of healing, are scared spitless of I Peter 2:24 and do their dead level best to explain it away. I’m sure the reader knows what it says but let me quote it nonetheless. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. Now Brother MacArthur and a host of other disbelievers in God’s power

absolutely refuse to accept this verse literally. They almost always spiritualize it by saying that we are healed spiritually, (I.E., when we are born again). I have taught at great length on this passage in my letter I referred to earlier which I mailed to the Radio Bible Class in Grand Rapids, Michigan so I won’t spend any time on it here. May I point out, however, that the Greek word Peter used “by His stripes we are (healed)” is used 28 times in the New Testament and in every case but perhaps one, it’s in reference to a literal healing; be it physical or psychological/emotional. I believe I can even prove the single reference left is also in reference to the physical but that aside, Peter was quoting directly from Isaiah 53:6 which every Israelite took literally. In fact, it was a prophecy which Peter confirms was fulfilled on the cross. You either believe, as no doubt Brother MacArthur, that we can be “cured” from our sins or you believe we are forgiven. I’m sorry Brother MacArthur, we cannot be “cured” of our sins.

FINAL REMARKS

Brother MacArthur concludes his message by recommending we also consider medical help and of course I concur. Yes, it’s true some people go off the deep end and say we should never seek medical attention for things but I, nor any other Biblically sound Charismatic, thinks we should forsake medicine, doctors, or hospitals no matter how hard Brother MacArthur tries to make you think otherwise. Brother MacArthur hasn’t bothered to identify, or otherwise quote, those leading Charismatics that believe in balance; he just wants you to think they’re all a bunch of nuts. You’ll have to decide on your own, however, by using the Scriptures.

This is not a teaching on the gift of healing nor on the healing power of God; it’s a rebuttal. I have done my best to show that Brother MacArthur’s interpretation of this doctrine is highly suspect. I, too, once believed as he. One of the biggest reasons for my fear of the Charismatics and the gift of speaking in tongues had to do with this healing doctrine; I simply couldn’t bring myself to believe. After being filled with the Holy Spirit, however, and given the gift of tongues, I suddenly realized I might have been in error and thus began to diligently study the Scriptures. It took many many months and many many hours of prayer before God began to convince me by His Word that I had been wrong.

There is another problem with which I had to deal on this subject of healing. I have been totally blind since age eleven when I lost all my sight due to detached retinas. Yes, it’s of course true some silly Charismatics try and lay guilt on you by saying if you just had enough faith, but I’ve out grown them now that I have a better understanding of the gift of healing. Do I believe God can perform a miracle in my behalf? Yes! God is going to have to do exactly that in my case because I’m not just blind; I have two artificial eyes. I’ll need more than a healing; I’ll need a recreative miracle.

Someone asked me once, “What are you going to do if you live your entire life believing God and it never happens.” What they meant was, what if you die believing God was going to give you sight and nothing ever happened. First, I said, when I die, or when the Lord comes, I’ll see Him face-to-face with my new glorified body. Secondly, I will have the honor and privilege of living the balance of my entire life, perhaps fifty or sixty years, believing God for something. Now be honest; whom would you rather be. John MacArthur who will stand before God and confess he preached for years that God was helpless to do anything after the “apostolic era,” or the guy who stands before God who lived by faith in God’s miracle working power. Do you think God is going to belittle the one who walked by faith and confession, though perhaps never seeing the fruition of his confession till he receives his glorified body, or will God honor him. I think the answer is obvious.

Jesus once told a story about an employer who hired several men at different hours of the day. At the day’s end, the man paid each of the newly hired employees the same amount no matter how long they had worked. Some complained but Jesus said the point was that some think, because of their labor and dedication, they should receive more. Jesus said, however, the first shall be last and the last first. I may never be granted the miracle of my physical sight in this life. I may die believing for something God simply was powerless to do anything about. When it comes to standing in line, however, you’ll need a telescope to see Brother MacArthur from my position near the front.

CONCLUSION

Though I touched on this briefly, Brother MacArthur criticizes Charismatics for believing that God wants us to walk in health today. I’ve mentioned that such arguments are based on the reluctance to honestly live by faith and the Word of God for every area of life. I personally know two people who never go to the doctor and never take any prescription or over the counter drugs for anything. Do they get sick? Once and awhile but not very often. What do they do when they become ill? They pray and claim God’s gift of healing for their lives. They have both been miraculously healed and been restored time and time again from not only illnesses but in one brother’s case, from what the doctor’s called an inoperative situation and in the other, he claimed to be healed in seconds from a broken ankle. Do they have medical records, x-rays before and after, and doctor’s sworn statements? Of course not. Why would they need them; they’re healed. It’s Brother MacArthur who needs them.

