Prayer, Faith, Sin and Sickness

This morning I felt like reflecting on James' letter.  I often read these verses, but haven't spent much time reflecting on them as they are often quoted, but today felt drawn to spend some time on them.  Here are the verses - James 5:13-16 NIV:

[13] "Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. [14] Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. [15] And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. [16] Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

This is an interesting list of encouragements, and solutions:

1) Are you in trouble?  Pray!
2) Are you happy?  Sing Praises to God!
3) Are you sick? Send for the elders and have them pray over you, and anoint you with oil in Jesus name!
     Note: Their prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well, and the Lord will raise them up.
     Note 2: If they have sinned, forgiveness is available and assured.
     Note 3: Confess your sins to one another and pray for each other that you might be healed.
4) An observation and encouragement - the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective!

The first two are very simple and easy to follow.  The third can so easily become some religious prescription, yet it apparently has several conditions. If we look at it closely there are possible conditions, not guarantees, e.g. if they have sinned.   However, because of these seeming conditions, this is one of the verses that can be taken to extremes, and used to judge those who struggle with sickness.  I have seen it used as condemnation over a sick person who doesn't get healed when they are prayed for, as they clearly have unconfessed sin!  I know that in some places, especially prosperity gospel focused, that sickness is seen as a sign of God's displeasure, and the root of His displeasure is likely the persons sin.  This kind of thinking and religion can heap burning coals of shame and condemnation on one who is already suffering.

So how to better embrace these words?  First, I would start at the bottom.  The prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective.  The point we should reiterate here is that we all have sinned and fallen short (Romans 3:23) and that our only righteousness is from Jesus (Romans 3:22, Philippians 3:9), through faith.  We don't achieve righteousness in God's eyes, we are given righteousness through Jesus.

Second, if you note, it is the elders' prayer in faith that will make the sick person well, as Jesus raises them up. It is faith that leads to righteousness, through Jesus, and it is faith that is the key element outlined by James here.  It is the faith of the elders, not the sick person, to be specific.

Thirdly, apparently the Greek for verse 16 contains two separate thoughts - confess your sins AND pray for each other. Is it possible that these are not necessarily related directly, as we would often read?  If that were the case then the first half of the sentence relates to verse 15, the second half relates to verse 14.  That would surely be beneficial in clarifying these sentences.

Finally, as in all scripture, we must resist the temptation of making a foundational theological statement based on one verse.  We must read scripture in light of all the other revelation on a particular subject.  In this case, we have many times that Jesus (The Only Righteous Man) healed people who were sick without ever mentioning their sin.  We have the specific story of the man born blind being healed by Jesus  (John 9:1-38), and in this case the Apostles asked whose sin was the cause, and Jesus clearly answered that it wasn't an issue of sin.  So, we must weigh these particular verses against the rest of the revelation provided and realize that they cannot be a firm foundational teaching on sin and sickness.

Lastly, I am encouraged to pursue greater faith.  I am encouraged to look at my own life and my sinfulness, not as a cause of sickness, but because I love the Lord and want to please Him.  Obedience follows relationship, and is motivated by love.  The more I am united to Christ in love, the more I will be like Him, the more His righteousness will be evident in my life.

Amen!