|
StudyJesus.com
presents One Another
Navigation: Index >> Previous >> Next
Scripture
Confess your trespasses to one
another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective,
fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
In the first part of this verse, James1 is still thinking of healing as in the previous verses (vs. 13-15). He brings
in two things: the confession of faults to one another and praying for one
another. In the latter part of the verse he speaks of prayer and its power; not
an ordinary prayer, but a fervent prayer of a righteous man.
Confess
your trespasses
Confession of trespasses (faults) or sins is necessary if
there is to be healing. Even if there is no sickness, sin should be confessed.
Our verse speaks of confessing sins to one another, but sins must also be
confessed to the Lord. The prayer of faith cannot operate as long as sin is
locked in one's bosom. Sin confessed will grow less, but not confessed will
grow worse and worse. Finally, the sinner will become shameless in his evil and
obstinate when reproved. "He who covers his sins will not prosper, But
whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy" (Prov.
28:13). "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Confess
your trespasses to one another
Confession must not only be to God or to elders, but to one
another—especially to those against whom we have sinned. Sin affects the honor
of the Lord, the assembly as a unit, as well as individual members. There might
be some sins that are against the Lord alone and so should be confessed only to
Him, but some sins are against individuals and the assembly of Christians.
Some
excuse their own faults
It is easy to see the faults of others, and some delight in
pointing them out. Usually, those who enjoy pointing out the failings of others
cannot bear to have their own pointed out; but will make all kinds of excuses
for their own failures, while leaving none for those of others. Such need not
expect healing from the Lord, but may be laid low by Him. Let us never defend
our faults, but rather confess and forsake them.
Wrong
done to an individual
If one sins against an individual, confession should be made
to that individual. When there is trouble between individuals, they should get
together and ask for pardon, and do all in their power to make
things right. "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember
that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the
altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and
offer your gift" (Matt. 5:23, 24). The early church understood this to
mean that all differences should be straightened out before they sat down
together at the Lord's table2. If both
parties in a quarrel have sinned, let both make mutual confession.
Confess
serious sins publicly
Sometimes Christians do serious things that bring reproach
on the body of Christ, the church3. Such things
demand pubic confession in order that it may be publicly known that the brother
or sister has repented, and that the church of our Lord does not approve of
such things. This will have a humbling effect on the sinner, and there is less
likelihood of a repetition of the sin. Pubic discipline is not a pleasant
thing, but is occasionally necessary to keep the church pure. When one is not
willing to confess immoral practices publicly, it is an open admission of a
truly corrupt heart, and such a person desperately needs the help of the elders—shepherds
of the flock.
Private
sins
Sometimes Christians are guilty of things that may not be
publicly known, yet defile the Christian. These may well be confessed to Christian
friends, so they may help in prayer to overcome. Some of these things should probably
not be confessed to any other Christian, lest, instead of praying, busybodies scatter
it abroad and do a lot of damage. It is wonderful to have true Christian
friends, who will help and pray.
Let
confession be definite
When confession is
made, whether to God or man, let it be definite. Do not say in a general way,
"I have sinned," but let the definite sin be mentioned. One
Christian, who had at one time been a drunkard, was enticed and fell back into
his old sin. A brother visited him about it, and the troubled brother readily
confessed and appeared penitent. They got down on their knees, and the man who
had fallen began to say, "Lord, I have sinned." The brother stopped
him and said, "If you expect to be forgiven you better tell the Lord that
you got drunk." This he did, and he was restored to the Lord and to His
people.
Other
Scriptures
There are many examples and exhortations in the Word of God4 regarding confession. The chief butler confessed his sin in not telling Pharaoh
of Joseph who was unjustly confined in prison (Gen. 41:9, 10). Shimei confessed his sin in cursing David (2 Sam. 19:19).
Those who came to John the Baptist were baptized of him in
Not
a confessional
Some religious organizations have made this verse a basis
for the confessional. There is no thought here of confessing to a human being
for the forgiveness of sins. It is a Christian’s confession of sins to one
another. It is not a regular thing, but an occasional confession as need
arises. Some in the religious world believe that confessing sin on a regular
basis to a church leader is necessary for salvation6.
While it is good and right for Christians to confess to one another when need
arises, the real confessional is the throne of God.
Pray
for one another
After confession, fault should not be found with the
confessor, but prayer should be made for the child of God. The main purpose and
value of confession is that prayer might be made a matter of fellowship with
others. "Brethren, pray for me; I have this besetting sin, and I am having
great difficulty overcoming it." Two, three or more praying about a matter
is surely better than one. Sadly, many of us are unable to confide serious
matters even to our wives.
