The Relationship of Confession and Healing

James 5:16 AV

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Introduction:

Let us all admit something this morning! We are a mess as human beings. Every single one of us! When the Bible says that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” () that includes you and me. Because of sin, we struggle with sinful attitudes and behavior. As a Christian, we fight this spiritual battle of desiring to do what pleases God but find ourselves doing just the opposite and quite frankly it is frustrating. No wonder Paul said in , “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that I do not: but what I hate, that I do.” In which he concludes, “ O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord...” ().

So this morning I would like us to move from the frustration of dealing with our sin to learning to deal with. James gives some very practical principles in his letter. In , he commands us to “confess” in order to be “healed.”

Defining the Terms

Confess

To agree with, saying the same thing

In this context and many others there is the implication of repentance involved

Faults

Not mistakes

Sin- hamartia

Healed

To restore something to a state of health or wholness

We desire to be whole physically, why not spiritually and emotionally

The Journey to Wholeness

Confess your sins to one another

Have you ever sat down with someone you love and trusted and shared the sin that troubles you?

I know many of you want to put on this mask of I don’t sin like others? But we struggle with sin.

Sometimes we feel if we share it, we will be rejected, shamed and condemned. Perhaps some unspiritual people would. But those who are like Jesus and walk like Jesus would not throw aside those who sin and are seeking Him.

Remember the account in Luke when Jesus was in the house of Simon the Pharisee and he had a woman who was a known harlot washing his feet with her hair and tears. Simon was offended that Jesus was allowing this sinner to touch him. But Jesus forgave her and accepted her just the way she was.

There are countless stories in the Gospels of this very thing.

The first step then is to confess to Jesus our sin.

1 John 1:9 AV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We can also share our sinful struggles with others

Illustration of my time as a chaplain at Mercy hospital

Be wise, someone you trust, an advocate

There is advantages, you have someone praying for you (pray for one another), you have someone to walk with you and help keep you accountable.

I heard something recently that I think is critical on how we as Christians should value (love) others.

Acceptance- the person, not the sin

Accountability- I value you to much to allow you to remain there

Affirmation- Encouraging them to pursue Christ

The purpose for this is for healing

Confession is good for the soul

Keeping it all bottled up, holding it all in, fearful for people finding out, is destructive to one’s spiritual well-being. We are meant to walk this world with others for spiritual growth and maturity.

Diagnostic Tool

Confessing the Sin

What Do I Do?

Stealing

Who Am I?

Provider

In Control

Not loved by God

What Has God Done?

Not Caring

Not Enough

Not capable

Who Is God?

God is a liar

God is absent

God is not a provider

Repenting of the Sin

Who is God?

God is love

God is all-present

God is all powerful

God is caring

What Has God Done?

What has God done in scripture?

Elijah

Paul

What has God done in life?

What has God done according to the Gospel?

Who Am I?

I am a child of God

I am a recipient of God’s provision

I am beloved

What Do I Do?

I give

Conclusion:

Psalm 51:1–3 AV

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Psalm 51:1-3