Now, that is God’s Word. This is first always. In any religious doctrine that’s not based upon the Word of God, through the entire Word of God, I’m afraid of it. You can make the Word say anything by twisting It around, but it must be proven to be the truth. And now, as…If I come and told you, I could heal you, I would be doing something contrary to the Word; for the Word doesn’t teach it that way. I cannot do one thing that Jesus has already done. He healed you when He died for you. That’s Scripture: “He was wounded for our transgressions; with His stripes we were healed.” And as Moses lifted up the brass serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Moses lifted up the brass serpent for a compound reason: for healing and forgiveness of sin. The children had murmured against God and against Moses, and serpents had bit them. So it healed their sick and forgave their sin. And just as the brass serpent was lifted up, so must the Son of Man be lifted up for the same cause. There you are.

The Authority of the Word, 1953-06-02, Connersville, IN, §6