Rightly dividing the word of truth-God’s word
If we ask anything according to HIS WILL he hears us. Young Timothy the Evangelist was told by Paul to drink a little wine for his stomach and other ailments. He was not told by Paul that he was weak in the faith; it was God’s will that he had these problems. It was the same for the Apostle Paul who was taken up to the third Heaven and was given a thorn in the flesh to keep him from exalting himself, God allowed satan to do this. In Romans 7 Paul is giving his own experiences of sin in his life, it describes what every believer goes through after being Born Again. A warfare begins, the Holy Spirit wars against the flesh. Paul was not a baby believer when he wrote this chapter of Romans, he recognized that he still committed sin, the key to understanding what Paul is going through is that he is not sinning willfully, thus he avoids God’s chastisement, instead receives “Grace upon Grace” and the Holy Spirit revealing that he is not condemned! (Romans 8: 1)
Even though our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit God did not redeem them, they are corruptible and subject to sin and one day changed into a body like Christ’s. We have the power through the Holy Spirit’s warfare against the flesh to keep it at bay, it is to be overcome by faith and obedience to God through walking after, being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Walk after the Spirit and YOU WILL NOT FULLFIL THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH!
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5: 16 KJV.
Some teach that James 5: 14 was written to “Babes” in Christ, that is an error, and they say the verse should read “Let all the sick in the Church call for the Elders” which is an assumption, adding to the word or twisting its meaning. The fact is that not all the Corinthian believers were weak or babes in Christ, many were carnal mature believers who through worldly temptations engaged in wild parties of eating drinking in the Church even when they had communion. This brought the judgment of God upon them which Paul had warned them about, they did not discern the Lord’s body at communion time. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 1-Corinthians 11: 30 KJV.
So this fits perfectly with James 5: 16, God’s chastisement can be grievous as the word tells us. The believer who committed fornication with his stepmother and who Paul gave into Satan’s hands for his body to be killed (Not his spirit or soul) repented, most likely because of what he suffered in the flesh. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 1-Peter 4: 1 KJV.
So likewise believers under the Lord’s chastisement or others who are sick for other reasons are given the invitation to receive prayer for healing. Please note that James adds; “And IF he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him”. So we now understand that the believer’s sickness can be related to unconfessed willful sin. It will be forgiven because the person is coming by faith to receive the “Prayer of Faith” and God will have made known their sin for which they were being punished. I believe what some Pastors are not seeing is the difference between a “Weak” baby believer and a Mature “Carnal” believer. Both were in the early Churches (And are here today). Remember the word which says; “Let NO man think he stands, lest he falls”. Peter an Apostle after being filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost had to be rebuked by Paul for his sin by only associating with Jewish believers he became a hypocrite but to his credit received Paul’s rebuke and reproof humbly, he knew he was wrong! Do Pastors/Teachers think today that they have arrived and only weak believers sin and need healing, Peter was mature, Paul was mature but until we receive our New Bodies we ALL have not *arrived, we all are subject to the power and presence of sin like Peter and Paul but one day we will be freed from sin’s power and presence and be exactly like Jesus. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1-John 3:2 KJV.
These things are written to show us the weakness of our flesh that is subject to carnality which is sin as it is not of faith. This is why we in the Ministry are to “Reprove and rebuke” error by speaking the truth in love. Pray for one another!
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5: 16 KJV.
Jesus as shown in the Book of Revelation is the judge of the Churches, he warned of his judgment that would come because of Jezebel and those who committed fornication with her that they would be thrown into a bed of affliction. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1-Peter 4: 17 KJV.
Even after many years of walking with the Lord Paul had not arrived where he completely knew Christ and his power and sufferings. He did know that one day he would know as he is known, that is when all believers see Jesus “Face to Face”.
*that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; Philippians 3: 10 NASB.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1-John 1: 9 KJV.
Author Ken
December 2013