James 5:16 (Devotion)

"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."

Just as forgiveness in many ways is the linchpin to our prayer life, confession is the catalyst of repentance which brings forgiveness to fruition. Confession is multifaceted and requires a honest and realistic personal assessment of how far we have fallen from the throne of grace. It is invaluable to our personal relationship with Christ and impossible to undervalue in Scripture. Confession is a prerequisite of salvation; acknowledging who Jesus is, what He did and why He came. "Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). It takes ownership over the damage caused by our sins. "I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin" (Psalm 38:18). It frees us from the bondage of guilt, shame and regret by bringing darkness to light. "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin" (Psalm 32:5). Most importantly, it elicits brokenness within our hearts where real change takes place. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Psalm 51:17). Those who confess sin understand that consequences are a byproduct of their mistakes and are willing to accept whatever calamity their actions have caused. Therefore, there is not a propensity to escape but an acceptance that come what may, righteousness will be sought after and lived out no matter the cost.

Confession takes initiative; because as Solomon accurately stated, "Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Realistically, no one would deny that he/she sins, but how many of us would personally classify ourselves as addicts? Consider how the American Society of Addiction Medicine categorizes addiction: "Inability to consistently abstain; impairment in behavioral control; craving; or increased “hunger” for drugs or rewarding experiences; diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships; and a dysfunctional emotional response." If we are honest with ourselves, do we not presently identify with these characteristics in our own hearts? In truth, we are all addicts because we sin every day of our lives. It is our consistency of failure that classifies our addictive behaviors as previously stated. Now in most cases, we would never admit publicly that we are addicts because that label is typically reserved for those who struggle mightily and exude no self-control over substances such as illegal or prescription drugs, alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, etc.; or behaviors such as obesity, gambling, sex, shopping, video games, internet/social media, etc. But if we set aside our stereotypes and consider the defining characteristics of what addiction behavior looks like (as opposed to specifically what we may be addicted to), how can we boldly declare that we are not enslaved by our flesh when we consistently and repeatedly sin? 

Establishing our propensity towards addictive behavior and accepting our fleshly identity as addicts does not compel us to be lethargic or disinterested in living for righteousness. For the apostle Paul reminds us, "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?" (Galatians 4:8-9). What aids our transitional focus from flesh to spirit is the practice of confession. Confession breaks the pattern of sinful behavior and allows us to get off the sin carousel. Granted, it does not guarantee we will not exit the ride and turn right around to get back in line at some point, but it does allow us the opportunity to choose. Having the ability to choose is the foundation of free will God graciously gives us, and we can use that gift to live consumed by whatever idols our hearts desire or relinquish control and align our free will with the Father's. Thus, the great divide is ever before us! Do we choose to live for ourselves or for Christ? As followers of Christ, we are comforted by the promises of God which point to His saving grace when we confess our sins and repent. "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:19-20). But if we do not come to our senses, we risk more than simply not getting our way with temporary fixations which never satisfy. We risk alienation from God and hearing Christ proclaim to us on judgment day, "Truly, I say to you, I do not know you" (Matthew 25:12).

The simply truth every man, woman and child must accept is that we are all destined to eternity in hell if we do not repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That is the ONLY escape route God provides for our salvation. But again, simply accepting Christ is not enough. Our behavior or application of Scripture must illicit fruit that testifies to spiritual growth. For Jesus boldly warns, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’" (Matthew 7:21-23). The most important aspect of confessing our sins to God and one another is that our acts of confession must be compelled by hearts broken over sin. That is why Jesus taught in His sermon on the mount, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). Most people misinterpret that verse. They associate mourning with physical death, but Jesus' intent (and context) was to affirm those who mourn over their sin to the extent that they recognize, understand and grieve over what they have done, turn from their wicked ways, and pray for the healing hand of God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.

Coming full circle, James exhorts us to diligently pray for one another; but he also emphasizes that the prayers of the righteous are the ones God hears most, to drive home the fact that living for righteousness is our highest calling. This should compel us then to live accordingly, for why would we ever waste our time praying to God for help if we have no desire to live according to what He says? Obviously, if we do not respect God enough to value His Word, then are we really so naive to expect Him to answer our prayers exactly as we wish? That is how we typically think though. We live for ourselves to the extent where we are inept and unable to satisfy our heart's desires, so we cry out to God for help expecting Him to grant our wishes like a genie in a bottle, all the while forgetting that true healing begins with genuine faith in Christ, confession of sins, and living for righteousness. The prayer of faith James lays out is not overly complicated. It simply reinforces our Biblical principles of faith, repentance, praise and worship, which are the foundation of a healthy prayer life. For if we have proper perspective on what it means to walk in the light, we will respond in submission and obedience to the Father by living out the saving freedom of His Word through confession and prayer. Only then will be experience true freedom from our bondage of sin. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (1 John 1:8-10).