a. The weekly (Christian) sab­bath rest is commemorative of the Olristian's spiritual rest in Christ

b. (4:10) Sunday points back to Christ's entry into His rest on His resur­rection day when He finished the great work of redemption through His death and entered into His exaltation.

c. Sunday also points forward to the believer's full entry into his eternal rest on "the day of the Lord."

5. (Heb. 10:25) The assemblying of the church was related to "the day of the Lord."

6. (Rev. 1:10) "The Lord's Day." a. This is the same Greek w6rd

as in "the Lord's Supper," which was celebrated on the first day of the week.

b. John heard Christ preach and teach as "the Lord of the Sabbath."

c. John saw the resurrected Christ and was assembled with His disciples on the (frrst) days of Christ's post-resurreetion appearances.

d. John's phrase is apparently one recognized by his readers. He is identifying for them the place (Patmos) and the time {Sunday) of his prophecy.

e. "The Lord's Day" is unmistak­ably the Sunday of the resurrection of the Lord of the sabbath.

7. Conclusion: A precedent set by the apostles may be as binding as their command. They were Spirit-inspired men, who knew their obligation to the law of God, yet who did not see the seventh day sabbath as of continuing obligation and who regarded the Lord's day as our holy day of rest

a. ''If men will presume that apostles filled with the Spirit appointed the Christian sabbath without the Spirit, they may question any chapter or verse in the · New Testament." -Baxter

b. We keep the first day sabbath as the Lord's day because of the authori­ty of Christ and His apostles, illustrated in 2000 yeats of church history.

Conclusion: In Acts 20:7 there is the demarcation

of time according to sabbaths by the Christian church. In that fifst is the pregnant phrase - "the f.rrst of the sab­baths." Luke 23:56 and 24:1 says: "They rested on the sabbath day according to the commandment. Now on the first of the 'sabbaths' (literal translation of Greek) . ... " Matt. 28:1 says: ''In the end of the 'sabbaths' as it

began to dawn towards the first of the 'sabbaths' . ... "

These phrases seem to describe the end of one era and the commencement of another. The old order was giving way tO the new. Yet at the same time the eternal principles of the sabbath-law

remained. Here are two ends of sabbaths -the close of one and the beginning of

another. The difference is not with the sabbath week. as a whole, but with the end of it. The f.rrst day of the week' (on which Christ arose) shall be thesancti­fied day of rest D

Wlhle1Til to Crull f((J)JT ilie lElicdlteJT§

The Biblical Prescription for Temptation

James 5:13~20

When should a Christian call for the Elders to pray for for him? What did James mean by these words? In or­der to answer this question we will have to consider the larger issue - How should a Christian respond to sickness, illness, and disease? This is a very sen- . sitive issue, but a very practical and im­portant one.

There are two extreme positions held by Christians. On. the one hand, there are those who believe that it is not God's will for Christians to be sick at all; that Christ bore all our diseases in his death on the cross; and therefore, if we hay~ enough faith, God will heal us of all our siclcnesses now. Other Christians treat illness in purely physi­cal tenns. You go to the docto,:, get your prescription ftlled, and eventually get well. They would not think of call­ing for the Elders, or even praying about "it unless it were something seri­ous.

The majority of Christians do both -they pray, and go to the doctor! But

they often feel guilty. "Maybe if! had enough faith God would heal me with­out going to the doctor," they say. How should a Christian handle sick-

by Wayne Rogers

ness? When should I call for the Elders to pray for me?

James 5 is perhaps the most im­portant passage in the NT for under­standing the way Christians should han­dle sickness today. James is not sim­ply providing additional information to the other Scriptures on how a Clnistian should handle sickness. James is pro­viding the standard operating procedure that should govern the life and practice of the church until the corning of the Lord.

Before we can look at James 5 I believe we need to review what we know about sickness and healing in general from the Scriptures.

I. GOD IS ABLE TO HEAL TilE SICK

A. We believe that God is able to heal and does heal the sick. He controls sickness, illness, and disease for His own purposes. He put diseases on the Egyptians. He promised that He would not inflict His people with those diseases if they kept covenant with Him, Ex. 15:26. Psalm 103:3 says that He "healeth all your diseases."

