Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Healing as Illustration for Salvation

I couldn't find a translation that used the word "saved" in Acts 4:12. Seems they should. The word that they translate "healed" is used around 110 times in NT and usually it is saved. Some places of note are: Acts 2: 47 added number of those being saved. Philippian jailer in Acts 16 "What must i do to be saved?" So, in Acts 4:9-12 you have Peter moving in and out of talking about physical healing of the crippled man and spiritual salvation. To me, John Stott was convincing that these words combined with the use of the word "SIGN" in Acts 4:16 and 22 mean that primarily we take Acts 3 to be a mind-blowing demonstration of the power of the risen Christ to totally heal our souls. Dead hearts can be made alive. Marriages & friendships and battles with idols can be resurrected by the continuing works of the risen Christ. This doesn't minimize the reality that physical healing is wonderful and still takes place. But that is not the main point of this text, according to this text.

No comments: