ANSWER
Some Christians feel that obtaining medical care demonstrates a lack of trust in God. Some Christians mistakenly believe that they should discard their medications and merely pray for recovery.
When we consider how we act in other parts of our life, we can see that this is not a reasonable viewpoint. Do you take your bicycle to a repair or do you wait for God to perform a miracle and cure it? Do you wait for God to repair a leak in your house’s roof, or do you fix it yourself? God is capable of fixing a bicycle or restoring a roof just as much as he is of healing our bodies. The fact that God can and does execute healing miracles does not imply that we should constantly anticipate one. We should seek assistance from individuals who have the necessary expertise and skills.
What is the Bible’s take on doctors?
Many Bible scriptures mention employing medical procedures that were popular at the time. Among them are the following:
bandages (Isaiah 1:6) (Isaiah 1:6)
oil (James 5:14) (James 5:14)
wine and oil (Luke 10:34)
leaves (Ezekiel 47:12) (Ezekiel 47:12)
balm (Jeremiah 8:22). (Jeremiah 8:22).
We know Luke, the author of Acts and Luke’s Gospel, was a doctor (Colossians 4:14). And Paul once advised Timothy on medical care (1 Timothy 5:23).
The Bible mentions doctors roughly 12 times. The only passage that might be interpreted incorrectly to instruct us not to contact physicians is 2 Chronicles 16:12: Asa was afflicted with a foot illness in the thirty-ninth year of his reign. Even though his ailment was grave, he did not seek aid from the Lord, but solely from the doctors.
The issue was not that Asa sought medical advice, but that he did not also seek guidance from the Lord. We should always seek God’s aid in addition to seeking proper medical therapy – not instead of doing so.
In Matthew 9, the Pharisees questioned Jesus about spending time with sinners. ‘It is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the ill,’ he said (Matthew 9:12). Jesus recognised that ill people need medical attention. He did not criticise the use of physicians or “earthly cures.” Yes, Jesus performed several healing miracles while on Earth. However, this was done in part to demonstrate that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah (Luke 4:18).
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QUESTION
How should a Christian think about medical intervention?
In addition to the topic study materials, use the chart you completed and questions you answered in the Topic 3 about “Case Study: Healing and Autonomy” as the basis for your responses in this assignment.
Answer the following questions about a patient’s spiritual needs in light of the Christian worldview.
- In 200-250 words, respond to the following: Should the physician allow Mike to continue making decisions that seem to him to be irrational and harmful to James, or would that mean a disrespect of a patient’s autonomy? Explain your rationale.
- In 400-500 words, respond to the following: How ought the Christian think about sickness and health? How should a Christian think about medical intervention? What should Mike as a Christian do? How should he reason about trusting God and treating James in relation to what is truly honoring the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence in James’s care?
- In 200-250 words, respond to the following: How would a spiritual needs assessment help the physician assist Mike determine appropriate interventions for James and for his family or others involved in his care?