The counsel of Chalcedon ·May, 1989 ~page 6

Indeed, by His death, Jesus did in fact secure the ultimate healing of all His people, Isa. 53:4. Rev. 21:4, 22:2-3 declare that in the New Heavens and New Earth there will be no more sick­ness or death.

B. We know that Jesus Christ had the power to heal during His earthly ministry. The Scriptures clearly tell us that these healings were signs, they were "significant"; they were signs that He was in fact the Christ, the Son of God, John 20:30-31, 6:14,7:31.

C. Jesus also gave His Apostles the power to heal as signs that they were His Apostles, endued with His author~ ity to speak and act in His name in order to found the church, II Cor. 12:12, Heb. 2:1-4, Eph. 2:20. Apos­tles were one of the "gifts" that Christ gave to the Church for her foundation, Eph. 4:11-12. It was a temporary gift in that once the Twelve died there were no more Apostles. In this context, the Holy Spirit also gave others the gift of healing, I Cor. 12:9. Since the miracu­lous gifts were signs of the Apostles, once the Apostles died, these gifts would also cease.

I recognize that this last point is ~ matter of contention and disagreement among Christians. If . you do not yet. hold to that position, I hope you will continue to read on anyway at this point

II. GOD DOES NOT HEAL EVERY­ONE IN THIS LIFE

There are suffficient cases in the Bible itself where individuals were sick and were not miraculously healed for us to assert that it is not God's will or prac­tice to heal everyone in this life. And, in these cases, there is no evidence that the lack of healing was due to sin or lack of faith.

a. Luke was called the "Beloved physician," Col. 4:14.

b. Timothy was told by Paul to take a little wine for his stomach's sake, 2 Tim. 5:23.

c. Trophimus was left ill at Mile­tus, 2 Tim. 4:20.

d. Epaphroditus was sick unto death, Phil 2:27. Paul said when he even­tually got well that "God had mercy on him." There is no indication of any miraculous healing involved.

e. Paul had a physical thorn in the flesh that God would not heal even though he prayed three times that it might be taken away, 2 Cor. 12:7-10.

f. In Matthew 25:36, Jesus said that those who "visited" the sick did so to Him. The implication is that there will be sick people in the church who would need to be visited.

fering, which would include sickness. In 5:11, J~es jlists Job as an example of one who suffered patiently and perse­vered under trials. So, we should pray for ourselves, calling on the Lord.

1. CONSIDER IT ALL JOY.

If you will recall, James began his epistle with the issue of facing trials, James 1:2f. There James tells us to consider it all joy when we encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance and per­fects us, matures us. So, our frrst re­sponse in sickness should be to con-

There are sufficient cases in the Bible itself where individuals were sick and were not miraculously healed for us to assert that it is not God's will or practice to heal everyone in this· life.

g. In Acts 20:35, Paul tells the Elders to help the sick, not to "heal" . the sick. We will look at this in more detail later since I think that it is signifi­cant that it is also the Elders that James addresses.

God did not heal everyone who was sick in the N.T. The manner in which these things are reported and recorded indicates that these Brethren were not viewed as being sick because of sin, or that they were not healed because of a lack of faith. In one case a medical rem­edy was recommended. In Paul's case the physical ailment was for God's pur­pose in Paul's life.

III. IN TIIE EVENT OF SICKNESS WE ARE TO MAKE TIIREE CALLS­

CALL ON THE LORD, CALL TIIE DOCTOR, AND CALL THE EL­DERS.

A. CALL ON THE LORD - James 3:13.

James has a great deal to say about prayer. Before he says to call for the El­ders, he tells us to call on the Lord, to pray for ourselves. In 5:13, James says, "Is anyone suffering, let him pray. The word for "suffering" in vs. 13 is a general word for all kinds of suf-

sider it all joy.

2. PRAY FOR WISDOM.

James tells us in 1:5 to pray for wisdom. In Luke 21: lOff. Jesus said that when his disciples underwent suffer­ing and persecution, God would give them wisdom, vs. 15. Here, James tells us to pray for what Jesus had pro­mised. We do need wisdom in illness in order to discern what God is doing in our lives, and what we should do in response. So, that is the second thing we should do. ·

3. PRAY FOR HEALING.

We should pray for deliverance and healing. In James 4:2, James tells us that we do not have because we do not ask. Therefore, pray and ask for healing -be it a cold, a headache, or something more serious such as cancer.

