In its simplest form praying with and for the sick is a good thing. Especially those at the end of their life. There is something about people being at the end of their life that opens them up to the possibility of life after death which can lead to reconciliation with God.

When Jesus sent out the 12 disciples, Mark tells us:

So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

Mark chapter 6 verse 12 – 13

Clearly Jesus is encouraging his followers to pray for sick people.

James reaffirms that praying for the sick is a good thing for believers in Christ to do when he says in James 5 verse 14: “Is anyone among you sick? 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.”

We should note two things here:

  • The emphasis on the sick to “call” for prayer. James is encouraging sick people to cry out to God and put their faith in Him at their time of need.
  • James also encourages the sick to be anointed with oil, but it should be noted that oil was and is used in the middle east for medicinal purposes. The word “anoint” in this instance even has a medicinal meaning. This is not a call for the sick to be anointed with a sacrament and prepared for death. This ‘anointing’ is intended for healing, not death.

James goes further in verse 15 – 16 when he says:

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

James 5 verse 15 – 16

James is reminding us in verse 15 that believers in Christ should pray for the sick in full faith that God can heal people physically. However, the priority is that all are healed by repenting of their sins before God, as that healing results in eternal salvation. Physical healing is temporary, whereas being right before God is eternal.

The Roman Catholic Church introduced the anointing of the sick at the Fourth Council of Lateran in 1215 where it was decreed that before prescribing medicine, a Priest should be called to provide for the spiritual welfare of the sick. What we can see from the Bible is that this role does not need to be fulfilled by a Priest, but instead any believer can pray for the sick.

A further reminder in verse 16 is that confession to one another is as much about sharing life together and publicly acknowledging our sin before God, rather than the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching of confessing sin privately before a Priest to seek absolution, which has no biblical foundation. See more about Confession.