The Plain Truth About Doctors, Drugs and Divine Healing!

In the final edition of his booklet The Plain Truth about Healing, written and edited a year or two before his death, Herbert Armstrong tried to set the record straight concerning this much misunderstood subject. Perhaps, considering his age and disability, it is remarkable that he made as much progress as he did.

In the introduction to this booklet, Herbert Armstrong asked, "Is the day of miracles past? Does the living God heal sickness and disease today upon believing prayer? Or was healing performed only by Christ and the original apostles? Did God raise up medical science for our day?"

In this booklet, Herbert Armstrong shows how the TRUTH OF YEHOVAH GOD became lost shortly after the time of the original apostles. The gospel of Yeshua the Messiah became suppressed. The original GOOD NEWS, including the good news about the HEALING POWER OF YEHOVAH GOD, became lost, and buried under a quagmire of pagan superstition and error.

During the dark ages that followed, the truth about the miraculous healing power of YEHOVAH God became suppressed, lost, and rejected by a world that followed the clever inventions and devices of Satan the devil, who has "deceived the WHOLE WORLD" (Rev. 12:9). During that time, without the knowledge of YEHOVAH, and His way, the world resorted to pagan medicine, and witchcraft, weird and potentially dangerous nostrums and drugs, to deal with the problem of healing. The worship of the pagan gods of ancient Babylon and Egypt continued, in the guise of "medicine." All knowledge of the healing power of YEHOVAH God Almighty in heaven was lost and buried through the centuries!

The world simply did not know!

It was CUT OFF from YEHOVAH God!

Herbert Armstrong points out that the true knowledge of the Biblical teaching on healing was not restored generally to the Church of God until 1927 when his wife was stricken ill. He did not know what to do, and a medical doctor gave her only 24 hours in which to live.

A neighbor lady asked Mr. Armstrong if he would object if she asked a man to come over and to anoint and pray for Mrs. Armstrong. At first he was embarrassed at the thought, but then concluded that it would be all right. And so Mr. Armstrong became acquainted with the basic truth about divine healing, and that YEHOVAH God still heals today when people show forth faith and trust in Him!

And in this manner YEHOVAH God RESTORED the truth about divine healing to His Church during these latter days! Once again the truth about HEALING was preached and understood, even as it was in the days of the apostles!

For SIXTY YEARS, then, the Church of God has taught and understood the truth and meaning of faith and divine healing!

But exactly 60 years later, in 1987, just one short year after the death of Herbert W. Armstrong, the Worldwide Church of God, which he left behind, and its leaders, have suddenly departed from the pure and simple teaching of faith in YEHOVAH God for divine healing!

The word "inveigle" is from the French, meaning "to blind." It means "to persuade by deception, flattery," to "lure, cajole, decoy, allure, entice, wheedle, seduce."

The devil is very clever. He paints his error in very attractive colors and hues. He masks his error and gilds it so that it appears as "truth." Thus he beguiled ancient Israel into idolatry time after time; and so he is in the process of doing right now, in the Worldwide Church of God -- the ONLY Church which up to recent times has resisted his advances and tactics, so long as Loma D. and Herbert W. Armstrong were alive!

But now times are a-changing. Error is creeping into the Church in the guise of "new truth" and understanding, quietly, on "cat's feet." It has already begun replacing the truth about healing, and faith in YEHOVAH God, with the worship of modern medicine and doctors. In a Worldwide News issue which propounded "new understanding" on healing, Joseph Tkach wrote forcefully that Herbert Armstrong was in utter error, and that "no medical procedure is wrong." Thus he opened the "Pandora's box" and now, at least in theory, the Worldwide Church of God endorses or approves ALL MEDICAL PROCEDURES! That would include all forms of surgery, vaccinations, drugs, heart transplants, organ transplants, animal organs, experimental surgery and drugs -- you name it!

Has the Worldwide Church of God leadership forgotten so soon that much of the knowledge of "medical" science stems from paganism, and the worship of Beelzebub, the "god of flies," and ancient Egyptian mythology? Much of it comes straight out of Babylon!

