“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.” (James 5:16)
What far too many hear in this verse, and the reason that sadly it does not happen as often as it should is this, “Embarrass yourself in the eyes of those you call your brothers and sisters in Christ.”
The Living God, your Father in heaven, knows every single thought that you have and how much time you spend in those thoughts, so then, with the knowledge of this truth, ask yourself this, if your family in Christ could see your heart just as clearly as the Almighty can, would you still feel comfortable around them?
Some would contend that the word “fault” in our opening verse does not imply the word “sin,” but I ask you then, what fault could you commit against either man or God that would not be considered a sin against the Living God?
“Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” (Psalm 51:4)
How does that verse that begins this short letter to you today differ from 1st John 1:9, save in the fact that it is God only who can forgive sins? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
A testimony is an account to others of who we were before Christ and who He is transforming us into after being saved by grace through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our testimony to others is not a confession of faults, it is the retelling of how the Almighty saved a wretch like me, it is always given in the hope that the one that is listening will be encouraged, with the knowledge that the love of Christ can reach even the most vile sinner.
“For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (1st Cor. 15:9)
Paul gave his testimony with tears.
The verse states to confess our faults to one another, and here is how many interpret that verse, in either one of two ways, thoughts, words and sometimes even deeds against those who are our family in Christ, or, those same three actions against the Most High.
How much time would you need to spend on your phone or knocking on people’s doors if you needed to confess those faults that flow through your mind each day? How much time would you need to spend in prayer if you recognized those faults if they were against God? Every Sunday morning church service would stretch far into the night if it only encapsulated confessing our faults to each other.
“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2)
This cannot be accomplished if we do not confess our faults to each other. But most will not, for they are too embarrassed to do so.
Isn’t it amazing how so many will say that we are to love our enemies, but instead of grabbing the hand of one of their brothers or sisters in Christ and confessing to them that their thoughts towards them and sometimes even their words to others about them, have not been ones of love but of contention, will instead simply return the smile when they make eye contact with them.
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1st John 4:20)
I will let you determine your definition of that word “hate,” I hope it matches what the Holy Spirit meant when it was written for us.
Faults are sins, and all sins are against the Living God. A passing thought is not inferred here, those that are contemplated are, those that we dwell on.
There are fewer members of the body of Christ in most churches than many would like to admit, most harbor some form of ill will towards some there. Confessing our faults to one another is not a suggestion, it is a commandment, and it comes easily to those who love the Lord.
