Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you. Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you.

James 5:1-6 (NET)

How can we steward our finances God’s way?

In this text, James continues to challenge these Jewish Christians about their faith. The thesis of the book is that true faith produces good works—it affects how we live. It affects how we read the Bible—we must not only be hearers of God’s Word but doers as well (Jam 1:22). It affects how we use our tongues. If we don’t restrain our tongues, then our faith is in vain (Jam 1:26). It affects how we treat the poor. Religion that God our father accepts cares for orphans and widows—the neediest in the ancient world—and also doesn’t dishonor the poor in favor of the rich (Jam 1:27, 2:1-13). True faith should affect our relationship to the world. In James 4:4, James rebuked these professing Christians because of their worldliness. He called them spiritual adulterers and said friendship with the world is enmity with God. In James 4:13-17, their worldliness was showing up in their planning. Like the world, they planned without God. Tomorrow, they would go to this or that city for a year and make a profit, and yet their plans gave no thought to God’s will at all. In James 5:1-6, he again rebukes their worldliness by specifically challenging their use of money.

In the Gospels, Jesus spoke about money more than heaven or hell. He did that because how we use our money says something about our heart—what we truly love and therefore our faith. In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus challenged believers to not store up riches on this earth because we have a tendency to love our treasures and allow them to master us. In Matthew 6:24, specifically, Christ said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” When considering the world, many in the world live for money. It dictates what school they will go to, the job they will pursue, who they will marry, the type of car they will buy. Money is essentially their god, and it’s very possible for that to happen to professing believers as well. There are, no doubt, many in the church who profess Christ as Lord but are truly living for money and, therefore, are not saved.

We get a good picture of how one can be kept from salvation because of wealth in the story of the rich man. In Matthew 19:16-24, the rich man asked Christ how he could receive eternal life. In order to receive it, Christ told the man to sell all his riches and to follow Christ (v. 21). When Christ called him to give away his riches to be saved, he was not giving a new gospel message—a new way to salvation. In order to be saved, we must not only believe in and follow Christ, we must also repent of our sins. In Mark 1:15, Christ said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” In Acts 2:38, Peter taught the same, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Repenting means to commit to turning away from our sins in order to turn to God. For this rich man, his god was money, and he needed to turn away from his wealth to truly follow Christ and be saved. As Christ said, we can only have one master (Matt 6:24).

However, it must be said that though we teach repentance of sin and committing to follow Christ for salvation, we don’t know people’s hearts. Therefore, unlike Christ, we often can’t tell what a person’s “god” is, which might keep him or her from true salvation. For the rich man, if he were to ask how to be saved in one of our churches today, we would quickly share the Four Spiritual Laws with him; he would have received Christ and been accepted into the church, though he wasn’t truly saved. Because he was spiritual (desiring to know how to have eternal life), righteous (he had kept the laws from his youth), and probably a good manager/businessman (as he was very wealthy), he probably would have quickly been put into leadership in the church (probably a treasurer) and possibly been an elder soon. However, he wasn’t saved. Money was really his god. He potentially would have been in the church for decades—trying to live for money and God, which Christ said is impossible.

This was the problem with the ancient Jewish Christians James wrote to in James 5:1-6. Apparently, they were wealthy farmers with booming businesses. They had even employed some of the poor Christians in the congregations, but they were abusing the money and the people. Because of this, James wrote a very scathing rebuke—declaring that they were going to be judged by God. In James 5:3, he says the money they had stored up would consume their flesh like fire, which seems to be a very vivid picture of their judgment in hell. Hell is a place of conscious, bodily, and eternal punishment (cf. Mk 9:48, Matt 25:41). And though they had a profession of faith, they were not truly saved. Their idolatry of money, lack of fear of God, and abuse of his people proved it (cf. Lk 3:7-14).

Interpretation Question: Are these corrupt farmers inside the church (professing believers) or outside the church (nonbelievers)?

James’ rebuke is so harsh some commentators believe that he was not speaking to Christians at all. They say, he must be speaking to the wicked rich outside the church. But there are several things that indicate that he was speaking to those in the church. (1) The context of the letter. Throughout the book, James has been challenging the lack of true faith being demonstrated by professing believers amongst these congregations. In James 2:17 and 19, he said faith without works is demonic, dead faith. If our profession of faith doesn’t manifest in good works, we are not saved. James’ rebuke of these corrupt farmers fits the context of the letter. (2) There is parallelism in the rebukes to the successful Christian businessmen and the successful farmers. In James 4:13, he said to the businessmen, “Come now!” and likewise to the successful farmers, he says, “Come now!” (5:1). Since the businessmen were professing Christians, as he called them to say, “If the Lord is willing,” (4:15) then it makes sense that the farmers were in the church as well. (3) The use of the pronoun “you” throughout the rebuke implies that he was speaking to people within the congregation who would have heard the letter read. James rebuked them like an Old Testament prophet. God would commonly challenge the nation of Israel about their abuse and neglect of the poor (cf. Is 3:14-15, 58:1-10). Because of these evidences, it appears that James was writing professing believers who misused God’s money and hurt their poor workers in the process. Their ungodly works proved that money was truly their master and not God. Therefore, they weren’t saved (cf. Matt 6:24, Jam 5:3).

James 5:1-6 was written to comfort the poor Christians who were being abused by the rich (cf. Jam 2:6). They needed to know that God had heard their cries and that he would bring justice. In addition, the rich professing believers needed to hear of God’s coming judgment so they would repent.

Therefore, as we consider this warning to the rich, we learn principles about proper stewardship of finances—how to steward our finances God’s way. Our hope in studying this text is to learn from the rich farmers’ mistakes, not make them, and ultimately be found as faithful stewards by God (cf. Matt 25:23).

Big Question: What principles can we learn about stewarding our finances God’s way from James’ rebuke of the rich in James 5:1-6?

To Steward Finances God’s Way, We Must Live in View of God’s Judgment

Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you ... Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

James 5:1, 3-4

Observation Question: In James 5:1-4, what witnesses would God call on to justify the rich famers’ judgment?

When James says, “Come now,” he was speaking like an Old Testament prophet calling the rich to “listen up” because he was going to tell them something important (cf. Is 1:18). He proceeded to tell them to mourn because of the miseries that were coming. God was going to judge them. Their misuse of their riches would consume their flesh like fire (v. 3). They had hoarded treasure in the last days—which encompasses the time between Christ’s first and second coming¹ (cf. Acts 2:16-17, 1 John 2:18, Heb 1:1-2). James pictures a court case before the Lord of Hosts—the Lord of heaven’s angelic armies. The decayed hoarded treasure would witness against these farmers (v. 1), the money withheld from their workers (v. 3), and the workers’ cries (v. 4). They were clearly guilty and would be judged by God. Because of this coming judgment, the rich were called to uncontrollably mourn. No doubt, this warning was meant to encourage them to repent, even as Jonah’s prophecy of God’s judgment on Nineveh made them mourn, fast, and cry as a sign of their repentance (Jonah 3:4-10).

In the Parable of the Talents (Matt 25:14-30), we get a comparable picture of God judging his servant for unfaithfulness with money. In the parable, a master gave three servants talents, which was a form of money in those days. Two of the stewards were faithful with their money and made a profit, so God rewarded them (Matt 25:20-23). However, one of them, instead of investing his money, stuck it in the ground. Because of the servant’s misuse of the money, the master, who symbolized God, said this in Matthew 25:28-30:

Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

God judged this servant by taking away his talent and throwing him in outer darkness. Though there are different views on this punishment, it appears that this servant’s unfaithfulness with money proved that he was not a true believer; therefore, he was cast into hell (cf. Matt 7:21-23). His ungodly works proved that his faith was not genuine. This seems to parallel with the warning that James gave these professing Christians. Their unfaithful stewardship of God’s money proved that God wasn’t their Lord at all, and that they were going to be cast into hell.

Likewise, John the Baptist called for the Jews to repent of their use of wealth, lest they be cast into the fires of hell. Luke 3:7-14 says:

So John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don’t begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” So the crowds were asking him, “What then should we do?” John answered them, “The person who has two tunics must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He told them, “Collect no more than you are required to.” Then some soldiers also asked him, “And as for us—what should we do?” He told them, “Take money from no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your pay.”

Sharing one’s tunics (v. 11), not collecting more taxes than required (v. 13), not taking someone’s money by force or false accusation, and being content with one’s pay (v. (14), all have to do with one’s wealth. How we use our money will be surveyed in the judgment to demonstrate whether we have true faith or not (cf. Rom 2:6-8).

Therefore, one principle we must discern from James’, Christ’s, and John’s warnings of judgment is that if we are going to be good stewards of God’s money, we must live in view of God’s judgment. Our money is not our own; it is God’s, along with every other gift we have. Psalm 50:10-11 says, “For every wild animal in the forest belongs to me, as well as the cattle that graze on a thousand hills. I keep track of every bird in the hills, and the insects of the field are mine.” Everything is God’s—our finances, relationships, homes, spiritual gifts, and natural talents. We are just stewards, and one day Christ is going to return to judge our faithfulness or lack of faithfulness. Some will be rewarded for how they used their gifts, including their money, and some will be judged. For true believers, judgment will mean loss of reward but not loss of salvation, since Christ paid for our sins on the cross (1 Cor 3:15). But for others, who simply profess Christ but don’t live for him, their abuse of their finances will simply be another proof that Christ was never their Lord. Though they call him, “Lord,” he will say to them, “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I never knew you” (Matt 7:23 paraphrase).

Proverbs 9:10 says, “The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and acknowledging the Holy One is understanding.” If we are going to steward our finances God’s way, we must live with a recognition of his coming judgment. He will judge whether we have been faithful with his money or not. If we recognize that we have been unfaithful with his finances, even as the rich farmers had, then we should demonstrate our repentance by mourning and turning away from our sins. Christ is coming soon, or we will soon go to him.

Application Question: How is God challenging you to be more aware of God’s judgement in how you use his finances? What are some practices that might help believers better live in view of God’s judgment when dealing with their finances specifically, and other gifts in general?

To Steward Finances God’s Way, We Must Avoid Selfishly Hoarding Our Wealth

Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure!

James 5:2-3

James then begins to list the various ways they had sinned because of their wealth. As we consider them, it must be known that it is not sinful to have wealth or money. It is a sin to love them. In 1 Timothy 6:10, Paul said, “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” Wealth, in itself, is a gift that we can use for God and others. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “You must remember the Lord your God, for he is the one who gives ability to get wealth.” Proverbs 10:22 says, “The blessing from the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow to it.” There are many wealthy believers in Scripture who are listed as models—such as Abraham, Joseph, David, Joseph of Arimathea, and Lydia from Philippi. However, for those believers, wealth did not have their hearts. Because God had their hearts, they could faithfully use their wealth. Joseph, who oversaw the wealth of Egypt, used it to help people who were starving. Joseph of Arimathea sacrificially buried Christ in his grave (Mk 15:46). Lydia, a wealthy maker of purple garments, used her home for the Philippian church to meet in (Acts 16:40). There is nothing wrong with having wealth. Wealth is a gift that must be used properly to help others and glorify God. However, it can also be a spiritual detriment when it takes hold of our hearts. Christ said it was hard for a rich man to enter heaven (Matt 19:23). In Matthew 13:22, he also described wealth as deceiving people and keeping the Word from bearing fruit in their lives. He said the “worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing.” Again, 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” It’s clear that these wealthy farmers began to love God’s gift of money more than God and then began to abuse it.

