What is the difference between a healing and a miracle?

[Always in His Presence]

Yes, I believe it is 'miraculous' for someone to be healed, whether instantaneously or over a period of time.

But, what I am asking is from a scriptural POV.

Look here:

1 Cor 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles?Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings?


I thought this would be an interesting conversation.

 

[charityagape]

I'm thinking it would be something outside the norm, that did NOT involve anyone's health. Like walking on water.

 

[kallenfranchise]

Miracles will be giving a blind man sight or giving a deaf man hearing.

Healing is like if I had an awful flu and then being healed by it vanishing within seconds.

 

[Father Rick]

I tend to agree with charityagape, with a slight variance.

Since scripture doesn't really give good definitions (other than the definitions of the words themselves), it would seem that "gifts of healings" deals with those who are in need of healing-- and whatever is ill (be it physically, spiritually, or mentally) is made whole.

Miracles, on the other hand, deals with those supernatural acts, outside of healing, in which the laws of nature are superseded.

Now.. I think there are also cases I classify as a "miraculous healing", where it is beyond something ill being made whole-- such as a missing leg growing back-- things where there is actually a creative miracle occurring as part of the healing.

 

[ydouxist]

Good thread Balance.
I just learned I don't need a healing,

I need a Miracle!!

 

[Telestar]

I think a miracle is an explosion of the might of God into the natural realm. It is specifically intended to awe and inspire those who see it.
A healing is the manifestation of a the compassion and love of God toward someone who is suffering or disabled.

 

[Always in His Presence]

I'm thinking it would be something outside the norm, that did NOT involve anyone's health. Like walking on water.

I tend to agree with charityagape, with a slight variance.

Miracles, on the other hand, deals with those supernatural acts, outside of healing, in which the laws of nature are superseded.

Interesting perspective, I would be curious as to how these verses fit into that perspective??

Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.



Acts 19:11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

 

[charityagape]

Huhmph, well, scripture is scripture. I'm not sure why they're listed separately then.

 

[charityagape]

Maybe? Miracles are a highly noticeable instant thing and healings are at a more "natural" (er that's not really the word I'm looking for but I hope you know what I mean) pace.

 

[Trish1947]

I think a miracle is an explosion of the might of God into the natural realm. It is specifically intended to awe and inspire those who see it.
A healing is the manifestation of a the compassion and love of God toward someone who is suffering or disabled.

I think that is a very good explination of miracles. It's outside the normal realm of healing. I once observed a man that was in a wheelchair, his body was so twisted, with his feet backwards, and his legs shriveled drawn up into his chest, his arms were shriveled and turned backwards also into his chest, his head layed over on the side of his shoulder and he was on a breathing machine. It was just amazing to me the man was alive. Everyone was being healed in the service of various sicknesses and deseases, and people were praising God for being healed. But something started making a popping noise in the service and everyone suddenly got very quiet. This man was making cracking and popping noises from his bones, it echoed all over the building, as we watched this mans limbs one at a time take shape. It lasted for about 20 minutes. By the time it ended, this man was on his feet, with his hands lifted praising God. None of us could even come close to classifying this as just a healing. It was a creative miracle before our very eyes. We were awe struck by Gods power.

 

[whatfor]

Wow that's awesome Trish.

This has got me thinking now though.

 

[Telestar]

I think that is a very good explination of miracles. It's outside the normal realm of healing. I once observed a man that was in a wheelchair, his body was so twisted, with his feet backwards, and his legs shriveled drawn up into his chest, his arms were shriveled and turned backwards also into his chest, his head layed over on the side of his shoulder and he was on a breathing machine. It was just amazing to me the man was alive. Everyone was being healed in the service of various sicknesses and deseases, and people were praising God for being healed. But something started making a popping noise in the service and everyone suddenly got very quiet. This man was making cracking and popping noises from his bones, it echoed all over the building, as we watched this mans limbs one at a time take shape. It lasted for about 20 minutes. By the time it ended, this man was on his feet, with his hands lifted praising God. None of us could even come close to classifying this as just a healing. It was a creative miracle before our very eyes. We were awe struck by Gods power.

Wow...
Thanks for the sharing.

 

[NorrinRadd]

... scripture doesn't really give good definitions (other than the definitions of the words themselves), ....

