{"id":4971,"date":"2015-07-01T01:00:27","date_gmt":"2015-07-01T08:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ministryofgrace.org\/blog\/?p=4971"},"modified":"2015-06-27T20:05:37","modified_gmt":"2015-06-28T03:05:37","slug":"james-516-energetic-healing-prayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ministryofgrace.org\/test\/james-516-energetic-healing-prayer\/","title":{"rendered":"James 5:16 – Energetic, Healing Prayer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Therefore, confess the faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. An effectual petition of a righteous man has great force.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Truth to Learn<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

In the body of Christ we all need to support each other with prayer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Behind the Words<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

“Confess” is translated from exomologe\u014d<\/em>, which is a double compound word made up of ex<\/em>, meaning “out” or “out of,” homou<\/em>, meaning “together with” or “all the same” (as in homogenized), and leg\u014d<\/em>, meaning “to say.” Homologe\u014d<\/em> means “to agree with,” being translated as “confess” in 1 John 1:9. With the “ex”<\/em> added, it means “to confess out” or “to admit.” It is expressed here in the imperative mood, commanding us to admit our faults to one another.<\/p>\n

The word translated “faults” is different depending on which translation you are reading from. Some translations have the Greek word hamartia<\/em>, which means “sins,” whereas others have the Greek word paraptoma<\/em>, which means “trespasses” or “offenses” (literally side-slips). Either way, when you take this in context with the preceding verses, it is clear that James is still talking about the person who is sick, which he indicates in this verse with the phrase, “that you may be healed.<\/em>”<\/p>\n

“Effectual petition” is translated from de\u0113sis<\/em> energoumen\u0113<\/em>  De\u0113sis<\/em> refers to a prayer or a petition regarding a particular need for oneself or someone else, and energoumen\u0113<\/em>  refers to something that is effective or that is working.<\/p>\n

The words “great force” are from the Greek words polu ischuei. Polu<\/em> means “many” or “much” and ischuei<\/em> refers to “strength, ability, or power.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Meaning Explained<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

What we can deduce from this and the preceding two verses is that unconfessed sin can be the cause of sickness, and even death. The apostle Paul refers to this in I Corinthians 11:30<\/strong> where he is talking about those who partake of communion with unconfessed sins:<\/p>\n

For this reason many are weak and sickly among you, and many die.<\/p>\n

This passage in James is one from which Roman Catholics base their doctrine of “auricular confession,” or verbal confession made to a priest who supposedly can then absolve (forgive) you of your sin. Notice a few things, however:<\/p>\n