Ancient Paths: How Early Christians Understood Inner Healing

If you and I were sitting across from each other right now, maybe in a quiet little coffee shop or on a back porch somewhere, I’d probably start with this: We’re not the first to walk this road. With sexual addiction, it’s easy to believe that I am the only one who struggles like this—that I am on my own.

I know how lonely recovery and healing can feel. I know the frustration of trying to untangle years of wounds, habits, and regrets, wondering if real change is even possible. But before we get lost in the overwhelm, let’s step back. Way back.

Because long before modern recovery programs, before therapy and self-help books, before words like “trauma” and “addiction” even existed—there were men and women walking these same roads. And the way they sought healing, the way they leaned into transformation, is something we’d be wise to rediscover.

Healing Was Always the Plan

Early Christians didn’t see faith as just a set of beliefs to agree with. They saw it as a journey of healing—a way of being restored to wholeness. The Greek word sozo, used all over the New Testament, means both to save and to heal—physically and spiritually. Salvation wasn’t just about getting to heaven one day; it was about being made whole right here, right now.

This wasn’t thought of as a quick fix. It wasn’t about trying harder or just praying the right prayer. It was understood as a process—a lifelong journey of being shaped into the image of Christ. Sanctification is the slow but steady transformation of a person as they let God heal them from the inside out.

Early Christians believed transformation wasn’t something we achieved through effort alone, but something we also received through relationship with God. They saw sin and brokenness as symptoms of a deeper wound—an infection in the soul and spirit that needed healing.

This is why confession, prayer, and community were central to their lives. Healing wasn’t a solo project. It happened in the context of deep, committed relationships with others walking the same road.

Metamorphosis: A Rare and Powerful Word

When Paul writes about transformation, he doesn’t use just any word. He chooses metamorphoō—the same word used to describe Jesus’ transfiguration in the Gospels. This word appears only four times in the entire New Testament. Two of those times are when Jesus is physically transformed in radiant glory before Peter, James, and John. The other two times? They describe the transformation of believers.

Romans 12:2 says:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed (metamorphoō) by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

And 2 Corinthians 3:18 says:

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed (metamorphoō) into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”

This isn’t self-improvement. Paul is describing the same kind of radical change that happened to Jesus on the mountain—except this time, it’s happening within us. It’s not a momentary glow; it’s an ongoing, Spirit-driven transformation. And it’s the heart of what inner healing is really about.

Owning Our Wounds

One of the first steps in early Christian healing was something we don’t always like to talk about: confession. But not the kind where you mumble a quick apology and move on. No, this was a deep, honest reckoning with where a person actually was—what sins they had carried, what wounds had shaped them, what patterns kept them stuck.

James 5:14-16 says,

Is anyone among you sick (astheneō: used for physical and spiritual sickness)? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save (sozo: restore, make whole) the one who is sick (kamnō: weary; appears only twice in the Bible), and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed (iaomai: heal, make whole). The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

This passage in James is rich with meaning, and when we slow down to look at the words James chose, we see a deep connection between physical sickness, spiritual weariness, and the healing power of God.

More Than Physical Healing

At first glance, James 5:14-16 seems like a simple instruction about praying for the physically sick. But when we dig into the Greek words James uses, we see a bigger picture.

Astheneō – This word is often used for physical sickness, but it also describes weakness or incapacity in a broader sense. In the New Testament, it sometimes refers to those who are spiritually weak or struggling in faith (Romans 14:1).

Kamnō – This word is much rarer, appearing only twice in the Bible. It carries the idea of deep fatigue or weariness—not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well.

So when James asks, “Is anyone among you sick?” he’s not just talking about those battling physical illness—he’s including those who are spiritually drained, those who feel like they have nothing left to give.

And what does he say to do? Call for the elders, be prayed over, and be anointed with oil.

Healing and Wholeness

James goes on to say that “the prayer of faith will save (sozo) the one who is sick (kamnō), and the Lord will raise him up.” Here, he’s connecting healing with the deeper concept of sozo—not just being cured, but being made whole.

This echoes what we see throughout the New Testament. When Jesus heals, the word sozo is often used. The woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5:34? Jesus tells her, “Your faith has saved (sozo) you.” The ten lepers in Luke 17:19? Jesus says to the one who returned, “Your faith has saved (sozo) you.” It’s more than the body—it’s about restoration at every level.

And then James makes the link even clearer: “And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” Here we see the holistic nature of healing—body, soul, and spirit.

Confession and Community

James doesn’t stop at personal prayer—he brings in community:

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed (iaomai).”

This verse is huge. It tells us that healing is beyond our private moments with God; it happens within relationships. The word iaomai means to be made whole, and James directly ties it to confessing and praying together.

Early Christians understood this deeply. They didn’t separate physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. They saw confession, prayer, and community as essential parts of being restored. This wasn’t just about avoiding sin—it was about living fully alive in the love of Christ. They gathered together, not just to worship, but to bear each other’s burdens, to speak truth over each other, to remind one another of who they really were.

What This Means For Us

This is where things get hard for us today. Our culture prizes independence. We’re used to keeping struggles private, figuring things out on our own. But the reality? Healing happens when we let others into our story. When we stop pretending and start allowing ourselves to be seen. This is especially true when we’re talking about sexual addiction.

If you’re stuck in a pattern of sin and battling unwanted sexual behaviors, James 5 offers an invitation: Come to God. Come to community. Let yourself be prayed for. Confess what’s weighing you down. Let others lift you up.

Healing is often a process. It’s not about “trying harder” to get better—it’s about allowing God to do His work in you, in His timing, through His people.

No matter where you are in your healing journey, you are held. And God is not finished with you yet.