Not
selfish in our prayers
No doubt, some are selfish in their prayers. They say,
"Lord, give me this, or give me that." They never think to pray for
anyone else beyond themselves and their families. They are like the man who
prayed: "Lord bless me and my wife, my son and
his wife; we four and no more." Of course we should pray for our families,
but we should not stop there. We should pray for everyone in our congregation
of Christians, everyday if possible. We will not soon quarrel with one for whom
we constantly pray, but we will learn to love and sympathize with such. O
Paul’s
prayer life
It is interesting to
note Paul's prayer life. In almost every epistle he mentions his prayers. In
Romans 1:9 he says, "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in
the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make
mention of you always in my prayers." In 1 Corinthians 1:4, he says,
"I thank my God always concerning you." Obviously, Paul spent a lot
of time praying. He often counsels to prayer, too, as in 1 Thessalonians 5:17;
"Pray without ceasing." He also asks for prayer, as in 1
Thessalonians 5:25, "Brethren, pray for us." May the Lord help us become
men and women of prayer like the great apostle Paul.
That
you may be healed
In
the first part of James 5:16, James still has healing in mind. “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for
one another” Why? “That you may be healed.” Thus
he makes confession to and prayer for one another added conditions for healing.
This is above what we have in verses 14 and 15. Often spiritual health and
physical health are closely related. The story is told of a woman who, in
addition to many other troubles, had a nervous breakdown. At the height of it
all, she turned to the Lord and was born again. In time her nervousness
vanished away.
The
effective, fervent prayer
In the last part of this verse, James leaves the matter of
the body, and brings prayer into a far wider sphere. The American Standard
Version translates this as, "The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working." A supplication is an
earnest or fervent prayer. Not even saying prayers in a fervent way will do.
Some pray in the worship service with a strong voice and an emphatic tone—so
much so that one is tempted to wonder about the sincerity. Some say prayers,
but never pray. Some are little better than the man who tired of repeating the
Lord's prayer. He tacked a copy of it over his bed,
and said, "Lord, there's my sentiments," after
which he would slip into bed. Let our prayers be a pouring out of our hearts to
God. Let them be like Jacob; a prevailing through wrestling with the Lord (Gen.
32:28).
Effective
prayers
We have many cases of fervent effectual prayer in the Word
of God. Abraham could really pray. His intercession for
He
promises to answer fervent prayers
The Word of God is full of promises saying that the Lord
will hear and answer fervent prayer. Many such promises are in the Psalms.
"The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of
those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them" (Ps.
145:18-19). The Lord Jesus has much to say along this line. "Ask,
and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who
seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Matt. 7:7-8). Luke 18 is a wonderful commentary on our verse (James 5:16). There we have the well known story of the Pharisee
and the publican, as well as many other stories.
Prayer
of a righteous man
For prayer to be answered, the man who prays must be
righteous. But, "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10).
In the absolute sense there are none righteous in this whole world. "All
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). However, according to Romans 3:21-26 (KJV), many have been made
righteous as the result of the faith of Christ7. "For as by one man’s
disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will
be made righteous" (Rom. 5:19). God will never consider anyone righteous
apart from trusting and obeying Jesus Christ, and receiving a new life from
Him.
Righteous
in Christ and in deed
When James speaks of a righteous man, He is surely speaking
of one who is righteous in Christ, and as a result, is living a righteous life.
Not righteous in the absolute sense in that he never sins, but one who is
conscientiously trying to live a life well-pleasing to the Lord. If such a
righteous man’s prayer is earnest, it will be heard. "The eyes of the Lord
are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their
cry" (Ps. 34:15). "The prayer of the upright is His delight" (Prov. 15:8). The Lord calls Abel righteous in Hebrews 11:4, and Noah became the heir of righteousness by faith (Heb. 11:7).
James himself was called "the righteous." Tradition says that James
prayed so much, he had great callouses on his knees
and was sometime called "camel knees." The prayers of this kind of
righteous man are the kind that avails much.
Avails
much
A fervent prayer by a righteous man avails much, i.e., is of great power. There is more
power in that kind of prayer—by that kind of man—than there is in the wind, the
waves, or the storm. Why? Because it moves the hand of God. Prayer can be either a force or a farce. It can be a mighty weapon or an empty
form. It is not for us to understand how the mighty God can be affected by the
prayers of His children, but our verse says He is. Skeptics have a difficult
time believing that a mighty God could be bothered with the prayers of such little
creatures. But, though we cannot understand all the reasons why He does, still,
we know that almighty God does listen and in His own way answers our requests.
Although He rules the universe, He somehow permits the cries of His children to
fit into His plans.
Footnotes:
1 For more on
James, see The Epistle of James in Additional Resources section
of StudyJesus.com, and An
Expositional Study of James.
