If the will of God for physical healing is in question than it is for spiritual salvation as well. For every one Scripture/passage used to disprove God’s will to heal everyone, I dare say that there are three to four Scriptures/passages that could be used to disprove God’s will to save everyone. (*Only if the same methods of misinterpretation are used!) Obviously, I believe the Bible proves God’s will to save and heal all. I’m just showing that if healing critics were consistent, they would end up denying that God wants to save everyone. Therefore, they couldn’t be sure “who” exactly, with certainty God wills to be saved, by just using the Bible. They would be left to depend upon extra-biblical/outside the Bible, strictly experiential validation, criteria, etc. You couldn’t tell anyone with confidence,”It’s God’s will to save you. God wants to save/forgive you.”
Which in that case, there would be a denomination to which you could belong called “Reformed Theology/Calvinism”. (Or “Deformed Theology” as one friend described) Calvinists believe that because Jesus did not die for everyone, but rather died only for the elect. (He did not die for most, in fact, if they’re honest) Thus, it is not God’s will to save everyone. At least they are consistent with that logical conclusion. (although contrary to Scripture, we know)
What is inconsistent, is to affirm that Jesus took stripes and bore the infirmities and sicknesses for everyone, BUT/HOWEVER, it is not God’s will to heal everyone! Can you see it? That’s more inconsistent and contradictory than Calvinism!
Here’s a practical exercise by way of a survey: Imagine I were to ask for a raised hand of everyone who is convinced/persuaded that it is God’s will that every human being get saved and make heaven. Or put another way: “Do you believe that God wants to save everyone?”
It is important to consider that if you were to be wrong about that conviction/belief, you would quite literally and likely (apparently and statistically speaking by the number of the unconverted) be giving a large number of people the epitome of false hope.
We affirm the universal wilI/desire of God that all be saved and none perish DESPITE countless examples and experiences such as: people’s rejection, their coming and going from hearing the Gospel which is the power of God, their feeling the presence of God and conviction, their observing the love of God through the church, many churches seeing minimal rate of conversions annually, many that give “Christian” a bad name by their conduct, claiming to be born again, new creatures with no evidence of a new life, and those who “ride the altar” with little to no change in their “walk” over the span of years, etc. We even maintain that firm position irregardless of millions belonging to unreached people groups who do not have missionaries, Bibles, churches, etc. Ultimately, we hold fast to our profession of faith in God’s will to save all in a world where presently, as in past centuries, it appears by all observable indications that there are more unsaved people than saved. (Currently, of course) The conclusion could be stated in the following manner: It almost seems as if no amount of negative, disappointing experiences and disagreeing voices could move us off of what the Word clearly reveals as the will of God concerning eternal salvation/forgiveness of sin. Thereby, if someone dies unsaved, we are conditioned to place the burden of responsibility upon the sinner’s choice/decision, without an inclination to blame/charge God for choosing not to save. Although the conversion (born again, new creation..) experience is undoubtedly a miraculous work of God and impossible apart from His power, the responsibility for experiencing His willing provision or not rests upon the human side of the equation. (Responsibility = God given ability to respond appropriately)
WHAT IF after all hands went up, I were to speak up and ask: “How dare you say that my Grandpa is in hell for eternity because he didn’t believe/receive Jesus? Grandpa did more good and charitable deeds than many Christians I know! You mean to tell me that my Grandpa didn’t have to die lost? Or others I loved? This makes me uncomfortable to think that my friend went to hell though it was God’s will all along for him to be saved. Could we please not bring up this subject again? It’s too heavy and harmful to those of us that have loved ones who died unsaved! I can’t stand to think that it so easily could have been different by your simple, little prayer!” And just like that, the message that the world needs for more people to be saved gets avoided. If we only can preach things to which our experience has never been contrary, what in the Bible could we preach?
Isn’t it ironically funny that we firmly maintain that everyone other than God is to blame if a person experiences by far the worst fate possible/imaginable of eternity in the torments of the lake of fire, but will not blame anyone but God when far less terrible suffering, eternally speaking, is experienced by any person (namely, experienced by saints: disease, premature death, tragedy, loss). It makes one wonder: “Why the resistance to human responsibility in other far less eternally costly/consequential areas?”
If you could not sincerely, truthfully, genuinely, from the heart raise your hand to that previous survey question (concerning God’s will to save all), answer me this (think carefully): On what basis could you tell any one person that God wants/wills to save him/her? (With confidence, certainty, without hesitation) The unavoidable, inescapable answer is this: You would be left to some kind of subjective, extra biblical confirmation or reason for telling any one that it is God’s will to save them. Because after all, you could be wrong. (180 degrees wrong)
I dare say that many of you who raised your hands, did so without the shadow of a doubt, or even a questioning push-back in the mind, etc, correct? Why? The clear reading of the Word has settled the question for you, instead of experience.
Here’s a noteworthy thought: Even if granted that God may not will all to be saved, wouldn’t you want to stand before Him in judgment having erred on the positive side of exalting and magnifying His nature, character, holiness, integrity, justice, righteousness, love, mercy, grace, provision, heart, good will, etc to the broadest scope? After all, love thinks/assumes the best (1 Cor 13), instead of taking a chance of belittling and diminishing His will, due to interpreting His Word so as to make sense of common experience, observation of the condition of the world, etc. (ALL according to human reasoning) I tremble to think of maligning and misrepresenting God’s will, hoping to not offend any person, when He has made the greatest sacrifice and investment by far! (To His own unimaginable hurt and at His own incalculable expense) When you boil all this down, it really comes to questions such as: Do I honor Jesus’ Word and experience more than that of anyone else? Am I more concerned about people’s feelings and emotions than the Father’s in light of His Son’s agony? How personal has Jesus’ immeasurable suffering become to me?
Imagine a person hearing that God apparently and very likely does not want all to be saved. (Realistically, this view is presented to be orthodox by very influential churches and leaders) Perhaps, He even predestined, ordained, planned, determined, etc that person’s every sin. Undeniably, this described person would have more reason to reject the call to repent and believe the Gospel, because the real possibility exists that this person thinks: “God may want sin more than salvation for me. Besides, who I am I to question if He did? And in light of the fact that I don’t desire to stop sinning nor sense enough motivation, maybe God doesn’t will my change of heart. Considering the fact that He evidently could give me sufficient desire and motivation if He so wanted. Given my age, perhaps, if it was His will, He would’ve already changed my heart by now.”
Without argument, this above described person would have more of an erroneous “biblical” leg to stand on for their rejection of salvation, due to false doctrine/misinterpretation of course, compared to a person who hears that God is not willing that any, not one, perish but that all come to repentance. Which person senses less excuse and more responsibility to respond properly/correctly to the Gospel?
Now get on the hot seat once more, and apply this same survey above to the topic of God’s will to heal! On what basis can any one person know that God wills to heal him/ her? (For just one example, if we cannot lay hands on a sick, afflicted body, knowing with the same certainty that the person shall recover as we would know with certainty that God forgives and cleanses every time we ask Him, then we do not yet have what God recognizes/considers faith or “believing” according to the certainty that His Word communicates about divine healing.)
To be continued in Part 9…
