Does God physically heal today?
Since it is your understanding that the spiritual gifts were temporary, does this mean that God doesn't physically heal today?
The answer to that question is yes and no.
God, in his divine providence, has made the human body so fearfully and wonderfully that it is a marvel that we don't die instantly from all the things that contaminate our air/food/water!
In each and every person, there are still those natural healing properties that God put in us at creation. But they have been marred by sin and because of that, we are all slowly dying. And given enough time, all of our bodies will get old, get sick, hurt, and die (except for those members of the body of Christ alive at his coming at the rapture!).
Anyway, so the question is not does God heal us physically; as because of the way he created our bodies to heal themselves is his design.
Look what Paul says about a brother in the book of Philippians:
Philippians 2:25-28
Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him;
In the text, the way that God had mercy on this brother is that, although he was very sick, he did not die right away. Therefore, anytime we get sick and don't die, God is in essence having mercy on us! I will develop this further when I talk about doctors.
So anyway, the real question is: Is God supernaturally healing peoples’ physical bodies today, like He did in bible times under the Lord, the 12 Apostles to Israel, and during our Apostle Paul's early ministry? And the answer to that question from scripture is no!
Here's why...
First of all, the gifts of supernatural miracles, and healings was, like all the other gifts of the Spirit, temporary...
1 Corinthians 12:28
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Second of all, God never promised the body of Christ that he would heal us the way that he did promise the nation of Israel that he would heal them.
Therefore, it will not be right for us to expect God to do something that he never promised us he would do. Paul says that God will answer our prayers only according to his will for us today!
So, thirdly, why did God heal supernaturally early in Paul's ministry in the first place?
The main reason God did that was because it was a sign to all that Paul was God's man...
Acts 19:11-12
And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
Here we see God supernaturally healing people through Paul.
Look at what Paul says about this...
Romans 15:18-19
For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
2 Corinthians 12:11-12
…for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
So, early in Paul's ministry, God did heal people supernaturally to prove that Paul was his man!
But look at the end of Paul's ministry...
1 Timothy 5:23
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
2 Timothy 4:20
Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
Here we see that it is obvious that even the great Apostle Paul himself no longer had the power from God to heal sick people! He went from being able to heal simply by pieces of cloth touching his body, to not even able to heal those men who laboured with him in the grace ministry.
Why? Because God withdrew those things to put the focus, not on the gifts, but onto his written word.
In fact, God provided for Paul's own physical infirmity through his grace...
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Paul learned that the word of God's Grace to him was enough! And it is for us today also.
God even provided a medical doctor to travel with Paul to take care of his physical needs as well...
Colossians 4:14
Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
2 Timothy 4:11
Only Luke is with me.
Why was Luke with him during his travels (also recorded in the book of Acts)?
Why else would a doctor be with him? To take care of his physical body! God provided this doctor to help Paul stay healthy, and we too today, can thank God for good physicians that help our physical body too. They are a blessing from God.
In conclusion, look what our Apostle says about our dying bodies…
2 Corinthians 4:7-11
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
God allows our physical body to "die" so that we depend on him and that the life of our Saviour might be manifest!
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Well, hope all this is plain and clear for you. You have a lot to study and search out.
Acts 17:11
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
...but it's good to get in God's word isn't it?
Hopefully this helps!
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