4. PRAY WITH RIGHT MOTIVES.

James says in 4:3 that we often ask and do not receive because we ask amiss, with wrong motives, only to gratify our own desires. Therefore, we have to ask, "Why do I want to be healed? What am I going to do if I get well? Am J going to serve Christ better and more faithfully? Will I use

The Counsel of Chalcedon ·May, '1989 • page 7

my strength for Christ? Yes, we must . eases. examine our motives.

I am concerned that many who desire healing may be doing so out of selfish motives and out of false views of healing. They believe that God has promised to heal everyone who has enough faith, and they don't like being sick. It is possible for people to follow Jesus for the loaves and fishes, as dis-ciples in John 6:26. ·

For some it is perhaps a matter of trying to prove that God exists arid to bolster their faith. Yet, Jesus said, "If

B. CALL THE DOCTOR - 5:14.

The KJV translation has unfortunate­ly confused Christians about anointing with oil. The reference in James 5':14 to anointing with oil is a translation of the Greek wordALEIPHO. In the eight times that ALEIPHO is used in the N.T., six are clearly used with reference to applying oil as a body cream or lo­tion: The meaning ofALEIPHO iS "to ·rub" or to "smear". It refers to apply­ing oil for physical purposes. In Matt.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "If. it· were true that God would heal everyone who ~rayed for healing or had someone to pray for them, then no one would ever die." · · .

they will not believe Moses and the Pro­phets, they will not believe if someone were to rise from the dead," Luke 16:31. In John 20:29-30, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who have NOT seen, and have YET BELIEVED .... These things have BEEN WRlTTEN that you may believe that JeSus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." You can­not prove Christianity. It is inlpos-

. sible to please God without faith.

5. PRAY, SUBMITING TO GOD'S WilL.

James says to submit to the Lord's will, 4:15. We must not be arrogant or presumptuous about healing. It may be God's will for me to be sick, to · con­tinue being sick for a whlle, to live with a disease, and to eventually even die from a disease or sickness. Charles Spurgeon once said, "If it were true that God would heal everyone who prayed for healing or had someone to pray for them, then no one would ever die." In 4:6-7, James says that we are to be humble and we are to submit to God. We must apply this to our attitude in praying for healing as well as in all of life. ·

It is wi~ these Biblical principles in mind that we must call on the Lord in prayer and ask Him to be pleased to heal us from our sicknesses and dis-

6:17, Luke 7:38, 46, John 11:2, 12:3, Mark 16:1, the use of oil is for physi­cal properties, and has no connotation with symbolic or ceremonial anointing.

CHRIO is the Greek word that refers to anointing in a symbolic or cere­nlOnial sense. It is the word that CHRIST· comes from, ~ Lord's "Anointed." There are many places where CHRIO is used in the N.T. See Heb. 1:9, Luke 4:18, Acts 4:27, 10: 38, II Cor. 1:21, I Jn. 2:20, 27 . . ·

The word ALEIPHO is also used several times in the Greek translation of the O.T. in the common &ense ot rqb­bing with oil. In II Chron. 28:15 the Scripture says that the slaves were oiled with oil as a body lotion. In Ezek. 13:10-12,14- 14, it is translated "plas­ter,j' and refers to plastering a wall.

The point is that ALEIPHO is or­dinarily used to refer to a common, phy­sical use of oil. To illustrate the differ­ence, you wouldn't say, "I'm going to anoint the car with oil." You would say, "I've got to change . the oil in the car." That's the difference.

Rubbing with oij, like rubbing with alcohol, was a common practice use4 with many illnesses in Biblical times. The oil was mixed with healing spices and herbs~ In l..uke 10:34 we are

The Counsel of Chalcedon • May, 1989 • p~ge 8

tOld that the Good Samaritan poured oil on the wounds of the injured man. In ':Rev. 3:18, the people were told to rub eye salve on their eyes. In Isa; 1:6, God sciid that your sores were not salved or oiled. In other words, the "anointing" with oil should be understood as "rubbing you with oil" as a medication.

