The Health Message
Twenty-five years have quickly passed, but it is carved into my memory as is if it had happened today. On that sunny summer morning I went to work in our clinic for another day of activities. Spread out on the office table were about twenty records of the patients admitted for health care at the beginning of the week.
I requested God’s blessings for another day of work. It appeared to be another ordinary day, like so many others. However, I was about to witness an experience that would mark my life forever. Among those who were hospitalized that morning, there was a patient with a unique life story. She was nearly thirty-five years old, single and had been raised by her mother alone—a hard, cold, dominant woman with whom she had severed her relationship because of constant disagreements. She worked in a government office and had been, for some time, feeling back pain. A medical examination resulted in a doctor’s reference to a plastic surgeon for breast reduction. After the surgery, the doctor commented to her that he had found a small lump in the remaining part of her left breast; he removed a piece of the lump for further tests, promising to tell her the diagnosis as soon as possible. From there a series of misfortunes occurred. When the test results arrived the doctor was on vacation, and when he returned a month later, he analyzed the results only to find that the lump was an infiltrating ductal carcinoma, an aggressive breast cancer.
After several unsuccessful attempts to contact the patient, the doctor found out that she had moved away. She left her new address with no one, making it impossible to contact her to clarify the severity of the disease. Two years later she realized that something was wrong with her health, but then it was too late. Lungs and liver were already affected by the malignant lesion. As I listened to her story, I was convinced that the person sitting in front of me, weakened by disease, eyes full of tears, expressing in her facial expression a mixture of sadness, anger, and disappointment, questioning “Why me?” needed more than physical healing. She needed a cure for eternity.
Two months of work in hopes of taking that afflicted soul to the feet of Jesus, her heart—once hard—began to soften. After much reluctance in both parties, mother and daughter were reconciled. One morning I entered the patient’s room for a visit; she was sitting up in bed, with a calm countenance that radiated inner peace. Looking up at me she said, “I want to be baptized.” After studying the Principles of Faith I had the privilege to baptize her. Three days later she slept in the Lord with the blessed hope of eternal life. She had been healed for eternity.
For a complete study of the healing process, it must be studied in three parts: Physical healing, mental healing, and spiritual healing. The health of one depends on the health of others. To understand the spiritual healing we need to consider the link between two important dimensions: the body and the mind. Inspiration says, “The relation which exists between the mind and the body is very intimate. When one is affected, the other sympathizes. The condition of the mind affects the health of the physical system.”1
The brain is the organ that houses the mind, the emotions, and the feelings. As soon as it receives the stimuli of faith, it mobilizes the various structures of the central nervous system, triggering a response in the body. The cerebral cortex interprets the stimuli of faith as being positive and reports it to the hypothalamus which in turn commands the glands to regulate hormone production, while at the same time producing and sending neurocommunicators to the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system then takes the positive stimuli of faith throughout the body, influencing tissues and organs. When we believe, when we pray, we do so not only with the mind, but with the body, soul, and spirit. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). This text leaves no doubt that what we think has the power to transform us. The apostle Paul longed to be like Christ, contemplating Him constantly until each cell of the apostle’s being reflected God’s image, and he was be able to say “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). The cure (transformation) is given from the mind stimulated by faith. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Therefore, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
The greatest part of Jesus’ mission was devoted to healing the sick. All that requested healing from their ailments were met without exception. His interest in the suffering was so great that even those who didn’t ask to be healed were cured. Jesus asked, “Wilt thou be made whole?” (John 5:6).
“While Jesus ministered to all who came unto Him, He yearned to bless those who came not.”2
Although the cure was effected in the physical realm, Christ’s supreme desire was to heal the soul from sin, not just the body. “Every act of Christ’s ministry was far-reaching in its purpose. It comprehended more than appeared in the act itself. So was in the case of the leper.”3
“The work of Christ in cleansing the leper from his terrible disease is an illustration of His work in cleansing the soul from sin. The man who came to Jesus was ‘full of leprosy.’ Its deadly poison permeated his whole body. The disciples sought to prevent their Master from touching him; for he who touched a leper became himself unclean. But in laying His hand upon the leper, Jesus received no defilement. His touch imparted life-giving power. The leprosy was cleansed. Thus it is with the leprosy of sin—deep-rooted, deadly, and impossible to be cleansed by human power. ‘The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores’ (Isaiah 1:5, 6). But Jesus, coming to dwell in humanity, receives no pollution. His presence has healing virtue for the sinner. Whoever will fall at His feet, saying in faith, ‘Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean,’ shall hear the answer, ‘I will; be thou made clean’ (Matthew 8:2, 3, RV).
