The Benefit of the Atonement

Transcription

1 The Benefit of the Atonement A Theology of Suffering Relating to The Statement Of Faith Divine Healing Provided For All In The Atonement By Bishop John Bridges

2 (A Theology of Suffering Relating to The Statement Of Faith Divine Healing Provided For All In The Atonement ) By Bishop John Bridges During forty five years of ministry (as pastor, teacher and chaplain) I have sat with many Charismatics and Pentecostals as they struggled with the hope for and many times the absence of physical healing for themselves and their families. The expectations of many Pentecostals are not being met. There is a bilbical reason for this. Like others, my delivery of Pastoral care is directly affected by my theology of suffering. At the same time my theology of suffering is greatly informed by my views on the doctrine of divine healing. I realize that we (Pentecostals) all have a common statement of faith ( Divine Healing provided for in the Atonement ) which is being interpreted in various ways and causing much confusion, false teaching and debate. Some teach that divine healing is a guaranteed benefit of the atonement along with salvation. Others teach that divine healing is provided for (not guaranteed) in the Atonement, dependent on individual faith and/or the will of God. It is evident to many that one of our statements of faith Divine Healing provided for in the Atonement needs to be reworded carefully so that we can distance ourselves from false doctrine of the Name it and Claim it / Faith Movement which has a devastating influence within many of our Charismatic / Pentecostal churches. My Premise Jesus healed during his ministry on earth, and he heals today. Physical healing, however, is not to be thought of as a guaranteed benefit of the atonement in the same fashion that he bore our sins. Biblically speaking, of course, the atonement revokes all the effects of the fall, but some of the benefits will not be appreciated until the end of time. Romans 8:19-25; 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (NKJV) (Romans 8:19-25). 1

3 We cannot expect, then that in every case healing is to be granted upon request, as is forgiveness of sins. The Apostle Paul learned this lesson and we must learn it as well. 2 Corinthians 12:1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- 4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. 6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (NKJV) It is not always God s plan to heal. That fact will not trouble us if we but remember that we are not intended to live forever in this earthly body. Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, (NKJV) The so called Faith Movement has brought confusion into our (Charismatic and Pentecostal) churches because of the ambiguity of the rewording our statement of faith Healing provided for all in The Atonement. My Questions to Fellow Charismatic and Pentecostals; Inside and Outside of The Faith Movement I. Is physical healing a guaranteed benefit of the atonement? II. III. IV. Are we implying (intentionally or unintentionally) that divine (physical) healing is equally guaranteed, as is salvation to those who believe in the atonement? What are the results (in the local church) of our teaching and preaching that physical healing is guaranteed in the atonement? Was there healing in the Old Testament through atonement? V. What was meant by "The Prayer offered in Faith" in James 5:14-18? 2

4 Is Physical Healing A Guaranteed Benefit Of The Atonement? "That's an important question!" Let's examine it, beginning with the definition of Atonement. Atonement Defined: 1 OT: 3722 kaphar (kaw-far'); a primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel: KJV - appease, make (an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile (-liation). NT:2433 hilaskomai (hil-as'-kom-ahee); middle voice from the same as NT:2436; to conciliate, i.e. (transitively) to atone for (sin), or (intransitively) be propitious: KJV - be merciful, make reconciliation for. Jewish Poetic Literature Many Times Uses Thought Ryme Instead Of Word Ryme (Also Known As "Parallelism") Several examples Of "Thought Rhyme" Parallelism Synonymous Parallelism are Listed Below. Psalms 78:46 "He gave their crops to the grasshopper, their produce to the locust." Ps 78:61"He sent [the ark of] his might into captivity, his splendor into the hands of the enemy." 1 Pet 2:24 "By his stripes you were healed 2 ". (1 Peter 2:25) "For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."verse 25 "restates the theme of reconciliation through the atonement and specifically explains verse 24. Isaiah 53:4a Fulfilled: In Matthew 8: Matthew said that Jesus fulfilled the prediction of (Isaiah 53:4 a) He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases. Therefore Isaiah 53:4 was already fulfilled long before Christ's atoning sacrifice. Isaiah 53:5 Fulfilled: Isaiah 53:5 foretold the reconciliation which would come about by the sacrificial atonement. 1 Peter 2:24 quoted Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:25 positively interprets the nature of said healing to be spiritual reconciliation rather than physical healing. As illustrated below, the writer simply restated the truth in different words. 1 (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Stong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.) iaomai (ee-ah'-om-ahee); middle voice of apparently a primary verb; to cure (literally or figuratively): KJV-- heal, make whole. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Stong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.) 3

