Confession

 James 5:16 ESV

 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. 


Confession isn't just for Roman Catholics to do to priests. It's for every follower of Jesus to do with one another. Unresolved guilt is bad for our health.

Prayer, confession and forgiveness are good for our health. James isn't saying that we'll never get ill. He is saying that we don't need shame to get us physically down.

The church of the Lord Jesus is a body. So if one part suffers we should all feel it. Otherwise we might have spiritual leprosy, where we can't feel pain, which is a warning sign that something needs fixing.

Every believer in Christ is made righteous through faith in him. If we simply trust him, our prayers will have great power. This isn't about being 'holier than thou': self righteous, proud and arrogant.

'O Lord our God, may we obey you in confessing our sins to one another, and so to find healing. For your glory we pray, amen'.

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