A Believer's Question
I am looking for your interpretation of James 5:14, anointing of the sick by an elder.
Response from Believer.com
God Bless your beautiful heart, and thank you for your question. We at Believer.com believe the Scriptures:
2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
So all Scripture is God's Word and must interpret itself. To find the True meaning of a verse, one must be clear as to whom it is written, or many errors will result. Today, the greatest errors taught stem from a failure to find to whom a section of the Bible is addressed for what was true for one group or given calling of God would be inappropriate for another. As an example, if The Church today were practicing animal sacrifice, it would show they had no understanding of the ultimate sacrifice for sin, The Lord Jesus Christ, and would do harm to the Gospel.
The Epistle of James is addressed to the twelve tribes;
James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Therefore, James 5:14 cannot apply to the present dispensation of God. Those who say otherwise will have many difficulties to solve. Who are the elders? If they are ministers or church officials, how many of these can offer the prayer of faith? The whole atmosphere of the Epistle is Jewish in the period of the last days.
We hope this helps, and God Bless you,
The Believers