I am not going to launch into a long doctrinal study on the gift of healing and the will of God for a person’s life in this writing; I’m simply attempting to give representation of God’s Word on the subject. The bottom line is one’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If you are born again and don’t believe in healing or miracles, one day we will all stand in our Lord’s presence well and perfectly whole. I, on the other hand, believe God cares for us today and that He still performs miracles in our behalf. I believe Jesus Christ died for us physically and by His stripes we are healed. Do I still go to the doctor? Of course. I even believe I will one day die and be buried if Jesus doesn’t come first. Yet I still confess I believe I am going to live forever. How? By faith.

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE

I would like to conclude this booklet by offering a word of encouragement to those who need God to work in their behalf.

First, make sure you know the Word of God well on this subject of the gift of healing. The devil is using a number of Christians to rob us of what rightfully belongs to us through the vicarious suffering and bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus christ.

Second, stay away from these people who say Jesus Christ and God the Father are powerless to perform miracles today. You will discover that most Christians, even many Charismatics, are very negative when it comes to just exactly how much power God still has today. Avoid them as much as possible and whatever you do, don’t discuss what you believe in your heart with these doubters.

Third, ask the Lord to give you an agreeing praying friend that will stand with you in your belief. Frankly, this is the hard part. There aren’t many real believers today in the healing power of God but ask the Lord for that partner. You’ll find times you want to renege on your confession of faith and it helps to have a partner to help you through those times. Don’t forget the Holy Spirit is your prayer partner, too. He’ll pray every time you do and knows the mind of God better than we. He, the Holy Spirit, will make sure your prayers get to God.

If you don’t find a friend to be your partner in agreement, ask God to assign your case to some intercessor somewhere in the world. Request that this intercessor continually pray in your behalf until your request is answered. It doesn’t make any difference if you don’t understand how intercessory prayer works; just ask God for that intercessor and the Holy Spirit will see it’s done.

Fourth, once you are convinced by the Scriptures that God, not only has the power, but in fact is willing to work miraculously in your behalf today, make it a commitment. By that I mean, pray and ask God to heal you or to perform that needed miracle in your behalf. Confess your belief in His Word and confirm your belief as often as opportunity affords until it is brought to fruition. I’m not suggesting you put a public confession in the newspaper to announce to the world of your decision; I’m simply saying to confess it first to God, second to the devil and any deceiving spirits that will try and get you to deny, or otherwise change, your conviction, and finally confess it to anyone who either asks or challenges your decision. Will you feel stupid making such a confession? Of course and those to whom you may confess it on occasion will make sure you do. They may even call you stupid but just smile and bless them in the name of the Lord. If that doesn’t work, tell them to buzz off. Some do-gooder Christian may say, “Well, shoot, you lost your arm in the war. You don’t believe God is going to give you a new arm do you?” Just smile real big and say, “You mean you don’t?” No matter what, just keep right on believing God. In fact, die believing God if necessary. If we continue to confess God’s promises and die and stand before God, I guarantee God will be greatly pleased and will confess to us, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

OTHER THAN PHYSICAL NEEDS

Finally, perhaps what you suffer is not physical but emotional or psychological. All this works the same way as it does for physical healings. If you are careful when reading the Gospels, you’ll discover Jesus healed emotionally, psychologically, and physically. In fact, Isaiah states, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). the third statement, “the chastisement of our peace was upon Him,” is in direct reference to the emotional and psychological. Take time to read all of Isaiah chapter 53 and you will see just how much our Lord suffered emotionally and psychologically on the cross for us. No matter the need, our God heals.

When considering the emotional and psychological, however, don’t allow anyone to tell you to forsake medical treatment. For some reason, some people who believe in God’s healing power will easily agree to having physical needs treated medically but they bow their neck when it comes to the emotional and psychological. There is nothing wrong with being treated medically by professionals for emotional needs and there are many good Christian professionals in this field. Healing in this area of one’s life is no different, absolutely no different, than for a physical need.

As you wait patiently on the Lord, keep in mind that faith is a defensive weapon. Faith doesn’t attack; the Word does (Eph. 6:10-18). It is what you believe, or your level of commitment, which makes the difference; not how much, or little, faith you think you have. Don’t forget that even Jesus had to repeatedly refute the devil when He was tempted forty days in the wilderness. [Read Luke 4:1-14]. Don’t give up once you have made a commitment.

HELP

To assist you in maintaining a confession, I have prepared a booklet called “IT IS WRITTEN.” This booklet is nothing more than several confessions, Scripturally documented, which you can use to fend off the fiery darts of the devil. The Scriptures themselves will help solidify your faith as you read through them. If you feel uncomfortable reciting written confessions, then just read all the Scriptures out loud which come with the booklet. We do serve a miracle working God and His Word confirms it.

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