Word of Life Study Series
Word of Life Study Series
Healing is the Children's Bread: Healing and the Atonement
Welcome to Word of Life Study Series- Healing is the Children’s Bread! Most if not all Christians know that Jesus bore their sins on the cross. And because He did that, they know that forgiveness of sins has been purchased for them with His blood. But not many Christians know that Jesus also bore their sicknesses on the cross and purchased healing for them with His blood. In other words, they do not know that healing is in the atonement or redemptive work of Christ. They do not know that Christ has actually redeemed them from sickness.
Why is this point so important? For one important reason, redemptive equivalency. Most Christians have tremendous faith in the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus because it is taught so much in local churches- that is a good thing of course. Since the Bible puts healing on the same redemptive ground as forgiveness of sins, folks can also direct the same faith and confidence in receiving healing (1 Peter 2:24) as they do the forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:9).
1. The Right Sacrifice
The account of Cain and Abel is very significant because it points out a very important principle in regards to the means by which fallen man can be reconciled back to God. In other words, how do we deal with the sin problem, in order for our relationship with God to be restored? This fact has tremendous application to healing. As the story goes, Cain put his trust in his own labor as an offering to be acceptable to God, but it was rejected. Cain is a type and shadow for religion today, mankind’s manufactured effort to come to God on their own terms. Abel on the other hand was a man of faith who obeyed God’s instructions to offer a sacrifice of blood.
2. A Sure Foundation
The foundation for believing in divine healing and health is the cross of Jesus- His perfect, finished work. There is no other foundation. We cannot say that we believe in divine healing because we saw or know of someone who was miraculously healed by God. Why? Because when we see or know of someone who was not healed after prayer, our faith will be shaken. So we must see healing provided for us in the atonement of Christ. We must see it in His redemptive work and Word. That is our sure and firm foundation.
3. Jesus our Substitute
Jesus took our place so that we could take His place. He traded places with us, so to speak. He became our divine substitute or scapegoat. As the old hymn goes, “He paid a debt He did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay, I needed someone to wash my sins away.”
For example, Jesus took our sins so that we can take His righteousness. He was forsaken by God so that God will never leave us nor forsake us. He became poor so that we can be made rich, lacking in nothing. He wore the crown of thorns for the restoration of our soul- peace of mind and deliverance from all mental anguish. And, of course, He took our sicknesses so that we can receive His health. He was scourged so that we can be healed.
4. Redeemed from the Curse
Whenever the Bible makes reference to sickness it is always spoken of in terms of being a curse and not a blessing. Obviously a curse is always something bad, evil, hurtful, undesirable and destructive, and to be avoided. The curse as described in Deuteronomy chapter 28 is punishment in response to breaking God’s laws- punishing rebellion and disobedience. Jesus took our curse, was punished for our sin, and absorbed the full measure of pain and suffering as our substitute. As a result of the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection, we have been redeemed from everything that