The Bible does not directly address healthcare as we know it today, as modern medicine did not exist at the time it was written. However, the Bible does provide principles and examples that can guide Christians as they think about healthcare and make healthcare decisions.
Caring for the sick and suffering
One of the most prominent principles in the Bible regarding healthcare is the call to care for those who are sick and suffering. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus consistently demonstrated compassion and care for those with illnesses and disabilities, often healing them of their afflictions.
Jesus healed the lame (Matthew 15:30), the blind (Mark 8:22-25), the demon-possessed (Mark 5:1-20), lepers (Luke 17:11-19), and many who were sick with various diseases (Matthew 14:14). In healing, Jesus restored individuals to wholeness and enabled them to fully participate in community again.
Jesus instructed his followers to do likewise, commanding them: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons” (Matthew 10:8). The early church took this call seriously, and there are multiple examples of the apostles healing the sick through the power of Jesus (Acts 3:1-10, Acts 14:8-10). James says that praying for the sick is something we should all do regularly as Christians (James 5:14-16).
Clearly, Christians are called to follow Jesus’ model of compassionately caring for the sick and relieving suffering whenever possible. This provides a biblical basis for supporting and participating in healthcare ministries that aim to heal the sick and use medicine as an instrument of God’s healing grace.
Value of life
The Bible affirms the inherent worth and dignity of human life created in the image of God. Genesis 1:27 declares that God created mankind, male and female, in His own image. Even after the fall, Genesis 9:6 gives a prohibition against murder based on the truth that mankind is made in God’s image. Psalm 139 marvels at the wonder with which God knit each person together in the womb.
This high view of human life means that Christians should support healthcare practices that honor and protect life. Efforts to prevent disease, foster healthy lifestyles, and develop ethical medical treatments align with the biblical value of human life. Christians promoting a culture of life can view healthcare as a way to practically love our neighbors (Mark 12:31).
At the same time, the Bible’s high view of human life also means that Christians should oppose healthcare practices that dishonor life. Things like abortion and assisted suicide diminish the dignity of life made in God’s image. Christians should thoughtfully consider how certain beginning-of-life and end-of-life healthcare options impact human dignity.
Whole person care
The Bible presents a holistic view of mankind, affirming the importance of both the physical body and the spiritual component. When Christ healed people in the Gospels, He often addressed both physical and spiritual needs. Jesus did not just heal the lame man at the pool of Bethesda – He also addressed issues of sin in his life and exhorted him to a new way of living (John 5:1-15).
This demonstrates the whole-person care that should be present in Christian healthcare. As the Presbyterian scholar Allen Verhey writes, “The biblical vision of the end of our redemption in the kingdom of God includes the vision of whole persons in a wholly healed creation.” Good healthcare attends to the full person, caring for both bodily and spiritual health.
Christians in healthcare can model whole person care. Physicians can inquire about a patient’s spiritual health and refer to chaplains or community resources. Nurses can perform their duties as a ministry, not just a job. Hospitality and compassionate bedside manner are just as important as clinical competence. And healthcare administrators can shape policies that promote patient dignity.
Justice and healthcare access
Concern for justice is prevalent throughout the Bible. God implores His people to “do justice” and care for the poor and needy (Isaiah 1:17, Micah 6:8). Jesus exemplified justice in how He treated and advocated for society’s marginalized (Luke 4:16-21). Equal access to healthcare is a key justice issue today.
Christians are called to think critically about how healthcare resources are allocated. We must evaluate whether current systems promote justice and protect the rights of the underprivileged. Within our sphere of influence, we should each do what we can to ensure healthcare access for all people, speaking up for those who lack a voice in the process.
Advocating for policies and programs that provide healthcare to underserved populations can be an outflow of the biblical emphasis on justice. Healthcare and health outcomes often correlate with socioeconomic status, revealing inequalities that demand our attention.
Stewardship of resources
The Bible teaches that human beings are managers, not owners, of what God has entrusted to us. 1 Peter 4:10 declares, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” This principle has implications for how we approach healthcare.
As finite creatures, we do not have unlimited healthcare resources. Difficult stewardship decisions have to be made about allocation of time, personnel, hospital beds, expensive equipment, and more. Christians in healthcare can thoughtfully seek how to be good stewards, maximizing the medical resources available without waste or misuse.
Individuals also have a responsibility to steward their personal health well. Taking care of our bodies honors God’s design in creating us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Preventive care and healthy lifestyles reflect good stewardship of health for both ourselves and others.
Role of community
Throughout Scripture, there is emphasis on community and caring for one another, especially in times of illness or suffering. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 describes the strength and comfort found in community: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”
In the early church, caring for the sick was often done in community, not isolation. James 5:14 instructs those who are sick to call for the elders of the church community to pray over them. Community creates support systems that can complement medical care.
Even today, community-based strategies can increase access and quality of healthcare. Things like public health campaigns, support groups, meal deliveries, and volunteer medical transportation utilize community connections to improve health. The communal nature of healthcare aligns with biblical principles.
Role of compassion
One of the most consistent characteristics of Jesus’ healthcare ministry was compassion. Matthew 14:14 says that when He went out and saw the sick, “He had compassion on them and healed their sick.” The Greek word for compassion evokes a feeling of being moved in one’s inward parts over the suffering of another.
Followers of Christ should see healthcare as a compassionate response to human suffering. Healthcare that is devoid of compassionate presence becomes cold and clinical. Christian healthcare workers embody the compassion of Christ through sympathetic listening, gentle touch, sincere concern, and responding to needs.
Compassion moves healthcare beyond merely technical proficiency. A compassionate healthcare system sees people not as patients or dollar signs, but as human beings created in the image of God. Offering compassionate care for the sick and elderly honors their fundamental worth.
Prayer and dependence on God
Though healthcare relies on modern medical knowledge, the Bible reminds Christians to also rely on God through prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages prayer as the way to experience God’s peace and turn cares over to Him. James 5:14-15 instructs believers to pray over the sick, trusting God for healing.
Regular prayer for patients is a simple but profound way that Christian healthcare workers express dependence on God. Prayer humbles us, acknowledges our human limits, and lays our deepest needs before our all-powerful Creator. Miraculous healings still occur today in answer to prayer.
Beyond just prayer for healing, Christians in healthcare should also pray for wisdom (James 1:5). Medicine involves difficult ethical dilemmas. We need divine guidance to make healthcare decisions that align with biblical principles. Prayer keeps healthcare rooted in Christ-centered compassion, not just clinical competence.
Limits of medicine
While Scripture portrays medicine as a gift from God, biblical authors also acknowledged its limits. When King Asa was afflicted with diseased feet, “even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians” (2 Chronicles 16:12). This led to his premature death.
Seeking only medical help while neglecting spiritual health often leads to disappointment. Doctors cannot ultimately provide the meaning, hope, and peace the human heart longs for. Medicine has limits in its ability to cure disease, extend life, and improve quality of life.
Christians in healthcare do well to humbly acknowledge the limits of modern medicine. Reminding patients to also seek God can provide eternal comfort beyond what a prescription or surgery can offer. Healthcare aims to heal and reduce suffering but cannot completely conquer disease or death apart from Christ.
Conclusion
The breadth of biblical principles applicable to healthcare is extensive. Christians have solid ground on which to build a theology of healthcare. As our nation debates healthcare policy and Christians make personal health decisions, biblical values like compassion, human dignity, justice, community, and stewardship should guide the process. Healthcare pursued within biblical parameters has great potential to alleviate suffering and embody God’s redemptive purposes.
