As some of you may know already, I consider myself a strict cessationist. What this means is that I believe that the spiritual gifts have ceased for today. I fully understand that this is controversial in many Christian circles, but I am not afraid of controversy. I am more concerned about what the Bible says and I found that the Bible supports the view called cessationism. Right now, you may be thinking that you want to stop reading my blog, but first please hear me out. As Christians, our primary concern should be what the Scriptures teach and not what man's opinion is. So what exactly is the biblical basis for cessationism? Well, if you turn to Hebrews 1:1-2, we read,
"God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom He has appointed as heirs of all things, through whom also He made the worlds..."
I would like to stress how this text says that in former times God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. This means that God has always used mediators to communicate with His people. This is an important point to make because many Christians believe that they hear directly from God Himself, but this text would flatly contradict that belief. God speaks through His prophets and apostles. If this text were not clear enough for you, please turn with me to Hebrews 2:3-4, which says,
"...how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, God also bearing witness both signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?"
Do you notice how this text is speaking in the past tense? This would indicate that at the time of the writer to the Hebrews writing this letter that the spiritual gifts were either ceasing or have already ceased. Why else would the writer to the Hebrews be speaking in the past tense? It was almost as if the writer knew that his audience may have been wondering why they were not seeing the miracles that they were hearing about in previous times.
Since we have established that God does not speak directly to just anyone, the question still remains about whether or not there are prophets and apostles today. Some Christians answer in the affirmative while others answer in the negative. But, what does the Bible say? As it is, the clear biblical answer to this question is no. When we turn to Ephesians 4:11-13, we read,
"And He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ..."
Some Christians who answer the question above in the affirmative will see this text and say, "See, this is saying that there are prophets and apostles today" and then they will close their Bibles, thinking that is the end of the discussion. But, that would be a gross misunderstanding of this text. What Paul is pointing out here is the fact that Christ, as the Body's Head, has appointed the prophets of old and the twelve apostles with authority, then afterward He appointed teachers, pastors, and evangelists. He was simply saying that Christ is the One who is the head of all the people who preach with authority and that they were appointed for the edification of the Church. One must commit eisegesis to make this text say anything else.
So, if the spiritual gifts have ceased for today, then does this mean that God is no longer acting in the world? Heaven's no. God is still very much acting in this world. To say otherwise is to misunderstand the nature of God. However, the primary way the Lord acts in the world is through what theologians call ordinary means. What does this mean exactly? It means that God is active through the ordinary providence of His creation. For example, when we turn to Genesis 1:11-13, we read,
"Then, God said, 'Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth'; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the third day"
Notice the use of the words "bring forth" and then later the words "brought forth". This would indicate that God brought forth the trees and plants through the ordinary means of the created order. He could have zapped them into existence right away but instead, He decided to use the natural order of things to cause the trees and plants to come into existence. Furthermore, in Exodus, we read of certain people building the Ark of the Covenant in tedious detail. Why did God bother to use people to build it when He could have snapped His fingers and made the Ark of the Covenant appear out of nowhere? It was to demonstrate His power over even the ordinary. God equips people with the natural abilities to fulfill His purposes all the time. This is why we can trust medical doctors, psychiatrists, and therapists because God has blessed them with Common Grace blessings to help the people whom He created in His image.
So, what was the purpose of all the signs and miracles in the first place if God was going to cause them to cease then? Well, if we return to Hebrews 1:1-2 and 2:3-4, we will see the answer. These texts clearly tell us that the purpose of the signs, wonders, and miracles was to point us to Christ. In other words, they were meant to authenticate the message that our Lord, the prophets, and the apostles were preaching. In Biblical times, whenever a king needed to send a new message to another king, he would send a messenger and he would put his unique insignia onto the message. This was to authenticate the message so that the other king would know who sent it. Well, God was using the same method with miracles, signs, and wonders so that people would know that the message the prophets, apostles, and the Lord was preaching was truly from God. Since there are no more new messages from God, there is no more need for a new sign to authenticate a message. In other words, the canon is closed.
