James 5:17

James 5:17 says, 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.  James then referred to Elijah, who he said was a man subject to the same passions or desires as all men are.  He was no different than any other man physically, but he was different than many spiritually.  James said that even though Elijah was just a man, when he prayed that it not rain by faith in God’s power, that it didn’t rain for three and a half years.  That is great faith, and it is the kind of faith we need today.  

Verse eighteen adds, And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.  James said that when Elijah prayed for it to rain after these three and a half years, that it rained and the earth began to be fruitful once more.  This was all done to show God’s power and not Elijah’s.  If our prayers are to be effective, we need to pray for God’s will to be done and not our own.  

Verse nineteen continues, Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;  James gave the example of some fellow believer erring from the truth and our converting them or bringing them back to God’s truth.  I believe that we witness to people about the truth of God and their faith converts them to the truth.  

Verse twenty concludes, Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.  Then, instead of converting a fellow Chrisitan from error, James refers to converting a sinner.  He said if we did lead someone to accepting God's gift of faith that we would hide a multitude of sins.  We can interpret this as hiding a multitude of our sins, but I believe it means a multitude of the sins of the person who is converted, since our sins can only be hidden from God’s sight by putting our faith in Jesus Christ.