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Confessing and Praying

by Roland Crim
11/22/17
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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. James 5:16 NIV

I believe a better reading of this verse is contained within the KJV, which uses the word faults rather than sins.

The prior verses speak of those who are sick contacting the elders of the church. It concludes with if “if they have sinned they shall be forgiven.” Many believe those verses play a part in the Catholic churches idea of confessing one’s sins to a priest.

Now, as to confessing our faults to one another, I don’t believe this to mean that we should confess our faults to everyone. We should be willing to confess our faults to some, as we all have faults. We are all flawed, not perfect. If we confess our faults to others, we can ask them to pray for us. Prayer is very powerful, and we all need prayers. The one who says he has no need of prayer is fooling only himself.

It is true that the prayer of one who is righteous is powerful and effective. Why so, you ask? The one who is righteous does that which is asked by the Lord. The righteous ask for that which brings glory to God, and not to man. God is pleased to answer the prayer of the one who is righteous.