The first way these rich farmers sinned with their wealth was by selfishly hoarding it (v. 2-3). James mentioned three types of wealth for the ancients: grain or food, clothing, and precious metals.² The proof that they had hoarded their wealth was the fact that their grain had rotted, the garments were moth-bitten from being stored up and never used, and the precious metals began to tarnish from lack of use. They had failed to be faithful stewards of their wealth by selfishly storing it up instead of using it for God’s purposes. Their hoarded wealth would witness against them in the judgment (v. 3).

Certainly, this is a challenge to many modern-day believers, especially those in wealthy nations. It’s not uncommon for us to have closets full of clothes and shoes not being worn, food that is simply wasted and thrown away, boxes of jewelry which are rarely worn, and money that we simply store up with no comprehension that it’s God’s or a desire to use it for his purposes. The hoarded, wasted goods are surely a witness that we have not faithfully used God’s resources as well.

Application Question: Why does God give believers wealth?

If we are going to faithfully steward God’s wealth, we must understand why God gives it to us. God gives us wealth for at least three reasons: (1) He gives us wealth to meet our needs and that of our families. First Timothy 5:8 says, “But if someone does not provide for his own, especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Proverbs 13:22 says, “A benevolent person leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren.” In many cultures, providing for our families includes saving for retirement to help us support ourselves (or to help our children support us, cf. 1 Tim 5:4), when we won’t be able to work. (2) God gives us wealth to meet the needs of those who lack. Proverbs 19:17 says, “The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.” Also, 1 John 3:17 says, “But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?” (3) God gives us finances to use for ministry, including supporting churches and evangelizing the lost. First Timothy 5:17-18 says, “Elders who provide effective leadership must be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching … ‘The worker deserves his pay.’” Church ministers must be supported financially to do the work of ministry. Also, in Luke 16:9, Christ said, “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes.” Christ taught that believers should prudently use their wealth to advance missions. We do this by supporting missionaries, Christian organizations that focus on outreach, paying for future pastors/missionaries to get Bible training, etc. If we generously do this, when we get to heaven, people who came to know Christ through our giving will recognize us and welcome us into eternal dwellings.

With that said, the exact balance of these three ways to use God’s finances will be different for every believer. In providing for family, some may be convicted by God to simply meet their immediate (and not so future) needs and not prepare for retirement, so they can give more to the kingdom. When the disciples left all to follow Christ, they forfeited the financial stability of being in the family business to live by faith. God may call some to do that. Oftentimes, missionaries forfeit the stability of owning a home and having a great retirement plan. Others will give graciously to ministries and the needy and still prudently prepare for their retirement. Whatever path we feel led to, being a faithful steward of finances begins with recognizing that all our money is God’s and that we should seek his will for it.

With these farmers who professed faith, it’s very clear that they were not doing all or some of the above. They were selfishly storing up their wealth and neglecting God’s plans for their money, including paying their workers and caring for the needy. Therefore, they would be judged by God. To be faithful stewards of wealth, we must avoid selfishly hoarding it.

Application Question: What are some good strategies for wisely using God’s money to provide for ourselves/ family (including retirement), supporting ministries, and those with needs? Why is it important to recognize that the balance of how one’s giving is distributed will differ among Christians (cf. Matt 6:19, 7:1)?

To Steward Finances God’s Way, We Must Avoid Acquiring Wealth by Dishonest Means

Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

James 5:4

Since these farmers loved money, they were even willing to cheat people to get it. When James said they “held back” the pay from those who mowed their fields, the Greek tense means that the laborers would never get their wages.³ Typically, the workers would have been day laborers—meaning they worked during the day, got paid in the evening, and used that money to feed themselves and their families the next day. To not get paid, or not fully get paid, would have caused a family crisis. It’s clear that lack of finances was not the reason the farmers were not paying their workers’ wages. The word “reapers” can also be translated “harvesters” (NIV). It was harvest season, so the barns would have been full. It was greed that made the wealthy farmers become delinquent with paying wages.

Because mistreating poor laborers was so common in the ancient world, God even gave laws to prevent it. Deuteronomy 24:14-15 says,

You must not oppress a lowly and poor servant, whether one from among your fellow Israelites or from the resident foreigners who are living in your land and villages. You must pay his wage that very day before the sun sets, for he is poor and his life depends on it. Otherwise he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

Leviticus 19:13 says, “You must not oppress your neighbor or commit robbery against him. You must not withhold the wages of the hired laborer overnight until morning.” In fact, God promised judgment to those who increased wealth through dishonest means, including mistreating their workers. Jeremiah 22:13 says, “Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his own people work for nothing, not paying them for their labor.”

Though James condemned the dishonest practice of not paying laborers, his condemnation applies to various dishonest practices people use to increase or maintain wealth.

Application Question: What are some other dishonest practices people commonly use to gain wealth?

1. Not paying a fair wage to employees in order to maximize wealth. Colossians 4:1 says, “Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.”

2. Lying on tax reports to minimize taxes paid and increase refunds.

3. Stealing from our companies, including things like pens, paper, or even furniture.

4. Abusing our employers’ time by not putting in a full day’s work—spending all day chatting online, playing on social media, watching movies, or even sleeping. In Colossians 3:22-23, Paul said this:

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in every respect, not only when they are watching—like those who are strictly people-pleasers—but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people

5. Not paying our bills. Romans 13:8 says, “Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” Paul said this because apparently some Christians weren’t faithfully paying their debts. Unfortunately, in our context, it’s increasingly common to encounter Christians who rack up so much school debt or credit card debt that they have no plans to ever pay it back. Romans 13:8 can be translated, “Let no debt remain outstanding.” We should pay our bills—to not do so is to be dishonest and an unfaithful steward of God’s money.

6. Abusing welfare, disability, and other government funds. Many try to take advantage of systems meant to help those who are desperately in need.

If we are going to be faithful stewards of God’s money, we must not use dishonest means to gain or keep it. Paul said for Christians to pay their bills in Romans 13:8 and to not steal in Ephesians 4:28 because this was happening amongst professing believers, even as it was happening amongst the Jewish Christian farmers to whom James wrote.

Are we using any dishonest means to increase or maintain our wealth? If so, we must repent.

Application Question: How have you seen or experienced dishonesty in the workplace? How is God calling you to grow in your integrity as a worker or help others do so?

To Steward Finances God’s Way, We Must Avoid Self-Indulgent, Luxurious Spending

You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

James 5:5

Next, James rebukes these farmers for their selfish, indulgent, and luxurious spending. They lived as though God had given them wealth to only take care of themselves and to appease all their desires. They continually fattened themselves with the best food and pampered themselves with the best housing and transportation—all the while people around them were suffering financially, emotionally, and spiritually, including their own workers.

To live in self-indulgent luxury is to disobey God’s greatest commands—to love God with all our heart and to love others as ourselves. When living in luxury, we are loving ourselves alone and not God or anybody else. Certainly, according to 1 Timothy 6:17, God “richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.” As Christians, we are not to be ascetics who deny ourselves all forms of pleasure. In some sense, we should be hedonists, enjoying all of God’s creation and worshiping him because of it. But, there is a big difference between God richly providing us all things for our enjoyment and him providing us all things to satisfy our greed. In 1 John 2:16 (NIV), John condemns the “lust of the flesh, the lust of eyes, and the pride of life” as not coming from God but from the world. Likewise, in Luke 12:15, Christ said, “Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” We are to guard ourselves against all types of greed, including living in luxury.

In fact, in the book of Haggai, God confronted the Israelites for selfishly living in luxury. They were living in luxury by the way they built their houses, all the while neglecting God’s temple. Because of their selfish, luxurious living, which neglected God’s purposes, God cursed their economy. When they were supposed to get a large harvest, they got only a little (Haggai 1:9). When they were supposed to have rain, God brought drought, which not only harmed the people but also the land and the animals (Hag 1:10-11). Haggai 1:4, 9-11 says this:

“Is it right for you to live in richly paneled houses while my temple is in ruins? … ‘You expected a large harvest, but instead there was little, and when you brought it home it disappeared right away. Why?’ asks the LORD who rules over all. ‘Because my temple remains in ruins, thanks to each of you favoring his own house! This is why the sky has held back its dew and the earth its produce. Moreover, I have called for a drought that will affect the fields, the hill country, the grain, new wine, fresh olive oil, and everything that grows from the ground; it also will harm people, animals, and everything they produce.’”

When we understand that God has given us wealth not to be reservoirs but channels of his blessing, then we’ll start to prayerfully and critically consider our spending. We will ask questions like, “How much should we spend on a phone?” “Which car or house is too extravagant?” “How much should we be eating out?”

No doubt, as God rebuked the Israelites through Haggai, he at times rebukes us, saying:

How can you pamper yourself when my church is struggling, when people have not heard the gospel in various nations, when there are people struggling financially within your own church, workplace, and neighborhood? Are you truly seeking to love me with all your heart and others as yourself?

If we are truly loving God and others as ourselves, then it should be seen in how we use our finances, including at times living simply or sacrificially to build God’s kingdom and help others (cf. Matt 6:19). Surely, some of us are experiencing physical, spiritual, emotional, and maybe even financial lack because we are under God’s discipline for spending our money selfishly and indulgently while neglecting God’s purposes for our finances.

Application Question: How do we know if we are guilty of living in selfish, indulgent luxury?

Bruce Goettsche, pastor of Union Church in La Harpe, Illinois, in his published sermon on James 5:1-6, lists several indicators of living in self-indulgent luxury for us to consider, which I have adapted:

• We are probably guilty of living in self-indulgent luxury when we assume that our money should always be used first to meet our own needs before God and others. Remember the greatest commands are loving God and others, not loving ourselves.
• We are probably guilty of living in self-indulgent luxury when we waste, destroy, or discard what others could put to good use.
• We are probably guilty of living in self-indulgent luxury when we become prideful about what we have and others don’t—maybe a watch, phone, other electronic toys, a house, or car.
• We are probably guilty of living in self-indulgent luxury when we invest in things purely for status rather than usefulness. This can be true of our clothes, car, home, where we shop, or where we get our education from. If we’re thinking about how others will approve (or not approve) when purchasing something, it’s not a good sign.⁴

If we are sinning by living in luxury, our heart is not right before God. God not only gives us money to provide for ourselves, but to first of all use in loving him and others.

Application Question: In what areas are you tempted to live in luxury? How is God calling you to guard your heart and your spending in those areas (cf. Matt 6:19, 1 Tim 6:6-8)?

To Steward Finances God’s Way, We Must Avoid Abusing People, Including Ourselves, to Get It

You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you.

James 5:6

Finally, the last way that these wealthy farmers were bad stewards of finances was in how they abused people to obtain it. The word “condemn” means “to pass sentence upon,”⁵ which implies that the rich were using the courts to abuse the poor laborers and even murder them. No doubt, this was done by bribing officials and seeking favors from them. The righteous didn’t even resist—probably because they knew they had no chance of winning in court. Often, this happens with the wealthy today—they bombard their accusers with lawsuits, which they can’t afford and therefore pervert justice.

When it says, they “murdered” the righteous person, this was probably both passive and active. It was passive in the sense that when the rich withheld wages, the day laborers couldn’t afford food, medical, and housing for their families. When they couldn’t pay their bills, they were often thrown into prison. While in prison, they couldn’t work, and eventually, they and their families would die of starvation. To God, this systemic injustice was murder. Also, the murder was active in that perhaps some inconvenient people were killed. A situation like this happened in the story of King Ahab securing Naboth’s vineyard. In 1 Kings 21, because Naboth would not sell his vineyard to Ahab, Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, had people falsely accuse Naboth of blaspheming God and the king (1 Kings 21:13). And because of that, Naboth was put to death, and then Ahab secured his vineyard. They condemned the righteous man in court and had him murdered. No doubt, the wealthy farmers James wrote to were committing similar murderous injustices to gain or keep wealth.

