This is part four in a five part review of Dr. Reginald Cherry’s book The Bible Cure. 

• In part one, I shared some positive elements of the book, but pointed out that there was a heavy theme of “revelation” throughout. I made the case that using words like “revelation” along with words like “from God” hold an author to a high standard and their book should be without error.
• In part two of my review, I examined more closely the theme of revelation, noting that The Bible Cure was based more upon science and mysticism than the Bible. I concluded that the “science” of 1998 was not as wise as the “science” of the day. There were also inconsistencies and contradictions in the book.
• In part three we examined four foundational Bible verses for the Bible cure and saw something worse — there was a faulty exegesis of Scripture.

These conclusions have led me to believe that The Bible Cure is based on mysticism and pseudo science — not the Bible. Now we will explore more deeply the mystical nature of The Bible Cure. 

Mystical or Biblical?

The fatal flaw in The Bible Cure is the use of mysticism. If you have read the first three reviews, I suspect you have already made that determination. Therefore, I will only share the most dangerous of all mystical elements in detail — and the rest in recap.

As has been demonstrated throughout this review, Dr. Cherry relies heavily upon mysticism. His reliance upon “revelation” for The Bible Cure and individual cures for his patients is outside the bounds of traditional Christendom (especially since his “cures” contain errors). I may be showing more grace to Dr. Cherry than he deserves here — because his ways could be destructive to the untaught and unstable. Christians may take to themselves the guilt of not being “violent” enough to be healed, or may conclude that it is their own lack of faith that is preventing recovery.

In addition, Dr. Cherry makes claims that seem awfully close to “prophecy.” And, unfortunately,  his advice is not without error (biblically or scientifically). As I am writing through this review I am struggling to not call him a false prophet. Two things hold me back: one he seems to understand the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ; and two I also once adhered to similar false thinking (but God called me out of it by His grace). We are all on a journey. I will leave it to the Lord and Dr. Cherry’s church to sort out his status before God.

Dr. Cherry’s “name it and claim it” approach to healing is another form of mysticism in The Bible Cure. This shows up throughout the book and includes speaking to the mountain or illness, taking the illness with violence, rebuking Satan and taking authority over him, and claiming healing by the stripes. However, there is a more frightening use of mysticism in The Bible Cure  — which manifests as praying to Satan instead of Christ.

Praying to Satan

Principle #1 of the Bible Cure is to “Cast Your Cares On The Lord.” This is excellent advice for anyone seeking healing for their illness — as stress is a leading cause of disease.  Read more here. However, Dr. Cherry takes a mystical approach that could have detrimental consequences. First he has his patients pray like this:

“I cast my fear about this pain in my abdomen once and for all upon You, Lord Jesus. Now here it is; I am giving it to You, Father. I know that You love and care for me. Your perfect love casts out every fear in me. In Jesus’ name and by His stripes, I am healed. Amen” (40).

He then tells his patients that the fear will likely return — and they should no longer pray to Jesus about their fear.  “Instead,” he writes, “I explain that the devil is attacking his mind with fear and his prayer should now be directed toward the devil” (41). He then gives his patients a new prayer addressed to Satan, and tells his patients to use this every time the fear resurfaces. Here’s the prayer:

“Satan, I have cast anxiety about that pain in my abdomen on my heavenly Father, just as He told me to do. He would not tell me to cast my cares upon Him unless it is something I am capable of doing. Therefore, Satan, I take authority over you, and I command you to stop attacking my mind with fearful thoughts” (41).

“I remind my patients,” he continues, “that they must not cast their cares on the Lord again. He has already cast out their fears with His perfect love (1 John 4:18).” After praying two or three times to Satan, he says his patients find the peace that passes all understanding. “It also releases their faith” (41).

Is this the plan that God has given to achieve the peace that passes understanding: to pray to Satan? I think not.

The Bible actually tells us exactly what to do for peace in Philippians 4:4-9.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I am convinced that rejoicing in the Lord;  prayer and supplication with thanksgiving; making our requests known to God; thinking on those things that are true, right, and lovely; and emulating sound doctrine and living — are the things God has ordained to achieve the peace that passes understanding (not praying to Satan). But I am not surprised at Dr. Cherry’s  misunderstanding of Scripture — because it occurs throughout the book. Which leads me to an additional observation: there is an overarching lack of a development of the biblical doctrine of health and healing in The Bible Cure. Dr. Cherry relies more on mysticism, science, and man made ideas, than the Bible

I will address this lack of foundation in part five of my review of The Bible Cure. If you have been reading these reviews — I am sure you will be relieved to know that part five will be the conclusion. (I know I am relieved.) It will be live on April 22.

To be continued…

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Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

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