One of the prophets says "There is no lawlessness with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts".

He designed that the universe should be an orderly one, which it could not be, unless He, Himself, was subject to His own Self-imposed law. A monarch shows his greatness by placing himself under law. In order to carry out His law, God must not be a Respecter of persons---that is, His law must deal with each one alike, all other things being equal. The "taking of gifts" refers to accepting brides. No one can bribe God.

Let no one think that I am writing about the law that was given through Moses. Just remember this, and it will not be necessary for me to say it again.

The law about which I am writing is called, generally, the law of the Lord. I will not discuss every phase of it. I am concerned here with the phase of it that Paul calls "faith's law", and one mention of it is found in Romans 3: "Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus, * * * * * * where, then, is boasting? It is debarred! Through what law? Of works? But through faith's law". There is a parenthetical clause that I have indicated by asterisks. It reads, following the words, "Christ Jesus", "Whom God purposed for a Propitiatory shelter, through faith in His Blood, for a display of His righteousness because of the passing over of the penalty of sins which occurred before in the forbearance of God, toward the display of His righteousness in the current era, for Him to be just, and a Justifier of the one who is of the faith of Jesus". The thought is, those who lived before Christ, and those who live in the current era are justified by believing in Christ. This is the law of faith. No one in any era of the world could believe in Christ and not be justified. It is a law that works with precision.

This matter is expanded in Romans 4. Abraham's faith was reckoned into righteousness---a thing that could never have occurred on a basis of works. Works cannot justify in the sense in which Paul is discussing it here, but faith can, and does. But the law of faith does more than justify. It was the basis on which Abraham became enjoyer of the allotment of the world. In other words, he became rich in goods through the operation of this law. Would Paul have taken space to write it if it were not a fact that the law of faith still works in the obtaining of material possessions?

Nor does this exhaust the possibilities of the law of faith. When Abraham, was a hundred years old, and when Sarah was ninety, the operation of this law produced the birth of Isaac. Cannot the law of faith bring about physical rejuvenation? Paul is careful to assure us that this story relates not to Abraham alone, but to us also. In his case, and in ours, faith is reckoned into righteousness, into material possessions, and into rejuvenation of physical powers.

The reader will notice the use of the word, "into" in the preceding paragraph. This is far more satisfactory than "for". It is not something that God just "plays like" has taken place. It has actually occurred. It was actually a fact that Abraham became righteous, that he actually became affluent, and that he was actually rejuvenated, together with Sarah. "Now it was not written because of him only, that it is reckoned to him, but because of us also to whom it is about to be reckoned, who are believing on Him Who roused Jesus our Lord from among the dead, Who was given up because of our offenses, and was roused because of our justifying", Roman 4:23-25.

So I say, as in the caption of this article, "God is not lawless". Among other phases, he has a law of faith that He was bound Himself to honor. And it works!

In the matter of health-building, James says, "The prayer of faith shall save the sick". Nor may this be left entirely to the Circumcision, for Paul shows, in II Cor. 1, that he was healed by the faith-prayers of the saints. The anointing with oil might have been a ceremony which is not for our administration, but faith-healing is not absent from ANY era, except possibly the first eon of man on earth, when there does not seem to have been any sickness.

As to the healing of conditions other than sickness, I again call attention to the fact that Paul expected to be released from his imprisonment, through the prayers of the saints.

To the saints also Paul gave instruction that, during every prayer and petition they were to be praying on every occasion, that to him expression should be granted, in the opening of his mouth with boldness, to make known the secret of the welfare message, Eph. 6:18, 19.

To be sure, people died during that eon in which I have said there does not seem to have been sickness. Too long have we thought of sickness being necessary, else people might not die, and thus the earth might become over-populated. Did you ever hear of one dying when he was not sick? Certainly you have! Why should a person have to suffer illness in order to die. Death does not cause physical pain. Sickness does; It is not to ward off death, that I am thus writing. I am not even dealing with that subject. I am pleading that we shall learn that God has made provision through his law of faith, to care for our bodies, our conditions, and our affairs---not to defeat the fiat that, "you shall be dying to die", Gen. 2:17.

God's provision is mentioned in II Cor. 3:17, 18: " * * * viewing the Lord's glory as in a mirror, (we) are transformed into the same image * * *". The idea seems to be, what we see by faith, materializes. Faith uses the imagination greatly.

This very epistle---II Cor.---is an example of this. Near the beginning of it Paul says that he has confidence in them. Just a little further along he said "Such is the confidence we have Christ toward God". Thus he was prepared to write a classic---which this epistle is. It is no wonder that he hastened to say that the life of Jesus was manifested in his body. In previous days, he was filled with apprehension, and was fighting. He says that in that period, "our flesh had no ease, but we were afflicted in everything---outside fightings, inside fears". Now this is gone. His confidence in God and his brethren has made living and serving worth while.

He said they were abounding in everything---in faith, word, knowledge, diligence, and love. He spoke of their eagerness to be helpful. They were in a state of contentment.

There is much entreaty in the epistle, but no harshness. He saw them through the grace of God, becoming such as he wanted them to be, and as he, by faith already knew them to be, in God.

God, through the operation of the law of faith, seizes upon the design in our heart, and reproduces it in kind. Conditions in our life very closely resemble the thoughts and ideas and confidence that is in our mind. When a need is felt and a faith-filled request is made, the law of faith with its creative principle, responds lavishly. This power is available to us through faith.

God holds in His hand, universal substance, which He can transmute into whatever we need, whether it be material blessings or desirable conditions.

Perhaps we have more need to write on this subject, than is the case with most others. This truth is more generally disbelieved than is almost any other. There is a general idea that securing blessings of health through prayer, is a very haphazard business. It may work, or it may not, is the thought often expressed. "If you pray for a healing and then find that God is not willing to heal you, the thing to do is, quit", says one. Now, in what passage in the Bible do you read on one seeking healing, only to hear Christ say, "I am not willing to heal you"? If the absence of willingness is not mentioned even one time, why does it fill such a large place in the thinking of the people?

In the matter of people dying, I must relate an instance that shows that one may be healed, and die afterwards. This occurred in my observation. I treated a man who was in a hospital, and God healed him so that he enjoyed living more than had been the case in many years. Afterwards the time came for him to die, and one day he sat down in an easy chair and was instantly dead. This is as it ought to be. I repeat, it is not necessary for one to be sick, in order to die.

I would not try to keep anyone from seeking medical aid. But God has provided a better way for a man or woman of faith. People tell us glibly that God makes it our duty to seek a physician. What passage tells us this?

I would not say anything against the physician. Usually he is a fine man---a leader in his community. There will be a need for him for a long time, yet. If you are not willing to trust your case in the hands of God, don't do it. Seek medical aid. I would not hinder you, nor reproach you. And you may be sure that God will not put any hindrance in the way of his healing you. And he does heal you, sometimes. But what else do you get beside the healing. Nothing. This is no fault of the physician. He is not equipped to compete with God.

But if your faith leads you to trust your case in the hand of God, be sure that you deliberately plan to really trust Him, and actually trust the operation of the law of faith. Expect healing. Have an intention of being healed. Let it be your WILL to become well.

When God heals you, that is the least thing that He does. The great spiritual blessings that accompanied the healings mentioned in the scriptures are glorious.

It makes much difference whether you are healed by God, or by a physician.