THE GOSPEL OF HEALTH by L. A. HANSEN

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 24, 1914

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 41, No. 46.

THE GOSPEL OF HEALTH

By L. A. HANSEN

Salvation for the Body as Well as the Soul—The Relation of Health to Spirituality—Christ the Great Physician—Would Have Us Employ Rational Methods

By L. A. HANSEN

Secretary of the Medical Department of the General Conference

When David said, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases,” he expressed a truth that is not generally realized or appreciated; namely, that our physical life is just as much the object of God’s care as is the spiritual.

The expression quoted is a good example of a well-balanced sentence, one of the best of all that David has written. It has fine rhythm and beautiful poetic measure. It is a nice thing to quote. It fits well into one’s testimony of praise as appropriately covering all the blessings of God in general.

But it is more than poetry or fitting language. It is the statement of a fact that may and should be used in its broadest material meaning, in practical application to all conditions of spiritual and physical need.

HEALS OUR DISEASES ALSO

While most believers grant that it is the Lord who forgives our iniquities, not every one realizes that it is He who heals our diseases. It is rather natural to look to God as the source of spiritual life and blessing, though even here the fullest enjoyment of these is hindered only because of our failure to look to Him as fully as we should; but when it comes to what appear as the temporal needs of life, we are quite likely not to see beyond the material things.

SIN AND DISEASE ASSOCIATED

By what right we divide the truth expressed in our text, does not appear. Certainly nothing in the Bible gives us cause for separating the blessings mentioned. The forgiveness of sin and the healing of disease are associated in Ps. 103:3, and in many other scriptures, for that matter, because they are so in fact. Restoration of the soul and recovery of the body may be regarded as a double blessing from the same source, one the complement of the other.

We might go a little further even in associating these blessings, and say that they are really but the double expression of one work that God does for man. In other words, God’s complete work for us is seen when our sins are forgiven and we are healed of disease—when it can be said to us: “Thou art whole. Sin no more.” The fullest sense in which we are to understand the word “heal” is in the restoration of the whole man, spirit, soul, and body. Its use is almost without distinction as applied in the Bible to the healing of sin or disease. Viewed in this way, one phase of healing is incomplete without the other.

UNNECESSARY MYSTERY

There is a great deal of unnecessary mystery attached to the question of the cause of disease. Heathen superstition attributes it to devils, and leads to many barbarous practices of exorcism in attempts to drive out the evil possessor. In Christ’s time, those who professed to know the truth believed that a man's infirmities were the result of the curse of God. Many to-day speak of the “mysterious providence” that brings sickness into their midst, followed by the “angel of death.”

The Bible presentation of the matter is altogether different, clearing it of all that is mystical, and showing that God’s attitude to sickness is not causative, but restorative.

HEALTH ABOVE ALL THINGS

The inspired message is, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” 3 John 2. Health and soul prosperity may be understood as parallel, or interdependent, the one advancing as the other does, or failing in proportion as the other fails.

The fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah makes it clear that personal health and spiritual prosperity follow the performance of practical religious duties to others. The promised answer to the prayer of faith in behalf of the sick is, “The Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” James 5:15.

HEALTH IS CONDITIONAL

The enjoyment of health is conditional, the same as is spiritual favor; and for both, the condition is obedience to God’s law.

BLESS the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases,
Ps. 103:2, 3. — BLESS the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases, Ps. 103:2, 3.

This brings us to a recognition of natural law as being of God, equal with the Decalogue in its immutability, surety of reward, and certainty of penalty. The laws written upon the nerves, muscles, and fibers of our being were placed there by God, with the implied promise of blessing in their obedience. Through these laws, by the agencies of nature, God is constantly working to keep us alive and in full possession of health. If injury occurs to the body, the healing processes set to work toward recovery. But it is the life-giving power of God, working in harmony with His own laws, that brings health. He said to Israel,—and it is just as true to-day,—“I am the Lord that healeth thee.” Our part is to place ourselves in obedience to His laws.

THE CAUSE OF SICKNESS

In making Himself known to ancient Israel as their Healer, the Lord told them that if they would do right, and observe His laws, they would be free from the diseases known to them. Ex. 15:26; Deut. 7:15. A refusal to walk in His commandments would result to the contrary; and some of the diseases enumerated as a consequence of disobedience are known to-day, such as consumption, fever, inflammation, and extreme burning. Deut. 28:22. The great prevalence of tuberculosis, many kinds of fever, various forms of “itis,” which means inflammation, and diseases of burning, tells too plainly that man has not walked altogether in the path of obedience.

Sickness is the result of transgression, either our own or some one’s else. Where a health law has been violated, the direct relation between cause and effect is seen in an abnormal development or condition. Christ warned some of those whom He healed to sin no more, lest a worse thing should come upon them (John 5:14), thus teaching that the disease was the result of transgressing God’s law, and that health could be retained only by maintaining obedience.

Any habit or indulgence that injures the physical, mental, or spiritual well-being of a man is sin, and he must repent of it and forsake it if the guilty one would enjoy wholeness. Pardoning grace will be shown the repentant one, and every healing virtue will be free to work in his behalf. It would be difficult to draw a defining line between the forgiveness of sin and the healing of disease in this restorative work of God.

“WITH HEALING IN HIS WINGS”

The prophetic promise that the Sun of righteousness shall “arise with healing in His wings” may well be accepted as glad tidings by those who are physically unsound, as well as by those who are spiritually sick. When Jesus spoke of Himself as a Physician, it was more than a figure of speech. His invitation to come to Him and find rest reaches to others than those who feel unrest of soul, including, as it does, also those who are disturbed physically or mentally.

We need take no man’s word as to the interest Jesus has in the sick, and His willingness to remove all disease. His personal example fully demonstrated that. Let it be borne in mind that He represented the Father in all He did, speaking His words and doing His work, so that what He did, demonstrated also the Father’s interest in the sick. Thus we have the grace of God, through His Son, working in behalf of our needs, spiritual and physical.

HE ALONE FREES THE SOUL

Fulness of blessing, either spiritual or physical, is ours only as we receive the grace of Christ. The power of habit, of appetite or passion, that makes bondage, can be broken by Jesus only. He alone can free the soul from any guilt, with all its attending sorrow and suffering, of mind and body. Only through Him can full healing come. His love is vitalizing, giving healing to all it touches.

MUST COMPLY WITH NATURAL LAW

The healing work of God is not accomplished in an intangible, indefinite way. The immediate miraculous restoration that He sometimes gives is a manifest witness of what He can do and of what He does for all who are healed. It is no less a miracle and the work of His power when the recovery is more prolonged. In either case, there must be a compliance with the conditions set by His law of obedience. He does not operate contrary to His own laws. He does not give health to the one who continues violating the very conditions upon which health may be enjoyed.

One of the steps to health is to stop any hurtful practise. Another is to adopt such measures as will make for health. This will have to do with the things of every-day living,—our eating, drinking, sleeping, exercise, dress, and all that pertains to our physical life, as well as the observance of moral law.

Our resources of strength and life-giving force will be utilized. The natural recuperative powers of the body, assisted by curative measures, may be used in the process of restoration that God will work in behalf of the sufferer. This makes the healing no less of God. To avail ourselves of every possible natural remedy or means of recovery is not a denial of faith or trust. It is a recognition of God’s own means.

The proper recognition of God’s place in the laws governing our beings will lead to a more careful regard of them. A sense of their sacred requirements will lead to greater conscientiousness in living. This will mean more thought as to what is right, and more planning to conform thereto. It will help us to heed the injunction, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31.