Confessing To Others

Q

In one of your healing articles you said we should gather other believers around us, confess our sins to each other and pray for each other so we can be healed. What sins do we confess? I ask God regularly to forgive me of my sins. What sins would I have to confess? Some sins are rather personal. How would I handle that?

A

I was quoting James 5:14-16. Verse 16 says to confess our sins to each other. 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and will purify us from all unrighteousness. James 5:16 also says the prayers of righteous people are powerful and effective. By confessing we are restored to righteousness giving power to our prayers for healing. I don’t think the Lord requires that we go into detail with each other. He knows our sins better than we do, and it doesn’t do anyone any good to share them publicly.