What is the gift of healing?

In various churches you may have personally witnessed or heard about services where people lay their hands on others for the purpose of healing them.  Are these examples of the spiritual gift of healing?  The New Testament gives many different examples about people healing others.  For example, Saint Mark described how the people of Capernaum brought all of the sick and demon-possessed to Jesus Christ so he could heal them. (Mark 1:29-34)  Saint Matthew also explains how Jesus Christ went through all the towns and villages teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. (Matthew 9:35)  Likewise, at the temple gate, the Apostle Peter healed a beggar who was crippled from birth. (Acts 3:1-8)  The Apostle Paul also healed the illnesses of the sick and removed the evil spirits from them. (Acts 19:11-12)

 

On the contrary, all people who heal others are not necessarily ordained from God.  The Apostle Paul interacted with sorcerers and false prophets during his travels. (Acts 8:9; 13:6-8)  Even during the days of Moses, sorcerers and magicians existed. (Exodus 7:11)  Jesus Christ himself was also accused of driving out demons, on behalf of the demons themselves. (Matthew 12:22-24)  This helps explain why we later find Saint John teaching the following, “…test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (I John 4:1 NIV)

Interesting enough, the gift of healing does have its limitations, in that it does not heal all illnesses and it is not dependent upon the recipient’s faith.  Why did the Apostle Paul instruct Timothy to use a little wine for his stomach and frequent illnesses…instead of healing him? (I Timothy 5:23)  Why did the Apostle Paul suffer illnesses himself, even though he prayed for God to take them away? (II Corinthians 12:5, 7-10; Galatians 4:13-14)  Why did the people bring the sick into the streets and lay them on beds and mats in hopes that at least the Apostle Peter’s shadow may fall upon them? (Acts 5:15)

 

As for the gift of healing, the Apostle Paul includes the gift in his letter to the Corinthians.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given though the Spirit the message of wisdom…to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit…and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  All of these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. (I Corinthians 12:4-11 NIV, italics added for emphasis)

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.  And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.  Are all apostles?  Are all prophets?  Are all teachers?  Do all work miracles?  Do all have gifts of healing?  Do all speak in tongues?  Do all interpret?  But eagerly desire the greater gifts? (I Corinthians 12:27-30 NIV, italics added for emphasis)

In other words, the spiritual gift of healing is when the Holy Spirit guides a believer to miraculously cure a person’s illness, regardless of his or her faith in God.  Does the gift of healing exist today?  Definitely not in the same capacity as it was around the days of the Pentecost, when the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. (Acts 5:12)  You may hear about healing services going on in today’s churches, but ask yourself – does the person with the gift of healing claim to heal all people or does he or she believe the healing is based off the recipient’s faith in God?  Overall, most people who pray for healing – by the laying on of hands on another believer – are usually praying to God on behalf of that person for divine intervention…not utilizing the spiritual gift of healing.  Ultimately, God determines when he will use the spiritual gift of healing in our churches and whom he will use it through.