The 1ast reference to rubbing with oil, ALEIPHO, in the N.T. is Made 6: 13, where tlle Disciples anointed· with oil and· healed the siCk. This does not prove that this was ceremonial "anoint­ing," because it is still a question of which is the proper translation in the context. I think two things are signifi­cant

(1) . Jesus did not tell the disciples to anoint with oil. 1esus never anoint­ed with oil in healing. l{e spoke, touch­ed, even made mild and healed one man. But He never used oil.

(2) In all the other references to healing in the Gospels and Acts there are no references to the use of oil as a symbol or ceremonial act in healing.

Therefore, it seems to me that we can say several things:

(1) Even if James were saying "anoint" in the ceremonial sense of the word, since it is not done in any other place, it would be difficult to assert that it is a matter of necessity, without which a person can not be healed. There is the danger that ~ople may fall into religious superstition with refer­ence to the use of oil. In James 5, the emphasis is on the prayer of faith. This is what !s said to heat the sick.

(2) t believe that when Mark 6: 13 records that the Disciples anointed· with oil that they were rubbing the sick with oil in the medicinal sense. I thi.nk it is significant that this was the frrst heal­ing of the Disciples. Jesus had just said that He was giving them the power to heal as He had done. As we have noted, He never used oil. Why did they use oil, then? I suspect that since they were "novices'' at this (Remember how slow they were to learn many things) that they went out and flrst rubbed the sick with oil, as was the common prac­tice, and then healed them miraculous-

ly.

(3) James 5, in saying call for the Elders to come and to apply medicine, validates the use of whatever medicine we have available to us in order to aid and assist us in physical healing. Yes, call for the Doctor.

The family and friends of the sick would apply and administer medicine in Biblical days. Hospitals and doctors weren't exactly on every comer. The Good Samaritan didn't call for an am­bulance. They wouldn't have to fear a "Malpractice suit" either! It would not be strange or unusual for the Elders to come and to participate in the rubbing with oil. Nor would it be wrong to call for the Doctor!

It is appropriate and responsible for Christians to use whatever medicines are available in order to cure them of ill­nesses and diseases.

C. CAU. FOR TIIE ELDERS - 5:14f.

1. WHO DOES JAMES SAY TO CALL FOR?

Does he say to call for the Apostles or faith healers? Why does James say to call for the Elders? Why did he not say, "Call for the Apostles who have the power to heal"? Or, "Call for those who have the gift of healing"? I think that it is very signifi­cant that he did not say to call for those who had the gift of healing.

a. Elders did not have the gift of healing as Elders. There is nothing in their qualifications or function that in any way would imply or assume the gift of healing.

b. Acts 20:35 records Paul's words to the ELDERS of Ephesus. In it he says, "Help the weak." The word "weak" .is the same word that James uses for sick. Paul says "help," not "heal." There was no assumption that the Elders would have the power to heal. And the verse implies that there would be sick people in the church who would need the help of the Elders, their assistance in an ongoing condition.

c. The Elders were the continuing,

abiding office of leadership in the church. Long after the Apostles were dead, the Elders would still be there. This is why I say that James is the standard operating procedure for the church.

What James indicates is, as even Paul stated in Acts 20:35, that the common practice and procedure for dealing with sickness is calling for the Elders, not faith healers since this is the office, the "gift," Eph. 4:11, that abides in the church after the Apostles are dead

when affliction or persecution arises, he falls away. In Luke 21:36, Jesus spoke of the strength one would need to en­dure the coming time of troubles.

This is the same message that 1 ames begins and ends with. James is concerned about trials, persecution, and temptations that Jesus had mentioned He is concerned about perseverance to the end, 1:2-12. In Luke 21:15 Jesus said that wisdom would be given. In James 1:5, James tells us to ask for wis­dom. In other words, James is con­cerned about the same issues that Jesus

The reason that James tells us to call for the Elders is not as a prescri)!tion for sickness R_rimarily, but as a REMEDY FOR TEMPTATION.

2. WHY DID HE SAY TO CALL FOR TIIE ELDERS INSTEAD OF PRAYING FOR YOURSELF?

Throughout James, up to this point, he has emphasized personal pray­er, praying for yourself. Why now, "Call for the Elders"? In 5:16 James will say, "Pray for one another," for the frrst time. Why does he bring that up here? In vs. 19-20, James says that one who turns a sinner from the error of his ways will save his soul from death. Is there any connection? How does it all fit together?

