“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:14-15).
Sickness is a fact of life. While we may not know everything about sickness and disease we would like, there are three truths affirmed in this passage which merit our careful consideration. Truth # 1: Being a Christian does not prevent all sickness (see yesterday’s post).
Truth # 2: God is the One who brings health to a sick person. Historically-speaking, God has brought healing to sick people in two ways—instantly via a miracle and eventually via the innate therapeutic ability He hardwired into the human body.
What James appears to be referring to here is the instant, miraculous healing that was a gift given by the Holy Spirit in the first century (1 Corinthians 12:9). The words of James are plain: It was not the oil that healed. It was the Lord.
Now that the need to perform miracles has passed (Mark 16:20; 1 Corinthians 13:10), elders of the church cannot restore any Christian’s health as prescribed by James. This does not mean, however, that God cannot nor does not heal using the means of medicine, prayer, and wise stewardship of the body (i.e., rest and a good diet).
It is always right to thank God for the recovery of your health. God is always the One who brings healing to a sick person.
