CONFESS YOUR SINS TO ONE ANOTHER AND PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER THAT YOU MAY BE HEALED
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from Afrikaans: “Bely mekaar julle misdade en bid vir mekaar sodat julle gesond kan word.”
I sent out a letter where I wrote about how absolutely and completely our Lord forgive us, if we confess our sin to Him with real repentance. Then someone wrote to me with the following question, and I quote the question from the writing to me, just as I received it:
“… I am sure that the Lord see in my heart when I ask Him to forgive my sin. But why does it also say in the Word that we must confess our sins to each other (James 5:16, among others.)”
I would just like to quote one part of my first writing that I sent to this person, for background purposes:
Among other things, I quoted “The LORD’s Prayer”and then I wrote the following:
“Did you see what He says about how you should pray about your sin?
You don’t have to call everyone by name, anyway you weren’t born able to do that. No, you just need to truly repent of the fact that you have failed Him in many ways and with that real repentance in your heart, apologize to your Father for all the times since the last time you apologized. “
Matthew 6:9
9“Pray, then, in this way:…
Matthew 6:12
‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].
If I then ask Him to forgive all my sins that I have committed today – and mean it with a sincere intention, which He can see in my heart – I have this glorious certain knowledge:
1JOHN 1:9
If we freely admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just true to His own nature and promises, and will forgive our sins and (C2)cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose.
As I always say, I’ll say it again.
If our Lord say:
1JHN 1:9 … cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness – Then you can know for sure that it is, ” all unrighteousness.”
Now, let me explain how I look at James 5:16
In James 5:14-15, we read what we should do when someone is sick:
JAMES 5:14-15
13Is anyone among you suffering? He must pray. Is anyone joyful? He is to sing praises [to God]. 14Is anyone among you sick? He must call for the elders (spiritual leaders) of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Then we read in verse 16:
JAMES 5:16
16Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].
The first thing that is important here for my writing to you is the following:
JAMES 5:16
16Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. ..
He just wrote what we should do when we are sick. Why does he now advise something else that we can do when we are unwell?
I see it like this:
In verses 14 and 15 he speaks of bodily infirmity and in verse 16 he speaks of
mental or emotional illness.
I know of more than one case, where someone asked our Lord for forgiveness for
something he/she did to someone else, and although our Lord forgave him/her,
the person could not forgive himself/herself – until they went to the concerned person and made it right with them.
Also, notice that it doesn’t say that you have to do this. It is given to us, as I see it, as very good advice – and it works. I know, I’ve done it.
Then also:
Maybe you asked our Lord for forgiveness, but you just can’t find peace in your heart –
even if you know our Lord has forgiven you. Then it also works wonderfully if you can get a spiritual mature person to pray with you about your problem.
Look at what is written in the second part of James 5:16
JAMES 5:16 … The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].
Finally, please note this that is foremost: If you follow the latter path, please make very sure that the person you are going to trust to pray with you, is indeed a true spirit-filled child of our Lord JESUS.
- I wrote another writing on the subject of ‘ Confession ‘, namely: “Confess as far as it is in love” which connect to this, and I can happily send it to you on your request . It is also available on my website under the topic ‘Ministry”.
Sakkie
Email: bediening@sakkieparsons.co.za
Website: www.sakkieparsons.co.za
Cell: 083 457 6669
Jude 1:24-25 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
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