The Bible Does Not Say Jesus Took Our Sicknesses On The Cross

Now, there are some Christian groups that say, if you are sick, you should not take medicine. They say that's the mark of faith. And they say, if you take medicine, that means you don't have faith. Now, if there is a command in the New Testament saying you should not take medicine, of course, we would obey it even if you have to die. But, when there is no such commandment, if we make a commandment, that's a commandment of man. And we don't have to obey the commandments of men. So, there is no such command which says don't take medicine. And many people say, didn't Jesus take our sicknesses on the cross? See, most Christians, I'd say 95-99% of Christians read the Bible very carelessly. Where does it say that Jesus took our sicknesses upon the cross? I know a lot of Pentecostals say that. But there is not a single verse like that in the whole Bible, and I've studied it for 50 years. I'll show you the verse that they quote. Now, it's very important for us to know this, because many of us get sick, and sometimes we have problems as to what shall we do when this fellow comes and says, believe this verse. One of the things we read in the New Testament Gospels is that many times it says, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. So that the scripture might be fulfilled which 700 years earlier Micah said, out of Bethlehem the ruler will come. And we read that Jesus went to Egypt when Herod wanted to kill him. That was to fulfill another prophecy, Matthew 2.15. There was a prophecy in the book of Hosea that out of Egypt I have called my son. Then we read Herod killed all the babies in Bethlehem. That was to fulfill what Jeremiah said, verse 17 and 18, that there's a great weeping in Ramah. So many times in scripture it says that. And then Jesus came and lived in Nazareth, verse 23. So that it might be fulfilled that He might be called a Nazarene. And then at the end of His life, when He was hanging on the cross, you read in John chapter 19, verse 28. When Jesus knowing that all the things had been accomplished. In order that the scripture might be fulfilled said, I am thirsty. And then He said in verse 30, it's finished. So from birth to death it was so that it might be fulfilled, so that it might be fulfilled, so that it might be fulfilled. Now notice one thing, we want to study the scriptures carefully. When it happened, at that time it was fulfilled. He was born in Bethlehem, it happened, the scripture was fulfilled. He went to Egypt and came back, the scripture was fulfilled. When the Herod killed the babies, that one scripture was fulfilled. Not later, immediately. When Jesus came to Nazareth, immediately the scripture was fulfilled that He was called a Nazarene. Then we read, He went from Nazareth, verse chapter 4, verse 13, Matthew 4, verse 13 to Capernaum. And then verse 14, 15, the scripture was fulfilled that the land of Zebulun will see a great light. When was it fulfilled? Right then, not future, immediately. Now I'll show you another verse. Matthew chapter 8, please keep this principle in mind. Matthew 8, verse 16. When the evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon possessed, and He cast them out with the spirits of the word, and He healed all those who were ill. He healed all the sicknesses and diseases of hundreds of people there. Everyone, without exception. Not one fellow went out from there, even with a fever. Whether it was a cold or a cancer, they were healed. Why? Verse 17, in order that the scripture, as Isaiah said, might be fulfilled, He took our infirmities and carried away our disease. Now tell me, was it fulfilled there or in the future? Right there. He took away those infirmities and diseases. This is the verse that so many Christians misquote, that it was fulfilled three years later when He was hanging on the cross. That's not what scripture says. He healed them so that it might be fulfilled that He took away their infirmities and sicknesses. He took it. You see there, when He healed them. Now why is this so important? We know the Bible says that when Jesus hung on the cross, He took our sins. But nowhere does it say He took our diseases. And so we can say with confidence. That you need not have the guilt of any of your sins. As soon as you confess it, He forgives your sins. Because He took your sins. And that is why I live without the guilt of any sin in my life. Now if Jesus had also taken my diseases. First of all I won't be wearing glasses. That is a sickness in case you didn't know. And I would have hair on my head, that is another type of sickness. I wouldn't have a backache. I wouldn't have a headache. I'll never get a cold or a fever. I won't even sneeze like I did just now. Because Jesus took everything. Have you seen any human being live like that? They are all liars who say that Jesus took all their diseases. They wear glasses, they are bald, and they have so many other coughs and colds and fevers and they say Jesus took all our diseases. Now if that is the way Jesus takes our diseases. Then I say maybe He has taken my sins also in the same way. Then I am not sure whether all my sins are forgiven. You see how the devil fools believers. Did Jesus do a thorough work of taking away the guilt of all my sins? I know He has not done a thorough work of taking away all my diseases from my body right now. But I have 100% trust on what He did on the cross. That's why I am 100% sure that all my sins are forgiven. But if God, if Jesus took my sin and my sickness. And despite all my faith, my sicknesses are not all gone. I still wear glasses. And I have aches and pains and so many things. Then how do I know I have faith for the forgiveness of my sins? See sickness is a visible thing, forgiveness of sins is an invisible thing. You know whether I can see without my glasses or not. It's a visible thing sickness. But forgiveness of sins is invisible. I see. Maybe I am fooling myself that I am forgiven. Because this visible thing is not working. He took my diseases they say. But I am still wearing my glasses. And how do I know I have faith for the forgiveness of my sins? Many Christians are totally inconsistent. That's because they don't read the Bible carefully. He took our infirmities and sicknesses. It was fulfilled when He took those people's sicknesses away. Now there is another verse. Where it says by His stripes we are healed. That is from Isaiah 53. We read in Isaiah 53. Verse 5. He was pierced for our transgressions. Crushed for our iniquities. The chastening of our well-being fell upon Him. By His scourging we are healed. Now being healed. Means two things. We can be healed in our spirit. We can be healed in our body. Which healing is it talking about? Because the Bible does speak about healing inwardly. Whenever you are in doubt you must compare scripture with scripture. Is there a place in the New Testament where this verse is quoted? Yes. It is quoted in 1 Peter 2. That's the only place in the New Testament where it is quoted. What does it say in 1 Peter 2? 1 Peter 2. The subject is Following verse 21. Following Jesus example. And walking in His footsteps. You must see the subject. Following in His steps who committed no sin. In whose mouth there was no lie. It doesn't say in addition in whose body there was no disease. It doesn't say we got to follow in Him in whose body there was no sickness. That is impossible. But follow in His steps who committed no sin. Follow in His steps who never told a lie with His mouth. Follow in His steps who when He was reviled, verse 23, did not revile in return. Follow in His steps who while suffering did not utter any threats. Follow in His steps who kept entrusting Himself to the one who judges righteously. And then it says Because He bore our sins in His body on the cross. Not our sicknesses. He bore our sins. That we might die to sin. Not get rid of our sicknesses. He might die to sin. And live to righteousness. This is the fulfillment of that Old Testament verse. It says here by His stripes you are healed. So where is that Old Testament verse fulfilled? By His stripes you are healed means what? It says here that I might die to sin and live to righteousness. That is how we are healed. Because I believe that sin is a million times worse than any physical sickness. The whole subject is not about physical healing. It is about giving up sin and living in righteousness. The whole subject is not about physical healing.