2 For
more on the Lord’s table, see Remembering Jesus in Additional Resources section of StudyJesus.com.
3 For
more information on the church, see God’s Church in A Religion Library section of StudyJesus.com.
4 For
more on the Bible, see God’s Word in A Religion Library section
of StudyJesus.com.
5 For
more information on atonement, see Day of Atonement in Additional
Resources section of StudyJesus.com.
6 For
more on salvation, see God’s Salvation in A Religion Library section of StudyJesus.com.
7 By
understanding Paul’s long sentence in Romans 3:21-26, we understand the Gospel,
all of Romans and the Bible. The 1885 English Revised Version changed “the
faith of Christ” to “faith in Christ” in Romans 3:22; Galatians 2:16, 2:20,
3:22; Ephesians 3:12; and Philippians 3:9. In his book, “Commentaries on the
Old and New Testament,” James Burton Coffman concludes that the KJV is a
correct translation of all these verses, a fact confirmed by the total
agreement of the Emphatic Diaglott in each case. James Macknight, Adam Clarke,
as well as other older commentators, also agree with the KJV translation of
these verses—“the faith of Christ,” like the “faith of Abraham” in Romans 4:16.
We asked a full-time minister serving a large church, about whether he believed
that to be saved one had to believe in the “faith of Jesus Christ” to which he
wrote: “God provides righteousness to those who believe. If through the faith of Jesus—everybody would
be saved.” We asked the same question to a university Bible professor, who
expressed a view of modern translations held by many today. He wrote: “Both
ideas . . . are biblical . . .” However, we also presented
the question to an elder of the church, who wrote: “The
believer’s faith causes him to respond to that perfect justification which is
and was brought by Christ in His obedience to God’s will of offering His
son as the perfect atonement for all mankind (sins).” We
concur with the elder and older commentators, as well as Coffman, whose
commentary on this verse is a scathing rebuke of many modern-day professors and
preachers. Coffman points out that we should stay with the KJV in this verse, because changing it
represents the same tampering with the Word of God which resulted in the
monstrosity of changing “the righteousness of God” to “a righteousness” (Rom.
3:21 & Rom. 1:17). He writes: “the true Scriptural justification by faith
has absolutely no reference to the faith of stinking sinners, but to the faith
of the Son of God. The only end served by this change was to bolster the faith
only theory of justification.” He further writes: “the true grounds of justification
cannot ever be in a million years the faith of fallible, sinful people, would
appear to be axiomatic. How could it be? The very notion that God could impute
justification to an evil man, merely upon the basis of anything that such a
foul soul might either believe or do, is a delusion. Justification in any true
sense requires that the justified be accounted as righteous and undeserving of
any penalty whatever; and no man’s faith is sufficient grounds for such an
imputation. On the other hand, the faith of Jesus Christ is a legitimate ground
of justification, because Christ's faith was perfect.” In the absolute sense,
only Christ is faithful—“Faithful is he that calleth you” (1 Thess. 5:24). Only He is called “the faithful
and true witness” (Rev. 3:14). The faith of Christ was also obedient; a perfect
and complete obedience, lacking nothing. Therefore, we conclude that the
sinless, holy, obedient faith of the Son of God is the only ground of
justification of a human being—Christ only is righteously justified in God’s
sight. How then are we saved? We are saved “in Christ,” having been
incorporated into Him—justified as a part of Him. Our study prompts agreement
with Coffman’s conclusion that faith is not the ground of our justification; it
is not the righteousness which makes us righteous before God. The “faith of the
Son of God” is the only basis for our justification, and that faith is
definitely included in the “righteousness of God” mentioned in this verse. Even the righteousness of God through
faith of Jesus Christ shows the principal constituent of God’s righteousness.
In conclusion, God’s righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus Christ—His
absolute, intrinsic, unalloyed righteousness—implicit in His perfect faith
(mentioned here) and His perfect obedience (implied). The contrary notion that
God’s righteousness is some imputation accomplished by the sinner's faith is
unfounded. Any righteousness that could commend itself to the Father and become
the ground of anything truly worthwhile would, by definition, have to be a true
and genuine righteousness. That righteousness was provided by the sinless life
of the Christ, summarized in this verse as “through faith of Jesus Christ,” the
idea being much clearer in the KJV, “The righteousness of God which is by faith
of Jesus Christ.” We concur with Coffman on this subject, including his final
conclusion, “. . . the word believe in this verse refers to sinners’ faith
(believer’s faith) which is no part of God’s righteousness at all, but, like
baptism, is but a mere condition of salvation—being neither more nor less
important than baptism.”
|
Copyright © 2007 StudyJesus.com. Permissions and restrictions. |
