Calling on the elders?

[Fragrant Grace]

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:
James 5:14

Just putting out a few questions and would welcome your thoughts and answers:

If someone in your church is sick, are the elders called for prayer and anointing with oil?

Are people healed of their sickness?

Or is this a thing of the past?

It seems such a clear instruction but is it carried out?

If not, are there reasons in the scriptures as to why?

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
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.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
James 5:13-18

 

[Christian Saul]

Hi Fragrant Grace,
I have not seen that happen in the church in which I attend. Hmmm interesting question though.

 

[Brad Huber]

Although the spiritual church grows, the physical church is stagnant. When a christian isnt going to a church for whatever reason, or the church doesnt do this, they should go to whatever christian they look up to who seems strong in faith and ask that it be done to them. It should be done more.

 

[Fragrant Grace]

Hi Fragrant Grace,
I have not seen that happen in the church in which I attend. Hmmm interesting question though.

Thank you for your reply @Christian Saul

I think your reply would possibly reflect many peoples

What does your church do when members are sick?

 

[Fragrant Grace]

Although the spiritual church grows, the physical church is stagnant. When a christian isnt going to a church for whatever reason, or the church doesnt do this, they should go to whatever christian they look up to who seems strong in faith and ask that it be done to them. It should be done more.

Greetings brother @Brad Huber

Thank you for replying.

Your answer raises a lot of questions for me but I have to try to stay to the thread

But you would suggest it doesn't have to be the elders if the church doesn't follow this scripture.

Is the 'church' going against scripture if it doesn't follow this simple and clear guideline?

Why is it not practiced?

Just a few questions that have been rolling round my head.

 

[Brad Huber]

Most churchs go against scripture in some way or another. I have yet been to any church that folllows all the teachings of scripture. They all follow some teachings, usually adhearing to some parts more than others, but in action, do not adhere to all christian teachings found in the new testament. They all fall short, but so do I so I cant hold that against them. I amagine many dont do this as they are afraid of people recognizing that their prayers arent doing much to heal others. As elders, they are supposed to be more full of faith that leads to true healing like what the early disciples did. They would probably feel less respected as elders if their faith didnt bring about healing. Most elders I have met got their positions based on being a christian, how much money they contribute, and how much money they bring into the church through their social contacts. Does your church elders annoint and lay hands of healing on those sick in your church? And are they healed? Not of stuff like headaches and such, but real infirmities like broken legs healed and such. And this stuff I see sometimes on tv about people slapping people on the forehead and them falling but being healed, I think is mostly fake. Whats your thoughts on the matter?

 

[Strypes]

I have some experience with this topic. My name is Strypes after all.

How I got that name is significant to me and I don't share the reason much on forums such as this one because so many would ridicule it and it is kinda that "don't cast your pearls before swine" thing "lest they turn and attack you". I am not calling anyone here "swine" but I have been attacked on many occasions... "Strypes" is taken from Isaiah 53:5...

And I have experienced divine healing.

I will give y'all the short version. The year was about 1997, the year after my divorce from my ex in 1996. My daughter was about 5 years old and my ex had removed me from the insurance. I was working a minimum wage job and had very little money. It was summer time and I got an ear infection from our community swimming pool.

Trying to make a long story short, I suffered for about a month and could no longer stand the pain. My paycheck that week was $86.00 and I paid $85.00 to go to the doctor. Well he prescribed three medications. One was a antibiotic. One was a pain medication. The other was some ear drops. The cost for the three medications was over $200.00. Then I was to come back three days later to have a procedure done that would literally suck the infected yuck out of my ear. That second appointment would be another $85.00 Doctor visit plus an additional $150.00 for the proceedure.

I had ONE DOLLAR to my name and another two weeks till I would be paid again.

I prayed and asked God to help me and the Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit and asked me, "What does my word say?".

I knew that the bible in the Book of James says that if anyone be sick they should call the elders and have them pray etc. I told God that I didn't think the elders at the church I was going to at that time had the faith to pray such a prayer. The Holy Spirit then ask me who I would consider an "elder" to me and I could think of only one person, A college professor named Dr. Jerome Smith. Of all the people I had known in my life, he was the one that taught me the most about God. I had not had any contact with him in over 15 years. I looked in my personal phone book and low and behold I had his phone number. I called and his wife answered and she actually remembered me and said she would have him call me. Doctor J (he was about 5ft 3in) called me back and he prayed for me over the phone.

Nothing immediately happened. When I hung up the phone, I was still in a great deal of pain but I had an inner peace that God would take care of it somehow as I had done all I knew to do by following the instructions in scripture. I walked outside and there was a piece of wood on my wishing well in my yard and I bent down to pick it up and a yellow jacket rose up out of my wishing well like a helicopter and we were eyeball to eyeball.

I ran, but the yellow jacket and a friend of his caught me and one stung me on the tip top of my ear and the other stung me directly behind my ear and my first thought was "insult to injury" and the Holy Spirit said to me "No, this is from me". A peace flooded my heart and I went inside and a neighbor came over and took the stingers out. I went to bed that night with the side of my head swollen twice as much as it had been from the infection. I woke up the next morning and my ear was fine. The infection was totally gone and I could hear out of it again! God met my need in an unusual way and I thank God for healing me.

