Who says a believer must not take medicine?

http://www.nagalandpost.com/leisuredesc.asp?sectionID=25767

At the outset, I would like to state that the purpose of this article is not to support or either to criticize groups or any individuals or state that God does not heal without medicine but to show from God's Word that God heals the sick either with or without medicine.

Jesus is the Healer. But the method of healing should be left to Him. We cannot dictate to God how He should heal us for He is a sovereign God.

I know of a well reputed leader who preached for several years saying that if the needle of a doctor touches a believer's body, such a believer will not rapture when the Lord comes. But recently he had to get one of his legs amputated and right now he is under powerful medical treatment suffering from diabetes. I understand he has now apologized to his church members for teaching them wrongly that those who take medicine will not be rapture when the Lord comes. Before he started teaching it right, many had died and lost their loved ones listening to his unscriptural teaching. I am not writing this to accuse him or to anyone much less to condemn him either to any Denominations. But I am happy that this dear leader was able enough rather humble enough to correct himself and others atleast now.

In fact, how did this leader get into this unscriptural teaching? If a believer takes medicine he/she will not rapture when the Lord comes! Believers who take medicine should not participate in the Holy Communion! (Table of the Lord)."I AM THE LORD THAT HEALETH THEE". Many who are caught up by this wrong teaching ask "When God says I am the Lord that healeth thee, is it not wrong for a Christian to seek medical help? That is a very thought provoking question. But let us go to the Word of God for the answer. Nowhere in the Bible it is stated that a Believer must not take medicine. Never does it state that it is the lack of faith that makes a man to take medicine. Nor does the Bible say that taking medicine defiles the body of a believer. Not once does the Bible say that a believer who takes medicine must not be allowed to participate in the table of the Lord. Such ideas are ABSOLUTELY manmade. The leader who teaches such kind of manmade teaching, feel free to wear reading glasses prescribed to them by their Doctors and they even wear dentures placed in their mouths by some of the best dentists available to them. If they could go to the doctors for their eyes and teeth why not their faithful go to them for other kinds of physical ailments? Perhaps it is about such leader that Jesus said, "Ye have taken away the key of knowledge: Ye entered not in yourselves, ye hindered."(Lk.11:52). Did not our good Lord Himself declare that they that are sick need a physician? (Mt.9:12).

Divine healing through medicine: Right at the time of the early Apostolic age, when young Timothy developed some kind of stomach trouble that bothered him frequently, Apostle Paul advised him saying, "Use a little wine for your stomach's sake and for frequent infirmities." (1 Tim.5:23). (Friends kindly don't misunderstand to me that here, I don't mean that you should take wine). Not only does the present day medical science acknowledge the medical value of wine but it was prevalent believed by the Jewish community during f Jesus’ time. When the traveler from Jerusalem to Jericho was attacked and wounded by the thieves, the Samaritan helped him out. Jesus Himself describing this story said, "So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and WINE "(Lk.10:34). This clearly indicates that wine was considered to have had medical value even durng the time of Jesus. Paul the great apostle whom God used to do mighty miracles of healing and even raising from the dead gave some medical prescription for the latter's stomach problem. Perhaps apostle Paul received some advice from "Luke the beloved physician" who was his traveling companion. We read in 2 Kings chapter 20 that King Hezekiah was sick unto death. But he shed tears and prayed for his healing. Our prayer answering God heard that prayer and told him through prophet Isaiah, "I will heal thee"(II kings 20:5). These words are just like what God had told to his people "I am the Lord that healeth thee" (Exodus 15:26). After promising that to Hezekiah, the same God told him, "Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover" (These are not human Doctors but of the Lord who said, "I am the Lord that healeth thee"). When our sovereign Lord chose to heal His child through human help i.e. medicine, how can we, His followers say, "I would rather die than take medicine." When our God Himself advised His son Hezekiah through His prophet Isaiah, to take medicine how could any one ever tell to any persons that those who take medicine should not take communion. It is to such people, the Bible says, "Be not righteous over much, neither makes thyself over wise, why shouldest thou destroy thyself" (Ecc.7:16).

May good God bless you all!
Mhonbemo Patton, Dimapur.

Personal note: God can heal but do we have the faith yet to be healed? And God can heal thru medicine & surgery etc. Why then did God provide the trees & herbs in the first place for healing & also provide doctors with their God-given talents to heal? In many cases, God heals thru natural means but in severe cases, a miracle might just happen.