Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

5:19-20 Concluding Admonition. The style of James is abrupt, and there is no concluding greeting as in most NT letters. Instead, James calls the community to action in helping those who have fallen into the ethical sins dealt with in the book. Therefore, this closing section acts as a summary of various sins and their solutions.

5:19 The righteous saints must be vigilant in spotting anyone who wanders from the truth, namely, by not living in accord with the word of truth (1:18) as enunciated in this letter. Right belief is exhibited in right living (1:19-27).

5:20 save his soul from death. Not physical death (cf. 1 Cor. 11:30) but spiritual death (cf. 1 John 5:16-17). Timely intervention (see Gal. 6:1; Heb. 3:13) will "save his soul" and bring forgiveness from God. The person who saves the sinner in this case is the person who restores the one who has fallen. Ultimately, of course, only the Lord saves a person. The one who restores the person will cover the many sins of the one who had strayed, for the one who returns from the way of error receives forgiveness. Again, only God can cover sin, but Christians can be agents of God's forgiveness.