James 5: 13-20 The Prayer of Faith Handout

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for

you.” 1 Thess 5:16-18

“The one urge which should never be resisted is the urge to pray.” -D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

The whole of the Christian life is to be lived in communion with God, the good and the bad, manifested by prayer. Pray

without ceasing. There is no time where God does not invite us to himself, thus it is wise to perform what is most

seasonable. The Christian life is to be consecrated by prayer so that every pleasure is hallowed and every pain is

sanctified.

" Afflictions should put us upon prayer, and prosperity should make us abound in praise. " Matthew Henry

Whatever affections are stirred from worldly circumstances, convert them to a religious use: (Jer 22:10, Luke 23:28) May

we learn to take the advantage of a passion, not to fulfil it, but to employ it for the use of communion with God.

We have great cause in afflictions to use the help of prayer. In sufferings, we should ask patience, faithfulness (Ps 125:3),

hope, gracious improvement in obedience (Ps 119:67), and ultimately deliverance (Ps 34:7, 107:16).

We seek mercy in the morning (Lam 3:23), but usually we forget praise at night (Psalm 92:2).

Praising God in times of blessing is one of the best gifts we’ve been given to deliver us from the lurking and ever present

idolatry of our hearts and the pride of life. Singing reformulates our affections, teaching us to not seize and love the gift,

but sing in thanksgiving to the giver! Return to the fountain of all graces!

What should we sing in praise? Chiefly, the Psalms! AV: “ Is any merry? let him sing psalms.”

Calvin called the Psalms “The anatomy of all parts of the soul.” So, whenever we might look for suitable songs of praise,

he says, "we shall not find better songs nor more fitting for the purpose, than the Psalms of David, which the Holy Spirit

spoke and made through him…(quoting Augustine), when we sing them, we are certain that God puts in our mouths these,

as if He Himself were singing in us exalt His glory.”

Singing psalms is a gospel duty of worship and a means of grace. (Ps 95:1-2, Matt 26:30, Acts 16:25, Col 3:16, Eph 5:19)

14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with

oil in the name of the Lord.

There is much discrepancy even among the reformed about what to do with this passage. Is the sickness bodily or

spiritual? How sick does one need to be? Do we still anoint with oil even though we believe the gift of healings has

ceased? Is the oil a symbol for medicine or the Holy Spirit or hearkening to OT imagery (oil of gladness, blessing etc)?

James instructs the despairing sick to call for the church (elders are the spiritual representatives- note that Presbyterian

church polity is assumed) to gather together and beseech the Lord, anointing with oil in the name of Christ.

At Parish, we follow James 5 literally in simple faith. If you are seriously ill, you can call upon the elders and we will

meet with and pray over you, anointing with oil. You must call believingly that the Lord will heal, not the oil, not the

elders, but that God would hear the cries of the prayer of the faithful saints and answer. (Psalm 3:4)

15 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.

What is this prayer of faith? Is this different than normal prayer? James tells us that faithless prayer is no faith at all. (1:6)