Is Healing in the Atonement? Part 1

This is a question many have asked. Before going further, we must understand that the word “atonement” is an Old Testament word. We see the day of Atonement occur, once a year, when the High Priest would offer sacrifices for the sins of the people, as well as himself. This is only a covering of sins. In the New Testament, or New Covenant, our sins are not covered. They are washed away. That’s why the writer of Hebrews states that we have a better covenant, established upon better promises. (Hebrews 8:6) Our sins are removed from us, never to be remembered again!

So the question people have is, “Was healing provided in the Atonement?” Or in New Covenant language, “Did Jesus redeem us from our sicknesses at the same time He paid for our sins?” Assuredly yes! Let’s look at God’s Word a little further. Exodus 15:26 says, “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.” Exodus 23:25 reads “And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.”

Psalms 103:3, “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.” God is still forgiving sins and He is still healing diseases. Isaiah 53:4-5 “Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” The same words we see translated griefs and sorrows, in the KJV are translated “sickness” and “pain”. A more accurate rendering from the Greek language would be, “Surely he hath borne our sicknesses and carried our pains.” How did Jesus do this? He did it as our substitute. Just like He bore our sins, He took our sicknesses as well.

Looking in the New Testament we see Jesus healing the sick. Matthew 9:35 says, “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”

Even if we’re not Hebrew and Greek scholars, notice what Matthew said. The same Holy Spirit that inspired Isaiah, also inspired him to write in Matthew 8:17, “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses.” In the work of redemption, Jesus took our sicknesses as well as our sins.

Notice 1 Peter 2:24, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.” If you asked most people, “Did Jesus purchase our freedom from sin?” They would say, “Yes.” Yet people stop there and never consider the fact that God makes no distinction. We can receive both forgiveness and healing in our lives to the Glory of God. Next week I’ll be sharing part two on this subject.

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