THE RESCUE OF AN ERRING BROTHER: JAMES 5:19-20

Verses 19-20: My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

 

The final two verses of James’ epistle provide the readers with invaluable advice about their concern for the spiritual health of other believers. The entire epistle has been full of exhortations examining doctrinal truth and how to live the Christian life, possibly the first of such teachings for the new church age believers. James expresses his apprehension that some may wander away from the word of truth, by which “He brought us forth” (1:18) and be led astray from Divine truth—the wisdom from above (3:17). For James knew that the real danger was his readers reverting back to the bondage of Judaism and as witnesses to others they might exchange grace for works as a means to attain salvation and introduce error in the gospel of salvation.

Some scholars have endorsed the idea that what James means by “turns one back” infers that of someone who has lost their salvation. This is the far from the meaning James intends to convey. Jesus proclaimed eternal security to all those who believe in Him:

“And I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28–30; cf. 1 Peter 1:5)

They would still be saved by their initial faith in Christ, since their salvation can never be lost. The very nature of salvation demands that it is eternally secure. Dr. Chafer points this out:

[I]f salvation is the creation of a new being composed of unchangeable and imperishable elements, and in every aspect of it is made to depend on the perfect and immutable merit of the Son of God, there can be no failure…[this] demonstrates the truthfulness of the assertion that God is not offering a salvation to men which is not eternal in its very nature. [Emphasis added]1

James clarifies this when he states: “he who turns a sinner from the error of his way.” The key is the Greek word for way, which means “way of thinking, feeling, acting, manner of life and conduct.”2 The way which the sinner has taken is the opposite of following truth—divine viewpoint thinking (cf. John 3:21; 8:32; 1 John 1:6). The Apostle Peter describes them as “forsaking the right way, they have gone astray” (2 Peter 2:15). The right way which Peter refers to is “the way of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:21). This is the person James mentions as “being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (1:8). It is the picture of a believer who is of two minds: having believed in Christ but thinks and lives according to human viewpoint.

It should be pointed out that James does not specify a procedure for turning back a sinner from their error. Since they have strayed from the truth, it seems obvious that they must be confronted with the truth. Ideally this should be done by the teaching of their pastor-teacher. But an exemplary life of faithfulness to the truth by fellow believers can also be beneficial in helping someone struggling with their faith and straying from the truth.

There is a two-fold advantage in turning a sinner from error. First, it will save his soul from death. The word save is not always referred to in Scripture as salvation from eternal damnation. There are various definitions for this word: [to] keep from harm, preserve, rescue...bring out safely...free from disease.3 James uses the word here to denote rescuing the sinner from death, specifically physical death.

The word soul refers to a subdivision of the immaterial part of man—soul and spirit. Dr. Zodhiates explains “the soul as the vital principle, the animating element in men and animals.”4 And W.E. Vine indicates that it is used here as referring to specific persons or individuals,5 as it is used elsewhere in this manner in Scripture: Acts 2:41, 1 Peter 3:20 (persons); 2 Peter 2:14.

So what does it mean to rescue a person from death? The Apostle John addresses this same issue in his first epistle where he concludes that there is sin that does not lead to death and there is sin that will lead to death.

If anyone sees his brother committing sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. (1 John 5:16-17 [literal translation])

The sin which leads to death refers to divine discipline for a believer who is living an entirely wayward life of sin—openly defiant of a righteous life of faith. This is a warning of the consequence of a sinful life. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews explains:  

For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26–27)

The meaning of “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” is that Christ died once for all sins (1 John 2:2).  Those “sinning willfully” do not lose their salvation but instead are under divine discipline in order to urge them to confess their sin and live the righteous life which God desires for all of His own (read Hebrews 12:4-11).

The second advantage in turning a sinner back is that it covers a multitude of sins. The Greek word cover means to remove from sight, “to be overlooked and not punished.”6 It has the same objective as what the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:9, forgiveness of sin and cleansing of all unrighteousness. For when the believer does the right thing and confesses his sins, God will forgive and cleanse every time and withhold His discipline.

Afterword

If you have been following along in these studies in James’ epistle, he has presented Biblical principles for successful Christian living. Of utmost importance, he has demonstrated that belief in Jesus Christ is designed by God to be the normal and ideal life, and that this life of faith is to be actively producing divine good works as witnesses of Christ for the furtherance of the gospel of salvation.

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[1] Chafer, L.S. (1976). Systematic Theology. Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 3.272.

[2] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G3598.

[3] Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., & Bauer, W. (1957). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, p.805-806.

[4] Zodhiates, G5590.

[5] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.588.

[6] Zodhiates, G2572.

 

© 2023 David M. Rossi

 

ELIJAH'S CONFIDENT PRAYER: JAMES 5:17-18

Verses 17-18: Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

  

James continues to expound the vital importance of the believers’ privilege of prayer. He could have used many other Old Testament examples, but instead he chose the great prophet Elijah, and the challenge that he was confronted with at the very start of his ministry, the apostasy of the Jewish nation, recorded in 1 Kings 17-18.

