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.” James 5:13-16 ESV
James echoes the writings of Paul, who called believers to “pray at all times” (Ephesians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:17). James has spent his whole letter calling Christians to patiently endure hard times and to support each other instead of arguing and judging each other. As he wraps up his letter, he calls the community to prayer.
Believers are to pray when they are suffering, seeking strength to endure the affliction and wisdom to see God’s perspective on their circumstances. The believer is also to pray when he is cheerful, singing songs of praise as a form of prayer.
Believers are to pray in times of illness, calling together the leadership of the church (elders or overseers) to pray on their behalf. The anointing with oil serves a religious, sacramental purpose. In the Old Testament anointing someone with oil frequently symbolized the setting apart of someone (or something) for service to the Lord. As the elders pray and anoint the suffering with oil, they are symbolically setting that person apart for God’s special attention and care.
Believers are also called to pray and confess their sins. There is an important community dynamic at work here, where confessing sins to each other is an important part of finding forgiveness and restoration. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (5:16). “If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (5:15) is a fantastic reminder that God responds to prayer and forgives sins.
The basis for James’ call to prayer is seen in the final verse - “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (5:16), other translations read “... is powerful and effective”. Who is a righteous person? Not a “super saint” but simply one who is wholeheartedly committed to God and sincerely seeks to do his will. We may not understand exactly how prayer works, but in it we can access the power of God for forgiveness and healing!
How are we to live as kingdom people? We are called to be people of prayer. We are to confess our sins and seek healing.