Vitalistic and Mechanistic Thinking vs. Chiropractic, Hope and Healing
Proverbs 3:7-8 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
Two challenges we face in being wise in our search for wellness:
1. Common misconceptions about “modern” medical science
2. New age philosophy
Your bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made. You’re literally designed by God to be healthy. So what we teach you through chiropractic and not simply treat disease.
Healing doesn’t come from a pill, a shot, a vitamin, or a doctor of any kind. It can only come from God. Chiropractic doesn’t treat the symptom or the illness, chiropractic doesn’t cure the illness. This can only happen from God’s power. God doesn’t need any help to get you well or keep you well. What He needs is no interference. Chiropractic seeks to remove that interference.
All throughout God’s Word, we see people healed and overcoming their circumstances through faith and/or by changing over to a godly lifestyle. The Bible reveals to us that we as human beings are far more then merely $1.96 worth of raw materials, but instead we have a supernatural quality. It also shows that what we sow into our bodies radically affects the results we reap in them.
Under “Modern” Medicine:
1. Doesn’t look at the spiritual makeup of mankind.
2. By ignoring this fact, today’s miracle drug has become tomorrow’s class action suit.
This medical or mechanistic philosophy views your body as merely a frail biochemical machine controlled by genes and predestined to either; fail or succeed, be happy or sad, be ill or be well. While this type of health care can be of great benefit in the case of emergencies and other extreme circumstances, because it is not considerate of natural, God-given function there are always dangerous “side effects.”
Under New Age:
1. It is a modern manifestation of Satan’s old lie: “you shall be as gods.”
2. It puts man in the center of the universe.
3. It would be laughable if it weren’t so dangerous: we didn’t create ourselves, we cannot heal ourselves, and we miss the ultimate power of chiropractic without a vital relationship with the one true living God.
New age dogma does recognize the spiritual truth that life cannot be explained solely by mechanistic thinking and it acknowledges the important role of natural living in creating wellness. Unfortunately, God is not at the center of this thinking and rather, His sovereignty is replaced by terms like “Vitalism,” “Metaphysics” or “Universe.” In addition to the clear moral and spiritual dilemma beliefs like this have, new age places the focus of healing outside of the authority of God.
Under a lifestyle in alignment with God’s intentions:
Because we are God’s creation –we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are so much more than a machine –but we are also stewards of our body. As a steward, it is our duty to take the best possible care of our bodies so they can perform exactly the way God designed them to perform.
Because we are God’s children (If you’ve trusted Jesus as your Savior) –we have exceedingly great and precious promises. He will heal us when we’re sick. He will bring us peace when we’re anxious. He will bless us with every spiritual blessing in Christ because He is the best Father of all. So, along with our good stewardship, He can break the power of “genetic tendencies” . . .and scientific evidence shows us that. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, spinal degeneration, depression, etc. can all be change by God and help through chiropractic.
Unlike mechanistic thinking, the word of God shows us that you are not weak or pre-programmed, but vital and powerful beyond what you can ever fully fathom. There is something supernatural about you and your body that goes far beyond genetics; material DNA, chemistry, biology, and physics. And unlike new age thinking, as Christians, we also know this power comes through God . . .and through no where else.
Your genetics are a tendency, not a death sentence and in fact science shows us that only 2% of any conditions have to do with a single gene disorder. Therefore we know, 98% of the time, you have something to say about your future by how you believe and live your life. Sadly, living a healthy, natural lifestyle has often been construed as “new age” or “alternative” living. However, it is the Bible that touts honoring your body, treating the body like a Temple, godly living, and natural healing. Gyms, health food stores, and natural health care providers should all be Christian stores, businesses, and clinics–not new age or alternative.
With God, all things are possible,
Dr. Ben Lerner
#cccmovement