Articles
Calling for the Elders of the Church
James writes, “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:13-16).
The injunctions laid out in this passage are no doubt among the least observed in all the New Testament. Our world wildly vacillates between a syndrome of stiff-upper lip estrangement from one another and the very real problems of life, and tear-filled pity-parties that make Eeyore look like a happy camper! Joining proper actions to appropriate emotions, maintaining meaningful and well-nurtured relationships with the elders of the church, and confessing our sins and weaknesses to one another are far from the focal forefront of many. Even so, we are servants of the Sovereign God and He calls us to steadfast discipleship, obediently acknowledging the Lordship of His Son King Jesus. These are His laws and they are to be taken seriously. We should not waver between different opinions and we should not shun the ways of our Lord. He knows us intimately and deeply; He is acquainted with all of our ways and is altruistically concerned with our betterment. His goal is our sanctification, so we need to listen up!
While comments can be made regarding each of James’ instructions, let us shed some light on the comments relating to the sick Christian and the elders of the church (esp. James 5:14). Much debate has centered on the nature of this ailment. The word itself has enough semantic range to include physical, moral, emotional, or spiritual illness. To bridge the interpretational gap, one writer offers this explanation: “We lean toward reading this text as alluding to someone who has a sick spirit in a sick body, perhaps with the latter being the result of the former, although the cause-and-effect relationship could as easily be reversed with the identical result.” (Daniel H. King, Sr., “The Book of James,” Truth Commentaries (Athens, AL.: Guardian of Truth Foundation, 2015), 459). Whatever the case may be, it must be admitted that in the case of physical illness, spiritual illness, or both, the elders of the church are probably not on the speed-dial of most brethren.
In the event of illness, the Christian must first go to the Great Physician; still, there are times when a certain insufficiency is realized in the efforts of the individual Christian. “No man is an island,” comes to mind, doesn’t it? Being fitted and joined together, we have a certain interdependence with our brethren and the role of members toward elders here is given paramount emphasis. “Let him call” is a verb with imperative mood; in other words, this is a command! He, or she, MUST call for the elders. Do we feel the gravity of this command from our Savior? Another question: do we exercise responsibility in obeying this law of the Lord?
Of course, this passage is not speaking of a modest malady like a common cold. Rather, this believer is in danger of physical or spiritual death (or both), and if something extraordinary does not occur, all hope will be lost. It is an extraordinary thing to have the elders of the church come to you and anoint you. Now, does this mean that elders are of a different class and caliber of holiness than the “average Christian”? No, of course not. But what this passage does show is that there is power in the prayer of righteous people (James 5:16) and elders have proven this commitment to the Lord in ways that others have not proven. With such men the Holy Spirit informs and instructs: “Obey those who have the rule over you, and submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your souls, as those who shall give an account” (Hebrews 13:17). Compare 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 where Christians are called to “highly esteem” and “honor” such men.
Let’s get down to brass tacks. Do you trust Fred and Steve with your livelihood? Fred and Steve, are you worthy of that trust? Brethren, when you are on the brink of disaster and are ailing to the point of death, you MUST call upon the elders. Elders, you MUST answer the call. If we fail here, we have become hearers only and not doers, lost in self-delusion (James 1:21-25). The call, and the answer, will bring healing and forgiveness, restoration and purification. What a hope offered for the obedient heart!
