Evening Service, John Stasse, 17 January 2010
So far, as we have been considering prayer, James as stressed the Place of prayer, and has moved on to the Power of prayer using the real life example of illness. Here he gives us another, and more clear cut demonstration of the Power of prayer – that relating to forgiveness.
The former dealing with our physical situation, this one with our spiritual situation. The key to powerful praying in the matter of illness was a God-given conviction whilst engaging in prayer.
But there is also a development of thought in the choice of illustration.
In the former the prayer of faith is answered with healing (conviction of God’s will to heal arising during the prayer emboldening us to ask specifically for it).
However we are not brought to such conviction of God’s will in all matters, not even in all cases of illness for as we saw the calling of the Elders in for the pastoral aid and prayer being described is for serious illness.
But here, we are dealing with a prayer that is always powerful, because God has made known on this matter His secret will in His revealed will – the Bible.
This is a prayer God has promised to bless, and so should be lifted up with that conviction, as a prayer of faith.
This verse suggests three actions in this matter – two from men, one from God, and using Earl Kelly’s headings we can call them:
1. Outward Disclosure
The key words here are “confess” and “one to another”.
In the Bible confess is a technical word and means ‘to agree with someone else in the innermost recesses of one’s soul and to speak out publicly about it.’ (Spiros Zodhaites).
So when you confess sin to God you agree with God that you have offended him by your sin and express sorrow for them. That it is “one to another” tells us that we are on the human level here, and that it is also a mutual confession.
This means, then that James is NOT calling for let alone establishing:
1. NOT Private confession before God
Certainly all sin is sin against God, and there is the need of confession before God. But it is not James’ primarily focusing on here.
His focus is on the human level as indicated by the phrase “one another”, and therefore is dealing with the fact that our sin against God is often connected with sin against others.
2. NOT Private confession before a priest
Martin Luther’s point is telling here when he said this is ‘A strange Confessor, his name is one to another.’ There is no basis for the confessional in these words, or to look to your Pastor or Elder as one who can dispense God’s forgiveness.
Those involved in ‘counselling’ situations need to exercise great caution here lest this thought be implied or fostered by their words or actions.
3. NOT Public confession before the church
Though, again, this does not mean that there is no place for such. The Scriptures do teach that occasionally there is a place for sins to be confessed publicly before a church – sometimes the sin is against the church and needs to be forgiven by the church – this includes scandalous sins which because of the publicity involved brings the church into disrepute as well (eg, the case of the incestuous man, 2 Cor 2:61)1. Then there is also the reality that a public acknowledgment of sin is required for admittance to membership. Kelly, ‘No person, regardless of age, race, or rank should be admitted into the Christian church unless he admits that he is a sinner against God and needs forgiveness’ (see the example of the Ephesians believers, Acts 19:18).
But this is not what James is dealing with here.
4. NOT Private confession to a mature Christian in seeking advice
Again there is a biblical case to encourage those who have sinned to seek advice from the spiritually mature, and for brethren to support each other in prayer both in seeking God’s forgiveness, and in supporting them in addressing the brother who has been wronged. (This is surely part of Prov 11:14).
Yet equally we need to see that this is not what James is talking about here as is seen by the word “confessed”. Though we may use it more generally, the context here of righteousness shows it is used in its technical sense as addressing oneself to the one wronged against.
In other words, James is not encouraging unrestrained public confession of sin as a part of the church’s worship service, nor is he encouraging the complete unfolding of one’s life-history, warts and all, to an individual. The Christian church at different times has suffered under this which merely fostered exhibitionism, voyeurism or intimidated sensitive unbelievers away from hearing the gospel.
RATHER, James is calling for a private confession to offended Christian brethren. The situation in view is that a Christian has sinned against a brother, and driven by a tender conscience he sees the need to right the wrong, which necessarily involves seeking forgiveness from the one wronged. This is what Jesus was on about in Matt 5:23-24, calling us to leave gift at the altar and go be reconciled to your brother.
