Faith & Reason Nexus

Many people wonder why miraculous healing isn’t always permanent or universally experienced, especially when the Bible speaks of miraculous healing. Here are some key questions and answers that help to understand the nature and purpose of miraculous healing as described in Scripture:

1. Why Did Paul Use the Word “Till” in Ephesians 4:13?
   • Ephesians 4:13 says that certain gifts (including healing) will continue “till we all come in the unity of the faith…”. This suggests that these gifts, including miracles, were meant for a specific purpose: to build up the early church until it was fully established. Once the foundation of the church was laid and the Scriptures completed, these miraculous signs were no longer necessary in the same way.
   • Galatians 3:19: The law was given “till the seed should come”, pointing to a time when Christ would fulfill the purpose of the law and usher in a new era. This is similar to the purpose of miraculous healing in the early church.
2. Why Did Paul Prescribe Wine for Timothy?
   • 1 Timothy 5:23: Paul instructed Timothy to use wine for his stomach’s sake and his frequent infirmities. This suggests that, while healing is a part of God’s work, God also provides natural means (like medicine) for healing, showing a balance between divine healing and practical care.
3. Why Did Paul Leave Trophimus Sick?
   • 2 Timothy 4:20: Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletum. If divine healing was meant to be permanent and universal, this seems contradictory. Paul, a vessel of divine power, did not heal Trophimus but allowed him to remain sick, indicating that healing was not always guaranteed for every believer.
4. Why Did God Have Mercy on Epaphroditus?
   • Philippians 2:25-28: Paul speaks of Epaphroditus being sick and near death, but God had mercy on him. This shows that God’s mercy is at work in healing, but not always in the miraculous form that we expect.
5. Why Did Paul Have a Thorn in the Flesh?
   • 2 Corinthians 12:7-9: Paul had a “thorn in the flesh,” which he prayed to be removed. God chose not to remove it but instead said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This suggests that divine healing is not always God’s plan, as sometimes the experience of suffering can bring spiritual benefits like humility and dependence on God.
6. Why Did Writers Emphasize Single Acts of Healing?
   • Many accounts of healing in Scripture are isolated acts rather than continuous, permanent experiences. This indicates that miraculous healing served a specific purpose in God’s redemptive plan, showing God’s power, but not meant to be the permanent state for every believer.
7. Why Did Paul Speak of “In Part Shall Be Done Away”?
   • 1 Corinthians 13:8-11: Paul mentions that “prophecies… tongues… and knowledge” will pass away when “that which is perfect is come.” This speaks to the end of the age of miracles when the full revelation of God through Scripture would make the need for such miracles obsolete.
   • James 1:25: The “perfect law of liberty” is the Word of God, and it is what fully equips believers. Miraculous healings served a temporary purpose in an era when the complete Word had not yet been fully revealed and written.

Conclusion:

The Bible teaches that miraculous divine healing was a temporary sign that served to confirm the apostles’ authority and spread the gospel message. While God can still heal today, the full revelation of Scripture and the coming of Christ means that we now have other means of grace and healing, including medicine, prayer, and God’s sustaining power. Miraculous healing was never meant to be permanent for every believer, but rather, it had a specific role in establishing the early church and demonstrating God’s power.