James 5:20

Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way LET HIM (THE CONVERTER) KNOW - for his encouragement. SHALL SAVE - future. The salvation of the converted shall be manifested hereafter. SHALL HIDE A MULTITUDE OR SINS - not his own, but of the converted [ kalupsei (G2572) (active voice) requires this]; Proverbs 10:12 (cf. note) refers to charity 'covering' the sins of others before men; James to one's effecting by another's conversion that that other's sins be covered before God-namely (Psalms 32:1), by making the convert partaker in Christ's atonement for the remission of all sins. Though this hiding of s...

20_Let him know_. I doubt whether this ought rather to have been written, γιςώσκετε, “know ye.” Both ways the meaning however is the same. For James recommends to us the correction of our brethren from the effect produced that we may more assiduously attend to this duty. Nothing is better or more desirable than to deliver a soul from eternal death; and this is what he does who restores an erring brother to the right way: therefore a work so excellent ought by no means to be neglected. To give food to the hungry, and drink to the thirsty, we see how much Christ values such acts; but the salvation of the soul is esteemed by him much more precious than the life of the body. We must therefore take heed lest souls perish through our sloth, whose salvation God puts in a manner in our hands. Not that we can bestow salvation on them; but that God by our ministry delivers and saves those who seem...

19,20 It is no mark of a wise or holy man, to boast of being free from error, or to refuse to acknowledge an error. And there is some doctrinal mistake at the bottom of every practical mistake. There is no one habitually bad, but upon some bad principle. This is conversion; to turn a sinner from the error of his ways, not merely from one party to another, or from one notion and way of thinking to another. There is no way effectually and finally to hide sin, but forsaking it. Many sins are hindered in the party converted; many also may be so in others whom he may influence. The salvation of one soul is of infinitely greater importance than preserving the lives of multitudes, or promoting the welfare of a whole people. Let us in our several stations keep these things in mind, sparing no pains in God's service, and the event will prove that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. For six th...

Verse James 5:20. _LET HIM KNOW_] Let him duly consider, for his encouragement, that he who is the instrument of converting a sinner shall save a soul from eternal death, and a body from ruin, _and shall hide a multitude of sins_; for in being the means of his conversion we bring him back to God, who, in his infinite mercy, _hides_ or _blots_ out the numerous sins which he had committed during the time of his backsliding. It is not the man's sins who is the means of his conversion, but the sins of the backslider, which are here said to be _hidden_. See more below. 1. MANY are of opinion that the _hiding a multitude of sins_ is here to be understood of the person who converts the backslider: this is a dangerous doctrine, and what the Holy Spirit never taught to man. Were this true it would lead many a sinner to endeavour the reformation of his ne

LET HIM KNOW - Let him who converts the other know for his encouragement. THAT HE WHICH CONVERTETH THE SINNER FROM THE ERROR OF HIS WAY - Any sinner; anyone who has done wrong. This is a general principle, applicable to this case and to all others of the same kind. It is a universal truth that he who turns a sinner from a wicked path does a work which is acceptable to God, and which will in some way receive tokens of his approbation. Compare Deuteronomy 12:3. No work which man can perform is more acceptable to God; none will be followed with higher rewards. In the language which is used here by the apostle, it is evidently intended not to deny that success in converting a sinner, or in reclaiming one from the error of his ways, is to be traced to the grace of God; but the apostle here refers only to the divine fe

EXPOSITION JAMES 5:1 DENUNCIATION OF THE RICH FOR (1) GRINDING DOWN THE POOR AND KEEPING BACK THEIR WAGES; (2) LUXURY; (3) MURDER. The whole section resembles nothing so much as an utterance of one of the old Jewish prophets. It might almost be a leaf torn out of the Old Testament. JAMES 5:1 GO TO NOW (see on James 4

LET HIM KNOW,.... And observe it for his encouragement: THAT HE WHICH CONVERTETH A SINNER FROM THE ERROR OF HIS WAY; who is the instrument of restoring a backsliding professor, for such an one is meant by a sinner, and not a profane person; or of turning a poor bewildered believer, who is got out of the way of truth and holiness, into the right way again; or of convincing him of the error of his way, whether it be in point of doctrine, or of duty; and so of bringing him to the fold of Christ again, from whence he has strayed: SHALL SAVE A SOUL FROM DEATH; not efficiently, but instrumentally, as in 1 Timothy 4:16 for otherwise Christ is the only Saviour; and he will be the means of saving "a soul", which is of more worth than a world; and that from death, the second death which lies in the separation of the soul from God, and in a sense of his wrath;

SINS SIN (_ See Scofield) - (Romans 3:23). _...

JAMES 5:20 ginwske,tw o[ti {B} The reading ginw,skete, read by B 69 1505 1518 2495 syrh eth, appears to be an amelioration, having been introduced either in order to conform to the address (avdelfoi, mou, ver. James 5:19), or in order to avoid the ambiguity of who is to be regarded (the converter or the converted) as the subject of the verb....

V. THE COMING OF THE LORD AND THE LIFE OF FAITH CHAPTER 5 _ 1. The oppression by the rich and their coming doom (James 5:1)_ 2. Be patient unto the coming of the Lord (James 5:7) 3. The prayers of faith and the life of faith (James 5:13) James 5:1 The two classes whom James addresses stand out very prominently in this final chapter of his Epistle. The rich oppressors certainly are not believers but the unbelieving rich; they are not addressed as “brethren”; but others are in verse 7 and exhorted to patience. Both classes, the unbelieving rich and the believing remnant are confronted by the coming of the Lord. “Go to