James 5:12-20 Lesson 14

Final instructions on proper spiritual procedures

Verse 12

Do not swear formal oaths of promise

Verses twelve to twenty contain commands and instructions regarding proper spiritual procedures for specific areas that needed to be addressed, given everything that was occurring among the scattered Jewish assemblies. These include swearing under oaths, praying during suffering, praising God when cheerful, calling the elders of a church for a sick individual, sharing one’s struggles with others when appropriate, and turning a wayward brother or sister back to the truth (we will examine all these things more in detail).

James 5:12 is related in meaning to Matthew 5:33-37. In the context of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke to Jewish believers (the “lost sheep of Israel”), just as James does here to his own Jewish audience (he was Jesus’s half-brother, and his teachings throughout this book echo our Lord’s during His earthly ministry; it is likely James also read some of the synoptic gospels where our Lord stated these things, though James wrote this letter under divine inspiration). And since the recipients of this epistle were primarily Jewish (some of them were probably Gentiles), they would naturally have been well-versed in many of the Law’s teachings that discuss the matter of oaths (even though they were no longer under the Old Covenant Law). And not only were they well-versed but, based on our verse (and as Luginbill notes), it is safe to conclude that some of James’s fellow Jews were having a hard time letting go of the Law (hence, they were so obsessed with swearing oaths). So James had to help them unlearn a few things. We recall that James wrote this book shortly after Hebrews and that he was “carrying on the work” that Paul had begun with the Jerusalem church to keep his Jewish readers from returning to the Law (see the introduction to this series for more on that). It is not known whether some of the failures in the Jerusalem congregation (of which James was a prominent leading figure) were partially James’ and the other leaders’ fault (it is fair to ask why things got so out of hand under their leadership). What we can say is that whatever shortcomings James had, he made up for them with his congregation in Jerusalem and to the rest of his fellow Jews scattered abroad through this letter.

Before mentioning any other passages (both Old and New Testament) that involve oaths, it is necessary to point out that the opening phrase in our verse, “But above all,” does not mean that this subject is more important than all the prior topics James has discussed (such as the need for patience mentioned in James 5:7, as one example). For without patience, a believer’s faith would falter. Luginbill writes that “James is writing to a Jewish audience and this problem was even more pronounced for them than for gentiles, so “above all” indicates to us that this was a repeating problem he knew through the Spirit had to be addressed.” As usual, James addresses his recipients as “brothers,” demonstrating the unity and equality they all shared through their faith in Jesus Christ as spiritual brothers and sisters. So, even though he had more authority because of his status as a leader in the church, James wanted to assure his readers that he didn’t see himself as better or more important than they were. For as Galatians 3:28 tells us, we are all one in Christ Jesus.

Regarding oaths, they, like divorce and slavery, were never ideal, but procedures were put in place to regulate them under the Law because we live in an imperfect world where people will mess up and make mistakes. But since the body of Christ is no longer under the Law, engaging in such things, like taking oaths, is even more dangerous, as Luginbill says… “Taking oaths was always problematic. It’s in the Law for the same reason slavery was/is: people were doing this and going to be doing this so it needed to be regulated. But especially since the Law has been abrogated, oaths were a double trap: not trusting that a simple prayer was sufficient; feeling that one needed to “do something” to get what one wanted (legalism).”

It was not uncommon for many to swear an oath for show or out of a lack of faith (as if a simple “yes” or “no” prayer were not enough; see Luginbill’s comment on that above). Another reason such strong oath-taking can be so dangerous is that, depending on the specific oath, it can be unknown whether one can fulfill it or not (since we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, James 4:14). And then some were dishonest about it (not actually being serious, despite all outward signs to the contrary).

So, because swearing is such risky business, it would be better for no one to do so in the first place; hence, James told his Jewish readers, “Do not swear,” but offer up a simple prayer by letting their “yes” be yes and their “no” be no. And it doesn’t matter what the oath involves because the verse mentions “Or by any other oath.” It doesn’t matter whether it is by heaven, earth, or anything else Jesus mentioned in Matthew 19:3-9 above (anything at all). Luginbill writes, “The phrase ‘or by any other oath’ merely is shorthand for ‘and I also mean all of the specific things our Lord mentioned – no need to repeat them here – and anything else you might be tempted to swear by.”

The words, “so that you will not fall under condemnation,” do not refer to eternal condemnation (James is writing to believers, and everyone who believes in Jesus Christ is not condemned, John 3:16-18). I believe judgment is a better rendering, as the Greek includes the meaning of “accusation,” with the individual falling under God’s pronouncement that they have done something wrong (You are guilty of sin!).

Before moving on to our next verse, it is necessary to explain the type of oath James and our Lord referred to. Matthew 5:33 mentions the need to “fulfill” (perform) the vow one has made to the Lord. Luginbill writes, “What our Lord is clearly referring to here – and James also in his very clear recalling of our Lord’s words – is not to affirmation, whether in a legal or personal or rhetorical setting, but rather to the system formal “promising” under the Law.” The reason I am bringing this up is that some people have taken this and our verse in James to mean that it is wise to swear formal oaths of promise (what James and our Lord forbid, promising God we’ll do something) based on passages like 1 Thessalonians 2:10, Romans 1:9, 2 Corinthians 1:23, Philippians 1:8, and Galatians 1:20. However, as Luginbill points out, all these instances in these passages are “affirmation" oaths, not “formal oaths of promise.” Conflating the two is a dangerous mistake and risks doing exactly what our passage forbids: taking formal oaths of promise.