“In some instances of healing, Jesus did not at once grant the blessing sought. But in the case of leprosy, no sooner was the appeal made than it was granted. When we pray for earthly blessings, the answer to our prayer may be delayed, or God may give us something other than we ask, but not so when we ask for deliverance from sin. It is His will to cleanse us from sin, to make us His children, and to enable us to live a holy life.”4
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
“In the healing of the paralytic at Capernaum, Christ again taught the same truth. It was to manifest His power to forgive sins that the miracle was performed. . . . His disease was the result of a life of sin, and his sufferings were embittered by remorse. He had long before appealed to the Pharisees and doctors, hoping for relief from mental suffering and physical pain. But they coldly pronounced him incurable, and abandoned him to the wrath of God….
“The palsied man was entirely helpless, and, seeing no prospect of aid from any quarter, he had sunk into despair. Then he heard of the wonderful works of Jesus. He was told that others as sinful and helpless as he had been healed; even lepers had been cleansed. And the friends who reported these things encouraged him to believe that he too might be cured if he could be carried to Jesus. But his hope fell when he remembered how the disease had been brought upon him….
“Yet it was not physical restoration he desired so much as relief from the burden of sin. If he could see Jesus and receive the assurance of forgiveness and peace with Heaven, he would be content to live or die, according to God’s will. The cry of the dying man was, Oh that I might come into His presence! There was no time to lose; already his wasted flesh was showing signs of decay. He besought his friends to carry him on his bed to Jesus, and this they gladly undertook to do. But so dense was the crowd that had assembled in and about the house where the Saviour was, that it was impossible for the sick man and his friends to reach Him, or even to come within hearing of His voice.”5
“At his suggestion his friends bore him to the top of the house and, breaking up the roof, let him down at the feet of Jesus. The discourse was interrupted. The Saviour looked upon the mournful countenance and saw the pleading eyes fixed upon Him. He understood the case; He had drawn to Himself that perplexed and doubting spirit. While the paralytic was yet at home, the Saviour had brought conviction to his conscience. When he repented of his sins, and believed in the power of Jesus to make him whole, the life-giving mercies of the Saviour had first blessed his longing heart. Jesus had watched the first glimmer of faith grow into a belief that He was the sinner’s only helper, and had seen it grow stronger with every effort to come into His presence.
“Now, in words that fell like music on the sufferer’s ear, the Saviour said, “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.’
“The burden of despair rolls from the sick man’s soul; the peace of forgiveness rests upon his spirit, and shines out upon his countenance. His physical pain is gone, and his whole being is transformed. The helpless paralytic is healed! the guilty sinner is pardoned!”6
“Oh, wondrous love of Christ, stooping to heal the guilty and the afflicted! Divinity sorrowing over and soothing the ills of suffering humanity! Oh, marvelous power thus displayed to the children of men! Who can doubt the message of salvation? Who can slight the mercies of a compassionate Redeemer?”7
The Lord Jesus, during His earthly ministry, in action and speech, taught and trained His disciples in the art of healing for eternity. He set standards and took the initiative to create teams and sent them two by two, with the following command: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
He taught them how their mission should be performed:
“And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you” (Luke 10:9).
“Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’”8
“The gospel and the medical missionary work are to advance together. The gospel is to be bound up with the principles of true health reform.”9
“We have come to a time when every member of the church should take hold of medical missionary work. The world is a lazar house filled with victims of both physical and spiritual disease. Everywhere people are perishing for lack of a knowledge of the truths that have been committed to us. The members of the church are in need of an awakening, that they may realize their responsibility to impart these truths.”10
May the Lord help us fulfill this mission! R