Praying for the welfare of others' BODIES

[InSlaveryToChrist]

Why do Christians pray for the welfare of the BODIES of other people (and their own)? Is it really Biblical? Is it not just leaning to their own understanding? When a Brother/Sister in Christ suffers from a cancer, WHY should we expect praying for his/her BODILY welfare serves to strengthen the condition of his/her SOUL? I mean, How blind can we be!? Does not the Bible say, "IF THE LORD WILL, we shall live, and do this, or that"? Should we not pray, "O Lord, IF IT BE THY WILL, heal this Brother/Sister in Christ"?

Please, share me your thoughts on this.

In Christ,

Brother Samuel

 

[seajayrice]

Read the active Long Term Pain thread and see if that resonates with you. God Bless!

 

[lynnie]

1. James 5 and the command to ask for prayer from your elders when sick is a command is it not? It even says sins will be forgiven.

2. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If it was my kid with an inoperable tumor on the brainstem I'd sure want people praying.

3. Jesus demonstrated his authority over sin by his authority over sickness.

Matthew 9
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.

I think this does show that the primary need is sin being forgiven.

4. Did Jesus not accomplish a total victory over everything that happened with the fall, on the cross? Legally, yes, he did. In this life, in the "already-not yet" tension of having partial realization of that, we are not entirely free from sin, sickness, decay, the devil, the curse, the world, death. But God is glorified by everything that brings about a little bit more of unity with Christ- every sin triumphed over, every sickness healed, every demon resisted.

5. It does seem to be the case that even as God uses Satan for His purposes, he uses decay and sickness. There is nothing like a good physical problem to deal with arrogance, workaholics, hard hearts, selfishness, and a whole lot of other things. So yes, even as we pray for healing, we still trust His sovereignty over it all.

6. Let me repeat that James 5 thing, with prayer and the anointng with oil. I've seen quite a few amazing healings with it. Elders represent God's authority. Sometimes I think the Reformed went and cut that part out of the bible; why people are so reluctant to obey that is beyond my grasp. But just do it.