5 Table 1 Divine Healing; Toward A More Biblical View "Isaiah 53: 4-5 Fulfilled" Prophecy The Messiah Would Physically carry His people s infirmities. Isaiah 53:4a Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. * Fulfillment Fulfilled Before the Atonement! Matthew 8: When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases. The Vicarious Atonement Would Bring about Our Healing. Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. The Apostle Peter Interpreted Isaiah 53:5 as a Spiritual Healing Through the Atonement 1 Peter 2:24-25 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. *Emphasis mine. By John Bridges Atonement has a fixed meaning, having its O.T. typology fulfilled in the sacrifice of Messiah and providing salvation to all who believe. Salvation in the New Testament however has taken on a broader meaning; but only in respect to its various aspects or nuances used by the New Testament writers. For me it is reasonable, logical and biblical to believe that our salvation (see chart next page) is the main reason for Christ's atoning sacrifice! 4

6 Chart 1 The Benefits of the Substitutionary Atonement of Christ The Atonement The substitutionary sacrifice of Christ was for the propitiation (appeasement of divine wrath) of our sins and brought about: Salvation Salvation is further defined by the terms which inform us of "What Christ has provided for us" Justification Regeneration New Birth Sanctification Redemption Reconciliation Adoption Glorification He made us not guilty He made us alive again He gave us a New birth He set us apart He Purchased us He brought us back to the Father He made Us Family He sees us as we shall be Rom. 4:25 Tit. 3:5 Jn. 3:3 1 Cor.1:30 1 Pe. 1:18-19 Rom. 5:9-10 Rom. 8:15 Rom. 8: 30 The atonement was the sacrificial act of God providing salvation to all who believe. Salvation is the greatest gift that God has provided and the primary purpose of the incarnation. In importance, salvation through the atonement outshines everything else that God has done for us. In comparison to salvation, physical healing, (though a provision of the atonement) is not equally guaranteed, won t be fully realize until the resurrection of our bodies, and becomes secondary. Chart by John Bridges I. Are we implying (intentionally or unintentionally) that divine (physical) healing is guaranteed, as is salvation to those who believe in the atonement? We are claiming intentionally and or unintentionally, but surely (in the minds of many we teach) by implication that two benefits are equally guaranteed to those who trust in Christ's sacrifice (1) forgiveness of sin. (2) Divine (physical) healing. The nature of the atonement however refutes such positioning because such positioning would demand a guaranteed equal access of both salvation and healing for the believer. What would be the logical result of this? If physical healing were also a guarantef benefit in the atonement along with salvation: Healing could be appropriated, (guaranteed) to Christians on the same basis and authority as forgiveness, as part of the New Testament covenant, and by sincerely asking. 5

7 We would be continually healed and kept in good health. All the infirm, at conversion would be physically healed. Among the saints, there would be no blind, lame, or deaf. No Christian would ever die of disease. II. What are the results (in the local church) of our teaching and or implying that physical healing is guaranteed in the atonement? It produces false hope, i.e. "If I can only believe enough I will be healed"! It causes confusion. Many that are chronically ill may wonder why they are not good enough to be healed. It promotes false guilt because it assumes that unhealed sickness is a result of doubt, hidden sin or divine punishment. It is the root cause of the "So called Faith Movement." There are no examples in scriptures of preachers (sanctioned by the church) building a ministry around healing, prosperity or any gift of the Spirit! Biblical preachers and teachers focused on preaching the gospel. It shifts our focus away from Christ, discipleship and evangelism, while overemphasizing our physical needs e.g. our bodies, our emotions and our finances. It causes some believers to live in denial. Although they still have their sickness, they must profess healing! Their pastors and teachers have taught them that healing has been promised to them by the atonement along with salvation, both (healing and forgiveness) being equally accessible, guaranteed by faith. They know that something is wrong. Desperately they cling to a promise that God has not given. It causes some when healing is not received to question their salvation, for salvation is also promised by faith in the atonement. It causes rationalization. Some of us, after seeing a believer suffering and dying say, "Death is a form of healing!" But If death is a form of healing: We should instruct those requesting prayer; "God may kill you, when we anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord!" Jack Kavorkian isn't the villain we thought him to be! 6

8 It causes some to defy the laws of sound Bible interpretation. Some of us read the salutation given to "The beloved Gaius" from the Apostle John in (3 John 1-2) and claim that it is a promise of healing from God to the church. When the Apostle Matthew said that Jesus fulfilled the scriptures concerning Matthew 2:15, 17, 23; 13:14, 35; and 27:9, we do not disagree and say, "These prophecies were fulfilled at a later date." Do we however want to argue with the timing of the fulfillment of Matthew 8: because we want said prophecy to be fulfilled at the death of Christ, providing physical healing as a guaranteed atonement benefit, equal to and as assessable as salvation? III. Was there Healing in the O. T. Through Atonement? Was healing a guaranteed benefit of the covenant people in the Old Testament via the sacrificial system? The following is my answer to the claims presented by G. P. Duffield and N. M. Van Cleave 3 (a textbook used by many Pentecostal Bible Colleges) Claim: Healing (in the atonement) for those who had leprosy. (Leviticus 14:1-32) Answer: The people for whom these sacrifices were offered had already recovered from skin disease. The atonement was for their sins and ceremonial cleansing. Claim: The plague of judgment was stopped by an atonement. (Numbers 16:46-50) Answer: The issue here was death because of rebellion. The death only stopped after the atonement was made. No precedent was set for future healing in atonement. In fact God dealt with each rebellion differently. Claim: The brass snake, which Moses lifted up in the wilderness, showed that Jesus would heal us physically when we look to him. Answer: The brass snake later became an Idol. Jesus used the illustration only to teach the born again experience (all who look to Christ in faith and repentance are saved) through faith in the atonement. (John 3: 1-15) It cannot honestly be said, "All believers who look to Christ for physical healing receive it." Claim: That in (Job 33: 24, 25) healing was a promise of God. Answer: This referrance is an accusation by Elihu, who had been babbling and accusing Job from (Job 32) until God shut him up at (Job 38). In context, "Elihu is saying that if Job confesses his sin he will be healed. That was not what was keeping Job from being healed! Please Read (Job 33: 19-28). 3 Duffield & Van Cleave, Foundations of Pentecostal Theology (L.I.F.E. Bible College, Los Angeles 1987), p. 388 (Al quotes in this section are from pages ) 7

