“By His stripes I am healed.” If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a million times, especially among my friends in the Charismatic community who apply it to anything from an ingrown toenail to cancer.
Yes, the Bible says that, and yes, it is true – but there’s a big “but” that most skip over (disregard?) and thus miss the most profound truth, which connects that healing to the narrow path and the exclusive life it offers. It’s more challenging and far more rewarding than slapping a quick faith-text on our physical need.
When we consider our I Peter 2:24 pet phrase in its context, we see that it follows the part that says that Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross “so that” we might die to sin and live to righteousness – and then comes the healing part.
The point is that our sickness of spirit, soul and body is because of our sin/sinfulness which Jesus took upon Himself on the cross to provide for our healing – again, of spirit, soul and body. And in v25 Peter goes on to say that we have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls, which speaks of our inner being or life which profoundly affects the health of our body.
As we then walk on the narrow path under His guardianship, we come into alignment with God’s comprehensive design for humanity. We find our intended identity, purpose and security “in Him,” providing stress-relieving personal shelter in the storm and provision in drought as those of Psalms 33 and 34 – thus minimizing the fleshly things of body and soul that otherwise overload our immune and repair systems.
There are reasons why Jesus was never sick, and the more we stay on the narrow path, the more we will reap the benefits of being like Him. Truly, by His stripes we are healed, and in a much deeper way than most of us usually believe – even us Charismatics.
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, Ohio USA
May 5, 2026
Printable pdf at: www.10minas.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/26-20.pdf