Other passages used as “proof texts” for swearing formal oaths of promise (something we as believers shouldn’t do; “But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all”) include Genesis 22:16, Psalm 110:4, and Hebrews 6:17-18. But there can be no comparison here because we are not God, but imperfect human beings prone to sin and making mistakes. And unlike our perfect Creator, we are not omniscient. For, as James tells us in James 4:14, “You do not know what tomorrow will bring.” Better to abstain from taking oaths than to have major regrets later. But if one has broken their oath (something they should never have taken in the first place), then it is best to confess, forget, move on, and not repeat the same mistake. And if one does it again, the same procedure applies.

Verse 13

Prayer in suffering, singing in cheerfulness

We know from James 1:2-4 that many of James’s recipients were suffering through trials of various kinds. In a certain way, James 5:13 is like James 1:5 but with a broader application. In chapter one, the prayer deals with asking for wisdom. In this chapter, it can refer to asking for just about anything within the Lord’s will (a broader meaning involving the kinds of things a believer would pray for that are appropriate to suffering). Like the prophets of old (James 5:10-11), many (though not all) of James’s readers were enduring hardships (we’ve already covered some of them throughout this series).

Prayer should be a consistent, ongoing practice for the believer (1 Thessalonians 5:17). But there will be times when it will naturally be more common and needed, such as when enduring difficult tests. This doesn’t mean we slack off on our “prayer efforts” during times of ease (a prosperity test many believers fail), but that our prayers tend to (or should) be more frequent and intense, appropriate to the circumstances. That is completely understandable because it is when we are at our weakest that we are at our strongest (spiritually speaking, 2 Corinthians 12:9-11) because suffering forces the believer to throw themselves onto the grace and mercy of God (we tend to become more reliant on Him when we are at our most vulnerable).

Our verse does not tell us the cause or the reason for suffering. But it most certainly involved the fiery trials our Jewish readers were enduring (and, of course, these words apply to all believers today) because of their faith in Christ and some resultant spiritual growth. With that said, suffering can come because of doing good or bad (1 Peter 3:13-17 and 1 Peter 4:12-19), so that these words can also apply to those who suffer for disobedience (sin). This is also supported by the context a few verses later, in verses fourteen and fifteen of our chapter, which discuss the sick person being forgiven and made well (we will elaborate in our examination of that verse). In those verses, we should not assume it is only the leaders of the church who are praying, but also the sufferer who is also offering up supplications (during and after repentance). Sickness is a form of suffering and can be a form of divine discipline for sinful behavior (1 Corinthians 11:27-32).

Since many of the believers in our book were struggling badly with sin, it would be correct to say that many of them were suffering the consequences of their actions. But it needs to be stressed that God is always ready to restore his erring children if they are willing to return (James 4:8). Perhaps one has been imprisoned for a crime they committed (yes, believers can murder and commit other serious crimes leading to jail time or what have you). Let it be known that, assuming you’ve learned your lesson (if the shoe fits), repented, and confessed of your sin (1 John 1:9), that God isn’t finished with you and has a plan for your life. Yes, there is no excuse for sinful behavior, and we are never to use grace as a license to sin (Romans 6:1-7). But God promises restoration of fellowship to all who confess (John 13:1-10). There is always hope for the believer to give their best for the Lord and reap a bountiful crop for Him in eternity, as long as it is still called today (Hebrews 3:13).

The second half of our verse reads, “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” The Greek word for cheerful is εὐθυμέω (euthymeō), meaning to become encouraged, resulting in cheerfulness and happiness. This verse assumes the believer in question isn’t living in unrepentant sin, which James 4:9 says should not result in joy, because no one should be happy or proud of their sin (their reaction to it should be the opposite of what this verse commands). But if one is truly happy and joyful amidst suffering (not that suffering has to be involved), it is even better to channel that cheerfulness into something productive, such as giving the Lord the glory due Him by praising Him through song or prayer (since God is our only source of true joy). There must be a reason why we are so happy, and that true happiness is found only in Christ because of His working in our lives. For as James tells us in chapter one, verse seventeen, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Therefore, we should be even more grateful to the Lord for giving us every reason to be happy and joyful. Since He is the One who has brought true happiness into our lives by granting us the hope of salvation and all spiritual blessings that accompany it, we should praise and thank Him with all our hearts. He offers us His comfort and encouragement.

Verses 14 and 15

Praying for and anointing with oil those who are sick

These two verses are critical to understanding verse sixteen (a highly misunderstood verse often taken out of context). Sickness can come as a test (trial) from the Lord meant to complement a believer’s prior spiritual growth and to further strengthen and refine their faith. But, as verse fifteen shows, it can also arise as a form of divine discipline for habitual sin (a deliberate pattern). Apparently, there were some believers among the scattered Jewish assemblies in both camps, which meant the issue needed to be addressed. Since many were playing around with sin, it would come as no surprise that some of them were falling ill. But they were also facing various trials, so it is equally true that many of them were “spiritually weak” (discussed further below).

The elders would refer not only to the lead pastor-teacher of that assembly (the “first among equals”), but also to some of the other gifted teachers of that congregation (elders is in the plural). And, of course, elders are not restricted to older men; they also include young and middle-aged individuals. Overseers, bishops, shepherds, elders, and pastor-teachers are all synonymous to describe a believer with the gift of teaching (please see this link from an earlier lesson for a review of that subject).

In verse fourteen, we have the words, “anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” The word “anointing” in Greek basically means to anoint with some liquid (usually olive oil) or perfume, a more common practice in ancient Israel and the ancient Near East. James’s recipients were Jewish, and anointing with oil was a common custom in their time and culture. No, this verse is not prescribing that believers do the same today (although it neither forbids us from offering nor taking advantage of medical help of any kind, should we wish to do so). In a modern scenario, the elders of a church would gather around a “sick” individual and pray for them, with no need for oil since that was an ancient Jewish custom specific to that time and culture.