The pagan origin of much of the medical profession cannot be denied. The Egyptians worshipped the world's first physician, Imhotep (circa 2,700 B.C.) as the "god of healing." The ancient Greeks identified him with their own god of healing, Asclepius. Temples were built to Imhotep and bronze statues of him have been preserved. Such an idol stands in the Hall of Immortals in the International College of Surgeons in Chicago.

In ancient Greece sick people flocked to the Temples of Asclepius, the Greek god of healing, seeking magical cures for their ailments. When Rome conquered the world, it received most of its medical knowledge from the Greeks and Egyptians.

According to Greek mythology, Asclepius was the son of Apollo. His many children included the goddess of health, Hygeia. His healing powers were reputed to be so great that he could bring the dead back to life. Zeus killed Asclepius with a thunderbolt for thus violating the law or order of nature.

Even today the foundation of modern medicine is the "Hippocratic Oath," which is sworn to by many graduating students of medicine. Notice the pagan origin of this ancient oath!

According to Hislop's classic study, The Two Babylons, the pagans worshipped that "old serpent, called the devil, and Satan" (Rev. 19:9). The serpent or snake was one of the forms of the sun divinity at Rome. This snake was worshipped as "'Aesculapius,' that is, 'the MAN INSTRUCTING SERPENT'" ( The Two Babylons, p. 278).

Thus Asclepius was none other than that old serpent, the devil, SATAN, himself! The Greek form of this name, Asclepius, signifies simply "the instructing snake." The serpent was the symbol of the enlightening sun.

In ancient Pergamos, where "Satan's seat was" (Rev. 2:13), the sun divinity was worshipped under the form of a serpent and under the name of Aesculapius, "the man-instructing serpent."

The serpent of Asclepius, and the entwined serpents of the staff of modern medicine, then, symbolize Satan the devil, that old "serpent" who deceived mankind in the Garden of Eden!

In essence, then, modern medicine bears its identification right in its forehead, and on its staff, and in its very "oath"!

Let us not confuse this form of satanic counterfeits with the true medicine and healing truth taught in the Scriptures or modern "physicians" with the kind of "beloved physician" that Luke was!

Asclepius was also identified with Beelzebub, the lord of the flies. Says Hislop in The Two Babylons of Beelzebub, "This name, as signifying 'Lord of the Fly'...as identified with the serpent, clearly reveals itself as one of the distinctive names of Satan."

Thus the Worldwide Church of God, in its present day endorsement of "all medical procedures," has gone from one extreme to the opposite ditch! It has plunged from total avoidance of any and all "medical" treatments, and drugs, to total endorsement of the entire medical establishment and every medical procedure! Thus it has blindly plunged into gross pagan superstition and modern idolatry -- BAALISM!

As we get closer to the end, undoubtedly those who remain faithful to YEHOVAH God will be increasingly pressured to conform to new Church teachings, or else they will be put out of the Church entirely.

Where do YOU stand? Will you compromise the TRUTH of YEHOVAH in order to follow men into error? Will you smugly assume Church leaders are right, and follow them without checking into these things for yourself?

Will you "follow the Church right or wrong" as so many insist, today? What about it?

In 1959 Herman L. Hoeh wrote in the booklet, A True History of the True Church, that near the end of the first church age or era of the original apostles, there arose FALSE TEACHERS "who professed Christ and the Father; but they rejected the authority of God and His law! They were DISOBEDIENT. They acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ; they came in His name, professing to be ministers of Christ but they rejected His message" (p. 7). Dr. Hoeh went on to show how these false ministers began putting the true believers OUT OF THE CHURCH!

In other words, those who held firmly to the truths of YEHOVAH God, including the truth of divine healing, and trust and faith in YEHOVAH for healing, were being put out of the Church! The ones who remained in the visible Church were the ones who "followed their leaders," right or wrong, and they followed them right into pagan superstition, dressed up so as to APPEAR "Christian"!

History is repeating itself, right before our very eyes! Herman L. Hoeh wrote:

Herman Hoeh went on:

How amazing it is! History has begun, once again, to repeat itself! Once again we see the first GIANT steps of a Church of God GOING ASTRAY into false doctrine, and embracing the clever arguments and seductive philosophies of the "god of this world," Satan the devil!