But notice the mutual nature of this – “one to another.” What often happens is that when one admits he is wrong to another, the estranged one will say, ‘I have been wrong too. Please forgive me also!’ You know this from your own experience, don’t you?
This is what James is talking about. Christians taking the initiative to sort out whatever is separating them. Friends, we should never leave a wrong uncorrected. Any disruption of fellowship, with God or even with each other, should be seen as something very grievous to us, as that to which we must give earnest attention with all godly haste and humility.
2. Upward Acknowledgement
This outward disclosure, according to James, should result in prayer to God. This is necessary because God also has been involved. Sin against a brother is sin against God, and against His purpose of fellowship and of the church being a ‘holy nation’. Therefore such sin needs God’s forgiveness as well as our brother’s. So David in Ps 51:4 understood and reveals.
In other words it is not sufficient for reconciliation to repent. That is not the end of the matter. We must also deal with the matter before God.
But notice what James is saying here – “and pray for one another”. What is this but a practical demonstration of genuine reconciliation.
Clearly the prayer is one of seeking God’s blessing on the brother who till now had been the cause of some hurt to you. True reconciliation has taken place when it results in an act of love before the throne of grace for him. And for the Christian the matter is not settled until this occurs.
Do you see that you cannot move on, leaving bitterness and resentment behind, unless you are earnest in loving prayer for and with them? Many a confession has been given and received, and yet the parties concerned have little to do with each other for some time. This is not how it ought to be. Clearing the air is not sufficient, we must fan the fires of fellowship-love that we may embrace each other with an affection greater than before.
But surely such prayer will have a focus also on the joy of reconciliation.
Is it not a natural expectation? True reconciliation among believers results in fellowship-love in which we find ourselves also lifting our hearts together in thankfulness for the grace of forgiveness and reconciliation. If after all that has been done there is not a sense of joy in each other and the fellowship together, then the matter still needs work. The key is being able to pray with, for and about each other.
3. Inward Discovery
Here is the promise – “that you may be healed”.
In the NT this word refers at times to physical healing (eg Matt 8:8 Roman Centurion: “Speak the word only, and my servant will be healed”). But it is also used to refer to spiritual healing (Jesus’ understanding of His mission: “to heal the broken-hearted”- Luke 4:18). It is the latter sense that James clearly has in mind here with his emphasis on confession of sin.
The Amplified Bible brings this out, ‘that you may be healed and restored to a spiritual tone of mind and heart.’
The issue is not merely healing of the rift between each other, but especially the healing of the spiritual man. Sin affects us spiritually, how we approach God, read the Scriptures, engage in ministry. Guilt cripples and mars, sucking life and joy out of service and worship. And in a similar way the sin of another against us causes spiritual bruising and maybe even spiritual decline as we continue to stew over it with rising frustration, resentment, bitterness. In answer to prayer as brothers seek reconciliation in His presence, God will grant restoration to spiritual health to both.
When we think of the healing in contrast to such miserableness, then surely we can agree with John Blanchard who said ‘it is hardly possible to conceive of a more valuable spiritual exercise – nor of a more heart-warming demonstration of the power of prayer’.
And that is the reality. Such prayer is powerful because it corresponds to and locks into the will of God.
James’ point is that prayer arising from a conviction of sin leading to a genuine and mutual reconciliation will always bring this healing.
Such prayers are always effective because God has revealed this to be the case. We do not need to wait for an inner conviction that this is God’s will. He has already told us. We understood this when we came to Jesus in faith. And the same readiness of God to forgive and reconcile is apparent (1 John 1:9). Connected with this is the Spirit’s ministry to assure us of peace, and that we are the children of God and inheritors of glory.
In this matter we are not to be idle, this is a command not an option. This is a practise we should earnestly pursue, doing so with the confidence of God’s will concerning it. This is a blessing then that we should regularly find blossoming amongst.
May God in His grace grant such a demonstration of the power of prayer be seen amongst us, in our relationships with each other, whenever sin comes between us!