WHAT SPIRITUAL HEALING REALLY IS.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 3, 1 September 1923, Page 299

WHAT SPIRITUAL HEALING REALLY IS.

Spiritual healing does not do away with or oppose other means of healing which God has provided, such as medical science. They are distinct, but there is no reason why they should not work hand m hand, supplementing and aiding one another, according to the need of the sufferer. Nevertheless, m nearly every case people only seek healing through spiritual means when medical science has failed to effect a cure. Spiritual healing Tightly understood is sacramental— that is, it is an extension and application of the Incarnate Life of Christ through themembers of His Body. But it can only be "spiritually discerned," as Christ' Himself can only be spiritually discerned. "The natural man rece'iveth not the things of the Spirit ofGod: for they are, foolishness unto Mm; neither can lie knowthenij because they are spiritually discerned." (Cor. XL, 14). The work of spiritual healing, therefore, centres m the Person of Christ; and rests upon the Word of God. Christ formed His Church to carry on His work, arid He is its inward and invisible life and power and the divine energy of all its actions, and this is the sacramental principle;-' The- 'Church is to- Ye His m •healing the sick, casting out of devils^ helping those m- trouble, and lifting the burdens from His • suffering people. Tltereforer He gave- it power,

"arid authority, to' preach the Gospel and to heal the sick. There never was- a time when tho world more: needed the Healing Christ than to-day. ; The whole creation is groaning and travailing m pain still, wating for the redemption . and healing. There are . countless thousands .of wounded bodies and shattered nerves ; .sickness and disease hold sway among us.; they are outpacing the skill and efforts of the medical profession. Our asylums and mental homes hold many souls as m a dark- dungeon. Homes for " incurables " and hospitals are. full, and being enlarged. '- : It is- indeed" a picture of unrelieved pathos and despair. Yet, , ' 'there standeth . . One among you Whom ye know not'?: One Who was : lifted up from the earth that all men might be drawn to Him, taking, our infirmities and bearing our sicknesses, redeeming the stained souls and suffering bodies of mankind; One Who is alive for evermore, the Living Christ. What, then) is lacking? His own. words are: a Ye will .not come to Me that ye might have Life. ' ' "My people perish for lack of knowledge." ■■;:., ; . „ ;. ; ; Between the Healing Christ and the sickT— between His love and their, need and suffering— we stand, the clergy and the laity of. His Church, for, we who are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak. A LIVING CHURCH MUST BE A HEALING CHURCH. ] -■{ A living Church is a . Church in ' ■which the Living Christ lives and walks. It must needs., be a .Healing l Church, for the Spirit of Christ" is' one of love and healing. Are we a living Church, with a life-giving faith ? Many believe m Christ as the Saviour of "the soul ; but few yetbelieve m Him, and still ffewer confess Him, .as the Saviour of , the whole 1 being of man, body, mind and spii'it. We have had faij;h to go to. Him for the needs of the soul, but we have. not had a big enougjb. faith to believe m Him , as the; vanquisher of disease^ and sickness. , We hdye eyes and see not, ears and hear not. Let us turn to God m penitence for our past neglect and hardness of heart , asking Him to open our eyes and unstop our ears, to touch our. understanding, thatwe may see and liear and believe. Jesus Christ claims to. be the Way, the Truth, and 'the Life, for the worid and all its neejcis. His life 1 is, the demonstration of ijhis claim,. . antl . He formed His Gllurch, and . bequeathed His powjer to it, .that.>it might be the successor of His redemptive work for. mankind. . . <•, . . : "Gco ye out into all 4h& woi-ld) " is His commaHd. • : ..'.• -.;'. .

"Preach the -Obspel aWd ftl the sick,.' ' is . His Commission; ; :■..:• ' "ho, lam with you always, y \ is His Promise., / . The world to-day is m crying need of the full redemptive ministry of. the Christian Gospel. Christ yearns to set free all who are m darkness of sin and suffering. He looks to His disciples to put forth once again His arm to raise the fallen, to bind iip the broken-hearted, to bring pardon to the sinner, peace to a. distracted world, and to heal the sick and suffering. '. _ '■ ':