True, but even beyond that, Scripture does not use words in a precise systematic way.

The word, "miracles" in 1 Cor. 12:9 is "dunamis," often rendered "power."

The word, "healings" in 1 Cor. 12:9 is "iama," derived from the word "iaomi," "to heal."

In Luke 5:17, we find them in such proximity that they are essentially synonymous:

"the dunamis of the Lord was present to iaomi"

Likewise Luke 6:19:

"dunamis was coming from Him and iaomi all"

And again in Acts 10:38:

"how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with dunamis, and He went about doing good and iaomi"


So Luke, who co-labored with Paul, apparently does not see a sharp distinction between the two. In the absence of any clear definitions in the immediate context of 1 Cor. 12-14, I think the overlapping usage by Luke renders futile any attempt to sharply distinguish them.

 

[ShammahBenJudah]

What if miracles aren't as supernatural as we think they are? What if they are the true natural overcoming the superficial?

 

[HephzibahBenJudah]

(IMHO) Healing in my definition is righting what is wrong in the body, mind, spirit, relationships etc. Some are sudden most are gradual.

Miracles (in my definition) are actions or divine interventions by the grace of God and His divine mercies, which are independent of man or his capabilities.

 

[Trish1947]

Wow that's awesome Trish.

This has got me thinking now though.

Yeah, me too. What it made me think of was we discuss healing and the gift of healing alot on the forum. Then it gets into those that are born with such awful deformity. I think were discussing the wrong gift. How many seek the gift of miracles? Especially since they are listed in the Bible as separate gifts, and if we think they are pretty much the same thing, and they aren't.

 

[HephzibahBenJudah]

Just wondering how many folks today would spit on or be spit on in order to receive sight?

In our way of thinking we would try to reason it out instead of act on what we heard.

How many folks would dip 7 times in a "not so clean place" to be rid of skin disorders?

 

[Trish1947]

Just wondering how many folks today would spit on or be spit on in order to receive sight?

In our way of thinking we would try to reason it out instead of act on what we heard.

How many folks would dip 7 times in a "not so clean place" to be rid of skin disorders?

LOL... But true..

 

[whatfor]

Yeah, me too. What it made me think of was we discuss healing and the gift of healing alot on the forum. Then it gets into those that are born with such awful deformity. I think were discussing the wrong gift. How many seek the gift of miracles? Especially since they are listed in the Bible as separate gifts, and if we think they are pretty much the same thing, and they aren't.

Ok , got to try wording this right.

There are two of us at our church that our pastor believes have the gift of healing, both of us have prayed for healings and seen results straight away, both of us believe we have this gift.

How would you know which gift it really is ?

Does it matter anyway as long as we are doing what God wants us to do?

I guess have wondered before how you would know if you had the gift of miracles, does anyone here know if they have it and how does it differ from healing?

Ok , I am still confused, but that is normal for me.

 

[NorrinRadd]

Ok , got to try wording this right.

There are two of us at our church that our pastor believes have the gift of healing, both of us have prayed for healings and seen results straight away, both of us believe we have this gift.

How would you know which gift it really is ?

Does it matter anyway as long as we are doing what God wants us to do?

I guess have wondered before how you would know if you had the gift of miracles, does anyone here know if they have it and how does it differ from healing?

Ok , I am still confused, but that is normal for me.

That's a good point.

I enjoyed Malcolm Smith's old teaching series on the gifts of the Spirit. One thing he pointed out was that it's probably a waste of time to try to precisely pin down and define each gift. When you look at the gifts in actual operation in Scripture, they just don't lend themselves to that. In Malcolm's description, when the gifts operate, it's usually not just one in isolation, but rather an "explosion" of power, with several overlapping.

If Jesus heals someone of a physical ailment, we can reasonably say that's a gift of healing. If He does it by an odd method such as spitting on them, how did He *know* to do that? By a "word of wisdom" or "word of knowledge"? What if He removes a sickness by simply "speaking the word"? When that happens with "mountains" (or trees), it's the gift of faith. If He does it that way because He "knew" by the Spirit He was supposed to, is that a "word of wisdom" or "word of knowledge"? Since the resulting words were spoken in obedience to the Spirit, was that a form of prophecy?