9 Claim: That the following is a healing covenant. (Ex 15:26) He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you." Duffield goes on to say, ".Thus, healing and health were based on obedience to the Lord. However, this was exactly the basis for the forgiveness of sin, under the Mosaic economy. So healing and the forgiveness of sins were on the same basis in the Old Testament." Answer: Continuing in the covenant provided a preventative maintenance health program, which was promised to the obedient. This was part of the Old Jewish covenant and not our Present new covenant. Forgiveness was based on atonement. IV. What Was Meant By "The Prayer Offered In Faith" In James 5:14-18? James 5:14-18 "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord." The elders are the spiritual male leaders of the local church. The context links James 5: to 1 Kings clearly teaching that James was speaking of "The Gift of Faith" in operation. James 5: 15 "And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." NIV We are compared to whom? James 5:17 "Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years." What was the background for Elijah's rain prayers? Israel was backslid. God was going to use Elijah to announce judgment (chastisement) upon the Northern Kingdom under the control of Ahab and Jezebel. Elijah's prayer to withhold rain was recorded as a prophetic announcement to king Ahab in first Kings 17:1 "As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years accept at my word." James 5: 18 "Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." 8

10 Both prayers (one for the rain to stop and the other for it to start) did not originate from Elijah's mind or will. The Sovereign God directed a righteous man in prayer! We call this the gift of faith, which is closely associated with the word of knowledge. James was telling the church: He (God) is in control. We are called to live righteously. In doing so, the will of God will be accomplished through our lives. The prayer offered in faith is "The gift of faith" in operation. If there is no unconfessed sin and it is God's will, the Holy Spirit will enable "The prayer offered in faith" to be prayed and bring about the healing of the sick. The gift of faith resides in the Holy Spirit. He alone has the mind of God. Summation The effectiveness of our pastoral care to family members and patients in crisis situations is directly affected by our understanding of this (sensitive) issue which I have laid on your table. The pastoral question being, What has God clearly promised us? The atonement brought about the spiritual redemption we now experience. (Eph. 1:7) 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; KJV. Our physical bodies however are not yet redeemed and won t be until the resurrection. Rom 8: For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. KJV 4 The forgiveness of sin requires personal faith in the atonement while physical healing sometimes is brought about by someone else's faith. Matthew 8:16-17 teaches that when Jesus healed the demonics and others at Capernaum, he fulfilled Isaiah 53: 4a long before the atonement. The sacrificial work of Christ (1 Peter 2; 24-25) only guarantees salvation spiritual healing to those who believe, because verse 24 must be interpreted in light of verse 25. Historical Systematic Theology (prior to the late 1800 s and outside Pentecostalism) does not place physical healing as a guaranteed benefit of the atonement of Christ. Since (Isaiah 53:4) is undeniably fulfilled in (Matthew 8: 16-17) and some of us are unable to accept that (1 Peter 2:25) interprets (1 Peter 2:24); what are we going to do? Does reason, or sound interpretive principles allow us to teach or imply that, "Physical healing is provided for all in the atonement?" If so, are we baseing this conclusion on one (disputable) proof text (1 Peter 2:24)? 4 Emphasis mine. 9

11 John the Apostle of Jesus (as a young man) heard Jesus say; If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7 The same Apostle (An old and experienced Bishop) taught his pastoral perspective on Christian prayer. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." 1 John 5:14 Therefore (I believe) physical healing to be dependent (along with other factors listed below) upon the sovereignty of God? "God's rule and authority over all things." God can and does heal today! Physical healing however cannot be claimed as one of our "New-birth" rights. The expectations (to receive physical healing) of many Pentecostals are not being met, because they have expected more than God has promised. The Christian seeking physical healing from God should remember several things: He should examine his heart for unconfessed sin, or rebellion against God s will. He should realize that God is concerned about all needs and should call for the Elders of the Church for prayer. He should understand that God sees the bigger picture and we don't. He should know that we have no biblical guarantee that we will be healed. He should trust the sovereign Lord to do what is best for him in his particular circumstance. 10