be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." Therefore, they all yank this verse out of context and apply it to everybody! However, the verse was not directed to everybody. The proceeding verse 1, John states that he is talking to Gaius, a brother John had just heard had become a believer! It is him he is talking to wishing to prosper and be in good health! In verse three he says, "For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in, the truth." So it was a specific person the message was directed to: Gaius!
This teaching, like many, can be pulled way out of balance, and believers can come into bondage by it. It is scriptural to expect to have your needs met by the Lord, and it is good stewardship to give to His work, but according to His plan! There is much more that could be said about this subject, however, it is not within the context of this thesis to do! So, except to briefly mention it goes right along with the faith healing doctrine!
CONCLUSION
It was not my purpose in this thesis to deny that God still heals divinely today, or that He is all through performing miracles. I certainly do believe He still heals, but only when He wills to do so, and not by men willing Him to do so! As far as miracles are concerned, life itself is a moment by moment miracle!
The new birth is a miracle! Every time one more of the elect is drawn into the kingdom by the Father (John 6:44), it is a miracle! However, again, whenever miracles do happen, they happen by the divine sovereignty of God, and not by the command of men.
The temporary sign gifts, which included the gifts of healings and miracles, were given to authenticate the preaching of the Gospel by God's appointed servants; the twelve apostles; the seventy, and a few of the apostles associates!. The gifts were not extended beyond them, as normative. However, in isolated cases, the Lord may choose to perform miracles and heal in answer to prayer, in order to verify the Gospel message to unbelievers who have never heard the Gospel, however, it would not happen in a Gospel hardened country like the United States or the like! In others, no one can put God in a systematic box. He can do what He wants, when he wants, how He wants. However, as normative procedure, He wants, how He wants.
However, as narrative procedure, He will act according to His already recorded word, the Bible which has been given to us as a record of His dealings with our ancestors, and as a lesson for us.
There are many counterfeit gifts being performed, usually for personal gratification, such as power, popularity, and financial. The psychic healers, cults, and anyone performing healings or miracles other than by the power of the Holy Spirit, which will always give glory to Christ, are Satanic manifestation. There are many fake healings being performed by them, but, there are real ones also!
God, in His divine sovereignty has allowed Satan to duplicate some of the gifts, in order to test the elect, and to further harden the reprobate, by offering them a delusion! Paul warns us, "Even him, whose coining is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thess. 2:9-12).
Therefore, I trust the contents of this thesis gives glory to Christ by directing all power to Him, and to His will rather than the will of men. If we keep our eyes on Christ instead of signs and wonders, we will all get to see Christ face to face, and then we will have all the answers!
"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil." (John 17:15).
THE END--Finis
Blessings! Eternal Flame
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