People are commonly abused today for the sake of wealth, often in different ways. For instance, some work cultures are abusive in demanding their employees to work extremely long hours which destroys their family life, spiritual life, and health. Since jobs may be hard to find (or at least good jobs), the employees commonly stay at the job and simply sacrifice their family, health, and faith. This is a bad stewardship of God’s resources both for the employer and employee. The employee should probably in faith set boundaries or leave the job—trusting God will provide a new one.

This common abusive culture in many of our workplaces is important to consider when deciding on a career or taking a specific job. As employees, we should commonly ask ourselves, “Will I be able to maintain a healthy work/family/faith balance if I work (or continue to work) in this field or particular job?” Also, as employers or managers, we must ask, “Are my employees able to be healthy physically, emotionally, and spiritually with the demands of the job?” Unfortunately, because of abusive work cultures, many children grow up with a strong bitterness and anger which developed from one or both of their parents putting career before family, and this bitterness negatively affects the children for the rest of their lives. Sadly, this is even true in many churches and ministries. Pastoral ministry, unfortunately, can be a thankless and abusive job, and the pastors’ families tend to bear the greatest cost. Because of these negative consequences, profit should never be placed above our faith, family, health, or our employees. If it is, we can be sure God will hold us accountable, even as he did with these wealthy farmers.

To steward finances God’s way, we must avoid abusing people, including ourselves, to get it.

Application Question: How have you seen people abused in workplaces because of overwhelming workloads or expectations? How should Christian employees in those workplaces respond when working in an unhealthy environment?

General Applications for Stewarding Wealth God’s Way

Application Question: What are some other helpful principles for stewarding our finances God’s way?

In 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Paul said this to the rich to help them better steward their money:

Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others. In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life.

1. To steward finances God’s way, we must trust in God instead of the security wealth brings (v. 17).

First Timothy 6:17 says, ^“Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.” The stock market goes up and then down. We have a good job and then lose it. Riches are uncertain; therefore, we must put our trust in God. He has promised to provide all our needs (Matt 6:25-34), even when our future seems uncertain. When we are trusting God instead of our finances or jobs, we will find that we have more peace about the future and less anxiety. We will be more focused on God, his kingdom, and people, and less focused on things.

2. To steward finances God’s way, we must practice being generous with our wealth (v. 18).

First Timothy 6:18 says, “Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others.” Giving is one of the ways we build and display our trust in God. When we give generously, we demonstrate that the wealth is God’s and not ours. We also demonstrate that helping others is more important than caring for ourselves (cf. Phil 2:3). Second Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.” God has a special affection for and blessing over generous givers; no doubt because they look like him, the one who gave his only begotten Son to die for the world (John 3:16).

3. To steward finances God’s way, we must focus on eternal dividends instead of temporal ones (v. 19).

First Timothy 6:19 says, “In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life.” Also, Matthew 6:19-20 says,

Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.

Our earthly wealth is temporary but heavenly wealth lasts forever. Because of that reality, we should focus on using our wealth to disciple believers, help the lost know Christ, and care for the needy. In Luke 16:10, Christ promised that if we are faithful with little (referring to money), God will make us faithful over much. In the context, “much” refers to the true riches of discipling souls who will welcome us into heavenly places (Lk 16:9). If God can trust us with our monthly salary, he can trust us with more important things like discipling people, understanding and teaching his Word, and eternal riches.

Are we focusing on eternal dividends instead of temporal ones? It’s one of the ways that we become good stewards of our finances.

4. To steward finances God’s way, we must learn to be content with what God has given us.

In 1 Timothy 6:6-8, Paul said,

Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either. But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that.

Learning to be content by thanking God for what we have, and not pursuing more, is a spiritual discipline we must develop. Otherwise, the world will keep us dissatisfied and therefore running after the next new thing with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Satan tempted Eve this way. She had everything in the world, but Satan got her to focus her eyes on the one thing she didn’t have, the fruit of the forbidden tree. This discontent drove her away from God and his will and led her family into sin. Sadly, this happens all the time, even with believers—leading them to selfishness, debt, indulgent living, conflict with people and with God, depression, anxiety, and many other negative things. As a spiritual discipline, we must learn the discipline of contentment if we are going to steward our finances God’s way. In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul said the secret to contentment was being strengthened through a relationship with Christ, whether in wealth or poverty.

Application Question: How is God calling you to grow as a steward of God’s financial gifts? What steps is he calling you to take?

Conclusion

How can we steward our finances, God’s way?

• To Steward Finances God’s Way, We Must Live in View of God’s Judgment
• To Steward Finances God’s Way, We Must Avoid Selfishly Hoarding Our Wealth
• To Steward Finances God’s Way, We Must Avoid Acquiring Wealth by Dishonest Means
• To Steward Finances God’s Way, We Must Avoid Self-Indulgent, Luxurious Spending
• To Steward Finances God’s Way, We Must Avoid Abusing People, Including Ourselves, to Get It

Prayer Prompts

• Pray for forgiveness for not faithfully using God’s wealth, including selfishly hoarding, using dishonest means to gain wealth, luxurious living, abusing others and ourselves, not being content with what we have, and trusting in our wealth.
• Pray for grace to be content with what we have and not continually pursuing more, which leads to anxiety, depression, and discord in relationships.
• Pray for God to help us become more generous—both in supporting ministries which disciple believers and reach the lost and also in giving to those in need.
• Pray for wisdom to use both our lives and finances to the best possible end, for God’s glory and the benefit of people.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.

Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises. Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up—and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.

James 5:13-16 (NET)

How should believers pray in all seasons of life?

After encouraging oppressed believers to endure their sufferings patiently as they wait on Christ’s return (Jam 5:7-12), James challenges them to pray in all circumstances. The word “prayer” occurs seven times in James 5:13-18 in either the noun or verb form. In verse 13, he calls individual believers to pray. In verses 14-15, he calls elders to pray for sick believers, and in verse 16, he calls church members to pray for one another. In verses 17-18, he mentions prayer twice, giving Elijah as an example of effective praying. Like Paul challenging the Thessalonians to “pray continually” or “without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17), James does the same. Believers should pray in every circumstance and season of life because prayer is powerful (Jam 5:16).

Each of James’ challenges to pray are actually imperatives in the original language—commands. This implies that these believers weren’t praying as they should and, therefore, were lacking power to overcome trials in their lives and church communities. Certainly, this is true for most believers and church communities today as well, as they struggle with consistency in prayer—both individually and corporately.

James was not one to command something he wasn’t practicing himself. James, Jesus’ brother, was known as James the Just because of his righteous lifestyle and devotion to prayer. John MacArthur said this about James:

This was a command that James personally lived out as evidenced by his own body, for the ancient historian Eusebius testified that “his knees grew hard like a camel’s because of his constant worship of God, kneeling and asking forgiveness for the people.” Just as a laborer’s hands testify to his occupation, or a runner’s feet to his training, James’ callused knees testified to a life of serious prayer. So we ought to listen to what he says, not only because he is the Lord’s earthly brother, and not only because his writing is Scripture, but because he “walked his talk”—on his knees.¹

Therefore, in this text, we will learn about how to pray in the various seasons of life. As we study these, the hope is that we will become more devoted and consistent in prayer to build God’s kingdom in our lives, the church, and the world.

Big Question: According to James 5:13-16, how should believers pray in the various seasons of life?

When Suffering, Believers Should Continually Pray

Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray.

James 5:13

James says when “suffering” or “in trouble” (NIV), believers should pray. He commands prayer because, usually, it is not our first response. Sometimes, instead of praying, we try to fix the situation on our own, apart from God. Other times, instead of praying, we worry, complain, get angry at God or others, get depressed, and sometimes even seek revenge. All of these are wrong responses. James says, when suffering, we should pray.

The word “pray” is in the present tense and can actually be translated, “let him keep on praying.”² Continual prayer is the antidote for a suffering believer. It reminds us that we are not in control and that God is. It also brings God’s resources into our circumstances. In Philippians 4:6-7, God promises his peace to those who continually pray. The text says,

Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Instead of being anxious, we should, in every situation, pray, give thanks, and make our requests known to God, and he will give us supernatural peace. Often, we will have to fight for this peace. When worry, anger, or doubt creeps in, we should pray more and give thanks more in order to help us trust God more. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, God is called “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.” God comforts his followers. In 1 Peter 5:7, Peter says, “casting all your cares on him because he cares for you.” “To cast” means to throw something fully onto someone or something else.³ We should put our burdens on God and leave them there—he can handle them. That doesn’t mean we don’t plan or prepare; it just means we do so apart from anxiety and worry. We do this because we are fully trusting God with that care or concern. It’s been said that we should “work as though it all depends on us, but also, pray as though it all depends on God.” Therefore, when suffering, we should continually pray.

Application Question: What should we pray when suffering?

(1) When suffering, we should ask for God to remove the trial if it is his will. Paul asked for God to remove his thorn in the flesh (2 Cor 12:7-10). Christ asked for his cup of suffering to be taken from him (Lk 22:42). Sometimes, God will remove the cause of the suffering. However, often, it is his will for us to persevere through the trial so we can grow. This is what James taught in the beginning of his letter. In James 1:2-4, he said,

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.

(2) Sometimes in response to prayer, God removes the trial; however, when it’s not his will or not his will yet, we should pray for wisdom and grace to persevere. In the context of persevering through trials, James 1:5 says, “But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.” Often the ability to persevere will be spending greater time in God’s Word and prayer. It may be getting counseling or mutual edification from someone in the body of Christ. When we ask God, he gives us wisdom to persevere. First Corinthians 10:13 says,

No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.

If we are suffering, we should continually pray: Do we pray when in conflict with a friend, co-worker, or spouse? Do we pray when worried or anxious about the future? Do we pray when suffering with some health issue? When suffering, we should continually pray.

Application Question: What are common negative responses to suffering? What negative response are you most prone to? Why is prayer so important when going through a trial? How has continued prayer helped you when going through trials?

When Happy, Believers Should Pray through Singing Praises to God

Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises.

James 5:13b

James says when a person is in “good spirits,” which can also be translated “happy” (NIV), or “cheerful” (ESV), he should sing praises. Praise is a form of prayer where we thank God for his goodness, his characteristics, and in context, even thanking him for the joy he has given us. No doubt, the reason James commands us to worship God when happy is because it is so uncommon. It is actually when we are happy and in an undisturbed situation that we are most prone to forget God. In fact, in Deuteronomy 6:10-12, Moses warned Israel about forgetting God before they entered the promised land. He said,

Then when the LORD your God brings you to the land he promised your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give you—a land with large, fine cities you did not build, houses filled with choice things you did not accumulate, hewn out cisterns you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—and you eat your fill, be careful not to forget the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, that place of slavery.

When things are going well, we are prone to be less diligent in our prayer time, our time in God’s Word, and sometimes even prone to neglect gathering with the saints. David was aware of this tendency in his own heart. Therefore, in Psalm 103:2, he prayed, “Praise the LORD, O my soul! Do not forget all his kind deeds!” He commanded his soul to praise God, implying that he did not feel like praising God; then, he commanded his soul to not forget all of God’s blessings. How commonly do we forget the many blessings God has provided—how he provided an open door when we needed one, a job, friendships, and family? Yet, we have a tendency to forget his blessings and focus on the bad things he allowed or the things he has not given us. Even Eve, who didn’t yet have a sin nature, forgot how everything in the world was hers and focused on the one thing she didn’t have—the forbidden fruit. We are prone to do this as well. Therefore, like David, we must, at times, wrestle with ourselves to worship God and remember his blessings.

