Are faith healers for real? Does a faith healer heal with the same power as Jesus?

We fully believe that occasionally it pleases God to intervene on behalf of the sick in ways that are supernatural, on the lines indicated in James 5:14-16. We believe that there have been cases even in our days of wretched victims of demoniacal power out in the heathen world being delivered by the faith and prayer and fasting of devoted servants of God. These things have come to pass as the fruit of dealings with God in secret just as they did, only far more commonly, in apostolic days. But we also fully believe that false cults can present us with lists of equally well attested wonders, especially in the form of healings — take for example the Romish cures at Lourdes, and the cures of Christian Science and of Spiritism — which are not of God at all.

Of course there is no question but that the early church possessed the gift of healing. There is no question but that the Lord can give healing of the body today. His power is the same. The sick saint may call for the elders of the church, if they can be found, and they may anoint the sufferer with oil, and the prayer of FAITH shall save the sick, and he shall be raised up. Of that there can be no question. It is a pity that it is not more often done.

Of course there is no question but that the early church possessed the gift of healing. There is no question but that the Lord can give healing of the body today. His power is the same. The sick saint may call for the elders of the church, if they can be found, and they may anoint the sufferer with oil, and the prayer of FAITH shall save the sick, and he shall be raised up. Of that there can be no question. It is a pity that it is not more often done.

It seems as if these gifts that appealed to the senses and were visibly miraculous, were intended to carry conviction in connection with the establishment of Christianity, but now that need has passed, and moreover in face of the disunited condition of the church, its failure on every hand, its worldliness, it is no wonder that such a gift is not seen in vigorous manifestation. Apart from a system that exalts faith healing into a position Scripture never gave it, and which in reality degrades the whole Christian profession, there are instances in which, quietly and without ostentation, the prayer of faith has healed the sick.

This was very noticeable in the early history of the church, when healing took its place among the gifts the ascended Lord gave in giving the Holy Spirit. That God can and does still in response to faith heal the bodies of His saints at the present time we do not deny, but a word of strong warning needs to be uttered in this connection. There is a class of persons who exalt faith healing into a system, and fix the minds of Christians upon their bodies instead of on Christ and His Word.

These things have not been restricted to the beginning of Christendom only. In our days we will find - and especially so in charismatic circles - false prophets, healers and preachers, who perform miracles 'in the name of Christ'. And yet these men are not truly converted. The source of these miracles - if they are miracles at all, is none else than Satan himself. Every child of God should be most careful in judging extraordinary phenomena in Christian circles. By writing this we do not want to give the impression that all who distinguish themselves by sensational doings are not saved. Satan is able to beguile the heart of a believer also.

Truly we have no warrant for believing that the Lord has secured to His own a present exemption from the physical and mental disabilities common to mankind. Neither have we warrant for believing that the power He exercised in New Testament times over the sick bodies of men is continued to His present witnesses. In those miracles of healing He demonstrated once for all His power as the First Cause, dispensing with all material remedies as intermediaries, accomplishing His purpose with a word or touch. He was pleased to use a plaister of figs for the recovery of Hezekiah, but the king knew that it was Jehovah who had healed him, as he said, "He has both spoken unto me, and himself has done it" (Isa. 38:15). And we, encouraged by the personal activities of Jesus recorded in the holy Gospels, may use our medicinal remedies in the assurance of His equal activity today both in sympathy and in power to heal.

The truth of what they proclaim as to the kingdom is confirmed by the power given them to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and to cast out demons. This power came from the King Himself: they had received it freely, and they were to freely give, not to use it as de present-day self-styled healers, for their own gain.

We are told that the miracles our Lord performed were “entirely human.” This is most evidently not true. The writer has often said, that when so-called Divine Healers, Christian Scientists, Mormons, Pentecostalists, Roman Catholics at Lourdes, etc., can give proof of their claims of divine healing by restoring a severed limb in a moment of time, leaving no trace of the operation, even if it were so small a part of the human body as an ear, he will immediately recognise their claims. Malchus’ ear is a test case, not yet emulated by any of our present-day so-called Divine Healers. Our Lord performed this miracle (Luke 22:50-51). Was that miracle “entirely human”? We have not heard of these self-named Divine Healers rushing to the battlefields, and restoring severed limbs to the mutilated.

But it is clear from our enquiry that the methods practised by the present-day healers and the methods of the Bible are very different. It is clear, too, that there is a great deal of auto-suggestion and personal influence in the matter, and that such cures can be equally claimed by Spiritists and Christian Scientists, and, as we have seen, even in heathen circles, where undoubtedly the influence is Satanic.