The question is, what was the purpose and significance of the oil used in this ancient practice? Other passages, particularly in the New Testament, help answer that question. In Old Testament times, it was often done to mark or inaugurate a significant event, such as signifying the choosing of a king (1 Samuel 10:1 and 1 Samuel 16:13 as two examples). However, our passage clearly doesn’t involve that. Some New Testament references include John 12:3, Mark 16:1, Mark 6:13, Luke 10:33-34 (the parable of the good Samaritan), and Matthew 6:17.

The oil didn’t have any power to cause spiritual change, but (as our reference passages suggest), it could be used for internal and external medicinal purposes to help with healing. However, I believe this ritual had two purposes: one physical and the other symbolic (it doesn’t have to be an either-or situation). The anointing with oil also represented the healing and working power of the Holy Spirit as He helps heal the individual physically and spiritually by restoring them to fellowship (spiritual restoration). This also credits God as the ultimate healer, both physically and spiritually, by giving Him glory as the great physician (Luke 5:29-31). The primary argument in favor of this referring only to medicinal healing is that if spiritual healing were in view, then our verse would contain the Greek word “chrio” used in passages like Luke 4:18 and Acts 10:38 (ones that mention anointings of the Holy Spirit), instead of the word “aleiphō” found in our verse (Curt’s argument for this view). I don’t believe we have to limit the purpose of this ritual to simply medicinal healing, especially since the word “sick” can refer to physical sickness and spiritual weakness (see below for a reference). The final phrase of our verse mentions that this is done “in the name of the Lord.” That is, they did this in God’s name for His glory, and I believe this was also meant to acknowledge God as the source of all healing.

With that said, it is important for us to examine the word “sick” more closely. Does it refer to “physical sickness” or “spiritual weakness?” Contrary to Daniel R. Hayden (see here for the reference), I don’t take this to refer only to spiritual weakness, but to both spiritual weakness and physical sickness (so I would partially disagree with the quote below). Hayden points out…

Another interesting thing he notes…

Regarding the second use of the word “sick” in verse fifteen, he writes…

Finally, regarding the word “healed” in verse sixteen, he says…

Since the Greek word can have both meanings, I believe both physical sickness and spiritual weakness are in view and that this doesn’t have to be so black and white (flexibility with these verses is key). In my view, nothing in the context, grammar, or vocabulary disallows both.

A believer can be physically sick due to testing (a type of trial God can use to strengthen their faith) or sin (the illness can be a form of divine discipline until they repent). They can also be spiritually weak, with or without a physical illness. Spiritual weakness due to depression or discouragement can also be self-inflicted because of sin (not all sin will be disciplined the same, so that physical sickness doesn’t have to be in the picture every time sin is involved). But not all discouragement and depression are a result of sin (a person could be spiritually worn out from enduring difficult trials and daily temptations), just as not all physical sickness is. The word “if” (“And if he has committed sins”) is critical because this tells us that the “sick” individual isn’t necessarily so because of sin (that may or may not be the case). Either way, this individual could be spiritually weak (with or without sin involved), physically sick (with or without sin involved), or both.

Repentance resulting in confession of sin (assuming it is involved) restores the believer to fellowship with God (the meaning of the sentence, “And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven”).

The prayer offered in faith (with no doubting, since true faith requires complete trust, James 1:6-8) would save (“restore”) the sick individual, spiritually (which is always in God’s will), and physically (in the Lord’s good time according to His will, James 4:15) if physical illness be present. The Lord will “raise up” the sufferer (which can be in the physical sense, spiritual sense, or both at the same time; a person who is both physically sick and spiritually weak).

We shouldn’t think that only the leaders are praying because this situation assumes the sufferer has repented and confessed their sins to the Lord (if sin is involved). They want to change (they are praying for themselves) because why would they ask for prayer? People can lie, so that is possible, but this situation assumes the brother or sister in question has “purified” their heart (James 4:8). But illness can also come as testing because sin doesn’t always have to be involved. So if a brother or sister is spiritually worn out from spiritual combat while enduring difficult trials, they and the leaders would pray for spiritual strength and vigor (encouragement, peace, and joy; James 1:2). Prayers for a physically ill individual would be for physical restoration (as well as spiritual if that were a problem).

Assuming a person is physically ill, verse fifteen assures restoration of physical health only if it is in the Lord’s will. But if this is only a case of spiritual weakness, then healing and restoration are guaranteed. God may choose to heal someone physically after a long time, meaning we may have to wait a while (however long that may be). It is also true that the Lord may want some people to be sick for life to grow their faith and bring them closer to Him (again, our verse assumes this is a case of “If the Lord wills” for those suffering from physical illness).

To reiterate, this passage applies to the church today; the only difference is that we no longer use oil to anoint others. And no, these verses do not refer to the long-discontinued gift of healing by touch (the miraculous kind performed by the twelve apostles and others in the early days of the church; see here for more information). If that were the case, then why call only the leaders (elders/pastor-teachers)? The prayer of faith is emphasized (not any spiritual gift of healing, but faith-driven prayers). These prayers should be daily and ongoing, not offered only on one occasion. It is hoped that the sufferer and the elders would keep up their prayer efforts, much like the persistent widow continued to go to the unjust judge for justice (Luke 18:1-8). I would also argue that this doesn’t even need to be in person because of the various modes of communication available to the church today (“Let him call for the elders of the church”). The physical presence of others is more ideal, but not necessary (especially since it may not always be possible or practical for everyone, depending on their circumstances). If one can notify one’s pastor and other church leaders by phone or computer (via call, text, email, etc.), prayers can still be offered. We notice in verse sixteen that “the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” It is not the physical presence of others that matters, but the prayers and the faith behind them (although I still believe in-person interactions are ideal when possible).