It seems to me that most com­mentators and interpreters fail to give due consideration to the Biblical - His­torical context in which the book was written, and the context of James 5:13f within the book itself in seeking to interpret the intent of calling for the Elders.

a. The Context of the Book of James

Jesus, during his ministry, often warned of the trials and persecution the disciples would face. See Matthew 10, 13, 24, Luke 21:10f. In that context He often said, "He who perseveres to the end will be saved," Mat 10:22, 24:13, Luke 21:19. He said in Matthew 13:21 that the stoney ground hearer is one who receives the Word with joy, but

was.

James is concerned about PERSE­VERANCE UNDER TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS IN TilE FACE OF TIIE COMING PERSECUTION. HE WHO PERSEVERES UNTO Tiffi END WILL BE SAVED.

b. The Message of the Book of James.

The reason that James tells us to call for the Elders is not as a prescrip­tion for sickness primarily, but as a REMEDY FOR 'TEMPTATION.

(1) The word that James uses for sick in 5:14 is a Greek word, ''Asthe­nai," which means "weak". It refers to spiritual weakness which is often asso­ciated with physical weakness. It is the same word Jesus used in Matthew 26:41 where Jesus said, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Watch and pray that you enter not into tempta­tion." James was particularly concerned that a brother through the weakness of his physical condition, or sickness, might backslide into sin, James 5: 19-20.

Spiritual weakness under temptation is mentioned in Hebrews 10:32-39 also, where this same word is used

(2) The word for "heal" in 5:15 is

The Counsel of ChalCedon • May,1989 ·page 9

the same Greek word for save, "Sozo." It is the same word translated "save" in vs. 20. James is not metely concerned that the sick get healed, but that they persevere unto the salvation of their souls. In 1:12, James says, "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." The issue is perseverance under trials unto salvation. James is con­cerned with salvation in the full sense of the word. See also 1:21 and 2:14.

In other words, this is not so much a

sical sickness has spiritual dimensions. And the spiritual has physical dimen­sions. That's why sin often leads to sickness.

That is why James was concerned. He was afraid that the physically sick might not persevere. He was afraid that this might become the occasion of temptation and sin. And according to James 1:15, when sin has conceived, it brings forth death. In 5:19-20, James concludes with reference to saving a brother who is backsliding into sit) .as saving a soul from death. Therefore, I believe that James is concerned with

God is concerned with the spiritual and the physical. The two are interrelated. Physical sickness has s~iritual ·dimensions. And the s~iritual has physical dimensions. That's why sin often leads to sickness.

medical emergency as A SPIRITUAL · EMERGENCY. James concern is for a brother whose faith is growing weak, and he is being tempted to sin, to for­sake the Lord, to doubt God's mercy (5:11). It is at this point that James says to call for the Elders, not the faith healers of the church, but the spiritual shepherds of the church. This same principle is conveyed in Acts 14:22, "Strengthening the souls of the dis-

. ciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."

(3) The word for sick in 5:15 is a different word than the word in vs. 14. Here it is "Kamn.onta," again a word that is used to refer to spiritual weak­ness or . fainting, Hebrews 12:3 and Rev. 2:3. The word for "heal" in verse 16, "Iatheta," is also used in the Bible with reference to physical healing, Mat. 13:15 and Hebrews 12:13. "Raise up" in vs. 15 is a word that is also used with reference to the resurrection of the dead.

We need to understand that God is concerned with our physical health. We . are not Neo-Platonic. God is not sim­ply concerned with the "spiritual." God is concerned with the spiritual and the physical. The two are interrelated. Phy-

physical sickness and physical healing -but primarily as be sees the spiritual

danger that arises from it He is more concerned with providing a remedy for temptation than a prescription for every illness and disease.

When should we call for the Elders? When in your sickness you are in spiri­tual danger of backsliding into sin and failing to persevere in faith. This is the· prirruny concern.

(4) James says that the "Prayer of faith will save the one who is sick," S: 15. In trying to deal with this com­ment, many interpret this as a special gift of faith in the case of a particular individual. How else, how can James be so bold as to say that it WILL heal or save him? There must be some spe­cial revelation or special gift of faith, they say.

