The Torch, Spring/Summer 2010

Spring–Summer 2010 | TORCH 3 Anything that gets in the way of our unmitigated contentment is an adversary and a danger. So we work to “defeat” cancer and “conquer” diabetes. We “fight” diseases as if they were foreign armies seeking to destroy us. But it is only a matter of time. We eventually lose the battle, at least in the short run. This is a fallen world. Things rot and rust and decay and die. This is not the land of the living; this is the land of the dying. Into this broken world Jesus came preaching, teaching, and healing. Rather than describing three separate activities, these actions comprise a seamless fabric of divine intervention. His preaching proclaimed that God was breaking into our dying world. His teaching described how we are to live in the reality of God’s presence. His healing ministry served as tangible evidence of the truth of His words. The kingdom of God was at hand. Death, disease, and tears cannot coincide with it, and they will disappear. God’s Intervention All healing comes from God as He intervenes in our lives. His creation of the body’s healing systems allows health care professionals to work with the body to overcome disease and prevent suffering. Thus, caring for health becomes a divine act that cooperates with God’s healing. Though always temporary, physical healing represents a reversal of the effects of the Fall. Furthermore, Scripture frequently uses the concept of physical health as a metaphor to describe spiritual redemption. In explaining the power of Christ’s death, the apostle Peter writes, “He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Health is also used to explain how humility and righteousness bring restoration: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones” (Prov. 3:7–8). Personal Ministry Jesus cared deeply for people and was burdened by their suffering. When He healed, He directed His audience’s attention to God. In many ways, health care is a continuation of Jesus’ ministry. For the early church, “gifts of healing” were among the miraculous gifts provided by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:9). And for us today, medicines, treatments, and technological innovations provide “miraculous” healings by first-century standards. But our world is still fallen, and we never ultimately win the battle for perfect health outside of the new creation provided by the sacrifice of Christ. When people need health care, they are reminded of their physical mortality and helplessness. The opportunities for ministry are incredible, as health care providers meet people at their most vulnerable and fearful states. They must be equipped to answer questions, provide hope, and genuinely care for individuals, treating them as image- bearers of God rather than as broken machines in need of repair. Disease and pain remind us every day that something is wrong, not only in our bodies but also in the world. C.S. Lewis calls suffering “God’s megaphone.” The Almighty whispers in our pleasures but shouts in our pain. Those who serve God in health care have the opportunity not only to heal the body but also to direct the mind and heart to the Great Healer who “forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:3). In the battle for our lives, He is the only one who can save us. Dr. Bill Brown became president of Cedarville University in June 2003. A graduate of the University of South Florida, Brown holds a Th.M. and Ph.D. from Dallas Theological Seminary. As a nationally recognized worldview expert, he has authored three worldview- related books and is the executive producer of the worldview study re:View (www.re-films.com ).