674 The Spiritual Man
Many argue that since medicine is given by God they certainly
can use it. But this is what we want to emphasize: does God lead us
to use medicine? We do not wish to debate whether or not medicine
comes from God; we instead wished to inquire whether or not the
Lord Jesus is given by God to His children as the Savior of their
physical ills:’ should we seek a cure through the natural power of
drugs as unbelievers or weak Christians do, or should we accept the
Lord Jesus Whom God has prepared for us and trust in His name?
Trusting medicine and accepting the life of the Lord Jesus are
absolutely diametrical. We grant the effectiveness of medicine and
other medical inventions, but these cures are natural, short of the best
God has provided for His own Believers may ask God to bless the
drugs and be cured; they may also thank God after being cured by
these, regarding themselves as having been healed by God Himself;
yet such healing is not the same as accepting the life of the Lord
Jesus. For by so doing they are taking the easy way out, quitting the
battlefield of faith. If, in our conflict with Satan, healing were the
only objective to attain in sickness then we could employ any
available means of cure. But should there be more important
purposes than mere healing to be realized, then must we not be quiet
before God and await His way and time?
We do not want to state dogmatically that God never blesses
medicine. We know God has blessed many times, for He is so kind
and generous. Christians who trust in medicine are nevertheless not
standing on the ground of redemption. They are assuming the same
position as do worldly people. They cannot testify for God in this
particular matter. Swallowing pills, applying ointments, and taking
injections will not afford us the life of the Lord Jesus. In trusting God
we are elevated to a place higher than that of the natural. Cure by
medicine is often slow and painful; the healing of God is quick and
blessed.