Verse 16

Confess your sins to one another

The word “therefore” shows that this verse continues the thought of what was just said in verse fifteen (“In light of this”). Since James encourages those who are in a very bad state (physically, spiritually, or both) to call for the leaders of the church to pray “over” them, he (through the Spirit) commands (in the middle imperative) his readers to “confess” their sins to one another and pray for one another (this, again, assumes sin is involved). The Greek word for confess is exomologeō and, in this context, refers to an outward confession (to other believers, in this case). This is not the type of confession the Apostle John refers to in 1 John 1:9, which says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The Greek word there is different (homologeō) and, in that context, involves confessing sins to God for restoration of spiritual fellowship (John 13:10; the meaning of “cleanse” and “forgive”). No human being has the power to forgive sins by restoring one to fellowship with Christ. Catholic priests (engaged in the false religion known as Catholicism) do not have the power to confer or convey God’s forgiveness (every individual believer is a believer-priest accountable to the High Priest Himself, 1 Peter 2:5-9, Hebrews 4:14-16, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We cannot and should never confess our sins to others for that purpose because only God can forgive. We serve Christ, our High Priest, and the physical priesthood under the Old Covenant (a shadow of what was to come) pointed to the spiritual reality of what all believers in Jesus Christ would become under the New Covenant.

Firstly, and to continue, James has the pastor and other pastor-teachers of the congregation primarily in mind (the ones we should “confess” our sins to). We shouldn’t go around sharing our sins with just anyone. But I would also add that “one another” doesn’t strictly have to be a teacher but can also include a spiritually mature brother or sister whom the individual highly trusts. Outside of that, it probably isn’t a good idea, not to mention unnecessary, to share with many others. And no, this verse does not have a public confession to the entire assembly in mind.

This situation of the “sick” believer assumes a more severe case of physical sickness and/or spiritual weakness (with or without sin involved, whatever the case may be), so much so that the individual would do better to inform the church leaders than to keep quiet about it. How can they lift him up in prayer if he never speaks up? This doesn’t mean that we must inform the pastor every time we get sick, discouraged, depressed, or for every sin we commit. But if a brother or sister has gotten into a nasty pattern of sin so severe that it negatively affects their mental, physical, and spiritual health to such a terrible degree (not to mention their Christian witness), then it would be wise to say something.

We have already examined the words “that you may be healed” above and how this can refer to both physical and spiritual healing/restoration (see also Daniel R. Hayden’s comment on that). With that in mind, now is a good time to briefly examine the “idea” of accountability partners.

A brief word about accountability partners

James 5:16 is sometimes used as a “proof text” to support what many believers call “accountability partners.” But we have already seen from this verse and the context that James has the spiritual leaders (pastor-teachers) primarily in mind (“confess your sins to one another”), and only in those more severe cases that would warrant such a procedure. So no, this verse does not mean we are accountable to other people or that we are to share all our known, everyday sins with someone else. But it is important to clarify what I mean by “accountability partners.” Basically, an accountability partner, as I have heard and observed (although this can vary depending on how the two individuals set things up), is usually someone of the same gender whom a believer shares personal struggles with, which can include going as far as sharing everyday sins and allowing the other person to see their phone and/or internet activity (to a certain extent; again, this can vary). The Bible nowhere commands us to do this to help someone else (although it is obvious phones and computers didn’t exist in biblical times). But it doesn’t forbid it either, which leads me to conclude that this is technically an area of application. It isn’t necessarily sinful to use such an approach to help someone else. But just because something is lawful doesn’t mean it is profitable or that there isn’t a better alternative (1 Corinthians 10:23). Maximum spiritual growth, progress, and production, accomplished through seeking out the truth to the maximum, understanding it, believing it, and applying it, is the best solution to overcoming sin in one’s life.

However, this does not mean some people have not been helped through this form of human assistance (perhaps some have). But I don’t personally recommend it, and I would emphasize the arguments for avoiding that path.

For one thing, an accountability partner will not solve the problem of sin in anyone’s life (sin is a heart issue that can only be conquered through spiritual means; change always begins inwardly and then works its way outwardly). We can only overcome sin by facing it head-on through the power of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16), through the truths of God’s Word (Psalm 119:11), and by resisting temptation through free-will faith (James 4:7, Ephesians 6:16, 1 Peter 5:8-9; resisting temptation requires complete trust in the Lord). Can a partner help? Perhaps, but for the reasons I’m giving here, I don’t believe this approach is a good idea. Is the struggle so bad that the believer has an addiction problem? It’s true to say that if they had been growing spiritually in that area as they should have been, they would never have gotten into such a deep hole in the first place. Inexcusable as sin is, these things do happen, and the Lord may lead some believers to take certain measures that can help. I believe Christian counselors and Christian addiction recovery groups can fall into this category of “certain measures.” However, that would most likely involve rare and extreme cases (more extreme than what we have in verse fifteen of our chapter), and I believe far fewer believers would need them if they cultivated a deeper relationship with the Lord. Unfortunately, many believers prefer to shirk their spiritual responsibilities in favor of other solutions when the divine, spiritual path would have been solely sufficient. Overcoming sin by committing it less and getting better at combating it can take time and pain, but the Lord will be with us every step of the way and will see to it that we meet that goal (even though we can never be perfect, 1 John 1:8, 1 Kings 8:46).

Other reasons I don’t recommend accountability partners include the fact that they are only temporary. Whatever progress is achieved must be continuously maintained, and no one person can be around forever to “keep tabs” on someone else. The struggling believer is responsible for their own free will choices and should not be burdened with having to report to someone else (which is borderline cultic). Believers should not be busybodies who stick their noses into other people’s affairs. However, we would assume the other person has consented to this approach. Still, we are accountable to God and should not force ourselves to report to somebody else (which is quite extreme), as that can create a self-righteous, prideful attitude in the other person.

