Recently, I wrote against the teachings of Andrew Wommack )https://mannsword.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-unbiblical-teachings-of-andrew.html)
because some dear Christian friends had been advocating his
teachings. However, due to some push-back from these friends, I thought that I needed
to address it with more depth:
Was Jesus’ commission to the 12 and then the 72 subject
to change? Are all believers still given the authority and power to heal
and to cast out demons? In favor that their experience still pertains, they
cite:
·
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others
and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he
himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but
the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to
send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as
lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and
greet no one on the road. ..The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord,
even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (Luke 10:1-4, 17)
However, Jesus’ commission did change:
·
And he said to them, “When I sent you out with
no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said,
“Nothing.” He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it,
and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and
buy one. (Luke 22:35-36)
Therefore, we shouldn’t expect that other features – healing
and deliverance – would also be permanent. It was never intended that all
should heal. Each gift was not given to all:
·
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all
teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak
with tongues? Do all interpret?”
(1 Corinthians 12:29-30)
Therefore, the claim that all have the authority to heal is
not Biblical. Instead:
·
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one
body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For
the body does not consist of one member but of many…But as it is, God arranged
the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single
member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. (1
Corinthians 12:13–14, 18-20)
I cited the fact that all believers are baptized in the Holy
Spirit because the WOF movement generally denies this. They generally claim
that those who have received this “baptism” are empowered in a way that other
believers are not. However, our unity in the Body of Christ argues that there
is only one Spirit baptism of which we all partake (Ephesians 4:1-5).
Consequently, there does not exist a two-pier division among the children of God.
Instead, the WOF teachings foster division.
Returning to our gifting, we are all gifted but differently
like any body which has many differing body parts.
It is also claimed that diseases cannot be used for good as
can other forms of suffering. Therefore, God wills that that they should all be
cured. However, Paul rejoiced even in his weaknesses and infirmities knowing
that God could work all things for our good:
·
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake:
for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10 KJV)
Many verses talk about the benefits of suffering for
building character, without any exceptions, even for disease:
·
Indeed, we felt that we had received the
sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who
raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:9)
The Bible gives no reason to believe that God could not also
use disease to make us rely more on Christ.
·
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character,
and character produces hope, (Romans 5:3-4)
·
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet
trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith
produces steadfastness. (James 1:2-3)
If the suffering the loss of a leg can produce character,
why would God be unable to also produce character through our struggle
with polio:
·
We are afflicted in every way, but not
crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair…always carrying in the body the
death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
(2 Corinthians 4:8, 10)
Cannot God use all our afflictions to make us
Christlike? It seems there are no afflictions that cannot be used by our Savior
to produce good:
·
And we know that for those who love God all
things work together for good, for those who are called according to his
purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Is it God’s will for all to be healed? Is the unbelief of
this the problem that all the faithful are not healed? Jesus healings are cited
in support:
·
That evening they brought to him many who were
oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who
were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took
our illnesses and bore our diseases.” (Matthew 8:14-17; Isaiah 53:4)
However, there is no indication that all Christians have
been given the authority to take “our illnesses and…our diseases.” In fact, no
healer would claim he has taken “our diseases” upon himself.
Did everyone in the early church perform miracles and
healings? No! This was generally reserved for the Apostles:
·
And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders
and signs were being done through the apostles. (Acts 2:43)
It was by these wonders that God had set the Apostles apart
as those commissioned to bear the Gospel (Hebrew 2:4) along with Paul who also
performed these works:
·
The signs of a true apostle were performed among
you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. (2
Corinthians 12:12)
Clearly, the office of the Apostle was a special and
temporary one.
Weren’t we all given this power and authority? At first
glance, it seems that Jesus promised this power to all:
·
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in
me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do,
because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12)
However, it seems that He had made this promise specifically
to those who had been with Him—His Apostles:
·
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your
remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
This was the same audience to whom He had made the initial
promise — to those who had accompanied Him and had heard His teachings.
Besides, the entire NT affirms the central and miraculous role to which the
Apostles had been appointed (John 15:26; Acts 8:14, 18; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13)
What happens when all are not healed? Blame must be assigned
to someone. Since the omnipotent God guarantees healing to all, the problem
must rest with those who pray for the healing or with those seeking the
healing. Consequently, this Word-of-Faith theology is a theology of needless
blame. It presents many testimonies of healings but those who aren’t healed
become marginalized, as they had been in Israel:
·
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And
his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he
was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his
parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:1–3)
Many who aren’t healed are left to wonder, “What’s wrong
with me. If I couldn’t trust God for a healing, can I trust Him for anything
else?”
The Bible counsels us to not worry. We have someone else
interceding for us according to the will of God:
·
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself
intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts
knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the
saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God
all things work together for good, for those called according to His purpose.
(Romans 8:26-28)
Yet, I must admit that I had been worrying, amid my own infirmities,
that perhaps I was believing wrongly and limiting God to my own understanding.
However, Scripture continually gives us the assurance that, when we are out of
alignment with our Lord, He will correct us if we really are seeking to know:
·
Let those of us who are mature think this way,
and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only
let us hold true to what we have attained. (Philippians 3:15–16)
4 comments:
Fantastic job! People ask these ?s and I believe you have provided a great answer. We have big problems even understanding who Christ was and is. No wonder we have difficulty putting together the hows and whys. I have stopped asking both and give thanks to Christ in good times and bad. We are so fortunate for everything He does. Do we dare demand anything? Are we caught up in some social rights idea? We still dont get it!
Well done, Danny. Thank you. 👍🏻🎯🎈🥳
Thanks Lazarus! I wrote this also for myself to clear up my own uncertainty.
Thanks to both of you for your encouragement. I was having a meltdown, wondering whether I might be so far off that I was missing the love and grace of God in many regards. I had to also refresh myself in the many loving promises of God that didn't depend on Wommack's insistence that we had to understand as he does and make use of the authority we have been given. Here are some verses that had reassured me:
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31–32)
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
“I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
““Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:3-6)
“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:14-16)
Isaiah 43:1–2 “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
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