Once again we see the horrible plunge into gross IDOLATRY and "Baalism" that has occurred throughout history, as one generation died, and another generation came on the scene. The endorsement of modern medical science by the Worldwide Church of God is nothing less than the endorsement of modern BAALISM and the worship of the false, pagan, god of healing, BAAL-zebub!

What does YEHOVAH God Almighty think of this?

The Word of YEHOVAH God is very clear. In the days of ancient king Ahaziah, the king fell down through a lattice and seriously injured himself, and was sick. Rather than trust in YEHOVAH God for healing, he sent his messengers, saying, "Go, inquire of BAAL-ZEBUB THE GOD OF EKRON whether I shall recover of this disease" (II Kings 1:2).

This king lost faith in YEHOVAH God. He knew this pagan god had some reputation among the heathen for his powers of healing. So he sent his servants to CONSULT Baal! This particular form of the Baal cult was the "Lord of flies." Says the Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible:

What did YEHOVAH God think of this act?

Did He approve? Did He endorse it?

Notice the awful truth!

The king was furious when he heard this, and sent his military forces to bring Elijah to him. But fire from heaven devoured the first captain with his fifty men (vs. 9-10). Upon hearing of this, the king, not to be fazed, sent another captain with fifty more men to seize Elijah. They met with the same fate (vs. 11-12).

The king was still furious, and sent another squad of soldiers to take Elijah. However, this captain approached Elijah very meekly, and fell to his knees, begging for his life, and the lives of his men. YEHOVAH told Elijah to go with him (vs. 13-15).

When Elijah saw the king, he did not compromise with the message of YEHOVAH God. He did not sugarcoat it. He did not tell him it was all right to embrace pagan idols and their healing methods or the "medical science" of the "man-instructing serpent," Satan the devil!

Rather, Elijah told the king, "Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely DIE" (II Kings 1:16).

The king obviously wanted to seize this upstart prophet and make an example of him -- put HIM to death! But YEHOVAH God would not allow it!

Instead, just as Elijah foretold, "So he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken" (v. 17).

YEHOVAH God considers these matters very serious. They make a real difference in His sight! Whether we look to YEHOVAH, for healing, or PAGAN GODS AND IDOLATROUS PRACTICES, is a very important matter in the sight of YEHOVAH God!

Regardless of the doctrinal breezes that blow in the Worldwide Church of God, and dramatic changes in doctrine, the Word of YEHOVAH God remains sure, constant, and steadfast. It never changes. YEHOVAH says, "For I am the Lord, I change NOT..." (Mal. 3:8).

Let's face it. People don't like to rely on YEHOVAH God, in faith, for healing. YEHOVAH is invisible. Faith weakens. How much simpler and easier to just give yourself over to doctors and the medical profession, and put your entire trust and life in their hands. How much easier to trust in something physical, tangible, something you can see, and touch!

Since the death of Herbert Armstrong, a major sea change has occurred in the Worldwide Church of God's doctrine of healing. In an April, 1987 issue of the Worldwide News Joseph Tkach published an article under his byline which greatly altered the Church's basic teaching and understanding of the doctrine of medicine, doctors, and divine healing.

In the article Tkach states "to violate or transgress God's law of love is sin." Tkach goes on: "BUT LAWS GOVERNING THE PHYSICAL OPERATION OF THE CREATION, OF THEMSELVES, HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SIN."

He goes on, "Sin is the violation of spiritual law." He adds, "VIOLATING LAWS OR PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH will produce a harmful or detrimental result. It is a matter of cause and effect. BUT IT IS NOT WHAT THE BIBLE DEFINES AS SIN. "

If Herbert Armstrong were here today and heard that, it would be enough to give him a heart attack. If Herbert Armstrong were alive today, this so-called wonderful "new truth" and "new understanding" would make him thunder with anger, and the halls would rattle and shake.

The word of YEHOVAH God simply defines sin as "the transgression of the law," without defining the law any further (I John 3:4). The clear meaning is that sin is the transgression or breaking of YEHOVAH GOD's law! Now, all law, whether the law that governs the creation, or the physical and mental functioning of your own body, or the spiritual law of YEHOVAH, comes from YEHOVAH God -- and if we break ANY of His laws, we commit SIN!

But Joseph Tkach claims otherwise. He asserts:

But laws governing the physical operation of the creation, of themselves, have NOTHING TO DO WITH SIN.

