AMERICA – THE HEALTHCARE DEBATE
Monday – September 25, 2017
Once again the Congress of these United States is looking at a healthcare bill called Graham-Cassidy that will at least in part repeal and replace Obamacare. As you may know Senator Bernie Sanders is also introducing a bill for a single-payer system basically Medicare for all. You may recall that with Obamacare it was said that millions more people were able to be covered by insurance. What was not made clear was that the increase was basically in the Medicaid program, a welfare program meaning it is funded with taxpayer dollars. In addition, the criteria for qualifying for Medicaid was relaxed significantly meaning that the American taxpayer is picking up an even larger tab. Currently 68,806,800 persons are on Medicaid and other publicly funded healthcare programs. Two-thirds of those on Medicaid are the elderly and disabled. Some 28,965,900 persons are uninsured. Approximately, 199,598,800 persons are on employer plans or in the individual market. These numbers add to 318,868,500 persons in America. Health insurance was initially designed to pay only for significant health events. Now, there is coverage for everything and of course that is becoming prohibitively expensive. The price of medications is soaring.
This is a complex issue because of the governmental involvement and massive regulations. The best solution is for the government at every level to get out of healthcare. This would due to governmental entrenchment cause tectonic and for some catastrophic shifts in economics and healthcare. Healthcare would then be sold as any other commodity and subject to the same market forces. There was a time when Churchs through the building and maintenance of hospitals provided healthcare for all who would not receive from God.
Obamacare and the Bernie Sanders proposal take us in the direction of socialized, government mandated medicine whereas the Graham-Cassidy bill slows the rush to serfdom (poverty, bankruptcy, and bondage). The question for believers (Christians) must be; what is the Bible answer? There are three general arguments used to justify government mandated and controlled medicine. One argument is that we are the only industrialized nation that does not have government mandated and government paid healthcare. In effect they are saying we want to be like these other nations. Really? Sounds like what Israel said when they demanded a king so they could be like the heathen countries that surrounded them. Let me ask, how did that work out? Another argument is that we are a rich nation and it is indefensible that we do not provide care for all. That is perhaps the stupidest argument of all, however this is how the government, and unfortunately many people operate. We have a culture of consumerism not wealth building, self-reliance, and volitional (willing) charity. The way to become rich is to spend less then you bring in, and the way to stay rich is to spend less money than you bring in. God’s government and the origins of our government are not designed to take (with the threat of force) from one and give to another (redistribution of wealth). We are currently over twenty trillion dollars in debt with no end in sight. We have done stuff that felt good and stood up another god. The government exists to provide its citizens a common defense and a free tranquil environment which is the true intent of the “general welfare” clause in our Constitution. The third argument appears to be spiritual claiming that the Bible, even Jesus Himself demands that we as a nation provide healthcare for all.
The question for Christians is this: what direction does Scripture provide, and did Jesus in fact say it was the governments responsibility to provide healthcare for all or for anyone? Short answer: it is not the governments responsibility to provide healthcare for anyone and Jesus never said that the government was to provide healthcare. In fact as we search the Bible there is no mandate, no call for any government at anytime to provide healthcare to anyone. There were two excellent opportunities in Scripture for Jesus to comment on this with one being the woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9, Mark 5, Luke 8) and the other being the account of the good Samaritan (Luke 10). In neither case did Jesus disparage healthcare or assign responsibility to the government. Finally, let’s look at perhaps the most common “spiritual” argument that Jesus would adversely judge the government if it did not provide healthcare to all.
Matthew 25:35-36 (KJV)
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
The passage above is only part of the account but the long and short of it is that Jesus is not talking to the government, He is talking to individuals. When the people of this nation turned away from God (the Church first then the peoples) they choose other gods, prominent among these other gods is the government. In all of our lives there will be persons to whom the Lord will lead us to minister of our resources. Biblically, individuals and Christian organizations are directed of the Lord to minister in the lives of other believers. There may be times we will be called of God to minister outside of the family of believers but most of our ministry (which is directed of God) will be to the family of believers. Supernatural health and healing are part and parcel of being in the Kingdom of God. Health is maintained by the Word of God (Proverbs 4:20-27). Should we fail to develop our faith (by deception, ignorance, or laziness) and fall into sickness, God has provided a lesser quality healthcare.
Exodus 15:26-27 (KJV)
26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. (Bold added)
27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
Proverbs 14:34 (KJV)
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
The righteous approach is to not empower the government to provide healthcare for all. Healthcare is an individual responsibility whether that be the maintenance of health through the Word of God, healing by the Power of God, or the purchase of insurance and self-reliance for the difference. All of our circumstances are the result of our thoughts, words, and actions. If we are in the Kingdom of God and we are poor it is by choice or ignorance absent diligent inquiry and faith building which is sin. There are those who preach a “gospel” of physical poverty in the natural but we are building riches in Heaven, that is a foolish and misguided teaching. Spiritual success always produces natural success. Let us as a Church choose what is Godly and reject what is evil. The devil can sound really good, just think about how his story must have sounded to Adam and Eve. It sounded so good that they rejected the Word of God and embraced evil.
Isaiah 5:20-23 (KJV)
20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
CONTACT E-MAIL: pastordavidwood@gmail.com
BLOG: https://awakeariseandtriumphministries.org
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