“WE AFFIRM that Jesus’s death on the cross secures for us all the blessings that conform to our salvation here and hereafter. We affirm that the design of the atonement is such that through repentance and faith we are united to Christ and enjoy the blessings of justification, sanctification, and future glorification. We affirm, therefore, that the salvation of our bodies and consequent reception of perfect health and wealth belong to that part of our salvation that will come in glory.“
“WE DENY that the atoning work of Jesus on the cross guarantees for us the blessing of health and wealth here on earth. We further deny that the wholeness envisioned in the salvation procured at the cross will be fully enjoyed by the saints in this life with little to no distinction between what belongs to this age and what will come in the age of glory.“
It is TRUE that the work of Jesus on the cross procures for us blessings from God. These blessings are fundamentally spiritual and not physical. To say that the blessings are spiritual is NOT to say that they are metaphorical. Spiritual blessings, though intangible and invisible, are very REAL. It is no wonder Paul prays in Ephesians that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened to know these blessings. Ephesians 1:3-14, Romans 8, 1 Peter 1:3-9, etc, list for us these spiritual blessings we receive in Christ.
It is also TRUE that part of the blessing is the redemption of creation and our physical bodies (Rom. 8:18-25). This blessing includes the promise of perfect health and wealth for those who trust in Him. However, this promise belongs to the time of our future glorification when we will be raised from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:42-43 tells us what kind of bodies we will have: imperishable bodies, full of power and glory; not subject to any weakness or death. In that body, we will never again have to think about disease or ailment. Revelation 21 paints to us the image of the New Heaven, the New Earth and the New Jerusalem — the final dwelling place of the saints. It is written that the City of God will be adorned with every kind of Jewel: Jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, etc. Clearly, from this image, poverty will not be part of the vocabulary there. But even with all this wealth and beauty, the true blessing of the City of God is that God Himself will be the radiance of the City.
Therefore, it is FALSE to imagine that the work of Christ on the cross secures for us the blessing of perfect health and wealth in this world. The redemption of our physical bodies and the rest of creation has not yet occurred. But it will happen soon and very soon. Until then, as Paul reminds us, “our outer self is wasting away, but our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16). We live in frail, earthly tents — groaning under pain, weakness, and hardship — while eagerly awaiting the day when all things will be made new.
And so, dear Christian, do not set your hope on never getting sick in this life. You will. Do not build your faith on never experiencing hardship, poverty, or misfortune in this world. You will. Instead, fix your confidence on this unshakable truth: in Christ, you are fully forgiven of all your sins, reconciled to God, and spared from His wrath both now and forever. That is the blessing of the cross, and it is yours whether in health or sickness, in abundance or in want.
