A Rich Warning

James 5:1-6

As we continue in the letter of James, we will be in chapter 5, verse 1-6 for our text today. The title for today is “A Rich Warning.”

As we have been going through the letter of James, the overall theme has been dealing with followers of Christ, being taught, how to be spiritually mature. The church at this time was still young, being a follower of Christ was a relatively new thing, and James was dealing with a lot of spiritual immaturity seen in the churches. This immaturity was causing strife and division within the body.

Throughout this letter James has pointed out different marks of a true Christian and given warnings on how a follower of Christ should not act. We are in this world, but there should be a distinct difference when someone compares our lives, to the lives of those who do not follow Christ. There are many differences but the fruit of the spirit, at work in the life of the believer, is the largest difference that we can look for. We have seen this fruit displayed during James letter, as he outlines the marks of the mature Christian.

Each chapter we have covered deals with a different mark as well as warning of behaviors we should avoid.

The 5 Marks of the Mature Christian

He is Patient in Testing (Chapter 1)

We are first told in Chapter 1 that as followers of Christ we will be tempted and tried, but when this occurs we should find joy in the trial and the temptation, because we know the outcome is for our good. This is where we find the fruit of Joy in our lives. That no matter what our circumstance, we find rest and joy in what God allows us to endure, because we know that His plan is perfect and better than any plan we can think of.

He Practices the Truth (Chapter 2)

In chapter 2 we are told to be truthful and to not show favor to others based on their station in life. We are told that we are saved by faith alone but that as a result of our faith works will occur, in order to glorify God. That we bear the fruit of love in our lives in how we treat others, in how we serve others, and most of all in being truthful in how we share the Gospel with others.

He has Power Over His Tongue (Chapter 3)

James continues in chapter 3 talking about the tongue and how it must be tamed and brought into submission to God. In bringing the tongue into submission with God, we bear the fruit of self-control and we are told in the later part of the chapter that we will be given wisdom from above that is pure, peaceable, and gentle. We don’t look to the world for wisdom but we find our delight in the Lord and the wisdom that He gives us.

He is a Peacemaker, Not a Troublemaker (Chapter 4)

In chapter 4 we are warned against worldliness and celebrating the things of the world that are an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. We are told to be peacemakers, to not fight and quarrel among ourselves, but to demonstrate the peace of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. A peace that we are told in:

Philippians 4:7 “7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

A peace that we can never understand, a peace that guards our hearts from the heartbreak the world will give us if we follow them. A peace that guards our minds from the violence and the depravity the world offers. A peace that is lived out in our lives every day. A peace that allows us to humble ourselves, just like our Lord did, and when we are given the opportunity, we submit ourselves humbly to God, instead of living our lives in pride, and setting ourselves up as our own gods in our lives.

He is prayerful in Troubles (Chapter 5)

In chapter 5 we come to both a warning and a trait of Spiritual maturity. We will cover the warning James gives the church about riches today, and we will continue in this chapter to see that the mature Christian doesn’t trust in money, status, or anything of this world to save them from their troubles. The mature Christian lives a life that seeks after God in prayer both in good times and bad. They pray for God to rescue them from troubles, and the mature Christian demonstrates faithfulness to God, and trust in Him throughout their life.

We see James many times throughout this letter address the problem of riches or the rich people and he gives a strong warning here at the beginning of chapter 5.

As we read our text today we are in James 5:1-6 and this is the word of the Lord to His people:

James 5:1–7

“1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.

2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.

3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.

4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.”

This is the word of the Lord, Amen.

In this first part of the chapter James is giving a warning. It is not a sin to be wealthy and wealth comes in many different ways. There are some we read about in Scripture, such as Abraham and Solomon, that God blessed and allowed what we would consider great riches, and others that He has not. Even though some of these had great riches we can see that they still lived for God and were used by God to accomplish His purpose. James is not saying its a sin to be rich, but he is pointing out there is an issue when people are selfish, and live only for themselves. It is not a sin to have wealth, but how you use it can be a sin and it can place a stumbling block before you, causing you to trust in your own riches, rather than trust in God.

