It reads: A judge upheld murder charges Wednesday against a fundamentalist Christian couple in their infant's faith-healing death, saying things might be different if their toddler hadn't died four years ago "under strikingly similar circumstances."
Their probation in that case required Herbert and Catherine Schaible to seek immediate medical help if another child was sick or injured. But they instead prayed over 8-month-old son Brandon before he died of pneumonia in April, according to their police statements.
Defense lawyer Bobby Hoof argued that Brandon died just three days after he came down with cold and flu symptoms and said there was no evidence of malice, as required for third-degree murder. The judge disagreed.
"They learned in the worst possible way ... exactly what these symptoms could lead to in a child, especially a young child, if not medically cared for," Common Pleas Judge Benjamin Lerner said, referring to the 2009 death of 2-year-old Kent Schaible. "We've been here before ... under strikingly similar circumstances."
What can we say here? Faith as killer?
Looking up how often this sort of thing occurs, I find that about a dozen U.S. children die each year when parents turn to faith healing instead of medicine, typically from highly treatable problems, according to experts. At least one state, Oregon, explicitly banned faith healing as a murder defense after a series of deaths.
Let's explore this without prejudice. Here's what the Bible says about healing, particularly by faith.
He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for out iniquities;the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed;
(Isaiah
53:5)
The Lord
forgives all their iniquities; who heals all your diseases.
(Psalm
103:3)And you shall serve the Lord your God; and he shall bless your bread, and your water; and I will take sickness away from your midst.
(Exodus 23:25)
He sent his
word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions
(Psalm
107:20)Is any sick among you? let hem call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him
(James 5:14)
Jesus said to the two blind men"Believe ye that I am able to do this?"
Then he touched their eyes saying"According to your faith be it unto you"
and their eyes were opened (Matthew (9:28-29)
What are we to make of these verses, especially in light of what happened on Wednesday? Does God heal all who have faith? As importantly (if not more), what are we to make of those who apparently have very strong faith but are not healed?
Years ago a dear, dear friend contracted a very serious disease. Our Bible study group got together, anointed his head with oil, and prayed as hard as human beings can. He had faith in abundance. We, I believe, had faith in abundance. He wasn't healed. Hasn't been to this day.
So, does having faith mean healing?
I think any explanation has to begin with a bit of translation work. The verses from Isaiah are the ones most often used to describe the connection among Jesus, healing and faith. But they're most often misused, too.
I had another friend, very early in my walk with Christ, who contracted cancer. He once prayed with me over this and he quoted the old prophet about stripes and such. My friend died before being healed.
Here's the deal: The word translated “healed” can mean either spiritual or physical healing. However, the contexts of Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 2 make it clear that it is speaking of spiritual healing. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” 1 Peter 2: 24. The verse is talking about sin and righteousness, not sickness and disease. Therefore, being “healed” in both these verses is speaking of being forgiven and saved, not physically healed.
That's why James 5:15 is so vitale to our understanding, I suspect. It reads, "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has sins, they shall be forgiven him
(James 5:15) Here the connection between healing and the forgiveness of sins is made clear.
This much I know: if everyone I prayed to be healed was, the world would soon grow very short on food because no one would die. Clearly that is not the case. I've prayed and prayed and prayed for many persons who were in grave difficulty, and pretty much to a person they have died.
Now, one could argue that it is my faith that is weak, and I wouldn't win that argument probably. But...
It seems to me, and the Lord knows how wrong I often am, ultimately, our full physical healing awaits us in heaven. In heaven, there will be no more pain, sickness, disease, suffering, or death (Revelation 21). If that's the case, and since many of those who have gone ahead of us to heaven were indeed in pain, in sickness, had diseases and were suffering, one can easily see there was some sort of physical healing before they settled in for the family barbeque up there.
Thus, we all need to be less preoccupied with our physical condition in this world and a lot more concerned with our spiritual condition Romans 12: 1-2. Then we can focus our hearts on heaven where we will no longer have to deal with physical problems. Revelation 21:4 describes the true healing we should all be longing for: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Remember, the Apostle Paul seems to have had more faith in Jesus Christ than anyone walking around today. He talked about that ol' thorn in the flesh, and although we don't know exactly what that was, I suspect it was a malady that faith on occasion would heal. And what did Paul hear? "Isn't my grace sufficient?"
What the family did about was full of faith, but in my opinion was misdirected tragically. If they had put their faith in a forgiving God instead of a healing God, in a God who honors the expertise and schooling of doctors in their area, they would have -- it seems -- two more children than they have now, two living, breathing, souls.
I suspect God has had to wipe away tears from his own eyes about this misunderstanding of faith and healing.
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