Pastor Steven Tammen makes a possibly good argument against accountability partners by quoting Matthew 6:1, which reads, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” The problem with reporting to someone else in this manner is that the person is pressured to do their best to abstain from sinful behavior because they know someone else is watching. This can become a hazard when the person focuses more on pleasing man than on pleasing God. Only spiritual growth, attained through seeking the truth and applying it, will bring about victory. Accountability partners can possibly help push the person toward that even more. But the fact is, we should not need a “babysitter” when we should have been growing spiritually beforehand.

Reporting one’s everyday sins and activity to somebody else is not only unnecessary (since there are better ways to help another believer that don’t go so wildly extreme as this), but puts the focus and attention on the sin problem itself, which tends to be counterproductive to spiritual growth (the Bible counsels immediate confession of sin, sin that is to be forgotten and moved on from as quickly as possible, Philippians 3:13, 1 John 1:9).

The alternative James lays out is sharing one’s struggle with the pastors of the church, who can not only pray for the “sick” individual to be healed but also offer good counsel, teaching, advice, and encouragement (Luginbill compares the pastor to a “coach”). However, verse sixteen says, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,” which may suggest a broader meaning (even if James has the elders of the church primarily in mind). I don’t believe we have to limit “one another” strictly to pastor-teachers. As mentioned earlier, I believe this could also include other mature believers (non-teachers) one trusts and is comfortable with. 1 Corinthians 12:12-17 tells us that the body is made up of many parts, and all need each other. Some believers have the gift of encouragement and have a special way of encouraging and exhorting others (although pastor-teachers are responsible for this too, 2 Timothy 4:2). The point is that God can use other believers (not strictly teachers) to help others in their personal struggles.

Again, this does not mean sharing with just anyone. But without sharing with anyone (teacher or not), how can others pray for, encourage, counsel, comfort, and exhort the “sick” individual? These are all things the body of Christ is accountable to do for itself for the healing of its members (James 5:16). Plus, it puts the focus on the solution to sin and not the sin itself (we shouldn’t be trying to keep track of and remember every sin or little activity we do throughout the day; if we have known sins, we confess, forget, and move on from them; constantly talking about them with someone else prolongs this and keeps one’s mind more preoccupied with the problem itself). That is a very different approach than reporting everyday sins and activities to someone. In that case, believers would do well not to designate any individual for that purpose (though, again, I do consider “utilizing an accountability partner as an area of application).

And when we do share with others (in the way we have prescribed), my opinion is that it is best to be brief, without going into unnecessary details, so that the struggle doesn’t become the focus and that the other person doesn’t fall into temptation themselves 1 Corinthians 10:12, Galatians 6:1-2; this would involve sharing general struggles one has with whatever sin(s) is involved, not reporting everyday sins or activity).

To conclude, accountability partners are not only unnecessary, but they are also potentially dangerous for the reasons given above. For those reasons, I do not recommend them. It may not be sinful, and the choice is the individual’s, but I don’t see it as being the most profitable approach.

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working

This part of the verse is basically saying that a believer’s prayer (“a righteous person”) is powerful because it is effective. This means that the prayer is likely to be answered with a “yes” (something that is in accordance with God’s will)! But, as already mentioned, this doesn’t mean God will always answer yes if it is not in His will, or that He will grant our requests immediately. God always answers our prayers (with either a yes or no), but those answers can come at various times and in various ways (sometimes in ways we don’t expect). In this context, the prayers are for deliverance from physical and/or spiritual sickness/weakness (prayers offered on behalf of those suffering in those ways). Many of James’s Jewish recipients had grown spiritually weary (Hebrews 12:3); hence, James commanded them to be joyful amidst various trials (James 1:2) because many of them began to lose heart. But some of them were also physically ill, as a form of testing (another type of trial meant to strengthen and complement their faith) but also as divine discipline for sin (some of these believers were caught up in sin, James 4:1-12, and please note the word in bold, “And if he has committed sins”). If the prayer offered in faith is for strength amidst spiritual weakness, God will most certainly provide the suffering believer with the strength they need to endure whatever test they may be facing (1 Corinthians 10:13), assuming the sufferer also prays in faith (James 5:15), without a double mind (James 1:5-8), and with pure motives (James 4:2-3).

If the prayer is for physical healing, the answer can depend on the following variables: 1) if it is in the Lord’s will to do so (James 4:15), 2) if faith is involved and the person in question has truly repented of and confessed their sins James 4:7-10, assuming sin is involved, which resulted in physical illness as a form of divine discipline). God will not withdraw His hand of discipline from those who pray before others in pretense (they haven’t had a change of heart and perhaps are only trying to put on a show of righteousness) and only want to get well physically, not spiritually by developing the correct disposition of heart). God will not restore the believer to fellowship with Himself if they are unwilling to genuinely acknowledge their sins (confessions that are illegitimate, mere rote rituals). Depending on the request (and the attitude behind it), prayer doesn’t always guarantee a yes answer for these reasons. And, to repeat what I’ve already mentioned multiple times in this lesson, even if sin isn’t involved, the Lord may want some individuals to be physically sick for a long time (or even for life) to further refine and strengthen their faith (a thorn in the flesh to keep them on the right path, 2 Corinthians 12:7).

However, James states, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working,” as a general principle (this holds true for various prayer requests, whatever they may be, not just for “sick” people). As just mentioned, however, prayer isn’t effective without faith and with impure motives (a double mind). And even with faith and pure motives, there will be, depending on what we have asked for, some things God will not grant us because they are not in His best interests for us or someone else.

So why is the prayer of a righteous person so powerful and effective? The words “righteous person” are key. To help us understand this, we must contrast the believer and the unbeliever. First, God has a special relationship with His own children and, therefore, loves them in a unique and special way (Revelation 3:19). God loves all people with all-encompassing agape love. But He has a special relationship with His own; hence, He loves them with a more personal love because they have a saving relationship with Him. The believer has saving faith, and their prayer is effective because they are in the realm of life and have a special, abiding relationship with the Lord. Therefore, they are more likely to pray according to the Lord’s will and desires (as opposed to the unbeliever). Because of this, God is more inclined to listen to His own and grant their requests.

