Understanding Healing

Understanding Healing                                                                                            7-21-25

This subject has been on my mind for many years, and I decided it was time to write it down. I want to address the matters of healing but need to lay a little groundwork first.

Genesis 1:27 – “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them male and female he created them.”

Q - What does it mean when it says we are created in God’s image?

A – I am not a theologian or great Biblical scholar. I have studied the scriptures and recognize that God gives understanding to us so that we can relate to him. For me, Genesis 1: (26)-27 is easiest to explain based on my understanding of the triune God and characteristics of human beings created in his image.

God’s image is presented in scripture as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, three identifiable entities but present equally and only in one. While each may be discussed separately, they cannot be removed one from another and still be God. For this discussion let’s stop there.

While humans are replicas of the image of God, we are not gods. When I look at a human I see three basic elements; a physical body, a mind/brain that directs the overall functions of the being, and a life essence or our spirit. All three are required to have a functioning human. Destroy one and the whole human ceases to function. Enough on the Trinity.

Now to the matter of healing. In the late 1970s Dr. James Friend addressed our congregation on the matter of healing. His simple effective presentation was directed to clarify a current trend in certain ministries, that of miraculous healings. Let me say that I have personally witnessed miraculous healings and do not dispute that it happens, but the issue centered around the “name-it-and-claim-it” trend that was rising in popularity and the belief by some that if we just say or do the right things, God will respond in a certain way. People were selectively misappropriating scriptures in an attempt to manipulate God into doing their bidding.

Dr. Friend described the three areas where humans become ill, body, mind and spirit.

The first element of God’s image is demonstrated in his physical presence of our Lord. Humanity primarily focuses on the body. Physical illness is something we all experience to one degree or another, everything from a small cold to life-destroying diseases like cancer. Healing of the body is always temporary just as our physical existence on this planet is temporary. Some physical illnesses may heal quickly, like a cold or a headache. Others will improve with the intervention of medical professionals. Unfortunately, there are illnesses for which we have not discovered a remedy and the infirmed, sometimes with the help of counselling, learn to cope with it. Despite medical research and legislative actions, all physical healing is temporary. Eventually we die from something that causes the physical body to cease functioning.

That brings me to the second element of God’s image. In recent years more attention has been paid to the health of the mind. A person may be in near perfect physical condition yet suffer from mental illness. Just as a headache can be treated with rest and medications, imbalances of the mind can be treated with medications and counselling. But as with many physical ailments, the treatment will only mitigate the symptoms and suppress the disease. That is acceptable but rarely is the disease healed.

Which brings us to the third element, the spirit, the God-breathed force of life that causes us to exist eternally (Gen. 2:7). When we commit our lives to Christ, I rather think we cease resisting his calling, he then does what is promised in scripture, (See Matthew 7:7-8; John 14:15-17, 25-26; Romans 8:9-11; Ephesians 1: 13-14 & 1 John 4:12-14) gives us his spirit, the Holy Spirit, God dwelling within us. We are then seen through the lens of the Spirit of God, completed and saved, healed and perfected for all eternity. Even though our minds and bodies will struggle in this life because of the fallen sin nature that is born into all of us, damaged, sick, diseased, scared by sin, our spirit, in communion with God’s Spirit within is healed from the moment of acceptance into all eternity.

God and sinful creatures cannot dwell together. Revelation 20:11-15 is John’s vision of the judgement of humanity, the dead. We are all, humanly speaking, in the same sinking boat. Hebrews 9:27 says, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,” no exceptions. But to those who accept God’s indwelling Spirit are made alive, spiritually healed. Verse 28 continues, “so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” John describes that final setting in Revelation 20:1-7.

While we dwell in this sinful fallen world, we will suffer the consequences of all the forms of illness. Yes, God can and does at his discretion, heal illnesses of the body and mind. Why he will heal one and not another is beyond my understanding other than to know he does so to demonstrate his power and glory. Yet he does bring complete healing to our spirit, a promise that will allow us to dwell with him in heaven where we will reside, similar to Adam and Eve before the fall, perfectly healed in body, mind and spirit, created and then perfected in the image of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit as he intended from the beginning.