The Doorpost: God's Rx for complete healing

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

James 5: 14-16

The biblical prescription for sickness involves more than physical medicine. Sometimes, mental and physical sickness happens because of ours or others' behavior—and some of these behaviors may involve sin. We need to be alert for both overt and hidden sin. The only cure for this sin is confession. Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.“

Sometimes it is enough to confess our sins to God alone. In cases of more deep-seated sin, it is wise and necessary to confess to one another, asking for supporting prayer.

It is not wrong to use medicine for sickness. Oil was used as a medicine in biblical times, as we see in Luke 10:34 in the story of the Samaritan. But medicine alone is not enough to bring all the healing we need. Complete healing of body, soul, and spirit is only available when we admit and forsake our sins and wholeheartedly follow Jesus Christ.