James 5:13-16 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
It is in the context of our fellowship with God and His people that John makes one of the best-known statements: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9) True fellowship involves honest confession - not only to God, but with and before fellows believers. We need one another in the confession/forgiveness process. That is because our sins usually are not just against God, but against those we interact with in daily life. Confession to one another moves us from being enemies in competition with one another for holiness, to begin co-travelers in the journey, fellow-followers who help each other and truly walk together in Christian love. It is the prayers of these followers that have such power.
No comments:
Post a Comment