So, what does this all mean for why God does not heal mental illness today? I see two practical reasons why the Lord does not heal mental illness today.
1) All Suffering Produces Character
2) It Keeps Us Humble & Dependent Upon Him
I will elaborate on both of these points, but first I'd like to say that these are not the only two reasons why the Lord chooses not to heal mental illness today. However, these are the two main points I will be discussing for the sake of this blog. If you can think of others, please feel free to let me know in the comments below.
All Suffering Produces Character
If we turn to Romans 5:3-5, we read,
"And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now, hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us"
All suffering, whether mental or physical, produces character in us. If it were not for my Schizoaffective Disorder, I would not be the man that I am today. Because of dealing with my mental illness, I am a much more humble, kinder, and compassionate man. Also, it is because of dealing with my mental illness that I feel that I can endure just about any hardship that comes my way by the grace of God. Many people who do not deal with mental illness tend to break under any kind of pressure, but those of us with mental illness live daily with all kinds of pressure. It is because of this reason that we have the mental fortitude to withstand life's daily trials and tribulations.
It Keeps Us Humble & Dependent Upon Him
If we turn to 2 Corinthians 12, we read of Paul's account where he says the Lord gave him a "thorn in the flesh" to keep him humble because of the "surpassing greatness of the revelations" he was receiving. He then says that he pleaded with the Lord three times to remove this thorn, but the Lord responded in verse 9,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness"
It is because of this reason that Paul then concludes that he should boast all the more in his weakness for when he is weak, then he is strong in the Lord. There are two important points to take from this text: 1) Our sufferings, whether physical or mental, are to keep us from becoming puffed up with pride and 2) Our sufferings, whether physical or mental, are to keep our eyes on Jesus. When we truly understand how the grace of Christ is truly sufficient to meet all of our needs, it should cause us to rise above our afflictions and to look daily to Him for our sustenance. It is by God's strength and power that we can thrive in this life no matter how much suffering we endure. So, no matter what, we must always keep our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith.
I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog and I hope this gives you some encouragement as you are dealing with your own mental illnesses. God may not heal your mental illness, but through His grace, He can help you rise above it. Remember, your mental illness does not define who you are. Your identity in Christ is what defines you. Thank you very much and I hope you found this to be a blessing in your life. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all!!
-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate
Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
Check out the other Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
"God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom He has appointed as heirs of all things, through whom also He made the worlds..."
I would like to stress how this text says that in former times God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. This means that God has always used mediators to communicate with His people. This is an important point to make because many Christians believe that they hear directly from God Himself, but this text would flatly contradict that belief. God speaks through His prophets and apostles. If this text were not clear enough for you, please turn with me to Hebrews 2:3-4, which says,
"...how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, God also bearing witness both signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?"
Do you notice how this text is speaking in the past tense? This would indicate that at the time of the writer to the Hebrews writing this letter that the spiritual gifts were either ceasing or have already ceased. Why else would the writer to the Hebrews be speaking in the past tense? It was almost as if the writer knew that his audience may have been wondering why they were not seeing the miracles that they were hearing about in previous times.
Since we have established that God does not speak directly to just anyone, the question still remains about whether or not there are prophets and apostles today. Some Christians answer in the affirmative while others answer in the negative. But, what does the Bible say? As it is, the clear biblical answer to this question is no. When we turn to Ephesians 4:11-13, we read,
"And He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ..."
Some Christians who answer the question above in the affirmative will see this text and say, "See, this is saying that there are prophets and apostles today" and then they will close their Bibles, thinking that is the end of the discussion. But, that would be a gross misunderstanding of this text. What Paul is pointing out here is the fact that Christ, as the Body's Head, has appointed the prophets of old and the twelve apostles with authority, then afterward He appointed teachers, pastors, and evangelists. He was simply saying that Christ is the One who is the head of all the people who preach with authority and that they were appointed for the edification of the Church. One must commit eisegesis to make this text say anything else.
