p. 60 | Faith for the Sick

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Mar 14, 1854

Faith for the Sick.

"Is any sick among you? 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: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." James v, 14, 15. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth." Rev. xiv, 13.

If the epistle of James applies to any one period in the history of the church more than another, it is that period when the second coming of Christ may be scripturally looked for. The Apostle addressed the waiting brethren as follows:—"Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord," "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." "Behold the Judge standeth before the door." James v, 7-9. And if the promise in regard to the sick could ever be claimed by Christians since James penned it, it can and should be claimed now.

But mark: the phrase, "is any sick among you," includes only those who are in the faith and hope of the gospel. Also, confession of faults is connected with the prayer of faith. The people of God should move understandingly, especially when they go before God in prayer for the sick. It is a most solemn duty, and those for whom prayer is offered, and those who pray, should move forward with feelings of humiliation before God. It cannot be expected that God will hear prayer for the afflicted, while on them rests unconfessed sins.

It is evident that the text, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth," does apply to one particular period. The words, "from henceforth," forbid giving this text a general application, and limit it to the period of the message of the third angel; therefore it applies to the present time.

But it may be asked, How can two such texts apply to the same period of time? How can there be an especial promised blessing to those who at this time die in the Lord, while there is a plain promise that the prayer of faith shall raise the sick? Our answer is this: God by the Apostle [James v, 14, 15] has given the general promise, with the directions which should be embraced and followed by the faithful; if not, why did the Holy Spirit dictate the words of the text? But if God in his infinite wisdom sees fit to let some quietly and sweetly sleep in Jesus, he has a right to do so, and every Christian heart will acquiesce in it. The Lord knows best; he does all things wisely and well.

The promised blessing to those who die in the Lord is, "that they may rest from their labors." The perils and dread scenes of the time of trouble are before the people of God. Those who remain unto the coming of the Lord will witness them, and more or less feel their power, while those who die in the Lord, quietly rest from the labor, anguish of spirit and deep anxiety of that swiftly hasting hour, waiting to be called forth to immortality and eternal life at the voice of the Son of God. Blessed rest indeed!

"Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages; they came out as a whirl wind to scatter me: their rejoicing was to devour the poor secretly. Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters. When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered

into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble." Hab. iii, 12-16.

He who sees the end from the beginning knows best who can, and who cannot stand the coming conflict. And if he suffers those who may be in danger of falling to be humbled and brought down by sickness, and fitted for the kingdom, and lets them rest in the grave during the time of trouble, gratitude and love should flow out to God from every Christian heart, even for this.

But this should not in the least clip the faith of any in the promise [James v, 14, 15] that God will answer the prayer of faith. The prayer of faith has raised the sick, and if the people of God move forward understandingly, walking in humiliation and meekness and claim the promise of God, the prayer of faith will still raise up the sick.