Yellow jackets are strypey! Tiz true.

 

[Brad Huber]

Yep. Ultimately, its faith that heals, faith in a Godly healer sometimes, but mostly personal faith in God. It was that peace you felt that was the faith you needed for God to act. That and having someone who you looked up to in faith doing the right thing.

 

[Fragrant Grace]

Thanks for those replies strypes and Brad Huber

Yes it is indeed wonderful to know that the Lord is abundantly able to heal.

The main focus of the thread is around the verse and whether this happens today or not?

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:
James 5:14

If you were sick @Brad Huber or @Strypes would you be able to call on the elders at your 'church' if you attend one?

 

[Strypes]

If you were sick @Brad Huber or @Strypes would you be able to call on the elders at your 'church' if you attend one?

I don't have their phone numbers but I could message them on facebook.

Would they come? I don't know. I hope I never have to find out.

I do know that we as a church body pray for folks in the hospital quite often.

 

[Fragrant Grace]

I don't have their phone numbers but I could message them on facebook.

Would they come? I don't know. I hope I never have to find out.

I do know that we as a church body pray for folks in the hospital quite often.

Thank you @Strypes for your replies.

I hope you never have ti find out too!

Praise the Lord....who is abundantly able to heal

 

[Brad Huber]

Thanks for those replies strypes and Brad Huber

Yes it is indeed wonderful to know that the Lord is abundantly able to heal.

The main focus of the thread is around the verse and whether this happens today or not?

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:
James 5:14

If you were sick @Brad Huber or @Strypes would you be able to call on the elders at your 'church' if you attend one?

The elders both annoint with oil and lay on hands and pray for those needing healed. They do it in front of the congregation sometimes and perhaps sometimes privately. But nothing really miraculous comes of it. People go to doctors and surgeons and hope the prayers help, but I have seen no actual healing occurring at church, and there are several there disabled. But past churches I have been to dont even do that. Its not sinful if no healing occurs though, as the point is to do so, even if the faith of those involved is not great enough or that God wants the infirmity to stay to for the sake of Glory. Churches should always at least attempt it when asked though.

 

[james1523]

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:
James 5:14

Just putting out a few questions and would welcome your thoughts and answers:

If someone in your church is sick, are the elders called for prayer and anointing with oil?

Are people healed of their sickness?

Or is this a thing of the past?

It seems such a clear instruction but is it carried out?

If not, are there reasons in the scriptures as to why?

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
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.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
James 5:13-18

Of course any believer can heal the sick if they have enough faith or a spiritual gift of healing. These instructions are not really a rule or method on how to heal the sick, they apply to particular circumstances. As indicated in the verses - the kind of sickness being prayed for here is mostly the sins against the church, causing weakness and sickness (1 Cor 11:30). Calling for the elders is required here because they represent the church which the person has offended or sinned against. The elders are always available in my church to pray. This is done in a private way (not in the church service). They will not use oil however, because the oil here signifies the Holy Spirit. The reason why the elders are called is because they, as appointed by the apostles themselves represent the whole church (this is before the pastor - congregation or clergy-laity model common in churches today). Also they are (or should be) the ones with the greatest authority, anointing and faith - see verse 15 - is a prayer of faith. I suspect that some churches don't see their elders heal anyone because these elders don't have much faith - they achieve that status due to physical age, length of time at the church, or theological qualifications or appointment, and not necessarily because they are the strongest spiritual men in the church. So if we're in a church where the leader is a spiritual train wreck (so to speak), I would find a number of spiritual godly men (with faith) in the congregation and ask them to pray.

 

[Christ4Ever]

Do you mind sister if I share you testimony with others?
@Strypes

 

[Travis]

I have some experience with this topic. My name is Strypes after all.

How I got that name is significant to me and I don't share the reason much on forums such as this one because so many would ridicule it and it is kinda that "don't cast your pearls before swine" thing "lest they turn and attack you". I am not calling anyone here "swine" but I have been attacked on many occasions... "Strypes" is taken from Isaiah 53:5...

And I have experienced divine healing.

That is a beautiful testimony of the Lord's grace,

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Strypes]

Do you mind sister if I share you testimony with others?
@Strypes

As long as you post it in it's entirety. : )

 

[Christ4Ever]

As long as you post it in it's entirety. : )

It would not be your testimony dear sister to the awesomeness of God without posting it word for word. Which I have done.

There has always been an expectation that healing must occur in "such and such a fashion" as if God could only work in one way. Though the recommended way in faith will do much for the Body of Christ, to the Glory of God.

Looking at the healing done by our Lord one can see the uniqueness to them. Yet, the most unique one and greatest in my estimation and I pray for everyone here as well. Is not the healing of our bodies, which one day must return to dust. It is the healing of our spirit, wiped clean of sin, which is eternal and unlike with the natural body given enough time, impossible for man to fix through any approach, save Jesus.

Once again dear sister thank-you for sharing.

YBIC
C4E

 

[Strypes]

It would not be your testimony dear sister to the awesomeness of God without posting it word for word. Which I have done.

Thank you : )