I want to make sure we keep in mind, though James is talking about material wealth here, there are many ways we are wealthy. There are many ways that we can be selfish, and not steward the resources God has given us for His glory. As we go through these verses, this is something to think about and reflect on. Are there things that we have placed before God, are their worldly pursuits we have allowed to become greater to us than they should be, are their resources or gifts that we have hoarded, and not used as God intended, to glorify Him.

The people that James is talking about here are not from within the church but from the world around them. James is using these examples as a warning to those within the church, to prevent them from stumbling into the same behaviors and sins. There are three points James covers in these first six verses that we will talk about today. Three reasons that James gives this warning here are regarding:

The way they obtained their wealth (James 5:4, 6a)

The way they used their wealth (James 5:3-5)

What their riches will do (James 5:1-4)

The way they obtained their wealth (James 5:4, 6a)

James warns about how these rich people obtained their wealth. As stated before, there are multiple accounts of wealthy people in the Bible that were Godly. It seems that James is harsh throughout this letter with those that have wealth, but the gaining of wealth is not the issue, it is how it was obtained. The wealth of those James is speaking of here, was gained illegally or for illegal purposes. James points out here, that one way the rich gained their wealth, was by holding back wages. They were not paying the people that did work for them immediately once the work was completed.

At this time people would be hired for the day to work for someone. You can still see this sometimes in certain cities, there are places people will congregate that are looking for work, and the person can hire someone to do work that is needed for just that day. These people didn’t have contracts or ways to ensure they were paid fairly. They didn’t have the protection, like we do now, of the government labor board. They did not have any protection against being taken advantage of. God gave laws to the Jews in Deuteronomy and we can read in several other places throughout the Old Testament, that they must pay the laborer for his work before the sun set for the day.

The people doing the labor relied on that money to buy food for their family for that day that they had worked. They didn’t have savings built up or stores of food, they were living day to day. The rich men James speaks of here had hired laborers but had not paid them. The tense of the verb used here for “kept back” indicates the rich men never intended to pay the laborers for their work at all. The rich had taken advantage of the poor and they gained more wealth because they didn’t pay what was owed and hoarded it for themselves.

James tells us that the laborers cry out to the Lord of Hosts and He hears them. We are warned because the Lord will not continue to standby while this happens, but the cries of the people for justice will be heard by God, and He will carry out justice in His time.

James also talks about the righteous person being murdered here. That the rich were controlling the courts.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eleven: Money Talks (James 5:1–6)

“What is the Golden Rule?” asked a character in a comic strip. His friend answered, “Whoever has the gold makes the rules!”

While this makes light and is intended to be funny, this is a serious situation. The rich were using their wealth to condemn innocent people, and in doing this they were able to take their property, and their possessions for themselves. People who did not have the means to fight for themselves in court, would fall prey to those that could pay bribes to the judge. There were no weapons the poor man could use to fight, he had no means to resist.

It was not the money that was the problem but the way it was obtained. God ultimately owns all wealth. We are only stewards of whatever God chooses to bless us with, and we are called to do honest work, and obtain any wealth we might get, in honest ways that Glorify God. God has promised us He will always provide our needs. That by working hard we can increase that wealth.

Proverbs 13:11 “11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.”

Proverbs 10:4 “4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”

Too often by seeking after wealth, it is because we wish to buy our way out of the very circumstances God might have placed us in. We want to trust in ourselves and not trust in God. I have said many times I truly believe it is why you see story after story of miracles happen in other countries, while we don’t see them here in the states near as much. In other countries many times they have no where to go but to God. We work and we attempt to give ourselves what is needed to take care of ourselves, and ask no one for anything. It is good to work. It is a Godly thing for a man to provide for His family. If we are doing so to create a reliance on ourselves, rather than God, it is a scary place to be. If we begin to bend the truth, smudge the numbers, in order to get a little more. If we take advantage, and we are not honest, then the cries of those we cheat rise to God.

I went on a camping trip around 2021 with some brothers that were part of an online men’s group I was in. One of the guys owned a used car lot. We were talking about how the price of used cars had gone up so much. Many times if you could find a new car to buy, you might get a better deal than buying one that was used. The supply had been shortened, and the demand was so heightened, due to Covid, that many dealerships were marking used cars up thousands above actual value.

