James 5:13-19, ESV
“Prayer of faith”
“he will be forgiven”
V.16 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.
1. Why do I need to confess my sins? to God?
Why do I need to confess my sins to others?
- Because _Jesus_ said so.
and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Matthew 6:12, ESV
and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
Luke 11:4
• Because believers should live in _freedom_.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I John 1:9
False Understandings
1. Confess my sins to be _saved_.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 3:18
Salvation is not confessing who we are but rather confessing who He is.
2. Confess my sins to be _forgotten_.
Hebrews 8:12
2 Corinthians 5:21
“Homologo” = _same word, to say the same thing, agreement_.
1. Agree to see sin the way God sees sin.
- How does God see sin? >_He hates it_.
2. Agree that sin has been paid for by the blood of Jesus.
_Shedding, Sprinkling_.
How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to service the living God.
Hebrews 9:14, ESV
10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 14 For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Hebrews 10, 14, ESV
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:22, ESV
2. Why should we confess our sins to others?
V16 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.
• _Reconciliation_
There are human victims of our sins.
• _Responsibility_
There are ” the prayers of a righteous person” that can help us walk through our struggles.
• Restoration
V19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:1-2, ESV