Vincent Cheung on Healing

Because he holds to a modified form of Clarkian presuppositionalism, Cheung is a controversial figure (just like other Clarkians) both in non-Calvinistic AND Calvinistic circles. Clarkians hold to Axiomatic (also called Dogmatic, or Deductive, or Rational) Presuppositionalism which includes the theological/philosophical/apologetical position of Scripturalism as well as the position of empirical skepticism. His views on Calvinism are considered by some to be hyper-Calvinistic or strongly leaning toward it. I myself am a Van Tillian Revelational Presuppositionalist rather than a Clarkian Axiomatic Presuppostionalist (though, I do appreciate some of the contributions and insights Clarkians have made in apologetics).

There are theological, apologetical, metaphysical and philosophical positions that Cheung holds to which some Calvinists will accept or reject (in part or in whole) depending on one's own variety of Calvinism. He has certain Calvinistic positions and distinctives which he brings to bear on the subject of continuationism. For example, he holds to Divine occasionalism and applies that to the issue of divine healing and God's activity in creation. Calvinists are free to hold to a Divine occasionalist understanding of causation and creaturely existence. But there are many other models that are compatible with Calvinism. Jonathan Edwards himself made statements that would sometimes imply Divine occasionalism, and at other times Divine idealism. Calvinists are also free to hold to either the A-theory or B-theory of time with respect to creation. For the record Cheung is a supralapsarian, rejects Common Grace, affirms Divine Command Theory and freely affirms the concept and accepts the term of Hard Determinism (see his book The Author of Sin for some of his distinctives). I also believe his doctrine regarding the Unpardonable/Unforgivable Sin is overly simplistic and can lead to people despairing needlessly.

I post the following links to some of Cheung's works because his writings will challenge cessationist Calvinists to reconsider their position. Also, because his teachings will encourage and enlighten his fellow continuationist Calvinists even if they don't agree with every minor point he makes. I'm in substantial agreement with Cheung on divine healing. Though, I don't necessarily hold to some of his dogmatic Calvinistic views and how he employs them in his doctrine of healing. For example, I'm open to the possible truth of occasionalism, but I don't see why it's the only consistent Calvinistic view of causation as he claims. There have been other views that Calvinists have argued for, and many of them are within the pale of Calvinistic orthodoxy.

Here are links to three works by Cheung on the subject of Divine Healing which he wrote at different times 2001, 2003 and 2012. Take into consideration the fact that his views have developed throughout the years. They have matured and become more balanced. For example, compared to his earlier works the 2012 book is less radical on the issue of the use of natural remedies like medicine. In his latest edition of Biblical Healing (2012) he writes a less extreme and a more balanced view:

"An important difference is that the Bible makes healing through faith the standard instead of the  exception (Matthew 8:17; James 5:14-15), so that it is unacceptable to consider it an optional aspect  of Christian life and ministry. This is not to suggest that those who use medicine should feel  condemned or that they should stop taking their medication. The point is that those who speak as if the Bible eagerly and explicitly supports the use of medicine are wrong – there is no such support in  the Bible. Rather, it teaches us to increase in our faith for healing and in our dependence on God's power."- page 40 of Cheung's 2012 edition of the book Biblical Healing

Lectures on Biblical Healing by Vincent Cheung 2001 (or here)


Biblical Healing by Vincent Cheung 2003 (or here)


Biblical Healing by Vincent Cheung 2012 (or here, here)


Samson and His Faith by Vincent Cheung

Here's my blog page dedicated to resources on Divine Healing  HERE.

Related works by Vincent Cheung

Prayer and Revelation by Vincent Cheung 2012

Invincible Faith by Vincent Cheung

Backstage by Vincent Cheung

Fulcrum by Vincent Cheung 

Trace by Vincent Cheung

Contract by Vincent Cheung

Hero by Vincent Cheung

Blogposts by Vincent Cheung

Beginning in Healing Ministry by Vincent Cheung [audio]

Advancing in Healing Ministry by Vincent Cheung [audio]

Contending in Healing Ministry by Vincent Cheung [audio] 

Healing and Ministry by Vincent Cheung

The Primacy of Healing Ministry by Vincent Cheung [audio]

Power Over Demons by Vincent Cheung

I agree with the general sentiments of the following blogposts by Cheung. However, I do think he's Wayyy too harsh on cessationists. His criticisms are like buckshot. Some of them hit, and hit HARD. While others completely miss the real target and hit strawmen.Many cessationists are doing their best to honor Christ in their teaching, but do so in ways that just aren't logical or Biblical. Their zeal to protect God's glory and reputation by disassociating themselves from extreme Charismatics and their extreme practices actually prevents God from being glorified in the ways He Himself has prescribed. Namely, by signs and wonders. Vincent Cheung's materials exposes much of that.

Faith Override by Vincent Cheung

All Things Are Yours by Vincent Cheung [audio] 

The Extreme Faith Teacher by Vincent Cheung

The Absurd Idea of Need by Vincent Cheung [audio]

Healing: The Will of Man by Vincent Cheung

Persistence in Prayer by Vincent Cheung [audio]

Spotify podcast of Vincent Cheung: https://open.spotify.com/show/37qoev90ZcxyuYEu5SFSRk


Here's another related blog of mine:

List of Notable Calvinists who are also Continuationists

 See especially Johanes Lilik Susanto's doctoral thesis:

A Practical Theological Evaluation of the Divine Healing Ministries of Smith Wigglesworth and John G. Lake: A Continuationist Reformed Perspective