Is Physical Healing Included in the Atonement?

Is pyhsical healing in the atonement? The short answer is “Yes!” But it is not as many espouse. The text usually used is found in Isaiah 53 where it reads, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4,5)

    This text concerns what the Lord Jesus Christ did on behalf of his elect from the foundation of the world, at the cross where he was rejected of men and smitten on account of the transgressions of  His elect, and for our iniquities. The text goes on to say that “by his stripes we are healed”. But does that mean that believers don’t get sick? Does that mean that, as some profess, “If you just have faith, in Jesus’ Name, the sickness will go away?" Well it’s pretty clear from history, the history of the world, and our own individual histories that something is wrong because people die, even good, sound, faithful Christians! Sometimes they die from old age and sometimes they’re afflicted with cancer or some other malady, but they die nonetheless and that’s a fact! And many are chronically ill, fighting such things as diabetes.

    The truth of the matter is that healing IS in the atonement…but physical healing is not, here and now included. When the text says that “by his stripes we are healed” there are two events in mind. First, when Christ died on the cross he took the sins and burdens of those He redeemed, His elect. But though we have been regenerated “made spiritually alive” and our souls have been redeemed, we are still awaiting the redemption of our bodies. Look what the Apostle Paul writes, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” (Romans 8:22, 23)  So our souls have been redeemed yes, but our bodies are awaiting the fulfillment of that redemption promised. Not to fear though because every Christian is given the “earnest of the Spirit” to show that God’s promise will come to pass as is written: “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13, 14)

     THEN, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) I believe in healing here and now because God has a will for each of our lives and we ought to pray with His will  in mind. Sometimes He heals and sometimes he does not, and that is all a matter of his will. One thing we can be assured of is that the “healing” found in the atonement has “spiritually” taken place with every Christian and will eventually be “Physically” realized as well.

    Yet someone will say, “You just don’t have faith!”  Well, did the Apostle Paul have faith regarding his “thorn in the flesh”, regarding his eye problem? Why did he tell Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach’s sake? How about poor Trophimus who had to remain behind because he was sick? No, people get sick. Sometimes they get sick by disobedience and sometimes they are in full compliance and still get sick. Sometimes God uses sickness and even physical death as chastisement! We see this for instance in regards to those who partook of the Lord’s Supper without discernment of the Lord’s body and in pride and selfishness, “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” (1 Cor.11:30)

     Sometimes God allows disease or sickness or some physical limitations for His glory. Do you remember that man in John’s Gospel who was born blind? Look at this: “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

     And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” (John 9:1-3)

    I believe what the Bible teaches but it does not teach “physical” healing, in the atonement, for this age of grace! We are waiting for our physical healing. In fact, I was just at a funeral today for a man who loved the Lord. He got sick; he died! One day his body will be caught up to glory and it will be eternally healed! Someday, all of my aches and pains will be gone, I’ll never shed a tear again, and I won’t have to wear glasses.

   If I get sick, pray for me, that’s part of God’s program. But don’t “name it and claim it” on my behalf, to me that’s presumptuous sin. Pray according to God’s will. After all, isn’t that the way we should be praying about all things?

And please don’t quote verses like Matthew 10: 6 “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” Because I will probably ask you how many dead people you have raised up lately! Rightly divide the word of truth and you will not find yourself caught up in this sinful, presumptuous, and sometimes willful misuse of the word of God.