Application Question: How should we practice singing to God when happy? What are some helpful tips?

(1) A helpful practice is owning a hymn book and singing the songs that resonate in our heart and help us worship God. It is possible to purchase Bibles with hymnbooks inside them which are very convenient for personal devotions. (2) Sometimes it is good to memorize a particular song that encourages us and helps draw us into God’s presence. (3) Another helpful practice is simply putting on a praise CD and singing along at home, while driving, or working. Praise music is a way to express the thanksgiving in our heart for God. It is also a way to remind us of God’s goodness when things are bad. Praise is fitting in bad times and good times.

The Normal Christian Life

James’ commands to pray when suffering and sing when happy reminds us that it is normal and expected for Christians to have moments and seasons of both sorrow and cheerfulness. Sometimes, it is directly or indirectly taught that Christians should always be smiling and happy, and if they are not, something is wrong with their faith. That is incorrect. Christians should also commonly mourn and lament. We lament at our own sin, the sins of the world, and the sufferings of others. Jesus wept and cried and so do we. Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn.” An implication of James’ commands is that both suffering and joy are normal, even for Christians.

With that said, in considering James’ command to sing, we must ask ourselves: How often do we take time to sing praises to the Lord outside of corporate worship? In Ephesians 5:18-19, Paul said that when we are filled with the Spirit, we will be identified by individual and corporate worship. He said, “be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord.” Worship is a characteristic of somebody being filled and empowered by God. Believers should sing when things are bad, like Paul singing in prison, but they should also sing when things are good, in thanksgiving to our gracious Father.

Are we remembering our blessings and, as a result, singing to our gracious God—the giver of every good and perfect gift? James commands us to sing when happy because we’re so prone to forget God when things are good.

Application Question: How have you experienced the tendency to forget God when things are good?

Why is it important for believers to practice the discipline of singing praises to God, not only corporately but individually? How have you practiced this spiritual discipline and how is God calling you to grow in it?

When Seriously Ill, Believers Should Receive Prayer from Their Spiritual Leaders

Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up—and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

James 5:14-15

James moves from the need for believers to pray individually, when suffering and when happy (v. 13), to the need for believers to, at times, receive prayers from their elders (v. 14-15). Later, he will challenge believers to at times receive prayer from other church members (v. 16). This reminds us that the church is the body of Christ, and in order to function as a body, we need to bear the burdens of others and allow others to bear our burdens. In Galatians 6:2, Paul said, “Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Specifically, in verses 14 and 15, James says when a person is ill, he should call for the elders. The word “ill” literally means “to be weak”⁴ or “without strength.”⁵ It is used to refer to physical sickness and, at times, to refer to “spiritual, ethical, emotional, or moral weakness.”⁶ In verse 14, most commentators believe “ill” refers to physical sickness. However, since the surrounding context has to do with believers being oppressed by their rich landowners (Jam 5:1-6) and the context of the book is Jewish Christians being scattered because of persecution for the faith (Jam 1:1), some commentators believe this passage is not referring to physical sickness at all. They think “ill” should be translated “weak,” in referring to believers who are depressed, anxious, weary, or even compromising morally because of their trials. When believers are spiritually and emotionally worn out from their trials and feel like giving up, they should call the spiritual leaders of their church for prayer, and the prayer of faith will restore them. What makes the second view attractive is the fact that verse 15 seems to promise healing, which often doesn’t happen when prayer is made for somebody who is physically sick.

With that said, there is nothing in the text that explicitly prohibits “ill” from referring to physical sickness or spiritual weakness. It is probably best to consider the word as being intentionally ambiguous—that James meant the word to be interpreted broadly.⁷ A believer who is especially weak whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually should seek prayer from their spiritual leadership, so God can restore them.

Anointing with Oil

After the sick person calls for the elders, the elders should pray for the sick person and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord (v. 14). “Pray” can be literally translated “pray over him,” as in the ESV, which may picture elders gathering around this person—putting their hands on him as they pray. As they pray over him, the elders will anoint him with oil.

Interpretation Question: What does the anointing with oil refer to?

There are differing views on what anointing with oil refers to. The word “anointing” is at times used medicinally. It literally means “to rub” or “massage.” In the ancient world, oils were commonly used to help bring healing. In fact, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan poured oil on the wounds of the wounded person to help heal him (Lk 10:34). Therefore, some believe James is referring to the elders using both spiritual and medicinal means to bring healing to the ailing person. If the person is sick, he should seek prayer and, at the same time, take the best medicine. If he is discouraged emotionally, the anointing with oil would be used to refresh him.

However, most likely, the oil is meant to be symbolic of the Holy Spirit, and God’s setting that person apart for special ministry. In the Old Testament, it was common for prophets to anoint the priests and the king (cf. 1 Sam 16:12-13)—symbolizing them being set apart by God for a special work. After they were anointed, often the Spirit of God would come upon them so they could accomplish whatever work God called them to. Likewise, in this time of prayer, the elders should distinguish the ailing person as set apart for God’s ministry by anointing them with oil. The apostles also at times anointed the sick with oil as they prayed for healing over them. Mark 6:13 says, “They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” With all that said, prayer is the primary vehicle of healing—not the symbolic anointing of oil. When people are healed in the New Testament, often oil is not used at all (cf. Acts 3:6-7). God moves through his people as they pray in his name which represents God’s authority and power.

Prayer of Faith

In verse 15, James says, “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up.” What makes this difficult to understand is that James seems to say that when the prayer of faith is offered, the sick person will always be healed. However, as many of us have experienced, healing doesn’t always happen when we pray for people. This nuance makes the passage difficult to interpret.

Interpretation Question: What is the prayer of faith and why are people not always healed when people are prayed for, as verse 15 says?

There are different views on this:

1. Some believe the promise of the prayer of faith bringing healing is probably a general principle or promise, which doesn’t always happen.⁸

Proverbs often gives general principles like this, which are commonly true but not always true. For example, Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle response turns away anger.” This is generally true; however, sometimes we may speak gently, and the other person still gets mad. In fact, the book of James is often compared to Proverbs because of all the wisdom in the book. Maybe, James is stating a general principle—as the elders pray in faith, the sick person will commonly be healed, but not always.

2. Some believe the promise of the prayer of faith bringing healing will always come true as long as the elders have enough faith.

Certainly, it must be said that our faith or lack of faith can affect what we receive from God. In James 1:5, the believers undergoing trials are called to pray for wisdom, without doubting, because if they doubted, they wouldn’t receive anything from God. Also, Jesus said that if we had the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains (Matt 17:20)—probably referring to the removal of trials, not a specific piece of geography.

However, with that said, it is clear both from Scripture and experience that regardless of our faith, it is not always God’s will to heal. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul sought for God to remove his “thorn in the flesh,” which seems to refer to some type of physical ailment (possibly an eye disease; cf. Gal 4:13-15); however, God told Paul “no” because the disease had a greater purpose in his life—to make him weak so he could experience God’s empowering grace. Also, Paul, who clearly had the gift of healing, could not heal Timothy or Trophimus, who both suffered from diseases. In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul said this to Timothy, “(Stop drinking just water but use a little wine for your digestion and your frequent illnesses.)” In 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul said this, “Erastus stayed in Corinth. Trophimus I left ill in Miletus.” In addition, Hebrews 9:27 says that every person is appointed to die and then experience the judgment. If it was always God’s will for people to be healed, some would never die. And those who did, it would simply mean they didn’t have enough faith. However, Scripture doesn’t teach this. This view, which is common in prosperity gospel churches, has an over-realized understanding of God’s kingdom (the already present but not yet fully here paradox) and eschatology in general. It is only when God’s kingdom fully comes, at the resurrection when Christ returns, that we will have perfect health, including new bodies, no sickness, and no death (Rev 21:4). At Christ’s first coming in the Gospels, he brought a spiritual kingdom and introduced it by demonstrating aspects of the future kingdom—as people experienced deliverance from sin and demons, healings, and resurrections. But, the kingdom will not be fully realized until Christ returns to establish his eternal rule on the earth. Certainly, God still heals, but it is not always his will to heal, even if we have faith for it.

3. Others believe the prayer of faith bringing healing refers to special times when God makes his desire to heal someone absolutely clear and the elders pray in accordance with God’s revealed will.

In general, our faith should always be in God and his clearly revealed Word. We should not put our faith in our prayers or in our faith to receive our petitions. First John 5:14-15 says,

And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.

However, when it comes to healing, most times we won’t know if it’s God’s will to heal a specific person. Therefore, we put our faith in the fact that God is good and gracious, and that his sovereign will is perfect. We pray for healing while trusting that God will do what is best, even if it means allowing prolonged sickness (like with Paul) or taking the person home (like with John the Baptist). But, there may be times when God makes it abundantly clear that it is his will to heal a sick person, and in that situation, we must pray according to his revealed will. For example, with Job’s friends, God was going to judge them for their harsh treatment of Job and their misrepresentation of God. However, God told them to go to Job and that he would intercede for them, so they would be forgiven (Job 42:8). Likewise, God may make it clear prophetically, through a dream, or his control of events that it is his will to heal somebody. In those rare cases, the elders should pray in faith according to God’s revealed will. Again, this is rare. Most times, we will pray in faith simply trusting that if it’s God’s will to heal, then he will. It may even be appropriate to pray, “if it be your will,” as we petition God. Christ demonstrated this when he asked for his cup of suffering to be removed but, at the same time, he prayed, “Yet not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42).

The final view is best, but it should be remembered that all prayers should be offered in faith—trusting that God is good and that he will do what is best. Douglas Moo aptly describes the prayer of faith this way:

The faith exercised in prayer is faith in the God who sovereignly accomplishes his will. When we pray, our faith recognizes, explicitly or implicitly, the overruling providential purposes of God. We may at times be given insight into that will, enabling us to pray with absolute confidence in God’s plan to answer as we ask. But surely these cases are rare—more rare even than our subjective, emotional desires would lead us to suspect. A prayer for healing, then, must usually be qualified by a recognition that God’s will in the matter is supreme.⁹

Neglected Ministry

With all this said, the elders praying over ill people is a largely neglected ministry in the church for many reasons. (1) Often sick or struggling members are unwilling to approach leadership—maybe out of shame, discouragement from the devil, or not knowing about this promise. There are probably many in the flock whose healing tarries simply because of unwillingness to submit themselves to the shepherds God has given them. In this text, James commands ailing church members to take the initiative in seeking prayer from the elders. (2) Sometimes this ministry is neglected by the elders—possibly because they lack faith, as they feel helpless and unable to help struggling people. Consequently, they outsource struggling sheep with depression, anxiety, or long-term disease to professionals outside of the church, without ever encouraging them to receive prayer from the leadership. Certainly, professionals should at times be consulted but not to the neglect of elders doing their God-given duty. No doubt, this is why James commands the elders to pray, just as he commands the members to seek prayer. Ultimately, lack of faith on behalf of congregants and spiritual leaders often accounts for this ministry being neglected, and therefore, people in the church continue in a state of being spiritually or physically crippled.