If you break the law of gravity, and throw yourself off a tall building, you would DIE! As the apostle Paul wrote, "The wages of SIN is DEATH" (Rom. 6:23). Thus, such an act, a physical act, which would break a physical law of YEHOVAH God, would cause DEATH -- the penalty of SIN! It would be a reckless, foolish SIN!

Joseph Tkach asserts there is no such thing as "physical sin," but only "spiritual sins." But should we quibble about such distinctions? Such a statement is just a "play on words." It should be obvious to an elementary school age child that there are such things as physical sins -- sins which result in physical injury to the body, or even death! In one sense, you really cannot separate between "physical" and "spiritual." ALL SINS ARE SPIRITUAL, even PHYSICAL SINS! They are really one and the same! To violate a physical "health law" also breaks a SPIRITUAL LAW! Therefore, such a "physical act" is also a SPIRITUAL SIN!

Joseph Tkach is quibbling over words. But what he is REALLY doing is "REDEFINING SIN," and "limiting" sin -- excluding "physical acts" from the category of "spiritual sin." This very idea is REVOLTING to YEHOVAH God Almighty! What will Tkach do next? Say that ADULTERY is "NOT A SIN" because it is a PHYSICAL ACT BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE?

YEHOVAH God's Word simply says that sin IS the breaking of YEHOVAH's Law -- ALL of YEHOVAH's Laws. Joseph Tkach to the contrary not withstanding!

By YEHOVAH God's definition, then drug abuse -- a physical act -- is SIN. Smoking cigarettes, which causes ill health, cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and DEATH -- is also SIN. To say that physical deeds are not sins merely because they are "physical," is nothing more than a spiritual solipsism. It is a modern form of ancient GNOSTICISM -- and arguing over words.

The apostle Paul wrote that we should not be "doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth" (I Tim. 6:4-5).

Admittedly, there was much error in the Church's former teaching on the subject of healing. It is time the Church faced up to the errors and contradictions in the old healing booklet.

But when we learn "new truth," do we need to go to extremes, and throw the good out with the bad? The fact is that Herbert Armstrong himself was struggling with this problem during his last few years. He himself has tried to rewrite the healing booklet, and made many editorial changes. However, it was very difficult for him as he could hardly see. His age and infirmities were a severe handicap to him.

In the healing booklet, in one place he wrote that he USED TO SAY all drugs were POISON that this statement came from an old radio broadcast he had made on the subject. But in another place in the booklet, the old radio broadcast statement was again repeated, verbatim!

Even so, Herbert Armstrong never endorsed the medical profession as such, or said that all medical procedures are all right. He would not have stood for such a thing! He knew that such reasoning was false. He knew there are many errors in approach in the medical profession, so contrary to the recent statements of the Church, he would never have endorsed modern medicine. However, he did know that violation of physical health laws constituted SIN!

Violating any of the laws of YEHOVAH God, whether they are laws of physics, chemistry, nutrition, or health, constitutes SIN! If you foolishly eat arsenic, you will DIE! If you drive an automobile into a brick wall at 100 miles per hour, you will just as surely DIE! If you partake of cocaine, or heroin, or some other lethal drug, you are sinning against your own body and mind, and you will suffer the consequences. And no medical procedure will save you!

Herbert Armstrong knew these things. He had proved them. Why has the Church of God gone overboard in its rejection of his teachings?

Are there "physical sins"? The apostle Paul certainly thought so. He spoke of "sins against the body," and the body is surely "physical." Paul wrote, "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication SINNETH AGAINST HIS OWN BODY. What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Cor. 6:18-20).

Sexual sins directly affect the body. They lead to incredible physical penalties, including herpes, venereal disease, AIDS, syphilis, deformed babies, madness, sterility, and even hideous and violent death!

Obviously, it should be clear that ALL sins have both a physical and a spiritual component. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE THE TWO, ANY MORE THAN SEPARATING BODY AND "SPIRIT." It is impossible to separate the physical from the spiritual. Even when we break so-called "physical" laws, there is always a spiritual side and attitude involved -- a drunk driver, for example, is breaking the law of YEHOVAH God which condemns drunkenness, but he is also damaging directly his own body and health by his heavy drinking. The sin of intoxication may be accompanied by the sin of rebellion, neglect, carelessness, lack of concern for others, and stubbornness!

