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James 5: 16b — Righteousness

A plasma ball against a black background illustrates power.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

We are almost at the end of James’ letter to the “twelve tribes.” Throughout his letter, James talks about what it means to be a righteous person.

A righteous person considers trials to be a joy. He knows that testing leads to perseverance, and perseverance leads to maturity. A righteous person is mature in faith. They are complete.

A righteous person has the wisdom the comes from God because they have asked and not doubted. They are of a single mind, one that is devoted to the Lord.

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James 5: 16a — Now What?

A statue of a man and woman embracing depicts forgiveness.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

It is the day after Easter. News of the most amazing event in history has spread around the globe. Everyone has been confronted by the reality of this amazing story. God in the flesh is killed by the beings he created. Three days later, the Son of God is seen alive again. Not just by one or two people but by hundreds of people who knew him before he died.

Myself and others, maybe even you, have chosen to believe in his resurrection and promise of forgiveness. Now what?

Now what, indeed.

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James 5: 15b — Artwork Redeemed

A child's hand holds a colored pencil over a colorful drawing.

If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.

Today’s post happens to land on April 12, 2020. This day is special because it is Easter Sunday. It is unique because this year is the year of the COVIC-19 pandemic. This makes an odd backdrop to this year’s Easter. The pandemic has thrown the world into a panic. Thanks largely to a strategy of isolating people from each other, the Coronavirus has failed to reach what might be called critical mass in our country. Instead of being overwhelmed, many hospitals are empty.

Unfortunately, the isolation that has slowed the spread of the virus has also kept us away from church. So when Easter morning dawns today, there will be an eerie silence in most, if not all, of America’s churches.

What does this mean?

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James 5: 15a — Sōzō

A statue of Jesus with arm raised.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.

The title for our meditation is the Greek word, “sōzō.” It is the word that the NIV translates as made “well” in today’s verse. In English, we generally expect that if someone is made well, they are restored to complete health. After looking into the meaning of the Greek, sōzō, I am not entirely sure that is exactly what James meant.

Forgive me, I don’t mean to be questioning the fine minds that did the translation for NIV. Instead, I am questioning our understanding of what it means to be made well. Once again the challenge is discerning who’s point of view we should look at the word through; God’s or ours.

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James 5: 14 — A Test of Faith

A dog with a cone around his neck symbolizes being sick.

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.

As I read this verse I am almost overwhelmed by the implications. How should we begin? Perhaps we should begin with being sick.

Who among us has not been sick at one time or another? Often our sickness passes and we get better. Some kinds of sickness affect the body for years. Other sicknesses lead to death. Sometimes quickly, other times very slowly.

As a Christian, we do not fear death. Yet almost no one yearns to be ill. We like feeling well. That is how we are intended to be.

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James 5: 12 — Do You Swear…?

Two kids lock little fingers.

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

Note: Today we return to chapter five. We have explored the forgotten verses in chapter four. James has been admonishing us to avoid making boasts about what we will do. Instead, preface every thought with, “If it is the Lord’s will… This ties in nicely with today’s passage.

What kind of swearing is James talking about? Do we still swear in the way James uses the word?

The traditional definition of “swear” is to make a solemn statement or vow promising to do something or affirming something is true. The functional definition in common use today is to express contempt with what is known as a “four-letter word.” (Sadly, the use of “swear words” has become so common that some people are hardly able to speak without using them.)

James is referring to the use of an affirmation or vow. So why would such a statement condemn us?

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James 4: 17 — Do It!

Carving of the Good Samaritan helping.

If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

To be a Jew in Jesus’ day meant adhering to a strict diet of “clean” foods. These laws were given through Moses which gave them serious legal weight in the eyes of the Jews. The Gentiles, all of us non-Jews, had no such restrictions. Back then and even now we eat pretty much whatever we want. This difference in diets led to a clash of cultures in the early church. Paul felt the need to write several chapters on the topic to the Corinthians in his first letter to them. (See chapters 8-10)

James is still railing against those he calls “rich people.” As we have discussed before, what he means is greedy people who put themselves before God and their neighbor. In the context of this verse, it seems that James is suggesting that these rich people know better.

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James 4: 15-16 — Alignment

Close up of the sight glass on a bubble level.

Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.

I was talking with a friend the other day and the word “alignment” came up. It was a way of describing our relationship with God as it should be. We should be in alignment with God’s will.

If what we are doing is something God wants to be done, it will go well. If what we are doing is not God’s will, it will not go well.

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