Kenneth Copeland Cures Corona

Televangelist Kenneth Copeland made the news this week in connection with the coronavirus outbreak. According to several news sources Copeland claimed to heal all of his followers through the TV. Newsweek reported, “...televangelist Kenneth Copeland told viewers of his ministry's program that they were "healed" of the coronavirus disease as he prayed while asking them to touch their television screens to receive the spiritual healing.” Copeland stated on his program, “Thank you, Lord Jesus. He received your healing. Now say it: I take it. I have it. It's mine. I thank you and praise you for it." He continued,  "According to the word of God, I'm healed. And I consider not my own body. I consider not symptoms in my body. But only that which God has promised."

This is a very sad thing to see. It goes to show us that the devil is at work even in the midst of a global crisis. While everyone is trying to come together to salvage life, the devil is out there in sheep's clothing bringing about death. There are several things that are very hypocritical, sinful, misguided and deceitful. For one thing we are not told to guarantee healing for people. Are we to pray for the sick? Yes! Does God still perform miracles? Yes! Does he tell anyone to promise them healing as if they knew the mind of God? No! And now there may be some people who are sick but will not go get help because they were led astray to think that they were healed. Kenneth Copeland is taking the Lord’s name in vain by promising miracles he doesn’t know for sure will happen. If he truly believes that he really does have this power, then why not go to the hospitals where there are confirmed cases of coronavirus? Why do it through the TV where nothing can be confirmed. Why do it virally (no pun intended) through a screen where you can not have any proof that it worked? Why speak through a camera to people who may not have it instead of going to those that definitely do? 

Next is Copeland’s claim that this is all according to the word of God. Yet he never cites where in the Bible he means. I do not know of any verse that states if you pray for healing that it is guaranteed to happen. There are examples of people doing this in God’s word. But there is no verse to state that it will happen for anyone that does it. The one possible verse that he could be referring to is in James 5; “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:14-16) But this does not promise physical healing every single time. If it did then Christians would never die! We would just simply have to pray and everything would instantly go away. But we know that this is not always the case. So what does that mean? That God will comfort them and at times heal them. It is all according to His will (see 1John 5:14). Have you ever prayed for someone who has cancer and yet they still die? Have you ever prayed for someone and their condition got worse? When Paul prayed to God for his thorn in his side to go away, did God remove it? No! We pray for healing and believe He can heal. Yet have faith that He will always do what is right according to His will. 

Lastly, what is the saddest thing of all is that which Copeland does not do. Not once does he preach the gospel. Let me ask you what is more important; people being physically healed or spiritually healed? I tell you what Jesus says: “For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” (Matthew 5:30b)
What good is it for someone to gain their physical health and yet forfeit their soul? This global crisis is a perfect opportunity for the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the day of salvation and we need to let others know about it. When people are feeling vulnerable, anxious and fearful we need to take them to the cross so that they can have their eternity secured. We need to tell them that life is short and not to delay crying out to God for forgiveness. Not to cry out for physical health. He is placing emphasis on the worldly instead of the spiritual. He is leading people to physical health instead of spiritual life. He is focused on the world and not God. God warns us about this, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17) And how many are desiring in their flesh physical health over desiring God? 

 Let's say I give Copeland the benefit of the doubt. I put our differences aside. I ignore the biblical evidence to the contrary. I admit that he can heal people at his very command. That he had the gift of healing and can claim anyone to be healed. And that maybe someone did get healed through his prayer. So what?! If they have not repented of their sins and place their faith in Christ they are still going to hell! Give the people what they need. And what they need is Jesus Christ and Him crucified, not a clean bill of health.