James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

People often fail to do either of the things commanded in this verse, and so fail to see power manifested in their prayers. Centuries ago confession of sin was corrupted into formalized confession to clergy. There are times when confession to clergy can be helpful, because confessing to an invisible God can seem impersonal to someone who doesn’t have a close relationship with Him. However, here James is clearly talking about ordinary believers confessing to one another. This is particularly important in the area of confessing our guilt to someone against whom we have sinned. Granted, that can be particularly difficult, but it is especially powerful. As the Bible says repeatedly, we are to forgive one another, (Colossians 3:13) so both parties are to be involved, but our confession isn’t to be dependent on an expectation of forgiveness. We cannot control what the other person will do, but we are responsible for our own actions. The other thing that people fail to do is pray for one another. We are glib to say we’ll pray, but that’s often where it stops. One of my seminary professors, Dr. Cal Guy, was an excellent example in this area. If someone asked him to pray for something, he would pray right there on the spot, wherever it happened to be. Quite a few students were shocked the first time it happened to them! A major reason people don’t pray is that we don’t see ourselves as righteous, We accept the last part of this verse as true, but don’t believe it applies to us. That’s because we haven’t been confessing our sins, and so don’t have assurance of forgiveness! None of us is righteous in ourselves, but as 1 John 1:9 says, all it takes for cleansing is repentant confession. The moment we do that, we put on the righteousness of Christ, (1 Corinthians 1:30 and many more) and that is perfect. We need to keep our repentance and confession up to date so that we will have full assurance that our prayers are “powerful and effective.”

I have emulated Dr. Guy in the area of prayer for many years now, but frankly, the area of confession has been a bit more sketchy. There have been a few times that I have had a brother in Christ to whom I could confess freely, but that hasn’t been constant. One problem has been that as a pastor, I have wanted to present an image of being totally obedient to Christ, to encourage the believers to aim for that goal. That particular rationalization has been the downfall of many! I need to be open about my failures, so that the believers may have the understanding that forgiveness is as available to them as it is to me, and that God can use them as easily as He does me. The risk is in the perception of spiritual authority, but I must remember that my authority doesn’t reside in me anyway, and not fear what people think of me or don’t think of me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I am reminded also that I don’t have the wisdom to shepherd Your flock rightly, so I ask You to give me whatever is necessary. May we as a church continue to grow in all the ways that You intend, to be and do what You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!