This is totally unnecessary. James 1:5-8 tells us what is implied. Prayer, all prayer, must be in faith. This is not some special gift or amount of faith. Prayer, in order to be heard, must be in faith. The point is that the sick man is growing weak in faith. In Matthew 24:12 Jesus warned that the love of many would grow cold because of the persecution. I think that is the kind of thing that James is concerned with.

The Counsel of Chalcedon • May, 1~89 • page 10

It's not the amount of faith, but the reality of faith that matters. Jesus clearly taught that if you have faith as small as a grain of mustard seed you can move mountains; Matthew 17:20. Th~ problem with faith healers re­quiring "enough faith" is that they con­tradict the very spirit . of the words of Jesus. And the problem is that they are trying to get people to believe some­thing that they are not waminted to be­lieve, that God will necessarily heal them if they have enough faith. Then it is very easy when someone is not healed to say, "Well; they just didn't have enough faith." ·

James can be confident that God will . save the sick man, not that be will necessarily heal every sick man, be­cause God gives grace to all His people in order that they may persevere, and endure to the end. GOd will preserve His people.

(5) What about Confessing Sin? 5:15-16?

We know that sickness is caused by sin, though not all sickness is due to sin. John 9:3 and Job are clear ex­amples of men whose sickness was not as a result of personal sin.

But God may send sickness in connection with sin. See I Cor. 11:30-32, where some were sick and had died for eating the Lord's Supper in an un­worthy manner. So, whenever we are sick, we ought to examine ourselves.

James, throughout the Book, mentions sins that he warns them not to commit. He warns of partiality, faith without works, sins of the tongue, worldliness, etc. It seems to me that in the context of James be is concerned $Lt:

(1) Since sin leads to death. 1:15, and backsliding can lead to death, 5:20, that the one who is sick should confess his sins, IF he has committed any.

(2) Sickness itself may be the occa­sion of falling into sin. James doesn't allow us to blame our sins on God, the Devil, or our circumstances, 1:13-15. But, because the fleSh is weak, Mat. 26:41, we have to watch and pray that

we enter not into temptation. James is saying, therefore, if a brother has com­mitted sins in connection with his sickness, he should con­fess them and they will be forgiven him. He does not have to fear that he will die and be eternally lost because he failed to persevere in this sense.

(6) James says to pray for one another, 5:16; to confess your sins to one another, 5:16. Why does James say this? Is he teaching confession of sins to others as the Roman Catholic church practices it? As one Commenta­tor put it, "A strange priest it is whose name is 'One Another"'.

No! James is not teaching formal or institutional confession of sins. The reason that James said to call for the Elders is because they are the Shepherds of the flock. That would be logical. But. they are not "Priests." They are not faith-healers in some special sense of the word.

And now James adds that we can and should pray for one another. In other words, praying for healing for one another is not limited to the Elders. Ultimately, it is not so much WHO prays for you as long as they do pray with FAITH. You can pray for one another to be healed! This position truly recognizes the "priesthood" of all believers.

And James says to confess your sins to one another, too. We don't confess our sins to Priests. Nor do we have confessionals. What James is con­cerned about is the commission of sins while we are sick and in a spiritually weakened condition. Perhaps the sick one began to complain against his brothers, 5:9. Perhaps he swore, 5:12. As James indicates in 5:19, his concern is for a brother who is sinning. What­ever sins you have committed in particu­lar, or whatever sins you are struggling with because of your circumstances, confess them to one another so that your brethren can pray for you that you will not backslide. James is not insti­tuting the confessional booth, or saying that we should meet in small groups and confess our sins to each another. No! James is saying to confess your sins to others as you need them to pray

for you in order to keep you from backsliding into sin and failing to per­severe in faith.

How are we to Handle Sickness?

1. Call on the Lord. Pray for yourself. 2. Consider it all joy when you en­counter trials.

3. Pray for wisdom. 4. Pray for healing. 5. Pray with proper motives. 6. Pray according to God's will with submission. 7. Call for the Doctor. 8. Call for the Elders. 9. Confess your sins. 10. Pray for- one another. 0

The Counsel of Chalcedon ·May, 1989 • page 11