Step 5: Confessions of Wrongs to Another: James
STEP 5: We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16
James, the author of the book where the Biblical comparison for Step 5 is found, is believed to be the half-brother of Jesus. Can you imagine if your brother told you he was the Messiah; that he was sent here from heaven to save the world? Chances are you are thinking, “No way—I don’t believe it!”
The same was true of James. Many Biblical scholars believe, and there is documented proof in the Bible, that James did not become a Christ follower until after Jesus’ resurrection, but once he did, James became an important pillar in the new church. As you read through the book of James, you will find that he puts forth practical lessons for a life of faith. James encourages people to act like a child of God and that followers of Jesus should be recognizably different than others in society.
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. James 2:17 NLT
Our fifth step opens the door to a bright, new life of faith. It gives us an opportunity to leave the past behind and walk through to a beautiful and wonderful world with Christ unencumbered by the negativity of our past. Through Step 5 we are healed, reborn—made anew!
Perry Noble of New Spring Church in South Carolina, openly speaks about his addiction to porn. He committed himself to Christ in 1990 and as he got more involved in the church, the guilt of his addiction weighed on him. He tried to shake it—he prayed about it—he tried to turn it over, but still he could not break free. It was not until he told a close friend of his addiction that the stronghold of his addiction was finally broken. Perry speaks of this process in his sermons and always encourages anyone suffering with sin to tell someone. When we share our sin with God and another person it brings into the light what Satan would prefer to keep in the dark.
**Perry Noble no longer leads New Spring Church due to problems with his addictions.
Other Key Verse from James
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. James 1:22 NLT
Examine your heart
- Do you have someone in your life you feel you can do your 5th Step with?
- Admitting the exact nature of our wrongs is a humbling process that can deepen our faith. Why is admitting this to God so important?
Prayer
Dear Lord, you already know my sins and my wrong doings. In spite of all this, you still love me and accept me as I am. Please give me the strength and courage to look at my past, and honestly share it with someone else so that I can further let you into my life to continue to heal me and make me into the person you created me to be. Thank you Jesus—it is in Your name we pray. Amen.