Why does God cure people of deadly cancer, but never heals amputees?

[Tirapu]

Most Christians I have spoken with claim that God can do anything. They make claims that he brings people back from the dead or that he miraculously heals someone from a deadly form of cancer. But curiously, we don't ever see a person who loses a limb have it regrown through a miracle from God. Why would God heal people of incurable cancer, but never have an amputated limb regrow?

[LookingUp]

I'm beginning to see a pattern with you. Why do you open thread after thread without even finishing any of the threads? Are you taking these questions off of some anti-Christian site? If so, how boring and perfectly uncreative. Your true motives are beginning to emerge. And, hey, I could be wrong. You are welcome to prove me wrong. Go to Introductions and answer my post to you in your thread, "hello." Go back and answer my other posts to you with more thought than a two-word sentence.

[shepherdsword]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyGiUP4IXfc

[LookingUp]

Most Christians I have spoken with claim that God can do anything. They make claims that he brings people back from the dead or that he miraculously heals someone from a deadly form of cancer. But curiously, we don't ever see a person who loses a limb have it regrown through a miracle from God. Why would God heal people of incurable cancer, but never have an amputated limb regrow?

So, in answer to yet another one of your questions in honest seeking of the God of creation and King of the universe... Are you saying that you've spoken to people who have seen or experienced a resurrection from the dead and healing from cancer but you have not spoken to people who have seen a limb grow back? Your question assumes that if you, personally, haven't spoken to a person who's seen or experienced this, well then it has never happened. Do you see the flaw in your thinking?

[jayne]

Tirapu,

I’ll answer this question. I’ve answered you four other times in other threads and you haven’t responded. But that’s OK. You don’t have to.

I’ve talked to people like you for decades. Before I answer the question, let me say this. From reading all of your posts (and I’ve read most of them), you do not give the appearance of one who is honestly searching for the truth. You give the appearance of one who is desperately trying to prove that God does not exist and if you can ask us enough questions that we cannot answer or will not give you the answer you want, then ergo, you must be right – God doesn’t exist. Do you believe that to be a fair and intellectual type of reasoning?

Why doesn’t God heal amputees? Some of this comes from me, some from others. All of the following is not originally mine.

1. – Why do you assume that God is required to heal everyone of everything that ails them. He is not. This world is cursed because of man and God provides an escape from the curse. We are all going to die. And part of dying includes suffering. Mercifully- He doesn’t leave us in this sinful state and state of despair. We can be redeemed. But our physical bodies many times bear the brunt of the curse of this world. I have epilepsy. I take more medication for that than the average person could take and still be conscious. I cannot endure high altitudes or excessive heat or bright lights or loud noises without being susceptible to a seizure. The medications – for which I am grateful – will more than likely kill me someday. The liver damage from the meds is a constant dread. But I have never once asked God “why won’t you take this away from me”. I’ve never said, “Well, God must not exist because if He is so good and wonderful, than my life would be all rainbows and unicorns.” It’s never dawned on me that God is required to heal me to prove (a) His existence or (b) His love, grace, and/or mercy to me. What is a constant source of joy to me is that He loves me and that His Son died for me.

2. – Why do you assume that amputees and people with other physical misfortunes are not whole in who they are as a person? What an insult to people who aren’t physically perfect. Physically limited people can be just as whole in their spirit and lifestyle as anyone else. I taught a student once who was born without a right arm. He was the best ball player on his team. He could do with one arm what the rest of his team couldn’t do with two. Stephen Hawking – confined to a wheelchair and a shell of a body has such profound mind. Joni Ericson Tada paints the most beautiful paintings with her mouth and a paint brush. She is a quadriplegic.

3. – Why do you assume that God’s nature has to meet with your approval or my approval. God didn’t present His plan for the redemption of mankind TO mankind for us to approve. He doesn’t call us and ask us what time would we like the sun to come up and if we can pencil in some time to endure a hail storm. Do we understand all of God’s nature? Of course not. We “see” with such limited vision.Your version of God is so limited, Tirapu. You want Him to govern the universe according to your rules. To be fair, some Christians do the same thing.

Why won’t God heal amputees? How do you know He hasn’t? Why does He have to in order to meet your approval? Why do you believe that physically limited persons are not as happy or not as productive as the rest?

[Sojourner55]

Tirapu,

I’ll answer this question. I’ve answered you four other times in other threads and you haven’t responded. But that’s OK. You don’t have to.

I’ve talked to people like you for decades. Before I answer the question, let me say this. From reading all of your posts (and I’ve read most of them), you do not give the appearance of one who is honestly searching for the truth. You give the appearance of one who is desperately trying to prove that God does not exist and if you can ask us enough questions that we cannot answer or will not give you the answer you want, then ergo, you must be right – God doesn’t exist. Do you believe that to be a fair and intellectual type of reasoning?

Why doesn’t God heal amputees? Some of this comes from me, some from others. All of the following is not originally mine.

1. – Why do you assume that God is required to heal everyone of everything that ails them. He is not. This world is cursed because of man and God provides an escape from the curse. We are all going to die. And part of dying includes suffering. Mercifully- He doesn’t leave us in this sinful state and state of despair. We can be redeemed. But our physical bodies many times bear the brunt of the curse of this world. I have epilepsy. I take more medication for that than the average person could take and still be conscious. I cannot endure high altitudes or excessive heat or bright lights or loud noises without being susceptible to a seizure. The medications – for which I am grateful – will more than likely kill me someday. The liver damage from the meds is a constant dread. But I have never once asked God “why won’t you take this away from me”. I’ve never said, “Well, God must not exist because if He is so good and wonderful, than my life would be all rainbows and unicorns.” It’s never dawned on me that God is required to heal me to prove (a) His existence or (b) His love, grace, and/or mercy to me. What is a constant source of joy to me is that He loves me and that His Son died for me.

