THE PURPOSE OF THE SERVICE OF ANOINTING AND PRAYER

THE PURPOSE OF THE SERVICE OF ANOINTING AND PRAYER

(James 5:19-20)

 

In these final verses James sets forth the ultimate purpose in this service of anointing and prayer. It is to reach the hearts of the saints and deal with sins in their lives. While personal sin may not be the cause of sickness, on the other hand it may be. But in either event, an opportunity is provided whereby the suffering one may be brought nearer to the Lord.

(1) There is always a possibility of a saint erring from the path (19). "Brethren, If any of you do err from the truth.” In these words James names those who may err, and points out the nature of the error.

Christians may err, as the word "brethren" and the phrase "of you" will attest. And no Christian is in more danger of erring than that one who has already erred in thinking that he cannot err. In fact Christianity finds men who are erring, and after bringing them within the fold they continue to err, though the work of Christ progressively reduces this throughout life. When the great work of salvation is complete, then the time of erring will be over.

Straying from the truth is the nature of their deviation. The word "err" means to stray or wander away, and in this ease it is a wandering away from the truth. Wandering from the path of truth then leads to wandering from the way of truth. Without a doubt this phrase “err from the truth” includes, both the doctrinal and practical wandering away of the saint. False doctrine is wandering away from God and the light that is in Him, and it will eventually lead into evil practice. For apart from the truth of God there is no guiding light by which to chart one's course. (John 13:13) And man without light in himself must eventually fall into the ditch during life and into hell when the sheets are balanced for eternity.

(2) There is then a practical value in converting an erring saint (20). For if "one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." One is actually in unison with His Savior and His ministry of sanctification. He positions also with the entire trinity.

The immediate effect of converting the sinner is that of changing him from his course in doctrinal error. The word "converteth" means to turn around, a complete about face. And the only possible place where this may begin is with doctrinal error. The sinning saint must see God anew in all His holiness, he must see the exceeding sinfulness of his sin, and he must see the dire consequences of proceeding any longer therein. He comes back under the teaching and Lordship of Christ. A complete about face from doctrinal error will also bring a complete about face in the saint's way of life. Once the saint is converted on these points another result will follow.

The issuing effect of converting the sinner is that of covering a multitude of sins. These are not the sins of the brother who is working with the erring brother, but the sins of the erring brother. The sins of the mind and faith, the doctrinal sins, will be covered by the blood of Christ. The sins of life and conduct, the practical sins, will be covered by the blood of Christ. The sins that might spawn from these will be thus covered. And best of all, they will be cleansed from the life of the saint (1 John 1:9). He comes back to the stance of blameless.

The ultimate effect of converting the sinner is that he will be saved from physical and eternal death. Personal sins, which may be the cause of physical illness, if not dealt with and done away, may bring one to the brink of the grave. In the anointing service these are dealt with. But even though God may not visit physical death upon a professed sinning saint, if he continues in sin, doctrinal and practical, he belies his profession and will ultimately not only suffer physical death but also eternal death. Fixed in his moral state according to Rev. 22:11.

Let the saints praise God that through the avenue of physical sickness an opportunity has been provided in which the saint may be healed. But more important than that, it provides a place where inventory of one's spiritual state may be diagnosed and healed, blessed and blameless, ready to meet the Savior and able to see Him as He is.