Nowhere does YEHOVAH's Word say there is no such thing as physical sin. Nor does it speak of "spiritual" sin as opposed to "physical" sin. It simply lumps all sins together in the overall category of SIN!

YEHOVAH GOD says, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast REJECTED THE WORD OF THE LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king" (I Samuel 15:23).

The word "sin" itself should be interesting and informative, here. "Sin" in the Hebrew merely means "an offense." It comes from the root meaning "to miss." The Greek word for "sin" is hamartano, and means "to miss the mark," "to err," "to offend." Obviously, then, it should be clear that we can "miss the mark" of YEHOVAH's intent for us either physically or spiritually, or both!

Herbert Armstrong's error was not in his deduction that there were physical sins, but rather his assumption that it was the stripes on the Messiah's back that HEALED or paid the penalty for "physical" sins (Isa. 53:56). The sufferings of the Messiah were only part of the penalty He paid on our behalf, so we could be forgiven all our sins. But even as the result of physical sin is DEATH (Rom. 6:23), so it was really the DEATH of the Messiah that paid the penalty of our physical sins, and made our healing possible!

What could be clearer than that?

These are serious matters! They must not be taken lightly! Your salvation could well be at stake!

Yeshua the Messiah said, "And ye shall KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH shall make you free" (John 8:32).

But we must be very careful as to what we accept as real new "truth"! YEHOVAH God commands us, "PROVE ALL THINGS, hold fast that which is GOOD" (I Thess. 5:21).

When we discover that the multitude are going into error, YEHOVAH says we should not follow them blindly. Rather, we should rebuke them, and point out the error.

Herbert Armstrong wrote, "So, CONFESSING SUCH AN ERROR is one of the SUREST PROOFS to identify the people through whom the living Christ IS WORKING and whom HE is USING!"

Are you willing to confess and forsake error?

YEHOVAH God says to each of us,

YEHOVAH God thunders, "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, FOLLOW HIM" (I Kings 18:21).

The Church in those days seemed to condemn ALL medical practice and knowledge wholesale, and yet claimed it did not "judge" individual members or their "faith." That, the Church said, was between them and YEHOVAH God. Members were left not knowing what to do. Many opted for medical intervention and surgery for everything; and many died. Others opted for nothing to do with doctors whatsoever; and here in Pasadena, a child of 3-4 years of age died from a respiratory illness, when he stood an excellent chance of recovery had the parents simply taken him to a doctor or the hospital!

The Word of YEHOVAH God shows YEHOVAH is our divine Healer; we should always look to Him for healing. However, that does not rule out medicines, drugs, herbs, ointments, etc. Nor does it rule out seeing a dentist for a broken tooth, fillings, etc., or a surgeon for setting broken bones suffered in an accident, or for various kinds of surgery.

The error in the present Church teaching is that it says ALL MEDICAL PROCEDURES are all right, or approved, and nothing is of itself wrong. One might ask: What about abortions, heart transplants, kidney transplants, surgically installing a baboon heart in a human baby, etc.?

It would appear the leadership of the Worldwide Church of God needs a "brain transplant" among other things, since it has come out with such a foolish conclusion. Such a conclusion totally controverts one of the basic, underlying tenets of faith taught so powerfully for over fifty years by Herbert W. Armstrong! It destroys the very foundation of faith in YEHOVAH God, replacing it with trust in man! What an awesome event, and how amazing that it should occur within approximately ONE YEAR from the death of Herbert Armstrong!

Don't misunderstand. The Word of YEHOVAH God does not condemn all surgery. However, many "operations" on patients with terminal cancer are foolish, a waste of money, and betray a total lack of faith in YEHOVAH God. Surgeons can hack and sew, hammer and slice, and NEVER get to the root of the problem. The priests of YEHOVAH in the Old Testament were not surgeons, or doctors, although they taught the people preventative medicine, and enforced public sanitation and hygiene measures taught in the Word of YEHOVAH God, including diet, nutrition, and quarantine.

