How do we know the practice of anointing with oil is important?

James 5:14 links prayer with the act of anointing with oil, suggesting that this rite was deeply rooted in Jewish customs as a visible sign of God's grace and healing power. While not a sacrament instituted by Christ, anointing served to accompany prayer, thus enhancing the expression of faith in divine healing. This practice, although it may not be a permanent ordinance today, carried significant weight in the early church as a means to invoke God's mercy and affirmation of faith through communal action and leadership in the church.