God will ultimately heal all believers at the resurrection, but in this life, it is not always God’s will to fully heal. Sometimes, ailments teach us lessons, make us lean on God more, and empower us to be a blessing to others (cf. Rom 5:3-4, 2 Cor 1:3-6, 12:7-10), which is why God allowed Job, Paul, and even Christ to suffer. However, often, it is God’s will to heal, even with diseases that medical professionals struggle with curing, and God gives us a procedure for healing in James 5:13-18 which we must follow.

Procedure

Application Question: What steps should a suffering church member take to get anointed and prayed for by the elders?

A very simple procedure can be derived from this text:

1. The suffering member should first discern whether he should seek the elders for prayer. Not all situations should be brought before the elders. The fact that the elders must be summoned to go to the sick person probably implies that this sick person is immobile (v. 14). Consequently, the situation should be relatively serious or chronic. If it is handicapping a believer spiritually, emotionally, or physically, then he should probably call for the elders in obedience to this text. Therefore, an ailing member should first ask the Lord about the ailment to discern whether he should approach the elders about it.

As an encouragement to seek the elders, it should be known that, in general, elders love the church, feel commissioned by God to care for it, and will be held accountable for doing so (Heb 13:17). If we are questioning whether we should contact them, most times, they would rather that we do so than not.

2. The suffering member should confess any sins that might be contributing to their physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual struggles. This is an implication from the fact that James says, “and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (5:15). James realized that unrepented sin can commonly lead to physical sickness (cf. Ps 32:3-5). In 1 Corinthians 11:30, some were sick and depressed because they were mistaking the Lord’s Supper, and God had judged them. Some even died because of their sin. Likewise, in Matthew 18:23-35, in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, God warned believers of the importance of forgiving others, lest they be handed over to torturers (v. 34-35). No doubt, there are many in the church struggling with physical and emotional diseases because of not forgiving somebody who hurt them, and therefore, God has handed them over to torturers—referring to Satan and demons (cf. 1 Cor 5:5).

Believers should confess any known sin before contacting the elders, and the elders may sometimes question the sick person about unconfessed sin in the process of ministering to them. In John 5:14, Christ said this to a man he healed, “Don’t sin any more, lest anything worse happen to you.” What good is it to be healed but then be sick again soon after because of unconfessed sin? Therefore, the ill person should confess his sins prior to contacting the elders, and the elders may need to inquire about any potential unconfessed sins when meeting with that person.

2. The elders will meet with the suffering member to anoint him with oil and pray over him in the name of the Lord. This time together may include counseling, especially if it is discerned that sin might be contributing to the physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual sickness that the person is experiencing.

After encouraging the church members to continually pray individually when suffering and when happy, James calls them to seek the prayers of their shepherds when going through a season of especially difficult illness. We should do the same. God has called and especially equipped the elders of local congregations to care for their flocks. We must, at times, reach out to them in obedience to God to receive his healing grace.

Application Question: Why do you think the ministry of seeking the elders for anointing and prayer is so commonly neglected in churches? How have you seen (or experienced) this ministry in the past? Why is this ministry so important?

When Struggling with Sin, Believers Should, at Times, Confess to Others and Receive Prayer for Healing from Them

So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.

James 5:16

In verse 16, James continues the thought of how prayer can lead to healing but applies it to the whole congregation. By connecting verse 16 to 15 with the word “So,” James is essentially saying, “Because praying for those struggling is such an effective ministry, everybody should take part in confessing and praying for one another!” Proverbs 28:13 says, “The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy.”

When a person is struggling with sin, it often manifests in isolating oneself from God—the person stops praying and reading the Bible or only does them inconsistently. Then, that person turns away from God’s people—they stop coming to church and small group or do those inconsistently. As the struggling believer separates from God and his people, the enemy, Satan, isolates that person to himself, whether by addictions, unhealthy relationships, idols, or other sinful things. Satan’s ultimate plan is always to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), and those always begin with isolating a person from the source of good—which is God and his people. Since that is the common pathway sin leads us on, instead of hiding from other believers and living in shame, we should find accountability partners with whom we can openly share and confess.

With that said, it must be noted this verse is often used in Catholic theology to support penance, where believers confess their sins to a priest, and the priest forgives them. (1) First of all, this is not talking about one-way confession but mutual confession and prayer for one another. (2) Also, this text does not describe any person in the church forgiving sins, not even the elders. Though not clearly stated in this text, God is the one who both forgives and ultimately heals, as the rest of Scripture attests (cf. 1 John 1:9).

When mutual confession and prayer are happening in a congregation, it protects the members from the consequences of sin which can be addictions, depression, discord, divorce, sickness, and even death (cf. 1 Cor 11:30-32). It helps the church stay healthy in a general sense—spiritually, physically, and socially. In fact, throughout history, confession of sin has been a distinguishing feature of major revivals, including ones in the early church. In Acts 19:17-20, confession was a characteristic of a revival in Ephesus. It says,

…fear came over them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their deeds known. Large numbers of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. When the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to prevail.

Revival individually and corporately happens when church members are prioritizing mutual confession and prayer with other members. With churches that are not transparent—acting as if everything is always OK—they often start to erode and eventually die.

General Principles for Practicing Confession

Application Question: What are some general principles for practicing confession?

1. When confessing, our confession should always ultimately be offered to God (1 Tim 2:5-6), but we should also confess our sins to others we have sinned against. In Matthew 5:23-24, Christ said that if we go to the altar to offer a gift to God and realize that somebody has something against us, we should leave the gift, go and reconcile with that person, and then offer the gift to God. Discord with others hinders our relationship with God (cf. Matt 6:15, 18:23-35, 1 John 4:20). Because of this, we should always seek reconciliation with those whom we have hurt or have hurt us, which will commonly include confession.

2. When confessing personal struggles, we should prayerfully discern who to share with. (1) We shouldn’t share with someone who is prone to gossip—sharing secrets with everybody. (2) Also, as a general principle, it may be prudent to share with somebody of the same gender—guys with guys and girls with girls, especially if the accountability relationship will be long term. (3) In addition, if we need wise counsel and not just prayer, it is prudent to find somebody more spiritually mature who can help guide us (cf. Gal 6:1). (4) Finally, a person who models transparency with their own struggles will often be a good person to share with. When confessing personal struggles, we should prayerfully discern the right person to do so with.

3. When confessing, we should be discreet in how much we share. Only share what is necessary for a person to understand the struggle—too vivid of a picture can often be detrimental and tempt the other person. Ephesians 5:12 says, “For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention.” This especially applies to sexual sin, as it can stir up lust in the person hearing the details. Sometimes, it might be prudent to just ask for prayer over a certain struggle generally: For example, “Please pray for me, I’ve been struggling with lust lately in my surfing the Internet,” or “My wife and I have been struggling with miscommunication and conflict lately, please pray for us.” All the details are not necessarily needed, but humility, transparency, and a desire for accountability and God’s healing are needed.

By wisely confessing our struggles, we help others become more comfortable with confessing theirs—leading to more transparency, intimacy, and healing within our churches. Unfortunately, when church members are not transparent with one another, people struggling tend to put on a facade or isolate themselves—feeling as though something is wrong with them. Many of them ultimately leave the church. By practicing wise confession and vulnerability, we help the church receive God’s grace and therefore maintain corporate health.

In Mark 9, Christ cast a demon out of a young boy whom the disciples failed to deliver. When they asked Christ why they couldn’t cast him out, he replied in Mark 9:29 by saying, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” Certainly that is true of many situations in the church: How many marriages are struggling and soon to end in divorce because there is no transparent confession within the body of Christ and therefore no prayers for healing? How many are struggling with pornography addiction, anxiety disorders, or other things because they are not regularly meeting with a member of the body for prayer and confession? Many of our church members are cutting themselves off from God’s means of healing. Some struggles are only healed by continual, corporate intercession for weeks, months, and sometimes years.

General Principles for Those Hearing Confessions

Application Question: How should those who are hearing someone’s confession respond?

1. Those hearing a confession should prayerfully and patiently listen (Jam 1:19). As we listen, we should ask clarifying questions so we can better understand and minister to the person. It is good at times to repeat what he or she is saying in a concise manner and ask if it is correct to make sure that we understood everything correctly.

2. Those hearing a confession should offer words of wisdom from God’s Word if at all possible. If we don’t know the right verses to offer encouragement or counsel with, we can always ask somebody more knowledgeable or look the verses up and share with the person later. We should be very careful about sharing our opinions which are not backed by God’s Word. People need to hear God’s Word, not ours. If we don’t feel led to share, then it is certainly fine to just listen and affirm them—many times that is best.

3. Those hearing a confession should offer prayer for that person in obedience to Scripture, trusting that God desires to bring healing and deliverance (Jam 5:16-17).

4. Those hearing a confession should, if they feel led, share something they are struggling with and ask for prayer as well. James says we should confess our sins to one another and pray for one another. This spiritual discipline is not the same as standard practice for professional counselors who aim to keep a professional distance from a counselee. In Scripture, the church is called a body and a family (cf. 1 Cor 12:12, Gal 6:10, 1 Tim 5:1-2)—both extremely intimate metaphors of our relationships with one another. We need to be transparent with one another for mutual edification and healing. Therefore, we should prayerfully open up to relate with the person and to receive from him or her.

5. Those hearing a confession should also discern if it would be appropriate to direct this person to somebody more mature who can help him more effectively than us. We are not the body—we are part of the body. We should still continue to meet up with the person, support him, and pray for him, but, at the same time, we must make sure he gets the extra support needed.

As we consider the need for mutual confession and prayer for the church’s general health, we must ask ourselves these questions: Are we willing to bear one another’s burdens, so God can bring healing through us? Are we willing to be transparent with others, so we can receive God’s healing grace through them? Finally, who are our accountability partners who we go to for mutual confession, prayer, and healing?

Application Question: Why is this ministry of mutual confession and prayer commonly neglected? What principles about confession or responding to confession stood out most to you and why? Who do you commonly meet up with to confess sins and receive prayer from?

Conclusion

As James is about to close his letter, he, as a man known for prayer, encourages these saints to pray. They should pray when suffering, when glad, when sick, and when struggling with sin. They should pray in all seasons of life—including seeking prayer. Likewise, we must faithfully pray and seek prayer as well.

1. When Suffering, Believers Should Continually Pray
2. When Happy, Believers Should Pray through Singing Praises to God
3. When Seriously Ill, Believers Should Receive Prayer from Their Spiritual Leaders
4. When Struggling with Sin, Believers Should, at Times, Confess to Others and Receive Prayer for Healing from Them

Application Question: How is God calling you to grow in your prayer life and in the discipline of seeking prayer from others in this season?

Prayer Prompts

• Pray for grace to grow in the discipline of prayer in all seasons of life—when suffering, happy, sick, and when struggling with sin and its consequences.
• Pray for those struggling with physical, emotional, or spiritual sickness (including sin) that they may be healed, set free, encouraged, and drawn to God.
• Pray for our elders that God may protect, encourage, and empower them to lead and equip the church.
• Pray for our church (and churches) to grow in the discipline of mutual confession and prayer for one another—pray that God would help us cultivate transparent, healing relationships.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.

My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

James 5:19-20 (NET)

How should we perform rescue missions within the church—restoring believers who have stumbled into sin, wrong doctrine, and potentially from the faith?

In Isaiah 53:6, Isaiah said this in describing Israel and the world in general: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The nature of sheep is to wander away from the flock and the shepherd. Certainly, this is true of all people in that we are born with a sin nature that suppresses the truth of God (Rom 1:18-21), so we can go our own way. However, even after repentance and belief in Christ, we still have a tendency to drift away from God. Because of this tendency even among those who are part of the church, we need to at times perform rescue missions, like shepherds—seeking to turn back those who have gone astray.

