The Sacrament of Anointing and Miracle Healing
The Sacrament of Anointing and Miracle Healing
The sacrament of anointing is a tradition that helps sick and dying Christians recover from illness. This practice involves laying hands on the sick, anointing them with oil, and praying with faith. According to the Bible, a priest’s faith-filled prayer will restore the sick person to health.
The Bible teaches that the human being is made up of both a soul and a body. Christ came to save human beings, body and soul. His mission was to raise both body and soul, and the gospel accounts show that he did so by healing people and performing miracles. In fact, between twenty and eleven percent of the gospels contain reports of physical healings, and even exorcisms.
In the first century, Jesus cured many people who were sick. He restored the leper and a dead child. The Jewish Scriptures also identify God as a healer. Many Christians came to faith through deliverance or healing. This gospel of good news not only reassures people of their afterlife, but also meets practical needs, ranging from poverty to sickness.
While the church continued to preach the gospel at large gatherings, ordinary Christians began praying for one another and strangers in homes, hospitals, and grocery stores. The concept of a healing home was later adopted and grew to include nonresidential healing rooms. These rooms were often run by lay Christians and were open to the public without the need to charge fees.