In Reply to: There are all kinds of reasons posted by George on November 22, 2004 at 19:10:18:
to keep someone sick, or whatever. we live in a fallen world. sickness is part of the territory. sometimes he heals, sometimes he doesn't, and as you say , for all kinds of reasons. but i don't think any of us can know those reasons except by direct revelation. to assume that because in the gospels, jesus healed everyone who asked that therefore that is the standard for all time just flies in the face of reality, george. if you say God WANTS to heal everyone who asks today but can't because of their imperfect faith, than are you saying everyone who asks in the gospels did have perfect faith?or jesus has upped the bar? to me, the danger here is that such a teaching puts a huge blanket of condemnatiomn on everyone w/ a debilitating disease, every parent of a sick or dying child, etc. it has huge and very real implications.
that is not to say that God in every circumstance specifically wills sickness or misfortune etc., but that for whatever reason, he does not yet choose to intervene. that is what the restoration of all things, and wiping away every tear is about, it seems to me.