Faith Healing

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Next: Faith Healing – What the Bible Teaches

Faith healing refers to healing that occurs supernaturally, as the result of prayer rather than the use of medicines or the involvement of physicians or other conventional medical care. Such healings are often referred to as miracles.

The term is best known in connection with Christianity, but is also used in other religions. It is further used in relation to such occult, New Age healing techniques as Reiki.

This entry addresses faith healing in Christianity.

Legitimate vs. Illegitimate

The belief in, and practice of, faith healing is found among:

sincere Christians with a good understanding of the Bible’s teachings on the subject
sincere believers whose misinterpretation of Scripture (and/or use of private ”revelation”) implicitly or explicitly, contradicts Scripture
abusive churches and cults of Christianity
people involved in the occult
con artists, including many so-called charismatic preachers (e.g. Benny Hinn, Peter Popoff)

Based on the teachings of the Bible, there is a legitimate belief in – and practice of – faith healing.

There also is an illegitimate approach to this issue; one that usually puts people at risk to the point of injury and even death.

While faith healings do take place today just as they did in the early Christian church, the teachings of some churches, movements and individuals on this subject amount to spiritual abuse.

Unbiblical teachings on this subject range from aberrant to heretical. Many cults of Christianity preach and practice an unbiblical approach to faith healing. (Example: General Assembly Church of the First Born).

Others place unreasonable demands on their followers, expecting strict obedience to extra-Biblical teachings rejected by legitimate churches and movements. (Example: the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses – theologically a cult of Christianity – regarding blood transfusions).

Legitimate churches, movements, and individuals do not equal using drugs or receiving proper medical attention with unbelief, insufficient faith, or otherwise sinning against God.

Faith Healing – What the Bible Teaches

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2 Responses to “Faith Healing”

chris Says:
April 9th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
i agree with you. also noted that who is to say God did not give us the wisdom to make medicine. i cant find were God tells us to never use medicine at all. i do believe we should go in prayer first when we are sick though. and then seek doctors or other means after. we should give God a chance first.
Dyrell Hicks Says:
March 3rd, 2010 at 2:01 am
Thank you for your balanced statements about faith healing, so many apologetics sites deny God’s supernatural working in the church today, and that stance has caused me to ignore them for the most part.

I’ll definitely bookmark your site and read some more….

There is definitely a lot of dirty bath water out there, but this is an important baby to throw out! I’m glad you have not done so.