It is also important to mention that the believer has the power of the Holy Spirit to petition the Lord, while the unbeliever lacks the indwelling Spirit. It is not for no reason that Ephesians 6:18 and Jude 1:20 tell us to pray in the Spirit with “all kinds of prayers and requests.” Our prayers become more effective when the Spirit guides and empowers them, helping us know what to pray for when we are uncertain. Romans 8:26-28 reads, “26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” And as Romans 8:8 tells us, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (notice how verse twenty-eight mentions that God works everything out for good for those who love Him, referring to believers). The unbeliever’s prayers are also ineffective against sin (to overcome it). There are many religious people out there who profess salvation and claim to combat sin in their lives. But without saving faith in Jesus Christ (of which the Holy Spirit is a sign or pledge of genuine salvation, Romans 8:9), all efforts are for naught because they are energized through the flesh. This also holds true for the believer out of fellowship with Christ because they are not walking in faith through the Spirit’s power.

There are many things an unbeliever might pray for that they would have otherwise received had they been in the realm of life (saved believers). But why should God continue to hear the prayers of unbelievers not interested in coming to Him in faith (especially since they are His enemies, Matthew 12:30)? This is analogous to the religious Jews and their spiritual leaders, who had zeal for God but lacked knowledge according to faith (Romans 10:1-4). As the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector shows, God will not listen to such people. Their prayers are weak and ineffective because they do not stem from faith or any desire for a relationship with God.

But this parable also shows that God can hear the prayers of unbelievers, and He will hear and answer yes to those who come to Him in saving faith (John 6:37), as the tax collector did in the parable above (see also Acts 10 involving the story of Cornelius). If this were not the case, no one could be saved! So although I interpret a “righteous person” as a believer, an unbeliever can be “righteous” in the sense of being upright, law-abiding, and pure, with good motives and intentions (perhaps coming to Christ or soon to do so, as was the case with Cornelius). That, by itself (being law-abiding and upright), doesn’t make a person righteous in terms of justification, but the reader should understand the point. Does God ever hear and answer yes to the prayers of those upright, law-abiding people or any unbeliever for that matter who never accept Him as their Lord and Savior? Possibly, but that isn’t usually the case.

The power of prayer

It is worth restating that prayer doesn’t override a person’s free will (assuming we are praying for a sinning brother or sister in Christ). The believer’s prayer has great power, but not enough to alter their decisions or force their hand (God Himself does not force people to repent). And if God is the direct source of spiritual healing, how can we say prayer helps? Prayer does get results, but it isn’t magic because the requests are not granted based on some magical force or through man’s will.

On the other hand (and on a slightly different note), we may never receive many things because we never asked (James 4:2). And various Scriptural passages tell us that if we ask (if it is according to God’s will), we shall receive (Matthew 7:7, John 14:14, 1 John 5:14-15). So, although God is the one who gives (God is the giver, James 1:17, not the prayer itself), we may not receive something we want or need if we have shown we don’t truly want it (hence, we refused to ask; persistence is also key). And, again, this all assumes what we are asking for is in the Lord’s will. That is not to say that what He wants us to have He cannot give unless we pray for it. But He may also choose to wait to give us certain things until we ask Him, which invites us to rely on Him more by forcing us to go to Him in faith: God pushing us to trust Him as our ultimate giver and provider, provided our desires truly align with His and we exercise the faith needed to ask (James 1:6).

However, how does all this work when it comes to praying for the physical and spiritual well-being of others (as two examples)? If a brother or sister is ill and God heals them, how would prayer have made an impact when God is the ultimate source of all healing? The answer is one we have already touched on: the Lord’s will. We may not know the Lord’s will ahead of time (in the case of physical sickness), but if our desires matches the Lord’s desires (us wanting and praying for something that is in God’s foreknowledge and will to do), then such a prayer is powerful because it aligns with God’s plan/will and (assuming that is the case) is empowered by the Holy Spirit. If those things are true, then that is a powerful, effective prayer! If we want something God wants, and it is foreknown in His plan from eternity past, our prayers work with that plan.

But, to restate the obvious, not all prayers result in what we want (even if God has heard them). This doesn’t mean God won’t reward us for asking Him to heal someone physically who remains ill for life or for praying for the repentance of someone who never repents. God looks at the heart and sees the thoughts and motives behind such prayers, and I do believe He will reward them in eternity for those reasons. Therefore, we should pray for those people regardless for those reasons and because we don’t know what the future holds.

We know it isn’t the Lord’s will for anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). But we also understand that most human beings who have ever lived will, sadly but justifiably, end up in the Lake of fire because they rejected Him. If something is in God’s will to happen by divine foreknowledge/foreordination, then it will happen. Our Heavenly Father foreknew in eternity past all people’s decisions, and this requires history to run its course, giving humanity the chance to choose eternal life or eternal death. We can pray for an unbeliever (or even a backsliding believer). But if the person doesn’t wish to repent, then not even God’s desire for that individual’s salvation will soften their heart toward Him if they truly don’t wish to believe.

Why prayer then? First, as just stated, prayer for those who never change will still be rewarded because it shows our Savior that we long for that person’s salvation too. Ultimately, it’s the heart that counts, and I don’t see why God wouldn’t reward such requests in eternity just because the person never responded as we wanted. But we also need to remember this important principle: it wasn’t God who said no (God welcomes such prayers, and it wasn’t His desire to say no). Instead, the unbeliever said no by rejecting the gospel. God cannot redeem those who don’t want to be saved, even though their sins are already atoned for (1 John 2:2).