We should "do all we possibly can, physically to find a remedy," when we are sick. However, this does not imply we should resort to witchcraft, untested nostrums, dangerous drugs, or surgery. I mean we should do what we can, physically, using common sense, and studying the subject, and getting the best of care. We should neither embrace the medical profession, which stems from the worship of Asclepius, the "man instructing snake," nor should we totally ignore the true scientific gains in knowledge of modern medical science. We need to get a BALANCE! The middle of the road is safer than either extreme.

Many are confused about this matter. Many wonder when a doctor should be consulted. When should one allow themselves or a loved one to be hospitalized?

There is no "easy" answer to a question like this. In general, a doctor's opinion should be consulted when a person becomes ill, and in many cases, his advice would often be very good. It would be all right for a Christian or their child to take a doctor's prescription, and various pills or medications, to fight off infection including antibiotics, penicillin, etc.

But what about surgery?

And what about radiation treatment?

Surgery, for potentially terminal cancer, experience has shown, usually merely postpones the inevitable. The same fact applies to surgery for a major heart ailment. The patient often dies anyway, at the most gaining a few more years of life. And of course sometimes surgery often hastens death! A few years ago my aunt went to a surgeon who was certain he could cure her heart condition. He convinced her to have an operation. She died on the operating table! So much for trust in doctors, surgeons, and "men."

The Word of YEHOVAH God says we should not put our trust in mere mortal men. In fact, Yeshua plainly taught that we should BEWARE OF MEN (Matt. 10:17). Medical malpractice is far more common than most people believe. The trust is that many areas of modern "medicine" are little more than guesswork on the part of the physician.

Much has been made recently of a person's "right to die." Why do some people fear death so much? Isaiah the prophet wrote, "The RIGHTEOUS PERISHETH, and no man layeth it to heart and MERCIFUL MEN ARE TAKEN AWAY, none considering that the righteous is taken away FROM THE EVIL TO COME" (Isa. 57:1).

There is a time to live, and a time to die (Ecc1. 3:2). Sometimes death itself is a real blessing rather than continued suffering, pain, and agony! This is especially true of the Christian who has hope of the resurrection and eternal life in the wonderful Kingdom of YEHOVAH God!

But the modern medical establishment does not view it that way. They insist on keeping people barely "alive," using respirators, iron lungs, oxygen, and multimillion dollar equipment, in order, I fear, to justify its mere existence. The modern medical business is a multi-BILLION dollar industry. It also wields a great deal of POWER, and has a powerful lobby in state and government capitals.

Nevertheless, in the viewpoint of YEHOVAH God Almighty, there is much that needs drastic CHANGING in the modern medical establishment! There is much re-focusing and alteration of basic goals and objectives to be done. Merely maintaining life itself, as if there were no God, and no resurrection, should not be the primary medical goal, as it far too often is, today!

The righteous man Job did not fear death. In fact, during his trials and afflictions he welcomed the thought of it. He wrote, "If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my CHANGE come" (Job 14:14). He added, "Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands" (verse 15).

Job knew the frailty of human life. He wrote, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not" (Job 14:12).

The proper focus of modern medicine should be to help correct that which can be corrected, mending broken bones, giving medicine when it is advisable, and operating as in the case of acute appendicitis. But merely to operate to prolong the life of suffering invalids is not a valid objective. And to operate when a person has cancer throughout their body is also a very dubious procedure. Similarly, for a heart surgeon to operate by resorting to very delicate heart surgery is also a very questionable action. But most people do not have faith or trust in YEHOVAH God! Therefore, if their life means so much to them, that they seek whatever means are possible merely to preserve it a little longer, that is their decision to make. However, a Christian would surely look at such matters differently, with faith in YEHOVAH.

Trust in YEHOVAH GOD means we should trust in HIM. Although doctors have their rightful place, like Luke, they too often tread where angels would fear to go, and try to replace YEHOVAH as our Healer.

The Word of YEHOVAH God shows that YEHOVAH abhors many of the modern techniques, surgeries, and practices of modern medical technology. It is misguided, and under the influence of Satan the devil who is the author of the idea that you can have your cake and eat it, too you can sin, and not have to pay the penalty but just take a "shot."

A true Christian should be very careful, and steer a wise and balanced pathway through the minefield of modern medicine. Some decisions might be very difficult to reach. However, it is always best to gather all the facts one can, and then make a prayerful decision based on the facts and faith in YEHOVAH God. Solomon wrote, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding" (Proverbs 4:7). He added, "For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding" (Prov. 2:6).

