Healing

Healing

“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 1 Pet. 2:24.

“By whose stripes you were healed.” Many people presume that this word refers to physical healing alone. Many people give this advice to those who pray for physical healing, that they should continually repeat these words to themselves until their sickness has been overcome.

If we read this in context, we will see that sin is the real sickness. This is how it was from the beginning. Sickness and death entered the world through sin. Peter writes further, “That we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness . . . .” This is the real healing. “By whose stripes you were healed.” A great deal is said about Jesus’ death on Calvary with the following words: “He died for us—in our place.” But when do we hear it preached what Peter writes: “That we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness”? They skip that part and continue with “by whose stripes you were healed.” The truth is that we are not truly healed unless we die to our sins. It was Jesus who came with death to sin. It was He who finished the work; it was He who brought us healing, as many as desire to follow Him. Vs. 21-23.

When a person is offended, he is sick. You are sick if you are anxious, backbite, are malicious, lie, are angry, envious, etc. This is the real sickness, and this is what breaks the body down. However, we have received healing by Jesus’ stripes so that Jesus’ death can work in our bodies if we die to our sins. The desires and passions of the flesh can be put to death so that they are no longer active, and Jesus’ life can be manifested. 2 Cor. 4:10-11. Jesus’ life—His virtues, the fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, meekness, goodness, etc.,—that is good health! Against such people there is no law! Those who live this life belong to Christ and have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Gal. 5:22-24.

We must thank and praise God for the healing that is working in our midst through the gospel, and for the good health that increasingly fills our lives and makes us happy.