2. – Why do you assume that amputees and people with other physical misfortunes are not whole in who they are as a person? What an insult to people who aren’t physically perfect. Physically limited people can be just as whole in their spirit and lifestyle as anyone else. I taught a student once who was born without a right arm. He was the best ball player on his team. He could do with one arm what the rest of his team couldn’t do with two. Stephen Hawking – confined to a wheelchair and a shell of a body has such profound mind. Joni Ericson Tada paints the most beautiful paintings with her mouth and a paint brush. She is a quadriplegic.

3. – Why do you assume that God’s nature has to meet with your approval or my approval. God didn’t present His plan for the redemption of mankind TO mankind for us to approve. He doesn’t call us and ask us what time would we like the sun to come up and if we can pencil in some time to endure a hail storm. Do we understand all of God’s nature? Of course not. We “see” with such limited vision.Your version of God is so limited, Tirapu. You want Him to govern the universe according to your rules. To be fair, some Christians do the same thing.

Why won’t God heal amputees? How do you know He hasn’t? Why does He have to in order to meet your approval? Why do you believe that physically limited persons are not as happy or not as productive as the rest?

Great response, Jayne.

I would add only that we must understand the relative inconsequential nature of physical impairment--indeed mortality itself--against the backdrop of eternity, where all God's children will have perfect, immortal bodies--no matter what physical challenges they face in their mortal bodies. It irks me to see people ragging God about not healing the faithful, when the most beautiful example of faith is seen by those who praise Him in the midst of their infirmities. That is true faith.

People need to recognize that this is a temporary world, which we inhabit with temporary bodies designed to last long enough to secure our eternal existence, and fulfill the purpose God has ordained for each of us. Why do good people suffer? Why are Christians being killed today en masse? Why are innocent children allowed to suffer from abuse or disease? Because this world is under a curse, and we can expect to see these things continue until Jesus returns to fully redeem us and the earth, eradicate evil and establish His eternal kingdom. Instead of asking why God doesn't heal every affliction, or allow suffering in the world, we should ask why God bothered to our fat out of the eternal fire--to the point of taking on our human flesh, and suffering horribly in our place.

[Adstars]

Most Christians I have spoken with claim that God can do anything. They make claims that he brings people back from the dead or that he miraculously heals someone from a deadly form of cancer. But curiously, we don't ever see a person who loses a limb have it regrown through a miracle from God. Why would God heal people of incurable cancer, but never have an amputated limb regrow?

I don't often see people asking to have their limbs restored. Do you? Actually i have never seen someone come forward seeking their limb to be restored.

If one wants to be healed one must first believe without doubt that God can heal the affliction. I guess there are not many people around that truly believe that God can or would restore a severed limb. So is it a case that God cannot do this thing or is it a case that no one has the faith to believe He would.

If is a limitation on God or a limitation of man's faith?

Of course i believe that God could restore a severed limb. He is God the Creator of all existence. He can do anything that is possible to do. A God who created the universe and all in it could restore a severed limb in a twinkling of an eye.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days

[Quickened]

Most Christians I have spoken with claim that God can do anything. They make claims that he brings people back from the dead or that he miraculously heals someone from a deadly form of cancer. But curiously, we don't ever see a person who loses a limb have it regrown through a miracle from God. Why would God heal people of incurable cancer, but never have an amputated limb regrow?

God sometimes allows unfortunate circumstances to occur to people. Some people are healed completely, some people are not. In my experience more often then not people are allow to suffer. The one thing I note is the results is has on their spiritual growth. By and large these people are totally reliant on God and that shows through their daily dialogue and how they live their lives. There are members here that I pray for that have never been fully restored or are in a state of suffering. I can say those people tend to be the biggest blessing and greatest testimony to Jesus when you see their faith despite their suffering.

A man that praises God's name despite his trails is an incredible testimony and a great encouragement to the saints. You'd be surprised how many variables come into play.

We are never told we are going to have this great life. Free from anxiety, pain, suffering, sickness, etc.

Study the early church. A man mamed for God was and is a great testimony. The missing arm, the missing flesh, the burns and scars testify to their faith. What good is it to endure suffering and have nothing to show for it? Imagine a man tortured for his faith and released is somehow immediately made whole. When he returns to the public eye his story would be met with skepticism. When that same man appears back in the public eye to serve the church with a missing eye, burnt body, etc it is a powerful testimony to God's work in that mans life.

Likewise when a saint suffers and yet praises God's name regardless that is equally powerful. There is more gained in that missing limb then you would think.

Read through church history or Foxes Book of Martyrs. You could grab church history by Eusebus. I think what you learn about those early saints will answer your question better then I can.

[A Seeker]

I think its because God uses natural means to affect supernatural cures. So for eg, there are viruses which specifically target cancers and cancers DO sometimes spontaneously remit. Blind people can see again, (depending on the cause of the blindness). But severed limbs don't regrow.

COULD God do it? Maybe. He COULD have made the helicopter I prayed for as a child spontaneously appear in my back garden. But I guess he gets to choose.