To argue that a mature Christian should follow faith, hope and love and ignore the healing ministry does not make any sense.
It makes perfect sense if you understand why the gifts were given in the first place....and what they meant.
In its infancy, Christianity depended, not just on the words of Jesus and his apostles, but on a clear demonstration from God that he was backing this new arrangement. When Jesus spoke about the coming of his kingdom, he said that it would see the end of all suffering, sickness and even death. The gifts of God’s spirit were a limited demonstration of what the rulership of his kingdom, under the leadership of his son, would bring to redeemed mankind.
Without works, faith is dead, says James. The same writer leaves us with this thought: 'Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.'
Just as there is spiritual death, there is also spiritual sickness. This is what James was talking about. By following those recommendations, a spiritually ailing person can be raised out of the kind of “sickness” that causes spiritual death.
Sickness, suffering and death have plagued mankind from the beginning, but where is God among those who are suffering today, many of whom identify as Christians? If all who came to Jesus and the apostles were cured, why do we not see the same success rate today?
As you can see from the scriptures, there were no failures in the first century, and no one went home without being 100% cured. That does not happen today. Failures cause people to lose their faith, not enhance it. They are made to feel like God has rejected them.....that they didn’t have enough faith.....but that was not the case originally. Please think about that.
Without healing some people will live their lives without hope of relief from pain and suffering. We may all have a hope of rest in the life to come, but there is also good reason to have hope in this life, too.
The hope that the first Christians entertained, is the same hope that we have today. It doesn’t mean going to heaven, because that destination is not open to mankind in general....it never was.
Only those chosen for rulership positions with Jesus will go to heaven....that opportunity was not opened up until he returned to heaven. And since it is God who chooses them, no one one can claim to be part of that arrangement unless they have that anointing. (Revelation 20:6) Their role is that of rulers and priests....so who do they rule and for whom do they act as priests?
Revelation 21:2-4 answers.....
“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (ESV)
“New Jerusalem” is God’s Kingdom, just as original Jerusalem was the site of God’s Kingdom on earth...the location of his Temple. This “heavenly Jerusalem” will rule the whole earth.....bringing the blessings mentioned there to redeemed mankind. No one has to wait for those blessings longer than their own lifetime. Death is nothing more than a restful sleep in the grave, awaiting Jesus’ call to awaken. (John 5:28-29) He calls the dead from their graves, not from heaven. Where was Lazarus when Jesus raised him?
It's an expression of God's love for his children that he heals, and alters circumstances for the better. We can demonstrate love through service, and watch a person die. Or we can demonstrate love through service and watch a person recover. Which is better?
You seem to eliminate all those who suffer ill health despite being devoted servants of God. The apostle Paul as well as Timothy had physical health problems but were not healed even though they could heal others. Besides which fact, that everyone dies sooner or later......where are the resurrections? Why did Jesus bring Lazarus back from the dead if he had gone to a better place?
The Church Age began at Pentecost and continues until the return of Christ. In all likelihood this period will be around two thousand years. Since the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Pentecostal experiences have continued, and it's a nonsense to suggest that the gift of the Holy Spirit, through whom healing power is manifested, was retracted by God. Church history provides examples of the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in every century, even when faith for healing and miracles was not widely preached by Church authorities.
Paul clearly stated that the gifts would cease....but the Bible indicates that they would continue, albeit imperfectly, by the devil to fool people into believing that his fake form of Christianity (foretold by Jesus) was the real thing. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)
Realising that all Christianity is not genuine should make us scrutinise the teachings of any denomination that claims to be the real thing. Comparing their beliefs and conduct with what Jesus taught makes it simple. He foretold that “many” would claim Jesus as their Lord, but that when he comes as judge, he will reject them outright for the frauds they have proven themselves to be. (Matthew 7:21-23)
Mature Christians manifest the three basic qualities that Paul said would dominate....”faith, hope and love”. Miracles are for spiritual babies....it takes maturity to base your faith on what you can’t see, and to demonstrate those qualities when those all around you have lost them.
The scriptures themselves tell us the whole story...not just a few verses plucked at random....which is why we need to study all of God’s word and allow his spirit to guide us. It is very obvious that he doesn’t guide everyone.....only those who love the truth. (John 6:44; John 6:65)
What did God have in mind when he put us here on this earth in the beginning? Using that as a basis for study, helps to see the big picture and where it all fits. That has been the basis for all my study. What about you?