In fact, Christ gave a parable which pictures these rescue missions called the Parable of the Lost Lamb. In Matthew 18:10-14, Christ said,

See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost.

Likewise, there are people in the church who have walked with us, ate dinner with us, prayed with us, and worshipped with us, but for some reason fall away from God—turn their backs on him and the church altogether.

Possibly having this parable in mind, James concludes this book by challenging believers to seek to restore those who have fallen away from God and his church. Therefore, in James 5:19-20, we learn principles about how to perform rescue missions—restoring erring believers back to Christ.

Big Question: What principles can be discerned from James 5:19-20 about performing rescue missions in the church—restoring erring believers back to Christ?

To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Understand that Lost People Are Part of the Visible Church

My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

James 5:19-20

When James talks about those wandering from the truth down the wrong path, it is clear that he is talking about a professing believer. He describes the person as “among you” (v. 19). However, with that said, he doesn’t seem to just be describing believers who have fallen into sin. Certainly, we should help all believers grow in holiness by helping them repent of sin (Gal 6:1), but this seems to be referring to those amongst the congregation who profess Christ but are not truly saved. We’ll briefly consider the alternative view which says this is referring to a true believer, but first we’ll look at evidences that this is a professing believer—one who is not truly saved.

Interpretation Question: What are evidences that James is dealing with a professing believer who is not saved instead of a true believer?

(1) Evidence that James is dealing with helping a professing believer repent unto salvation is the fact that this has been James’ chief goal in writing the letter. Throughout, he challenges those who profess faith but do not have godly works to prove that their faith is real. They were hearing God’s Word but not obeying it. James 1:22 says, “But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.” If people listen to God’s Word but don’t practice it, they are deceived about their faith (cf. Matt 7:21). James 1:26 says, “If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.” If we profess faith but it never changes how we speak, our religion is in vain (cf. Matt 15:18). James 1:27 says, ^“Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” If we profess to love God and others but dishonor and neglect the needy, our religion is not acceptable to God (cf. Matt 25:31-46, the Parable of the Sheep and Goats). James 4:4 says, “Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy.” If we profess devotion to God but we love the world with its evil values and ungodly practices, our profession is not genuine, and we are enemies of God (cf. 1 John 2:15). If our faith lacks good works, James actually says that our faith is dead, demonic faith—a faith that knows God, possibly fears him but doesn’t obey him. James 2:17-19 says,

So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works. You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear.

The fact that James is talking about professing believers who are not saved is not just clear from the context of the book but also from within the passage. (2) Again, this wandering person is from “among” them (v. 19). (3) When James uses the word “sinner” in verse 20, this word is typically used of nonbelievers in Scripture, not believers (cf. Prov 11:31; 13:6, 22; Matt 9:13; Luke 7:37, 39; 15:7, 10; 18:13; Rom 5:8; 1 Tim 1:9, 15; 1 Pet 4:18).¹ Consider a few of them: In Matthew 9:13, Christ said, “Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Also, Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” First Peter 4:18 says, “And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of the ungodly and sinners?” John MacArthur’s comments on the word “sinner” are helpful:

The term sinner frequently describes hardened unbelievers, those who openly, defiantly disregard God’s law; those whose evil character is apparent to everyone; those whose wickedness is common knowledge²

James believed that in the local church there are those who associate with the body of believers, including serving and leading, who might not be saved (cf. Matt 7:22-23). They were “sinners” in the sense that they had never received the imputed righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21).

(4) In addition, when James says if we turn the person back, we “save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (v. 20), “death” seems to refer to eternal death (cf. Rom 6:23, Rev 20:14). Covering a “multitude of sins” would then refer to being forgiven in salvation.

With that said, those who believe James is referring to a true believer tend to believe that “death” refers to this person dying an early death as a result of God’s discipline. In Scripture, sometimes as a form of discipline for an unrepentant believer, God will simply take them home. We saw this in the story of Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5:1-11. When they continually lied about selling their property and giving all their money to the apostles, God simply took them home. They immediately died and were buried. Likewise, in 1 Corinthians 11, when the Corinthian believers were getting drunk during the Lord’s Supper and disrespecting the poor, some of them were judged by becoming sick, some became weary (depressed), but some of them died (v. 30). It was a sin unto death. In 1 John 5:16-17, John warns about a sin unto death:

If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death. There is a sin resulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that. All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin not resulting in death.

For those who take this view, they do so based on the fact that the overall testimony of Scripture indicates that true believers cannot lose their salvation (cf. John 10:27-30, Rom 8:29-30), so they say “death” must be referring to the sin unto death. However, again, the context of the book and James’ use of the word “sinner” argue against that interpretation. James is writing to challenge believers about false faith (Jam 2:17-19). There were professing believers amongst the congregation who were never truly saved, and their lack of fruit proved it. If they didn’t repent, then they would experience eternal death. They would be like those in the last days who served Christ and called him, “Lord, Lord,” but he will reply to them by saying, “I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!” (Matt 7:22-23).

Consequently, if we are going to do the ministry of restoration, we must first be convinced of what James believed—in every church there are wheat and weeds (Matt 13:36-43), good fish and bad fish (Matt 13:47-50), virgins with oil and virgins without oil (Matt 25:1-13), and sheep and goats (Matt 25:31-46). Understanding this reality will make us test the reality of our faith—are we bearing fruit of true repentance (Matt 3:8)? And, it also encourages us to help other brothers and sisters to turn away from lifestyles of sin, which ultimately may end in eternal death (Jam 1:14-15, 5:20). Consider the following verses: 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless, indeed, you fail the test!” Second Peter 1:10-11 says,

Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to be sure of your calling and election. For by doing this you will never stumble into sin. For thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you.

In Acts 26:20 (NLT), Paul said this about his gospel ministry:

I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do.

Likewise, in Matthew 3:8-10, John the Baptist preached this to the Jews:

Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

After writing a letter about true faith, James calls the church on a rescue mission to save those within the church. Some are not convinced that there are many in the church who are lost. They think as long as at some point they said the sinner’s prayer or went through confirmation, they are OK in the sense of their eternal salvation. Therefore, they neglect this ministry. Scripture teaches that every tree that doesn’t bear good fruit will be thrown into the fire (Matt 3:10). Yes, we must seek to turn back those who have fallen into sin, but we also must be aware that a lifestyle of unrepentance might prove that they lack salvation. Ephesians 5:3-6 says,

But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting—all of which are out of character—but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience.

Application Question: Why is performing rescue missions so important within the church? Which view do you agree with—that “death” in James 5:20 refers to the early death of a believer as a judgment or that it refers to eternal death, that the professing believer wasn’t saved?

To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Recognize the Warning Signs

…if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path…

James 5:19-20

Observation Question: What are some common warning signs of believers falling away from the faith or their lacking genuine faith, as demonstrated in James 5:19-20?

Like a lifeguard surveying a beach looking for signs of distress, those who are going to perform rescue missions in the church must be aware of signs of distress or danger amongst professing believers. James mentions two in the text: “wanders from the truth” (v. 19) and “wandering path” or “error of his way” as in the NIV (v. 20). These represent both doctrinal error and error in practice. This makes perfect sense. For some in the church, practicing or condoning the sins of others leads them to change their doctrine. They just can’t believe their friends that don’t accept Christ as their Lord and Savior are going to hell, so they are drawn to a universal salvation understanding of Scripture. They can’t believe that sex between two loving, unmarried people is wrong—whether that be heterosexual or homosexual sex—so they start to adopt an antinomian understanding of Scripture—living without biblical laws. “As long as we have faith in God, it doesn’t matter how we live!” they say. For others, instead of practice leading to wrong doctrine, wrong doctrine leads to wrong practice. They start off listening to the wrong podcasts, hearing wrong doctrine in their classrooms or church services, or hearing the liberal views of their friends while in conversation. Eventually, they accept these views, which changes their practice. These are danger signs that we need to be aware of—wrong views of Scripture, especially in the area of foundational doctrines, and wrong practices, which are often vigorously condoned and defended. For example, watch out for these specific warning signs:

1. Be careful of views that teach there are errors in Scripture and that the Bible or parts of the Bible are not trustworthy.

Satan’s first temptation was, “Did God really say that?” (Gen 3:1 paraphrase). Likewise, when people start to not believe all of Scripture, they soon doubt the creation story, then the miracles in the Bible including the virgin birth, the existence of a real hell, and then they doubt the resurrection of Jesus which is the foundation of our faith (1 Cor 15:14, 17). It’s a very slippery slope.

Again, a major warning sign is when people start doubting the validity of Scripture. In John 8:31, Jesus said, “If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples.” Therefore, people who don’t continue in God’s Words are not true disciples.

2. Be careful of errant views about Jesus.

In 1 John 4:1-3, John said,

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.

The cult indoctrinating the church of Ephesus attacked the humanity of Jesus. They believed he was God but not man. Likewise, be careful of any type of doctrine that denies either the humanity or deity of Jesus. That is the spirit of the antichrist according to John. This is why many would call Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons a cult because of their errant doctrines about Jesus Christ. He is not God or originally was an angel.

These errant teachings saturated the early church so much that John later wrote the same thing in 2 John 1:7-10:

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! Watch out, so that you do not lose the things we have worked for, but receive a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in this teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not give him any greeting

We must make sure that we and our brothers and sisters remain in the orthodox teachings about Christ.

3. Be careful of any doctrine that changes the gospel.

In Galatians 1:6-9, consider Paul’s warning to the Galatians:

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are following a different gospel—not that there really is another gospel, but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to hell! As we have said before, and now I say again, if any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be condemned to hell!

In verses 8 and 9, he said that those with a different gospel should be “condemned to hell” or “accursed” (ESV). This was very serious to Paul. For the Galatians, there was a cult adding the necessity of works, like being circumcised or following the law, to be saved. We are saved by grace through faith and not by any works (Eph 2:8-9), including going to church, taking the Lord’s Supper, giving to the poor, and being baptized. Works is a necessary fruit of salvation (Jam 2:17, Eph 2:10), but it is not the root of salvation.

When someone accepts any doctrines that add works to the gospel, such as in Catholicism or those who add the need for baptism to be saved, then those are major warning signs. In addition, we should be aware of those who would remove the need for repentance in the gospel or accepting Christ as our personal Lord. Some advocate a gospel without the need for repentance or even following Christ as our Lord. As long as we believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead for our sins, then we are saved. We don’t need to follow him at all, they say! That is not a true gospel. Be extremely careful of any views that change the gospel—our need for faith in Christ and repentance of sins.

4. Be careful of those who would deny the need for holiness after salvation, either through doctrine or practicing unrepentant sin—again the antinomian error.

Again, in Ephesians 5:3-6, Paul said,

But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting—all of which are out of character—but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience.

There were some professing and practicing a licentious view of God’s law and therefore trying to deceive believers to do the same in the church of Ephesus. Paul said don’t let anyone deceive you about this. People who live like this will not enter the kingdom of God. True salvation—true faith—is proved by a life of obedience to God’s Word—not a perfect life, but a life that is striving to grow in holiness. In Matthew 7:21, Christ said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

If we are going to perform rescue missions in the church, we must be aware of the danger signs—errors in major doctrines and unrepentant sins, which are typically vigorously condoned and defended by those practicing it.

Application Question: How have you experienced believers who have these warning signs—errors in foundational doctrines or defending and practicing unrepentant sin?