On the note of discouraging us from praying for the repentance of others, there are a few Old Testament exceptions where God tells some of His servants not to offer up petitions for others because He knew their hearts and foreknew that they wouldn’t change their ways (see Jeremiah 7:16, Jeremiah 11:14, and Jeremiah 14:11 for a few examples). However, this occurred during Old Testament times when God directly communicated to certain people, prophets, in this case, of which there are none in our modern time, nor have there been for many years. This does not mean we should not pray for unbelievers (Scripture certainly commands and encourages us to do so, 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Romans 10:1, Matthew 5:44). For, unlike in Jeremiah’s case, we don’t have the Lord directly telling us not to pray because of what the outcome would be. Prayer takes faith, and faith is the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Nor does 1 John 5:16 discourage us from praying for the repentance of an erring brother or sister (a commonly misunderstood passage that we will briefly revisit in our examination of verses nineteen and twenty).

To summarize, prayer is a good thing (direct communication with God), and although God is the ultimate healer who saves the lost, heals the sick (often working through doctors), and restores His own to fellowship with Him, whenever we pray, we get to participate in God’s plan for those individuals when He chooses to heal them, a plan foreknown in eternity past. God wants us to demonstrate our love and concern for all people, and prayer is one way we can do that.

Verses 17 and 18

The example of Elijah

With the truth, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working,” now stated, James provides an example of the power of prayer through the Prophet Elijah. He could make this comparison because Elijah was, like James and his recipients, human (a man), with a nature like theirs (Acts 14:15). The Greek word for nature in this context is homoiopathēs, which means “same nature, same feelings, same desires.”

And what did Elijah pray for? He prayed that it would not rain. Sure enough, it did not rain for three and a half years.

These three and a half years are exactly equal in length to half of the tribulation period (as well as our Lord’s three and a half-year ministry while on earth) and are analogous to its second half, the great tribulation (Matthew 24:21). The wickedness of Ahab, Jezebel, and the northern kingdom of Israel in general are symbolic of the wicked state the world will be in during the future great tribulation. It is also interesting to note that Elijah will likely be one of the two witnesses during its first half (Revelation 11:3-12, Matthew 17:1-3).

Verse eighteen then says that Elijah “prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.” Again, this demonstrates the power of prayer. Elijah first prayed that it would not rain. After the allotted time of three and a half years, he prayed again, and it rained. Pretty straightforward verse (the phrase “and the earth bore its fruit” is also self-explanatory). This was, for obvious reasons, Elijah’s desire and aligned with the Lord’s will; hence, God granted Elijah’s requests. What a demonstration of the power of prayer!

It is also true that, like many of the believers James wrote to (true of all believers of all times), Elijah had times of spiritual weakness/weariness; one example is when he fled from Queen Jezebel out of fear and distress instead of standing his ground in faith, trusting that the Lord would protect him. In this regard, he was human and weak in his own flesh, but strong through God’s power when he relied on Him through faith (as he did on Mount Carmel before his fleeing Jezebel, 1 Kings 18:16-40). Needless to say, he eventually overcame this spiritual lapse and continued to glorify the Lord until God took him away (2 Kings 2:11).

Verses 19 and 20

Turning a wandering brother or sister back to Christ

As we already know, many of our Jewish believers weren’t responding too well to some of the trials they were enduring, which left those weaker in faith very vulnerable to deception and spiritual fatigue. Giving in to such things would have severe consequences. Therefore, James needed to emphasize the significance of turning such a wayward brother or sister back to the truth. What if the individual didn’t repent and took a turn for the worse? Prayer could help (although it wouldn’t be the direct solution). But some people need to be more thoroughly convinced that what they are doing is wrong (instead of being left alone to figure things out for themselves, which can make them even more vulnerable), which may require an extended series of exhortations. The Lord often works through other believers to persuade wayward “sheep” to turn away from the path they have taken. Again, we should always pray. But some people need a “nudge” from others to be convinced of the error of their ways. With that said, one way the Spirit can help bring His own to repentance is by His working through other believers to help bring them back.

Once again, we see James address his reading audience as “My brothers” (we have already examined the reason for that). The phrase “if anyone among you” means just as it says, referring to any Jewish and, “perhaps, Gentile believer among the scattered Jewish assemblies (some Gentile believers were likely present in some of the Jewish assemblies). We then have the words, “wanders from the truth,” which would refer to a believer in the process of turning away from the faith (if this were something to happen or was happening; it likely did occur in some of the various congregations). These individuals have not “gone over the cliff” yet but are headed in that direction; hence the need for intervention (they are hardening their hearts toward the truth, rejecting it and pushing it away).

But the question is: why are they wandering? Regarding the word “wanders,” Luginbill writes, “Planao means “to cause to wander” in the active voice, and “to wander [oneself]” in the middle/passive voice; it is middle/passive in James 5:19. Grammatically speaking, all middle/passives generally assume an agent or instrument, whereas in the active voice the subject is producing the action.” However, like Luginbill, I don’t believe this means we should restrict this scenario only to one or the other. This situation can also include individuals who wander on their own without being influenced by someone else, i.e., they weren’t necessarily deceived.

Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering

Verse twenty then opens with the words, “let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering.” The “him” is, of course, the one who turns the backsliding believer (the “sinner”) from his dangerous course. And what is it this person is to know? Before I explain that, it’s worth noting that James put things this way to encourage and commend those who had done this. But it is also a call to action, urging his readers to step up when needed. Prayer has great power working behind it. But so does simply talking to someone through the Spirit’s power to persuade, exhort, and convince them to do something. An urgent scenario requires an urgent response. Someone among the assembly needs to step up and try to help the person (multiple individuals may be involved). Not only will God reward these efforts, but they will also save the sinner from “death” if they respond positively.