So, if the spiritual gifts have ceased for today, then does this mean that God is no longer acting in the world? Heaven's no. God is still very much acting in this world. To say otherwise is to misunderstand the nature of God. However, the primary way the Lord acts in the world is through what theologians call ordinary means. What does this mean exactly? It means that God is active through the ordinary providence of His creation. For example, when we turn to Genesis 1:11-13, we read,
"Then, God said, 'Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth'; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the third day"
Notice the use of the words "bring forth" and then later the words "brought forth". This would indicate that God brought forth the trees and plants through the ordinary means of the created order. He could have zapped them into existence right away but instead, He decided to use the natural order of things to cause the trees and plants to come into existence. Furthermore, in Exodus, we read of certain people building the Ark of the Covenant in tedious detail. Why did God bother to use people to build it when He could have snapped His fingers and made the Ark of the Covenant appear out of nowhere? It was to demonstrate His power over even the ordinary. God equips people with the natural abilities to fulfill His purposes all the time. This is why we can trust medical doctors, psychiatrists, and therapists because God has blessed them with Common Grace blessings to help the people whom He created in His image.
So, what was the purpose of all the signs and miracles in the first place if God was going to cause them to cease then? Well, if we return to Hebrews 1:1-2 and 2:3-4, we will see the answer. These texts clearly tell us that the purpose of the signs, wonders, and miracles was to point us to Christ. In other words, they were meant to authenticate the message that our Lord, the prophets, and the apostles were preaching. In Biblical times, whenever a king needed to send a new message to another king, he would send a messenger and he would put his unique insignia onto the message. This was to authenticate the message so that the other king would know who sent it. Well, God was using the same method with miracles, signs, and wonders so that people would know that the message the prophets, apostles, and the Lord was preaching was truly from God. Since there are no more new messages from God, there is no more need for a new sign to authenticate a message. In other words, the canon is closed.
So, what does this all mean for why God does not heal mental illness today? I see two practical reasons why the Lord does not heal mental illness today.
1) All Suffering Produces Character
2) It Keeps Us Humble & Dependent Upon Him
I will elaborate on both of these points, but first I'd like to say that these are not the only two reasons why the Lord chooses not to heal mental illness today. However, these are the two main points I will be discussing for the sake of this blog. If you can think of others, please feel free to let me know in the comments below.
All Suffering Produces Character
If we turn to Romans 5:3-5, we read,
"And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now, hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us"
All suffering, whether mental or physical, produces character in us. If it were not for my Schizoaffective Disorder, I would not be the man that I am today. Because of dealing with my mental illness, I am a much more humble, kinder, and compassionate man. Also, it is because of dealing with my mental illness that I feel that I can endure just about any hardship that comes my way by the grace of God. Many people who do not deal with mental illness tend to break under any kind of pressure, but those of us with mental illness live daily with all kinds of pressure. It is because of this reason that we have the mental fortitude to withstand life's daily trials and tribulations.
It Keeps Us Humble & Dependent Upon Him
If we turn to 2 Corinthians 12, we read of Paul's account where he says the Lord gave him a "thorn in the flesh" to keep him humble because of the "surpassing greatness of the revelations" he was receiving. He then says that he pleaded with the Lord three times to remove this thorn, but the Lord responded in verse 9,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness"
It is because of this reason that Paul then concludes that he should boast all the more in his weakness for when he is weak, then he is strong in the Lord. There are two important points to take from this text: 1) Our sufferings, whether physical or mental, are to keep us from becoming puffed up with pride and 2) Our sufferings, whether physical or mental, are to keep our eyes on Jesus. When we truly understand how the grace of Christ is truly sufficient to meet all of our needs, it should cause us to rise above our afflictions and to look daily to Him for our sustenance. It is by God's strength and power that we can thrive in this life no matter how much suffering we endure. So, no matter what, we must always keep our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith.
I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog and I hope this gives you some encouragement as you are dealing with your own mental illnesses. God may not heal your mental illness, but through His grace, He can help you rise above it. Remember, your mental illness does not define who you are. Your identity in Christ is what defines you. Thank you very much and I hope you found this to be a blessing in your life. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all!!
-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate
Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
Check out the other Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
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