Chapter IV - HEALTH AND SALVATION BY THE NAME OF JESUS
"And His Name through faith in His Name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea,
the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all... Be
it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the Name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, Whom ye crucified, Whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here
before you whole... Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 3:16; 4:10,12).
When after Pentecost, the paralytic was healed through Peter and John at the gate of the
temple, it was in "the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth" that they said to him, "Rise up and
walk," [Acts 3:6] and as soon as the people in their amazement ran together to them, Peter
declared that it was the name of Jesus which had so completely healed the man.
As the result of this miracle and of Peters discourse, many people who had heard the Word
believed (Acts 4: 4).
Acts 4
4 Howbeit many of them which heard the Word believed;
and the number of the men was about five thousand.
On the morrow Peter repeated these words before the Sanhedrin, "By the Name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth... doth this man stand here before you whole;" and then he added, "There is none
other name under heaven... whereby we must be saved." This statement of Peter's declares to us
that the name of Jesus both heals and saves. We have here a teaching of the highest import for
divine healing.
We see that healing and health form part of Christ's salvation. Does not Peter clearly state
this in his discourse to the Sanhedrin where, having spoken of healing, he immediately goes on
to speak of salvation by Christ? (Acts 4:10,12). In heaven even our bodies will have their part
in salvation; salvation will not be complete for us until our bodies shall enjoy the full
redemption of Christ. Why then should we not believe in this work of redemption here below? Even
already here on earth, the health of our bodies is a fruit of the salvation which Jesus has
acquired for us.
We see also that health as well as salvation is to be obtained by faith. The tendency of man
by nature is to bring about his salvation by his works, and it is only with difficulty that he
comes to receive it by faith; but when it is a question of the healing of the body, he has still
more difficulty in seizing it. As to salvation, he ends it by accepting it because by no other
means can he open the door of heaven; while for the body, he makes use of well-known remedies.
Why then should he seek for divine healing? Happy is he who comes to understand that it is the
will of God; that God wills to manifest the power of Jesus, and also to reveal to us His
Fatherly love; to exercise and to confirm our faith, and to make us prove the power of
redemption in the body as well as in the soul. The body is part of our being; even the body has
been saved by Christ; therefore it is in our body that our Father wills to manifest the power of
redemption, and to let men see that Jesus lives. Oh, let us believe in the name of Jesus! Was it
not in the name of Jesus that perfect health was given to the impotent man? And were not these
words: Thy faith hath saved thee, pronounced when the body was healed? Let us seek then to
obtain divine healing.
Wherever the Spirit acts with power, there He works divine healings. Would it not seem that
if ever miracles Were superfluous, it was at Pentecost, for then the word of the apostles worked
mightily, and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit was abundant? Well, it is precisely because the
Spirit acted powerfully that His working must needs be Visible in the body. If divine healing is
seen but rarely in our day, we can attribute it to no other cause than that the Spirit does not
act with power. The unbelief of worldlings and the want of zeal among believers stop His working.
The healings which God is giving here and there are the precursory signs of all the spiritual
graces which are promised to us, and it is only the Holy Spirit who reveals the almightiness of
the name of Jesus to operate such healings. Let us pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit, let us
place ourselves unreservedly under His direction, and let us seek to be firm in our faith in the
name of Jesus, whether for preaching salvation or for the work of healing.
God grants healing to glorify the name of Jesus. Let us seek to be healed by Jesus that His
name may be glorified. It is sad to see how little the power of His name is recognized, how
little it is the end of preaching and of prayer. Treasures of divine grace, of which Christians
deprive themselves by their lack of faith and zeal, are hidden in the name of Jesus. It is the
will of God to glorify His Son in the Church; and He will do it wherever He finds faith. Whether
among believers, or whether among the heathen, He is ready with virtue from on high to awaken
consciences, and to bring hearts to obedience. God is ready to manifest the all-power of His Son,
and to do it in a striking way in body as well as in soul. Let us believe it for ourselves, let
us believe it for others, for the circle of believers around us, and also for the Church in the
whole world. Let us give ourselves to believe with firm faith in the power of the name of Jesus,
let us ask great things in His name, counting on His promise, and we shall see God still do
wonders by the name of His holy Son.