James Chapter Five, Restoring Wayward Brethren

 

James 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. [18] And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

 

The verse begins with mention of Elijah, who was among the prophets mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11, who “through faith subdued kingdoms,” Hebrews 11:32, 33. Yet James quickly humanizes the prophet, likening him to you and I. Elijah was not superhuman. He was called by God and separated to Him for prophetic service. But in the end he too was merely a man and his prayers were the prayers of a man convinced that what God said He could perform. It’s easy to find Elijah amazing, and to place him in a camp of special saints more equipped to fulfill God’s will than we are. But James disagrees. Elijah was simply a man more surrendered to God’s will, and so could be used by his Savior more readily, and more powerfully.

1 Kings chapter 19 demonstrates Elijah’s humanity very candidly. After Elijah’s immense victory over Baal’s 450 prophets Queen Jezebel was wroth with him and sent him a letter. Its contents contained a death threat, with an oath (unfulfilled) to her gods that before the next day ended Elijah would be dead like her prophets were. Sufficed to say, Elijah fled. The prophet, “sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”” 1 Kings 19:4. He felt alone and persecuted, as he would go on to relate to his God after reaching Horeb, 1 Kings 19:14. It is clear that not every prayer even this man of God prayed was answered in the affirmative, since the prophet’s immediate death was not a part of God’s will for him. Prayer can be powerful if we as Christians, first: learn the will of God and, second: center ourselves in that will. Don’t be afraid of hearing “not right now” or even “no.” A father’s prerogative is to withhold what he deems isn’t fit for his child. The heavenly Father is no different, save that He is perfect in His understanding what is best for us. Why settle? Why be that stubborn child, set on our will, and setting our will against His? To be sure, if we behave in such a manner we will not receive the petition we have asked of Him.

 

James 5:19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, [20] let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

 

These final two verses seem to logically follow the train of thought we have been considering since verse 13. One of the potential consequences of straying from the truth is resultant sickness, potentially ending with the physical death of the sufferer. There is a two-fold note to be made about this passage. James begins by once more addressing his readers as brethren, or brothers in Christ. Second, the soul risking death has strayed from the truth, which means that at some time in the past they abided in said truth. You can’t wander away from someplace you’ve never been to. We are counseled again to walk beside errant saints to correct them.

 

Confrontation is in order, which is to come with a spirit that is not combative or arrogant. We are to address the sinning brother one on one and reason with him about his fault. If he will not listen, the situation escalates by bringing witnesses to bear to establish what is said. Failing that, the entire church body becomes involved with the situation, since we are all part of the same body as Christ’s bride. Again, failing even that the sinning brother is to be excommunicated for refusing to relinquish the sin that is causing separation of fellowship, Matthew 18:15-17. Paul wrote more succinctly: “And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish (warn) him as a brother,” 2 Thessalonians 3:14, 15.

 

If reason proves victorious then fellowship is restored; not only between believers, but also between the sinning Christian and his offended God, Ephesians 4:30-32. More than that, the sinner turns from the error of his way. Having wandered from the truth, he was going a different way, a path incongruent with his confession and the prompting of the indwelling Spirit. That same Spirit, speaking through His many children, counsels us to hold fast to the narrow path He illumines. “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand, or whenever you turn to the left,” Isaiah 30:21.

 

As James 5:15 explained already, God will raise up or heal the errant saint and forgive their sins, as soon as they are ready to ask for said forgiveness. Until such time, when we have fallen into sin, we like to insulate ourselves from the truth and begin concocting justifications for what we selfishly want. I’m too weak to stop. Everyone else is doing this. What harm can come from this? No one will ever know. I could go on citing from the list I have in times when I fall into the mire. Prayer is a good vehicle to lift a saint out of the dark. It brings God’s light into dark places, like the glow of a lamp shining out from behind the glass. God’s love and compassion can emanate from us, His children, when we utilize prayer, especially in numbers.

 

Once more James accentuates the action of manifested faith when we confront a sinning brother with their error. Genuine love does not allow the object of that love to run off into danger. If we love God, that love MUST manifest toward our fellow saints. And having manifested, love compels us to do what is hard, even to our hurt, if it benefits the object of our love. Our Lord told us that those who are greatest in the church will take on servant roles. Servants are selfless because they must be. By very definition, being a servant means that you prioritize the welfare of your employer. Bearing that in mind we must conduct ourselves in the church not to demonstrate superiority but to strive for humility. Because, “knowledge puffs up [makes arrogant], but love edifies…and because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died?” 1 Corinthians 8:1, 11. To save an erring brother from the consequence of sin we need to ensure that we, too, have not “wander[ed] from the truth.”