Two things to note at the outset, first James states that “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours.” The reason is obvious; he wants his readers to identify with Elijah in that he was no different than us, for “he was a mere man, subject to the same weaknesses and infirmities as other men.”1 But besides this, James presents this scenario as a factual event, not just a “Bible Story” meant to entertain children. This was an actual episode in Elijah’s life that took place over 2900 years ago, as real as the events of our lives yesterday and today.

The second thing to observe is that this man Elijah prayed earnestly. The Greek text actually reads that he prayed a prayer. This is an idiom in the Greek which emphasizes the intensity of the activity of his praying. Elijah prayed with intense confidence.  This is the attitude we should have when we go to the Lord in prayer. It is what the Apostle John meant when he wrote:

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14)

If you have read the text in 1 Kings 17-18 you will have observed that there is no mention of Elijah’s actual prayer. R.C.H. Lenski explains:

The very way in which Elijah swore that there should be no rain during these years except at his word indicates that he had communicated with God in prayer.2

James knew his Old Testament history and how the prophets of Israel were in constant communication with God. This is a principle we as believers should emulate, to be in continual communication with the Lord. The Apostle Paul commands this precisely, that we should “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This sounds somewhat implausible, but the idea is that we should be ready at any moment to go to prayer for intercession, for the petition of needs or to praise Him for the blessings of the moment. Our time of prayer should not to be an event simply in the morning or at bedtime, but all the time, throughout the day, moment-by-moment.

Elijah prayed for a drought to punish the apostate nation of Israel for their worship of the god, Baal, who just so happened to be the storm-god.3 His prayer was answered and it did not rain for three and a half years. This is proof of the power of prayer—the confidence to know that God hears and answers. The Old Testament scholars C.F. Keil and Franz Delitzsch emphasize prayers’ key ingredient of faith:

[T]his act of Elijah is ascribed to the power of his prayers, since Elijah “was also a man such as we are,” inasmuch as the prophets received their power to work solely through faith and intercourse with God in prayer, and faith gives power to remove mountains.4

Elijah prays again as James states in verse 18. But observe Elijah’s prayer position stated in 1 Kings 18:42, it does not demonstrate a casual or laid-back approach to God: “he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees.” This is an attitude of absolute reverence and devotion to God. It doesn’t mean we should pray in this same position, but that our attitude should be that of sincere reverence for being in the very presence of the Lord—at His throne of grace.

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

And the outcome of Elijah’s prayer: the sky poured rain. The New American Standard Bible translation used here is one of the few New Testament translations to render the Greek words as sky and poured. A better translation would be heaven gave, since both of these words are translated elsewhere in this epistle as heaven in 5:12 and give in 1:5; 2:16; 4:6. There are two good reasons to believe that the correct interpretation should be heaven gave and that the phrase be understood with a dual meaning.

First, the phrase sky poured implies the personification of the sky responding to the prayer of Elijah (1 Kings 18:45). Yet that is not the reason the rain came. There is no doubt that rain comes from clouds in the sky, but it is God who has ultimate control over nature. The clouds where rain comes from are located in one of the three heavens mentioned in Scripture. The three heavens are briefly explained by Dr. Chafer:

The first heaven must be the atmosphere which surrounds the earth Reference is certainly made to the fowls of heaven (Hosea 2:18) and to the clouds of heaven (Daniel 7:13)…

The second heaven may be the stellar spaces (cf. Genesis 1:14-18 for stars of the heaven)…

The third heaven (its location however wholly unrevealed) is the abode of God…and of the redeemed forever.5 [cf. Acts 1:10-11; Romans 1:18; 2 Corinthians 12:2; Hebrews 8:1]

Secondly, since James has previously stated that, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above” (1:17), and that Godly wisdom is “from above” (3:17), that not only did the first heaven give forth rain but the rain was given from the third heaven, the abode of God who gives every perfect gift to man. And this is evidenced by the production of fruit upon the earth.

Therefore, it can be established that the source of rain comes from both the first heaven and from the third heaven, the abode of God. For it is God who has supreme control over all the heavens and earth (Deuteronomy 10:14; Acts 17:24).

Believers today ought to have this same confidence which Elijah had: the belief that God hears their prayers and He respond according to that which glorifies Him. Remember that James has already instructed us to “ask in faith without any doubting” (1:6f). This is one of the key elements of effective prayer; the other being certain that what we ask for conforms to His will (1 John 5:14) and not merely something for our own personal “pleasures” (James 4:3).

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[1] Barnes, A. (2005) Notes on the New Testament, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 13.2.97.

[2] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 10.669

[3] Payne, D. F. (1996). "Baal". In New Bible Dictionary (D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, & D. J. Wiseman, Eds.). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, p. 108.

[4] Keil, C.F. & Delitzsch, F. (n/d) Commentary on the Old Testament (Electronic Ed.). Ages Software, 11.209.

[5] Chafer. L.S. (1976). Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 7.186-187.

 

© 2023 David M. Rossi