Wednesday – The Cross Leads to Confession
James 5:16. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed…”
“And the more open I am in confessing my sins to fellow Christians, the more I enjoy the healing of the Lord in response to their grace filled counsel and prayers.” – Milton Vincent
Yesterday we saw that the cross leads to the reality that you and I are sinners. Our sin is so disgusting and despicable that Jesus had to die for us. There is no sin greater. And there is no greater Savior.
This redemptive reality frees us up to enjoy confessional communion with other Christians. This type of confessional community was common in the early church, but it was not natural or easy. In James 5:16, James had to remind his people to be intentional in participating in community. Enjoying the grace that should accompany confession among believers depends on mutual trust and love.
This trust and love that must undergird confession reminds me of the trust fall that is often played in youth groups and camps, maybe you have played. One person stands with their back to another, and they are asked to cross their arms, lock their knees and fall back. The expectation is the person will catch the one falling. If the person falling is caught, it builds confidence that they can do it again and expect the same result. This same trust is demonstrated when a child jumps into a parent’s arms. But, it only takes once for a person not to be caught to break trust.
This is true in community. James tells us that we should confess our sins, one to another. And in this confession, we should find brothers and sisters ready and willing to pray for us and offer us gracious healing. This is God’s grace shown to us through other broken people who need the same grace, healing and prayer. This relationship is essential in our Christian journey. The cross should lead us to confession, and confession should lead us to prayer and healing. Find a community today where you can experience the grace the Lord has provided for you.