Will save his soul from death

So what is this “death” (“will save his soul from death”) being described, and what is meant by the word “soul?” The word “soul” (psyche) also appears in Matthew 16:25 and can be better translated as “life,” in that context (see here for a reference ). Here in James, the word can refer to the person’s physical body or their body and spirit combined. This means that the death referred to can be both physical (premature death as the supreme act of divine discipline, 1 Corinthians 11:27-32) or eternal (the person doesn’t repent and commits apostasy by departing from the faith; only believers are saved, unbelievers are not). There is also spiritual death. Luginbill writes that “In James 5:20, all are true. If a person is delivered from lies and back to the truth, then 1) they are presently again spiritually alive rather than spiritually dead; 2) they are not going to be dying the sin unto death; 3) and they have been saved from the second death.”

However, James 5:19-20 is often erroneously linked with 1 John 5:16-17. But the death described in 1 John is strictly eternal (referring to the second death), not physical or a combination of the two (see my study on that for an in-depth examination of those two verses). Therefore, calling the possibility of premature physical death in James 5:20 “the sin unto death” is misleading (this is also true when discussing 1 John 5:16-17 specifically).

And will cover a multitude of sins

We then have the final phrase in our verse, “and will cover a multitude of sins.” The Greek word for cover is kaluptó (καλύπτω), and it means to “cover, hide, and to procure pardon from sin.” This doesn’t refer to atonement because God has already atoned for our sins through His death on the cross. Even the sins of unbelievers are atoned for because Christ died for the sins of all people of all time (1 John 2:2), meaning that people only go to Hell for rejecting Jesus Christ, not for sin because sin is not the issue (complete faith/trust in Jesus Christ is what matters; lack of it results in condemnation, John 3:16-18). Instead, when one person persuades another to return to the truth, God restores that individual to fellowship with Himself. The person’s sins have now been overlooked because they have repented and confessed them; thus, they are fit and ready to be brought back into fellowship (1 John 1:9). And because they repented, God will spare them from death (which can be physical, spiritual, and/or eternal). In this sense, the person’s sins are covered (sins are in the plural because the person was engaged in a pattern of turning away from the truth).

References

All Greek words and definitions were sourced from Bible Academy, utilizing Curtis Omo’s lessons in the book of James. Prior permission for this was given to me by Curtis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzyNiDPu_n0&list=PLMu_1csD4LY9yVXlD84z6WaB50t6eu8aZ&index=19

Robert D. Luginbill on oaths:

“James is writing to a Jewish audience and this problem was even more pronounced for them than for gentiles, so “above all” indicates to us that this was a repeating problem he knew through the Spirit had to be addressed.”

“Taking oaths was always problematic. It’s in the Law for the same reason slavery was/is: people were doing this and going to be doing this so it needed to be regulated. But especially since the Law has been abrogated, oaths were a double trap: not trusting that a simple prayer was sufficient; feeling that one needed to “do something” to get what one wanted (legalism).”

“The phrase ‘or by any other oath’ merely is shorthand for ‘and I also mean all of the specific things our Lord mentioned – no need to repeat them here – and anything else you might be tempted to swear by.”

“What our Lord is clearly referring to here – and James also in his very clear recalling of our Lord’s words – is not to affirmation, whether in a legal or personal or rhetorical setting, but rather to the system formal “promising” under the Law.”

Luginbill on the Greek word “planao”

“Planao means “to cause to wander” in the active voice, and “to wander [oneself]” in the middle/passive voice; it is middle/passive in James 5:19. Grammatically speaking, all middle/passives generally assume an agent or instrument, whereas in the active voice the subject is producing the action.”

Luginbill’s view on the word “death” in James 5:20.

“In James 5:20, all are true. If a person is delivered from lies and back to the truth, then 1) they are presently again spiritually alive rather than spiritually dead; 2) they are not going to be dying the sin unto death; 3) and they have been saved from the second death.”

A reference for the word “soul” in James 5:20

https://www.ichthys.com/mail-Biblical-Anthropology4.htm

A reference to Daniel R. Hayden’s comments on verses fourteen through sixteen.

https://www.awordfromtheword.org/calling-the-elders-to-pray

The ministry of the elders, as encouraged by James, is not to pray for physical healing, but to pray for spiritual strengthening for those who are discouraged or depressed.

The first occurrence of the word “sick” is in verse 14. “Is anyone among you sick?” Here the Greek word is ἀσθενέω from σθενόω (“to strengthen”), with the prefix α (“not”), meaning “to be weak.” This word is used thirty-four times in the New Testament. Twenty times it refers to physical “weakness” (used of those who are sick, predominantly in the Gospels and Acts), and fourteen times it is used as a designation for those who are spiritually “weak” (its primary meaning in the Epistles).

The second occurrence of the word “sick” in James 5 is in verse 15 : “and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick.” Another Greek word is used in this instance, however, It is κάμνω. The only other occurrence of κάμνω in the New Testament gives insight into its meaning. “For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary (κάμνω) and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin” (Heb 12:3–4).

However, does not the word “healed” in James 5:16 indicate that physical sickness is in view? The Greek word ἰάομαι is definitely used of healing the physically ill; but it is also employed with reference to spiritual healing of the heart. The Book of Hebrews mentions weariness in the struggle with sin (12:3–4), and then reminds the discouraged Christian that God is a faithful heavenly Father who disciplines in love in order to correct the life of the saint (12:5–11). In conclusion he says, “Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble [a graphic picture of what it is to be “weak” and “weary”]…but rather be healed [ἰάομαι]” (12:12–13).

Citation of Blue Letter Bible for the word “judgement” (krisis) in verse twelve.

“G2920 - krisis - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (ESV).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 31 Aug, 2026. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2920/esv/mgnt/0-1/.