To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Reach Out to Those Who Have Wandered

My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

James 5:19-20

Again, after James taught about the need of having a faith that works and the existence of demonic faith within the church, he concludes his letter by encouraging believers to try to turn these professing believers back to God and away from wrong doctrine and sinful behavior. Most times, those “wandering” will already have left the church or only occasionally attend. It is hard to stay in a church where the Word of God is being preached when a person is living in unrepentant sin or has cardinal doctrines that they disagree with. In 1 John 2:19, John said this about the cultist who previously attended the Ephesian church:

They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.

Therefore, to perform this ministry, often it will mean going outside the church to those who have stopped attending church altogether or who have gone to another church which accommodates their unbiblical views and practices. However, at times, their hearts have become so hardened to the truth that they actually stay in the church, with little to no conviction. If they have major doctrinal errors, they will sometimes try to recruit others into their error. Either way, James challenges the church to reach out to them, so they can be restored to God and his people and ultimately saved.

Application Question: How should we practically perform rescue missions for those who have wandered from the truth in doctrine and/or practice?

1. Throughout the process, we must pray for the wandering person.

In 1 John 5:6, John said, “If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death.” Wandering believers must continually be the object of our prayers.

2. We must make sure that we have the correct information.

Often rumors go around that so and so is living in sin or teaching errant doctrine. We should confirm the truth first by talking with those who are sharing such things. It may actually be only a rumor or gossip. In those cases, those sharing may need to be gently corrected. At times, the only way to confirm the information is to approach the person who is supposedly doing such things. When doing this, it must be approached very humbly, affirming your care for them, with a recognition that what you want to talk about might simply be a mistake or miscommunication. Either way, to do this ministry, we need to confirm what’s true.

3. We must discern who would be best to approach the person.

In Galatians 6:1, Paul said this about performing restoration ministry: “Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.” Paul says those who are “spiritual” should be the ones to perform this ministry. He is not saying it should only be the elders or spiritual leaders of the church. This ministry is given to the body of Christ (cf. Matt 18:15-17), but if we are very young or new in the faith, then we should probably defer to somebody more spiritually mature. When dealing with false doctrine or ungodly practices, the spiritually immature are prone to be confused and deceived by that doctrine or tempted in the very same sin.

In addition, the best people to do this ministry are not only the spiritually mature but also those who have a relationship with the person in error. Having an intimate relationship with that person may make him or her more prone to listen. Therefore, we must ask ourselves, “Are we the right person to reach out to them, and if not, who?”

4. Before confronting the person, we must arm ourselves with relevant Scriptures.

In teaching about spiritual warfare, Paul talked about using “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17). If a wandering believer is struggling with some doctrine, we should study up on it. If he is living in some sin, we should likewise be prepared with Scriptures which focus on that area. If it is possibly a professing believer who lacks genuine faith, we should arm ourselves with Scriptures that both warn and provide the ability for a person to test their faith. For example, the whole book of 1 John has tests of salvation (cf. 1 John 5:13). One widely applicable one is 1 John 3:9-10. It says,

Everyone who has been fathered by God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness—the one who does not love his fellow Christian—is not of God.

When John says those who are saved do “not practice sin” (v. 9), he is not talking about being perfect (cf. 1 John 1:8), he is talking about a continual practice of sin—a lifestyle without repentance. James says the same thing but in the opposite way, “But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves” (Jam 1:22). If we simply listen to God’s Word and don’t practice it as a lifestyle, we’re not saved. In addition, John said if we don’t love fellow Christians, we’re not saved. First John 3:14 says, “We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love our fellow Christians. The one who does not love remains in death.” This is the same thing Christ taught in John 13:35 when he said, “Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” If a person doesn’t faithfully attend church, meet with believers, and serve them, this is not just an obedience issue but also a love issue. When you love someone, at the minimum, you want to be around them, even if they are not perfect. Therefore, those who forsake the assembly of God fail the “love” test (cf. Heb 10:25, 1 John 3:14). Before approaching wandering believers, we need to arm ourselves with relevant Scriptures.

5. Throughout the discussion, we must be gentle and noncombative—trusting that God changes hearts, not us.

Second Timothy 2:24-26 (NIV) says,

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

If our manner in approaching them is harsh or rude, we may, inadvertently, close their hearts to God. This is part of the reason Paul said those who are “spiritual” should reach out to the person in error (Gal 6:1). The spiritual ones are less likely to be combative and push the erring person away from God. Our hope must be in God—not our logical arguments, loud voice, or temper. Ephesians 4:15 (NIV) says we must speak “the truth in love.”

6. If there is no repentance, we must be willing to follow the New Testament guidelines on church discipline, including, eventually, separating from them.

In Matthew 18:15-17, Christ said this:

If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.

Because their souls are so important, (1) we reach out to them one-on-one, and (2) if there is no repentance, we reach out with one or two others, (3) then with the church, and (4) if they still don’t respond, we separate from them, in hopes that they will understand the gravity of their sin and repent.

In considering this final step, Paul said this to the Corinthians:

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Are you not to judge those inside? But God will judge those outside. Remove the evil person from among you.

1 Corinthians 5:11-13

7. Finally, throughout this process, we must be willing to take the risk of being misunderstood and even demonized, as we seek to help people who have gone astray.

Are there risks in seeking to help someone who has turned away from the truth? Certainly. They might curse us, stop being our friends, say bad things about us, or even try to fight us. However, truly loving people means opening ourselves up to be hurt by them. Someone said this ministry is kind of like trying to help a wounded dog; it’s very likely that you’ll get bit.³ Unfortunately, this is true. Christ did the same for us. He loved the world and, therefore, spoke the truth to them, and they crucified him for it. But God used Christ’s pain for good—to save the world. Often the pain we receive is something God can use to deliver a brother or sister from death and cover a multitude of sins. Therefore, we must willingly take these risks to rescue our brothers and sisters.

Application Question: How have you experienced performing rescue missions with wandering believers? What did you find most helpful in the process and not so helpful?

Conclusion

How can we perform rescue missions in the church—helping wandering brothers and sisters who have turned away from Christ in doctrine or practice?

1. To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Understand that Lost People Are Part of the Visible Church
2. To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Recognize the Warning Signs
3. To Perform Rescue Missions, We Must Reach Out to Those Who Have Wandered

Prayer Prompts

• Pray for God to protect our church members from the evil one and temptation, and if any are caught in some sin or false doctrine, that God may deliver them.
• Pray for God to restore and heal those within denominations who have fallen into major error and practice—pray for God to restore his Bride.
• Pray that God would give us his love and his wisdom so we can effectively reach out to those struggling or in rebellion.
• Pray that God would strengthen our church through his Word and unify us through his love.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.

Related Topics: Christian Life

Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”

1 Kings 17:1 (NET)

What are characteristics of the person God uses greatly? As we consider Elijah and his powerful ministry, we can discern common characteristics of those God has used throughout history. The first characteristic we considered was the fact that Elijah was a common man. He was from a small town in Gilead, which was a mountainous region. He would have lacked the education of those from a big city. He wore clothes which represented his rugged upbringing. Scripture says he wore a garment of animal hair with a belt (2 Kgs 1:8). He probably had an accent. Because of his country upbringing, those from the city would have looked down upon him. He was common; however, God has delighted to use people like this throughout history (1 Cor 1:26-31). The Bible is full of stories of God greatly using farmers, shepherds, and others who would have not been highly esteemed in society. Why? Because God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9), in people who will trust in him instead of their strength, riches, or education. The apostles were common men who lacked formal rabbinical training (Acts 4:13). When God does use somebody of great standing in society like Moses or Paul, he makes them weak through their circumstances, so they can become humble and rely on God.

Why doesn’t God mightily use more people in the church? No doubt, it’s because we are too strong, too independent, and we need to become more humble and dependent on God, so he can use us. Christ taught, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them” (Matt 5:3). In Matthew 18:4, he taught that the greatest in the kingdom are like little children—totally dependent on God.

The second characteristic we learned about Elijah was his righteousness. We saw this when he stood up against Ahab who was leading Israel away from God, but we also saw it in his name. His name meant “My God is Yahweh.” Elijah’s parents no doubt raised him to be a godly man, and when all Israel was turning away from Yahweh to follow Baal and his corrupt practices, Elijah lived out his name. When God looks for someone to use greatly, he finds a righteous person. In James 5:17, in using Elijah as an example, James said, “The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” God hears the prayers of the righteous and he uses them to transform families, communities, cities, and nations.

What else can we learn about Elijah? It is clear from this passage and Elijah’s life that he was a man of great courage. We see this in two ways: The first way is his defiance of the King. According to the author of 1 Kings, Ahab was the most wicked king that had ever sat on the throne of Israel. First Kings 16:30 says, “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the sight of the Lord than all who were before him.” What made him even worse was his marriage to Jezebel. She was from the kingdom of Sidon, and she instituted Baal worship in Israel. From Scripture, we learn that she was very wicked and often was the mastermind behind Ahab’s evil ways. Together, they made a frightening couple.

But nevertheless, Elijah appears in the presence of the King and defies him. What makes this even more terrifying is that appearing in the presence of the King without permission could be extremely dangerous. In the story of Esther, even as queen, she had to get permission to come into the presence of her husband. In fact, one time, so she wouldn’t be put to death for coming into his presence without permission, she asked her uncle to get the Israelites in Susa to fast for her for three days (Es 4:16). In general, the Israelite kings weren’t as ruthless as the Persian kings, but nevertheless, it took great courage for Elijah to confront Israel’s most wicked king. Since Elijah was commissioned by God, apparently, he was not afraid, and if so, he was willing to face his fears. He not only showed up in the presence of the King but also gave him bad news: “there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”

The second way we see Elijah’s courage is that he not only stood up to the most wicked king of Israel but also to a false deity. Baal was the primary pagan deity worshiped in Israel at this time. He was considered the god of the storm and fertility. Followers of Baal would commonly practice sexual rituals and even sacrifice their children in order to secure rain and blessings for their crops. When Elijah declared it would not rain, not only was he confronting the King, but he also was confronting this pagan god.

This confrontation with Baal will come full circle in 1 Kings 18 when Elijah confronts all the prophets of Baal. He gathers all of them for a competition: Which deity, Yahweh or Baal, would bring fire on a sacrifice? Again, Elijah’s boldness and courage are seen as he mocks the prophets and Baal. First Kings 18:27 says: “At noon Elijah mocked them, ‘Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.’”

Elijah’s courage is displayed as he confronts both Ahab and Baal. However, it must be noted that this is a necessary quality for every man or woman God uses. Consider what Moses said to Israel and Joshua before they crossed over into the promised land:

Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who is going with you. He will not fail you or abandon you!” Then Moses called out to Joshua in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will accompany these people to the land that the Lord promised to give their ancestors, and you will enable them to inherit it. The Lord is indeed going before you—he will be with you; he will not fail you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged!”

Deuteronomy 31:6-8

In fact, after Moses’s death, God again commands Joshua to be brave before entering the land. He said,

Be strong and brave! You must lead these people in the conquest of this land that I solemnly promised their ancestors I would hand over to them. Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do… I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”

Joshua 1:6-7, 9

The repetition of the command to be brave or courageous shows its importance. If we are going to be people that God can use, we must be courageous. With that said, it must be known that courage is not necessarily the absence of fear, it is being willing to confront our fears. Elijah confronted the King who could have killed him. He stood up to the pagan god, Baal. He also later confronts all the false prophets and Israel. He was willing to be courageous.

Unfortunately, many Christians can’t be used by God because they are ruled by fear. Fear keeps them from doing God’s will with their lives. Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart.” God’s peace should be ruling and guiding our lives, not fear. In this study, we will consider three Ahabs or fears that commonly keep people from doing God’s will.

