April 23 Daily Devotional

Scripture for Day 113—James 5:16

¹⁶ …confess your sins to one another…

Devotional:

This is a command from the living God himself. To neglect to obey it, then, is sin. But what should it look like? What does it mean?

It means to outwardly disclose your sins to one another ("…confess your sins to one another…").

It might be helpful to think first of what the point is not. First, the point is not secret confession of sin to God, even though that is a must when you've sinned. But here God commands, "…confess your sins to one another…" Second, the point is not private confession of sin to a priest. God says, "…confess your sins to one another…" If that means a priest, then the priest is equally obligated to confess his sins to you. But "one another" means fellow Christians. Third, the point is not public confession of sin in front of the church. I recall hearing of one church that tried that in an effort to obey this verse, but it quickly had to stop because of abuses. But more importantly, the biblical principle is that "confession must be made to the person against whom we have sinned and from whom we need and desire to receive forgiveness." ^†

What then is the point? The point is private confession of sin to fellow Christians. Above all, you must confess sin to those you have wronged. You must seek to walk in reconciliation with one another. This is a command, not a suggestion, and it is in line with what our Lord Jesus also taught:

* "So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Matt. 5:23-24).

* "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector" (Matt. 18:15-17).

* "Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him" (Luke 17:3-4).

Have you sinned against a brother or sister. Outwardly disclose your sins against one another. Be prompt and specific. Pursue reconciliation and healing in the body of Christ.

^† John R. W. Stott, Confess Your Sins: The Way of Reconciliation

Click here for background on the author of Are You For Real?: Meditations in the Epistle of James for Secret or Family Worship.