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Is this scriptual?

S

shipwrecksoul

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Apr 4, 2009
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-30355">James 5:16</sup> 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.
 
shipwrecksoul said:
<SUP id=en-NIV-30355 class=versenum>James 5:16</SUP> 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.
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If it's in the Bible, it's scriptual, right? But, I don't think I've ever heard of it being done. I guess I've confessed my sins on chat at times and received prayer, but I would hesitate to share with another Christian like at church or anything. But, if that's what the Bible says, then I guess Father wants us to do that.
 
I don't understand why you're asking if its Scriptural, when you quoted Scripture itself. Please explain.

Let's look at the different translations and see the difference also:

ESV
Therefore,<sup class="xref" value="(<a href=&quot;#cen-ESV-30354A&quot; title=&quot;See cross-reference A&quot;>A</a>)">(A)</sup> confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,<sup class="xref" value="(<a href=&quot;#cen-ESV-30354B&quot; title=&quot;See cross-reference B&quot;>B</a>)">(B)</sup> that you may be healed.<sup class="xref" value="(<a href=&quot;#cen-ESV-30354C&quot; title=&quot;See cross-reference C&quot;>C</a>)">(C)</sup> The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

NIV
 <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-30355">16</sup>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.


KJV
<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-30371">16</sup>Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.


Amplified
<sup class="versenum" id="en-AMP-30369">16</sup>Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
 
HoneyBare said:
If it's in the Bible, it's scriptual, right? But, I don't think I've ever heard of it being done. I guess I've confessed my sins on chat at times and received prayer, but I would hesitate to share with another Christian like at church or anything. But, if that's what the Bible says, then I guess Father wants us to do that.
Click to expand...
Of course its scriptural, but, I don't think it refers to formal (ritualistic) confession. The key phrase in Jas 5:16 is "Confess your sins one to another." I think its talking about admitting and praying about moral failures and problems with a mentor from the church or a trusted church friend.

SLE
 
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Hey now hold on there everyone. Lets take a breath and back up a bit.
Are we to confess our sins or our faults?
If I say hey I did the act of____ is that not meant for God to cleanse?
If I say I have a problem with____ could that not be a weakness a brother or sister can pray for?
We are to confess our sins to God only.
as
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We can trust brothers or sisters with our faults to lift us up in prayer.

But in the Lords model prayer for us "Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

We in our offense for what we did ask for forgiveness from the person we offended only.

Any other comments would be welcomed.
 
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The context of the passage from James 5:13-16 is about the power of prayer.

We are to be open and honest with both God and each other. We cannot expect God to heal us if we harbour sin in our lives, and are not open about our faults.



"Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."




 
That really makes more sense, Orphel, the scripture you quoted. We Christians should all be able to trust other brothers/sisters to understand that we are coming to them in obedience to scripture, and that they will not share it with others. Thanx.
 
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HoneyBare said:
That really makes more sense, Orphel, the scripture you quoted. We Christians should all be able to trust other brothers/sisters to understand that we are coming to them in obedience to scripture, and that they will not share it with others. Thanx.
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Thank you. I was thinking of another point---we must be transparent with one another in the Body of Christ, so that our prayers will not be hindered. I am sure that is the gist of what James was saying.
 
Just my thoughts:
While I firmly believe in confession of sin with a brother I trust airing your problems to immature Christians is going to be messy beyond belief.
They will gladly gossip spreading your issues "as a point of prayer".
Biblical confession is great just do not do it with someone nicknamed "AT+T" or "PBS". Selah.
 
shipwrecksoul said:
Are we to confess our sins or our faults?
Click to expand...

Sins and faults are so intertwined as to be inseparable. Habitually weak resistance (a fault) inevitably leads to sin and confessing my faults to a trusted Christian friend necessarily involves telling that person what I've done (my sins). God does indeed do the cleansing, but, if I try to confess my sins to God only (in secret), I'm trying to wriggle out of public accountability, which is wrong.

SLE
 
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SpiritLedEd said:
Sins and faults are so intertwined as to be inseparable. Habitually weak resistance (a fault) inevitably leads to sin and confessing my faults to a trusted Christian friend necessarily involves telling that person what I've done (my sins). God does indeed do the cleansing, but, if I try to confess my sins to God only (in secret), I'm trying to wriggle out of public accountability, which is wrong.

SLE
Click to expand...

Hey at least you were the only one trying to answer my thread statment!
 
3*Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. 14*Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15*Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
16*Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
Tyndale House Publishers: Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, S. Jas 5:13-16
In my humble opinion all this goes together.
call the elders to pray if you are sick ............confess your sins (faults).....you will be healed.
Even having a trusted mentor or prayer partner is a good example of this process.
]
 
I remember going to a pastor of a church and telling him how I was struggling with drugs. I didn't want to carry this anymore and I thought that "confessing it" and asking him to pray with me would help me. He lead me to the cross where Jesus met me at my point of need and I repented of my sins. I left there with the victory confident that my life was changed. It was less than 24hrs when my boss called me in to the office and started asking me about "my problem". I found out that day that this pastor told my boss about my business. This messed me up for several years and I lost the victory and was worse off than before. I didn't want anything to do with church. My boss never looked at me the same. Now, years later, I have the victory.

While I firmly believe in confession of sin with a brother I trust airing your problems to immature Christians is going to be messy beyond belief.
They will gladly gossip spreading your issues "as a point of prayer".
Biblical confession is great just do not do it with someone nicknamed "AT+T" or "PBS". Selah.
Click to expand...

This was my experience.

Sins and faults are so intertwined as to be inseparable. Habitually weak resistance (a fault) inevitably leads to sin and confessing my faults to a trusted Christian friend necessarily involves telling that person what I've done (my sins). God does indeed do the cleansing, but, if I try to confess my sins to God only (in secret), I'm trying to wriggle out of public accountability, which is wrong.
Click to expand...

This is my belief.
 
rjones said:
I remember going to a pastor of a church and telling him how I was struggling with drugs. I didn't want to carry this anymore and I thought that "confessing it" and asking him to pray with me would help me. He lead me to the cross where Jesus met me at my point of need and I repented of my sins. I left there with the victory confident that my life was changed. It was less than 24hrs when my boss called me in to the office and started asking me about "my problem". I found out that day that this pastor told my boss about my business. This messed me up for several years and I lost the victory and was worse off than before. I didn't want anything to do with church. My boss never looked at me the same. Now, years later, I have the victory.



This was my experience.

This is my belief.
Click to expand...

Can you hear the applause? clap clap clap!
 
This isn't to mean we must confess our sins to one another, it's an exhortation to lean upon one another and edify and encourage one another if we're struggling with sin.
 
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