Be Careful of the Fear of Man

The first one we will consider is the fear of man. Many Christians, especially young ones, care too much about the praise of man, and therefore, are hindered in their walk with God. Consider these verses,

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)

Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!

Galatians 1:10

Many people are trapped and crippled in their spiritual life because of fear of what man will say or do. They are afraid to be different from their friends, family, and culture. Consequently, they are no longer following God but men.

What are some practical ways that we see fear handicapping believers?

• Some are not willing to follow God in the career field that he has called them to or have a lesser standard of living because of shame, as their friends and families would not approve.
• Some accept and adopt the drunken and dishonest cultures of their workplaces because they fear what their co-workers and bosses will say or do.
• Some won’t marry the person God called them to because of what family or culture would say. That person has the wrong ethnicity, career field, family background, etc.
• Some, especially young Christians, are not willing to be godly because it will not be considered cool or acceptable among their friends.

The fear of what people will say or do is a snare. With that said, Elijah stood up to the wicked forces leading Israel without succumbing to fear of repercussions. In Luke 14:26, Jesus said this: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Christ knew that relationships and the fear of people, including one’s own family, would be a major hindrance to discipleship and even salvation.

Is the fear of man keeping you from doing God’s will?

Be Careful of the Fear of Failure

But there is another type of fear that often cripples Christians from being used by God and that is the fear of failure. Some are afraid to fail, and therefore, they never step out in faith to follow God’s leading. Christians and non-Christians alike are greatly affected by this. They don’t want to fail, so they never attempt anything out of their comfort zone. They won’t serve in a ministry; they won’t lead a small group; they won’t share their faith; some won’t even pray out loud. Fear handicaps them. Instead of faithfully obeying God, they at all costs seek to protect their comfort.

We may get a hint of this in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. God gave one man five talents and another two, and they both made profit. However, he gave another person one talent and instead of attempting to make a profit, he hid it in the ground. Consider how he responds to his Master, who reflects God:

Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

Matthew 25:24-25

Essentially the man says, “I was afraid to fail you, so I hid my talent in the ground!” A lot of Christians are just like that. They see the difficulty of the task at hand, including the expectations that come with it, and they become afraid and quit before beginning. They declare, “Lord, I can’t speak!” “Lord, I can’t lead!” “Lord, this is not my gifting!” Fear traps them—so they don’t even try.

Was it not “fear” of failure (and the fear of man) that kept the Israelites from conquering the promised land? God promised it to them, but after they surveyed the land, they said, “Nope! Too many giants, God. Can’t do it!” In Numbers 13:31, they said, “We are not able to go up against these people, because they are stronger than we are!” And, consequently, God removed them from the promised land, and they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. How many Christians are wandering in the wilderness, year after year, missing God’s best for their lives because of fear? No doubt, too many to count. They are spiritually stuck. To move forward, they must confront their giants. They must confront things too big to conquer in their own strength.

Is your Ahab the fear of failure? Is the fear of failure keeping us from progressing spiritually?

Be Careful of the Fear of Death

Another common hindrance to doing God’s will is the fear of death. If Elijah feared death, he wouldn’t have confronted the King. If the apostles feared death, they would not have boldly proclaimed God’s Word in the face of the Jewish and the Roman persecution. In fact, courage in the face of death has been one of the greatest testaments to Christians throughout the centuries, as they have been flogged and persecuted for their faith. Christ said this in Luke 12:4: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.” In Luke 14:26 and 27, he said that to be his disciple, we must “hate” our own life and carry our own “cross.”

There is a temptation to soften the interpretation of carrying one’s “cross,” as just referring to the burdens and normal hardships of the Christian life. However, the cross was a form of execution in those days. When Christ said, if you want to be my disciple, if you want to be my follower, you must “take up your cross,” he was literally saying you must be prepared to die for him. In that society, that was a very real possibility. The Jews persecuted Christians, and later, the Roman Empire began to do the same. This is certainly true in many nations today, as more Christians have died in the last one hundred years than the previous two thousand years. Being a disciple of Christ means we must be willing to hate our own lives and take up our cross (Lk 14:26-27).

Death is a great hindrance for many Christians. This will keep many from going to a Muslim or communist country to preach the gospel. It will keep many from leaving the comfort of home for missions. Why? It’s because we don’t “hate” our own life in comparison to our love for God and his will.

Christ, in fact, came to deliver us from the suffocating fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-15 says,

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.

Christ became a human and died to free people from the fear of death. Christians don’t have to be afraid of death because Christ defeated it. Christ died and rose again, and one day, after our deaths, we will rise again like him.

In fact, it was Christ’s resurrection that gave the disciples, who all denied him at the crucifixion, boldness to preach and die for their faith. His resurrection made them all willing to die. Why? They were willing to die because they knew if they died, they would immediately be with Christ spiritually (2 Cor 5:8) and one day be physically resurrected.

In considering the resurrection, Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 15:54b-57:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Paul proclaims that there is no victory or sting in death because our victory is in Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:8, Paul said, “Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” And in Philippians 1:21, Paul said, “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” Therefore, believers should not fear death.

Sadly, many Christians care so much for their life that it hinders their spiritual growth—it hinders them from being a man or woman that God can use greatly. They cannot leave their comfort zone because instead of “hating their life,” they love it dearly. They have never allowed themselves to be set free from the “fear of death,” and therefore, God cannot use them as he did Elijah or the apostles. Fear cripples and hinders their spiritual progression. Believers that don’t fear injury or death are a serious threat to the kingdom of darkness.

What is your Ahab? Is it the fear of man? Do we esteem the opinions of friends, family, and employers over God’s esteem? Is it the fear of failure? Is fear of failure causing us to hide our gifts in the ground? Or is it the fear of death? Christ conquered the grave so we wouldn’t have to fear death.

Application Question: In what ways do people commonly experience the fear of man, failure, and death, which hinders their faith and walk with God? How have you specifically been hindered by these or other fears?

How to Conquer Our Fears

We have talked about three common fears that keep us from being willing to do God’s will and therefore hinder God from using us greatly. Now we will look at how to conquer our fears.

1. To conquer fear, we must fear God more than anything else.

Consider again what Christ said in Luke 12:4-5:

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do. But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

Luke 12:4-5

Jesus said that the disciples should not be afraid of those who could kill them but to instead be afraid of God. This would deliver them from their fears. Likewise, Proverbs 9:10 says, “The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and acknowledging the Holy One is understanding.” It is the beginning of making right decisions with our lives. When we honor God, we can boldly face Ahabs, giants, and anything else that terrifies us. The problem with many Christians is not that they have a fear of failure, a fear of man, or a fear of death. Their problem is that they do not fear God! The fear of God is the beginning of being wise.

When we fear God more than what our employer thinks or can do to us, then we start to become someone God can use. Promotion, ultimately, comes from the Lord. When we fear God more than failure, we will be willing to take risks like sharing our faith, even when we know it will probably be rejected. When we fear God more than death, we become dangerous to the kingdom of darkness and extremely valuable to the kingdom of light. We become valuable because there are not many people like that. Most are crippled by fear and, therefore, cannot be used greatly by God.

Do we fear God more than people, failure, and death?

2. To conquer fear, we must recognize and reject it as a hindrance to obeying God.

In 2 Timothy 1: 7, Paul says, “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Timothy had been left in charge of the church of Ephesus and was struggling with fear of the difficulties included in his ministry. Paul told Timothy the spirit of fear he was struggling with was not from God, and therefore, Timothy should reject it. Certainly, there are healthy fears, like fear of crossing the street without looking both ways. But Paul is not talking about that type of fear. He is talking about fear that keeps us from doing God’s will or having God’s peace.

That is what Paul told the church of Philippi, in Philippians 4:6b, “Do not be anxious about anything.” That means we need to reject “fear” as something not from God.

No doubt, some fears are passed down generationally. Mom was a worrier—she worried about everything. Dad was a worrier, and it made him try to control everything and everyone around him. Now, we struggle with worry, and it often hinders us from walking in the will of God and steals our peace.

In order to conquer our fears, we must recognize that fear is not from God and reject it. We must reject anything that keeps us from doing God’s will.

3. To conquer fear, we must know our resources in God.

Courage is not foolishness; it is a proper evaluation of resources. For many of us, we know that we can make a trip to the grocery store because we have a vehicle and enough gas to get there. Therefore, we have nothing to fear. It’s the same way with every task God calls us to in life. If God called us to it, we must recognize that he provides the resources for the task. Is that not what God said to Moses when he said that he couldn’t speak? God replied, “Who made the mouth? I will give you the words to speak. Don’t worry about that.” (Ex 4:11 paraphrase). Then God said, “If that’s not enough, I’ll give you, your brother, Aaron, to speak for you. He will be your mouthpiece. Don’t worry, just obey!” (Ex 4:13-16 paraphrase).

Isn’t that exactly what Paul said to Timothy? “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim 1:7). Essentially, he said, “God has given you everything needed for ministry: power for the task, love to care for the people (even difficult ones), and self-discipline to be faithful.”

Isn’t this exactly what God said to Joshua? In Joshua 1:9, God said, “I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”

This is true for us as well. God is with us! He empowers us for whatever task he calls us to. We don’t have to fear because we have the resources. Proper evaluation of resources not only gets rid of fear but also gives us courage.

4. To conquer fear, we must take steps of faith.

Many times, it takes a step of faith to totally rid ourselves of fear. Personally, it is often when I step into the pulpit and start to preach that all my fears and anxieties go away. It is when I start to do God’s will that I find out that he has in fact given me power, love, and self-discipline to accomplish the task.

Many never experience those resources because they won’t take a step of faith. A good example of this is Peter. In Matthew 14:28-29, Peter saw Jesus walking on the sea and cried out to him, “If it’s you, let me come to you” and Christ said, “Come!” (paraphrase). Is it possible for a man to attempt to walk on water in a raging storm and not be afraid? No doubt, Peter was afraid. But, when he took a step of faith on the water, he found there was grace. God’s resources were available to fulfill Christ’s command.

Oftentimes, the best way to get rid of fear is to just do it. Like the old Nike slogan, “Just Do It!” After we’ve clearly discerned God’s will, we should take steps of faith and allow God to prove himself faithful: get involved with the church, share your testimony, ask to pray with somebody, start preparing for the mission field, turn away from a situation or relationship that’s handicapping you. If Christ has called us into the water, it is the wisest step we can take. As we do so, his grace will be available which will remove our fears.

What steps of faith is God calling you to take to serve him?

Application Question: How should believers overcome various fears that hinder their obedience to God or make it more difficult? How is God calling you to overcome fears which are hindering your faith?

Conclusion

As we consider Elijah’s courage in confronting Ahab, even at the prospect of death, we must ask ourselves, “What is my Ahab? What is keeping me back from doing God’s will?” Is it the fear of man, the fear of failure, and/or the fear of death? As God said to Joshua who was called to lead Israel and conquer giants in the promised land, we must be strong and brave in order for God to use us (Josh 1:9)—willing to confront our fears. What fears is God calling us to confront so he can use us in a greater way?

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

• Pray for God to reveal his will to us and that we would be willing to follow it (individually and corporately), even as Elijah did.
• Pray for God to deliver us from anxieties, worries, and fears that hinder us from doing his will.
• Pray for God to enable us to be courageous in confronting whatever challenges we currently face or will face in the future.
• Pray for God to give us faith to move mountains (referring to trials and hindrances to his will) and that those mountains would move, in Jesus’ name.

Copyright © 2022 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.