Solomon went on, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Prov. 3:5-6).

Sometimes the wise advice of a good doctor can save lives. Sometimes the foolish advice of a self-righteous, pompous physician can kill. Solomon wisely counseled, "The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going" (Prov. 14:15).

The Living Bible puts it this way: "Only a simpleton believes what he is told! A prudent man CHECKS to see where he is going. A wise man is CAUTIOUS and avoids danger; a fool plunges ahead with great confidence" (verses 15-16).

The Good News Bible phrases it this way: "A fool will believe anything; smart people watch their step. Sensible people are careful to stay out of trouble, but stupid people are careless and act too quickly."

I have known people who foolishly believed every word of a surgeon or physician -- and died. And I have known others who listened to the wise advice of a doctor -- and lived!

I have known people who foolishly believed every word of a minister in "God's Church" -- some died, some lost their homes and possessions, others went blind. I have known others who listened to wise counsel and advice, and saved their lives. To put it another way, "Wisdom is the bottom line; therefore, get wisdom. And with all thy wisdom, get knowledge, and facts, so you can make the best decision possible in any given circumstance!"

YEHOVAH God does heal today. He is a miraculous, marvelous Healer. One of His very names, YEHOVAH-ROPHEKA, means, literally, "I am the Lord that HEALS you" (Exodus 15:26).

YEHOVAH God has not lost His power. However, many people have lost their faith. And the more we put our trust in medical science and the doctors of this world's medical establishment the less we tend to trust in YEHOVAH and look to Him!

In the days when Yeshua walked the earth, a woman came to Him to be healed of a serious affliction. The physician Luke writes, "And a woman having an issue of blood TWELVE YEARS, which had SPENT ALL HER LIVING UPON PHYSICIANS (all of them claiming to be able to "cure" her, no doubt!), neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

Here is the lesson of faith. Here is the lesson we all would do very well to learn, and learn deeply. Human doctors and surgeons have very distinct limitations. They also sometimes meddle in areas where they are usurping the divine prerogatives of YEHOVAH God Almighty! Some of their knowledge can be helpful under certain circumstances. Sometimes they can help us with their particular area of expertise and knowledge and ability.

However, no doctor or surgeon can HEAL. No pagan god can heal, either. The modern institution of Baalism cannot heal, either! The man-instructing snake cannot truly heal, either. ONLY YEHOVAH GOD CAN TRULY HEAL!

YEHOVAH's VERY NAME identifies Him as our Divine Healer! There is none other! All the false gods and their quack remedies and witchcraft potions cannot heal. It is high time that we remember, and never forget, that YEHOVAH God is the ONLY One who can truly heal!

YEHOVAH God is our Maker. He designed the human body. He knows exactly how it functions and operates. He tells us in His Word what food or fuel we should partake of, and what we should avoid.

In this modern world there are many chemicals, poisons, and dangerous agents even within our households, walls, plaster, paint, highways, and air, and even chemicals and agents in our food supply and water, and cosmetic products, that can contribute to ill health, disease, and such deadly afflictions as cancer.

As the people of YEHOVAH God, we should do our very best to avoid contamination with all such products, agents, and chemicals.

We should do our very best to OBEY the Laws of Health which YEHOVAH God ordained. But over and beyond prevention of illness through obedience to YEHOVAH and His laws, we must remember that if we still become ill, through some accident or cause, then we should GO TO YEHOVAH GOD, and not to Baal, for divine mercy, and the healing manifestation of the mighty POWER of our loving, compassionate, merciful Father in heaven!

YEHOVAH IS our divine Healer. Don't allow anybody to take that truth and bury it, or hide it from you. Don't allow anybody to suppress it. Don't follow the pagans into the modern "dark ages" which are soon coming upon this hell-bent world!

Remember, YEHOVAH says to the Philadelphia Church, because "thou...hast KEPT MY WORD, and NOT DENIED MY NAME [YEHOVAH GOD OUR HEALER!], I also will KEEP THEE from the hour of temptation...HOLD FAST that which thou hast, that NO MAN take thy crown" (Rev. 3:8-11).

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