Health and Medical Missionary Work in the New Testament

Health in the New Testament is revealed as a complete restoration of both the body and the soul, achieved through the power of Christ and obedience to the laws of life. 🌿

This holistic approach to health shows that the physical and spiritual are inseparable in the eyes of God. Below is a Bible study on these vital principles.

Christ, the Great Healer of Body and Soul

The New Testament consistently presents Jesus as a minister who combined physical healing with spiritual salvation. He did not merely fix the body; He reached the heart.

• A Combined Ministry: Jesus went about "healing all that were oppressed of the devil" Acts 10:38. He demonstrated that physical health and spiritual peace go hand in hand.

• Healing Through Forgiveness: In many cases, Christ addressed the spiritual root of a malady before or during the physical cure. He said to the paralytic, "Thy sins are forgiven" James 5:15, because the peace that He imparts restores vigor to the mind and health to the body.

• A Continuing Power: This power is not a thing of the past. Christ's followers are commissioned to "lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" Mark 16:18, testifying to His ongoing power to heal the soul through the restoration of the body.

The Connection Between Sin and Sickness

Scripture identifies a direct link between our spiritual condition and our physical well-being.

• The Root of Disease: "The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity" Isaiah 33:24. This reveals that the forgiveness of sin is a direct element in recovery.

• The Result of Violation: Disease is often an effort of nature to free the system from conditions resulting from a violation of the laws of health. Because "the wages of sin is death" Romans 6:23, the removal of sin through the faith of Jesus is the ultimate remedy for the diseases that plague humanity.

The Power of the Mind and Will

The New Testament emphasizes that a sanctified mind and a strong will are essential for maintaining and regaining health.

• The Spirit as Medicine: The influence of the Spirit of God is the very best medicine for disease. "Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him" Isaiah 57:19.

• Sanctified Reason: We are called to bring every power of our being into subjection. "Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" Matthew 5:48. This involves using our will to place ourselves in right relation to life and the laws of health.

• Gratitude and Cheer: A joyful heart is a restorative force. Christ commands us to "be of good cheer" because He has "overcome the world" John 16:33. Trust in God takes away anxiety, which is a significant element in recovery.

The Duty of the Believer

As citizens of the heavenly country, we have a responsibility to care for our bodies as temples of the living God.

• Education in Principles: We are to be "ministers... not of the letter, but of the spirit" 2 Corinthians 3:6, teaching others that restorative power is in nature, as designed by God.

• Using Appointed Means: While we pray for healing, we must also employ the simple agencies God has provided. When Hezekiah was sick, God directed him to use a natural remedy—a bunch of figs—to bless his recovery Isaiah 38:21.

• Self-Denial for Service: We are encouraged to restrict personal wants and passions to reach higher attainments in Christ. This includes a "chaste conversation coupled with fear" and focusing on the "hidden man of the heart" 1 Peter 3:2-4.

By following the example of Christ, we find that the religion of the Bible is a "well-spring" of life, promoting the health of both body and mind. ⛲️

Medical missionary work is the gospel in practice, designed by God to be the helping hand of the ministry in reaching souls for ChristCME 42.4+3. It is a most exalted and sacred work that serves as the "right arm" of the body, opening doors in cities and hearts that might otherwise remain closed to the truthPaM 108.2+3.

The True Definition and Character of the Work

True medical missionary work is not merely a professional service but a manifestation of the tender compassion and self-sacrifice seen in the life of Christ1MCP 85.1+2.

• Christ as the Pattern: Jesus was the greatest Medical Missionary, and every true worker must follow His example of laying aside display and worldly customs to labor for the sufferingLLM 40.4+2.

• Simple Methods: The work is to be carried forward with the strictest economy and simplicity, utilizing the remedies nature provides rather than relying on drug medicationLLM 40.4+3.

• A High Standard: Medical missionaries must be spiritual-minded, rising above worldly policy and the theories of medical fraternities to reach a higher plane of Christlike characterLLM 341.3+3.

An Inseparable Union with the Ministry

There is to be no separation between the gospel ministry and medical missionary work; they are to blend in a perfect, inseparable unionPaM 108.1+3.

• The Arm and the Body: Just as the arm is joined to the body, medical missionary work is the helping hand that prepares the ground for the seeds of truth and helps reap the harvestPaM 108.2+3.

• A Double Responsibility: Physicians and nurses who are consecrated to God bear a double responsibility, acting as both healers of physical ailments and ministers to "sin-sick souls"KC 138.4+3.

• Increased Efficiency: A gospel minister who also understands medical missionary lines is twice as successful, as this knowledge gives access to homes and all classes of societyEv 519.1+3.

Education and Training of Workers

Educational institutions must prioritize thorough instruction in medical missionary lines to qualify a corps of workers for the fieldDG 134.2+3.

• Regular Instruction: This training should be a part of the regular curriculum in colleges and schools, ensuring students know how to care for the sick using nature’s remediesCT 519.2+2.

• Practical Experience: The best education is gained through study combined with practical work, where students learn to treat the sick without the use of drugsLLM 412.2+2.

• A Call for Nurses: There is a great need for more trained nurses; even one hundred should be in training where there is currently only oneCH 503.1+1.

Important Cautions and Responsibilities

While the work is essential, it must be conducted according to divine principles to avoid becoming a "sick" or misrepresented branch of the causeSpTB02 24.4+2.

• Avoiding Extremes: The medical work must not become "the whole body" or supersede the ministry of the Word; the work must remain proportionate and balanced1MR 235.3+3.

• Sabbath Observance: Physicians and helpers must be especially careful to maintain the sanctity of the Sabbath, planning their work so they may lay aside ordinary dutiesCH 236.1.

• Personal Responsibility: No man is to act as a "lord" or dictator over medical missionaries; every worker is to take their stand on the platform of truth under the guidance of the Holy SpiritLLM 67.6+3.

• Financial Integrity: All transactions must be free from greed or extortion; charging exorbitant fees is a dishonor to the name of medical missionary work16LtMs, Lt 8, 1901, par. 14+1.

By unifying the work of healing with the third angel's message, the church stands as a distinct people, preparing the way for the coming of the LordPOSDAI 35.4+3. "Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" Matthew 16:24. "Go you therefore, and teach all nations... and, see, I am with you always, even to the end of the world" Matthew 28:19-20.