CONFESS YOUR FAULTS --- James 5:16. C. H. V. Bogatzky's Daily Devotions April 30. GospelWeb.net

The Thirtieth of April.

CONFESS YOUR FAULTS --- James 5:16.

"Confess your faults one to another." --- James 5:16.

It is related of St. John the Evngelist, that being upon his return from Patmos to Ephesus, after the death of Domitian, he was set upon by a company of thieves, amongst whom was a young man, their captain. To whom St. John applied himself, by way of wholesome counsel and advice; which took so good effect, that he became a new man, and was converted, and went thereupon to all his fellow thieves, and besought them, in the name of Jesus Christ, that they walk no longer in their former wicked ways.

He told them withal that he was troubled in conscience for his former wicked life, and earnestly entreated them, that as they tendered the welfare of their own souls, they would now leave off their old courses, and live more conscientiously, for the time to come.

The counsel was good, and well-taken; so that many of those great robbers became great converts. Thus it is that one sinner's confession of his faults to another may happily prove the conversion of one by the other.

Hence the meaning of that precept, "Confess your faults one to another," is interpreted by some:-- That those who have been partners together in sin, should go to one to another, and seriously confess their sins each to the other: he that hath been a drunkard, or any otherwise a wicked liver, let him go to his companions in iniquity, and tell them that he is troubled in mind because of his former excess; and perhaps he may be a mean of converting them.

Reader, art thou a converted man? Follow this method; go to thy old companions, warn them of their danger, and thou wilt either be a means of converting them or hereby will get rid of the troublesome company in future.

Again, he who has injured another should confess his fault to the other as well as to God, and beg for forgiveness from both.

If I have wrong'd my neighbour aught,
Or led a soul astray,
Lord, give me grace to own my fault, And to amend my way.