The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Do Refomed Churches Annoint With Oil?

James 5
13Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

14Is 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:

Is this my answer?

http://www.geocities.com/scripturaltruths/Oil.html

Lynda,

That appears to be a good summary of the matter. We had a thread here a few months ago that also addressed the subject: http://the-highway.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/posts/42342.html

Cheers!

Here's a short clip of a q & a with John McArthur on the subject.

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Questions/QA009

Interesting take - what do y'all think?

Jacy,

I was anything but impressed by MacArthur's answer. A fuller explanation of how I think the text should be understood is in the thread mentioned by CovenantInBlood which YOU started and in which we three participated.

First of all, MacArthur said the person with the problem should go to the elders. This is simply not what the text says. The opposite seems to be true; the elders are to be called for and they go to the one sick.

Secondly, MacArthur spiritualizes near everything else in the text, e.g., physical sickness becomes spiritual weakness, etc.

Consequently, I felt disappointed in the man who for the most part is quite sound. His views on Gen 6:4 are also known to be more than strange, even outlandish, so it simply goes to show that we must be discerning because all men are fallible in this life due to remaining sin.

In His grace,

Wow! I sure am learning a lot and realizing how much I need to learn!

2 Timothy 4:20 (King James Version)
20Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

Why were there so many physical healings in apostolic times? Why did Paul not heal Trophimus?

Oh, I just remembered another question I had. Was there ever a time when someone asked for healing, the apostles laid hands on them and attempted to heal the person, but the person didn't get healed or was only partially healed? I don't remember anything like that.

Perhaps you are referring to the demoniac child in Matthew 17:14-21, in which a man entreats the Lord to cure his demon-tortured son. "I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him," the father pleaded (verse 16).

In addition to Robin's reply, how about the apostle Paul himself? He had some kind of illness which some believe to have been with his eyesight. And he prayed three times for God Himself to remove it from him but it was denied. (cf. 2Cor 12:7-9)

There is nowhere to be found in Scripture a carte blanc promise of healing of all diseases, infirmities, illnesses, etc., whether by the hands of the apostles or anyone else, even God. There is that one great "disease" which ALL suffer from and that is physical death because all are sinners. No apostle, not even Christ healed anyone of this fatal disease permanently. Even Lazarus succumbed to physical death, albeit a second time. And of course, there is the 'affliction' of the sin nature which cannot be cured by the laying on of hands. Only Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit can give 'healing' to that problem. However, the resurrection will resolve the common 'affliction' of physical death as all shall live once again, either with the Lord in eternal bliss on the New Earth or with everlasting punishment in Eternal Hell.

In His grace,

How do we know Pauls "thorn in the flesh" was some type of physical illness and not some type of oppostition? .......or other issue?

There is no way of knowing absolutely what it was, e.g., physical or spiritual. However, the majority of commentators over the centuries lean strongly toward a physical malady. The conjectures as to what that physical affliction was are many; most without any biblical warrant whatsoever. As I mentioned, it MAY HAVE BEEN some type of issue with his eyes. The passages given to support this idea are: Gal 4:13-15 (direct reference to an infirmity of the flesh); 6:ll (Paul writes with large letters); Acts 23:5 (Paul failed to recognize Ananias as the High Priest). Perhaps it is similar to what happened to Job where Satan was given permission to afflict him, Job 2:1ff. Again, there is no conclusive evidence for one to say with certainty or even with some confidence what this thorn (Gk: stake) in the flesh was.

What can be said with surety is that whatever it was that Paul had to endure it is paradigmatic of the trials and tribulations all believers face in this life which the Lord brings to them for the purpose of keeping them humble and that they might be fruitful in the Lord's in service. We should learn from this that human weakness and divine grace go hand-in-hand together.

In His grace,

So if I went to a charismatic healing service to see my friend's son healed and he wasn't healed, it was not a sign that the guy claiming to have the gift of healing was a fake?

It depends on what claims are being made by those conducting the "healing service." God certainly heals the sick, but not to advance, authenticate, or honor any man's ministry.

-Robin

Does God heal deafness, blindness, and cancer in "Charismatic" churches? Are miracles occuring in this century?

1. Miracles do occur today, e.g., sinners are being saved by sovereign grace.

2. Re: healings in Charismatic churches... I am of the strong opinion that NONE of the ecstatic gifts, including the gift of healing exists today. What is seen and allegedly experienced in Charismatic and Pentecostal churches is either of the Evil One and his minions, psychological or faked. As far as I know there is not one legitimate/actual instance of such healing of deafness, blindness, cancer, etc. on record, aside from Scripture of course.

For a BIBLICAL view of "healing" see here: Miraculous Healing, by Henry Frost.