Question and Answer
Physical Healing
Question:
What the position of the OPC on physical healing? Does God still heal people today or not like he did in Bible times? Thank you and God bless.
Answer:
May the grace and peace of Christ be yours.
Thank you for your question about healing. To answer as directly as I can, we believe that all that we are and have are in the hands of God—that he heals, that he gives and takes life, and that all we have and are belong to him. As he says in Acts 17: 28 "for in him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'"
Specifically, we believe that God answers prayer for healing. In James 5:14 and 15 we read, "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven." We do not presume upon the providence of God, because sometimes, for his own good reasons, he does not choose to heal, as he did not heal Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7-10), but he certainly has the power to do so.
About Q&A
"Questions and Answers" is a weekly feature of the OPC website. The answers come from individual ministers in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church expressing their own convictions and do not necessarily represent an "official" position of the Church, especially in areas where the Standards of the Church (the Scriptures and the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms) are silent.
The questions come from individuals like yourself. If you have questions about biblical and theological matters, you are invited to send them by e-mail by using the "Pose a Question" link on the OPC home page or by clicking here.
At least one new question is posted each week, so there should always be something new here for you to read. (For those people who would like to look at previous questions and answers, they will continue to be available as well.)
The purpose of the OPC website's "Questions and Answers" is to respond to biblical and theological questions. Matters of church discipline, disputes, or debates go beyond the scope of our work. We recommend that you present your concerns in these areas to the appropriate judicatory. In most cases this will be to a local pastor, elder, or session. We do not want the website to replace personal involvement in, or commitment to, the local, visible church.
While we will respond to every serious questioner, we are not bound to give a substantive answer to every question, should we deem the question to be beyond the scope of our purpose or our own ability to answer.
You will receive an answer by e-mail. Please be patient as many of our respondents are busy pastors. The response to your question may take up to two (2) weeks. Some of the questions submitted will be chosen to be posted here, along with the corresponding answers.
Note that the "Questions and Answers" posted on the site have been edited—all personal references are removed, Scripture references or from some source may be added, and sometimes portions are expanded—to make the questions and answers more useful to a larger audience.
