PositionPaper_BiblicalHealingAtWOL_AU_A5_HR

as I Corinthians 15:51-55 says,

We will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. ’O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’” In summary, we are living, as George Ladd has said, between the first and second comings of Christ which places us in Ladd’s words, “In the now and not yet of the kingdom.” His part is releasing His power, authority and kingdom to bring healing to our hearts and lives. Our part is to believe and pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done in every situation then trusting Him no matter the outcome. Disease and Illness in Biblical Leaders If the Atonement was a guarantee of healing for all people all the time then we would have serious reason to doubt the Apostle Paul’s ministry, which according to Galatians 4:13 included a serious bodily ailment, “you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time.” Paul is just one of many New Testament leaders who struggled with sickness and disease. We are told that “Trophimus I left sick at Miletus” (II Timothy 4:20) and of poor Timothy, who it seems was often sick we are told in I Timothy 5:23, “No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.” It is unmistakable here that Paul affirms the use of wine to help with Timothy’s frequent stomach ailments. He doesn’t say, “I am praying for your healing” or “believing you will have faith to receive your healing” or “if you repent God will heal you” or “please quit talking about your sickness and making negative declarations and God will heal you.” He simply states that God has made a way naturally for you to get some relief, take some wine, or we might say, go to the doctor, which Paul obviously didn’t think was an action that would be interpreted as less spiritual.

It is important to note that all three of these men were highly esteemed leaders

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