Ron Garber Ministries  

Question: Why is it that so many that teach that healing is in the atonement, that they or some  family member, ends up going to doctors or dying of some disease? If they are healing others as they claim should they not be able to prove their message is true by being healed themselves? 

 My answer: That ia a very good question, for I have asked the same question myself. I believe it is one that THEY should be requird to answer. Let me go on record as saying that I do believe that the Scriptures teach healing is in the atonement and is for all. I believe that many of these preachers have taken the Scriptures concerning healing and are just using them to build themselves up as someone of great faith, but only possess a head knowledge. As a result, they usually wind up teaching some wild and unscriptual ideas on healing.

Then there are those men that God gave the revelation concerning healing, and were used to bring healing to many people. They were the pioneers off healing through faith and paved the way for many who picked up on their teaching. But we find that many of these men also wound up having all kinds of diseases or dying prematurally. 

Some of these men used the church to build up their ministry rather than use their ministry to build up the church.  Their ministries became rich and the churches became poor. Often the church was made to think they had to look to them for healing.

Competition became great for the masses of followers and their money. They began to offer all kinds of gimmics to get money. They forgot what Jesus said, "Freely you received, freely give." (Mat.10:8) Having departed from the Word, gradually the anoiting they once had left. They had the doctrine but no longer the power or blessing of God. 

Look at the Scripture, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits, Who pardons  ALL your iniquities, Who heals ALL your diseases. (Ps.103:2,3) Did He pardon ALL our iniquities? If you truly believe that, then you have to also believe He heals ALL our diseases. We cannot just believe half the Word or only what we choose to believe. Seeing that healing is a fact for all, then the reason must lie within them if it does not work for their own healing.

Question: Can everyone be healed or does God allow some people to be sick? I have heard preachers claim that God does not heal everyone.

My answer: It is not a matter of what some preacher, or even I, claim, rather what God says.  The Word of God plainly tell us that healing was provided for us all through the finished work of Jesus at the cross. "... by His wounds you WERE healed." (1Pet.2:24) Notice God has put it in the past tense and all we have to do is take hold of the finished work by faith. For, "He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases."  (Mat.8:17) Again the Word tell us Jesus has already carried away our sickness and diseases, therefore we don't have any need to carry them ourselves.

Some people fail to receive healing because they do not understand it is part of the finished work of Christ. Others do not obey the Word and therefore do not receive the faith that comes from being obedient. (Rom.10:17: 1Jn.3:21,22)

Question: What was Paul's thorn in the flesh?

My answer: I have known people to twist the Scriptures to say Paul had an eye disease or some other sickness. Some even claim their sickness is a 'thorn in the flesh' to keep them humble. In reality it is a excuse for their lack of faith in the healing power of God.

The Scriptures plainly tells us what Paul's thorn was. After being told by the Lord that His grace was sufficient for him, Paul said, "Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."  (2Cor.12:10)  He named all the things he called his thorn in the flesh and there was no mention of any sickness. Nor did he say when I am sick, then I am strong.

Question: Was Luke, apostle Paul's personal physician?

My answer: No!! Although it is true that Luke was a physician, there is no Scripture to support that idea circulated by some preachers. When Paul was bitten by the viper, he didn't ask Luke, who was there, to do something. He shook it off knowing he was "protected by the power of God".  (1Pet.1:5)  After this people on the island who had diseases were coming to Paul (not Luke) and getting cured. (Read the account in Acts 28:1-9)

Question: Why was Epaphroditus sick? Why didn't God heal him? (Phil.2:25-27)

My answer: God did heal him! Verse 27 says, "God had mercy on Him." In the Greek, the word used for sick also means weak. He was weak (or sick) to the point of death "for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me." (Vs.30) He overworked his physical body by taking up the slack where others had failed.

Question: Does God sometimes use doctors to heal someone?

My answer: No!! God will not share His glory with anyone. Medical science and doctors are able to help and cure some sicknesses and diseases. To say that God has to use doctors, would be saying He could not do it by Himself or that He needed man's help. Jesus provided healing for "by His wounds you were healed."  (1Pet.2:24) To say we are healed by His wounds and the help of doctors and medical science is not only contrary to the Word, but would be saying His wounds were not sufficient.

Let me say that I am not against doctors, but to say that God uses doctors to do His healing is wrong. Many of them do much good in helping  the sick and afflicted in this sin sick world.

Question: If God always heals, why did He not heal Timothy? Instead, Paul instructed him to drink a little wine for his stomach problem.

My answer: Paul's words were, "No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments." (1Tim.5:23)

The water in those days was often contaminated and not safe to drink unless it was boiled first. It is the same today in many countries. So it was a very common thing for people to drink wine in place of water in most cases. So from carefully reading the Scripture, it seems that Timothy's problem was caused by drinking the water and not a sickness. Or else why would he instruct him to not drink water exclusively?

Question: Jesus said that the man born blind was for the glory of God. (Jn.9:1-7) So can we say that when some people are sick it is for the glory of God?

My answer: Let me ask you, when was God glorified? It was not when he was walking around blind, stumbling and falling. God was glorified when the man received his sight. So we can say that every sickness and disease is a way for God to be glorified, but only after it has been healed.  So for anyone to say their sickness is for the glory of God, they should  come to Jesus and be healed  and let God have His glory.