He told me he had struggled with it a little but had made the decision, as a Christian, that it would be wrong of Him to follow this practice that many others were doing. He had guys that worked for him that were not Christians and they asked him why he wouldn’t get more money on some of these cars. He had determined that it would be wrong of him to take advantage of people in the way the market was allowing at the time. As a Christian he would do his normal markup to make his profit, but he would not be greedy and try to get a lot more than he should.

Because of how he chose to run his business, not just during this time, but in the past as well, He saw God bless him greatly. He had families he had dealt with for years that would go to no one else to buy their cars. One family with multiple children, had purchased 18 vehicles from him over time. He ran his business as a believer should and did not take advantage of others to make more money.

It matters what we do to obtain our money. Are we honest, or do we work the system to our favour, do we cheat a little here and there to make more money. James warns us here that this is not the way we should live and act.

The way they used their wealth (James 5:3-5)

James also talks about the way the rich used their wealth. They didn’t just obtain the wealth in sinful ways, but the way they used the wealth in sinful ways was an issue. We are told in verse 3 that they stored it up. There is nothing wrong with saving money, but these men owed money to their employees and instead of paying them their wages, they held it for themselves. They thought that by storing these possessions, and having it hidden away they were wealthy, when in reality, they were setting themselves up for ultimate destruction. I have read this verse several times throughout this series

Matthew 6:19 “19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,”

The rich here were not actually rich at all. If they had truly been rich they would have been able to pay what was owed and still have money, but instead they were keeping the money to store up treasure here on earth. This is something else we have talked about multiple times throughout this letter.

There are two mindsets one may have, as well as there are only two master one may serve. If you have a mindset that is heavenly, that has wisdom that comes from God, that is set on the things of God, and not on the things of this world, then you will be focused on glorifying God and in so doing storing up treasure in heaven. This is the mark of a believer. We serve God with all we have.

On the opposite side is the mindset of the non-believer. Someone who focuses on storing up treasure on this earth, that focuses only on themselves, they get their wisdom from the world and seek to glorify self above all else. We are told that it is impossible for someone to serve both.

Matthew 6:24 “24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

You cannot serve both God and the world because they are in direct enmity against each other. The things that God loves and the things that God calls right and holy are the things that are hated by the world. The things that the world celebrates and calls right, are called an abomination in the eyes of God, and James referred to them earlier in the letter as doctrines of demons.

You cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in the church and continue that path. This type of lifestyle attempting to be friends with the world, while serving God, is the perfect example of the Church of Laodicea in the book of Revelation. John wrote in:

Revelation 3:15–19 “15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!

16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.”

This image of the lukewarm church relates to the springs that would be enjoyed. If you have ever been to a hot springs, it stays a warmer temperature all year, and even in the winter you can get in the warm water and it is relaxing and peaceful. Maybe you have been in a cold springs, such as the cenotes in Mexico. These underground springs stay cool and refreshing no matter what time of year it is.

What John relays here when he speaks of the lukewarm, denotes a spring that is stagnant, there is no water flowing, the water is tepid at best, and bacteria grows throughout that will make you physically sick if you try to drink it. Cool water is refreshing on a hot day and warm water is relaxing when it is cold, but the lukewarm water will make you sick. That is what John says the lukewarm church has become.

Just as John warned the church to repent and change their ways, James is warning the church that they must not become like these rich people that are focused on the world. They must not become lovers of money, but they must remain focused on serving Christ alone. We must remember what James says, if we serve the world, if we are friends with the world, we are enemies of God. If we serve the Lord, and we deny the selfishness of the world, we are called friends of God.

To the believer we must realize that we possess nothing that is ours. Everything we own, every item we possess, every dollar in our bank account, belongs to God and we are trusted to steward His blessings and use them to accomplish His will. The Bible does not discourage saving or investing, in fact when Jesus taught the parable of the talents, the owner praised his servants that took what was given to them and invested it, and they returned with increased talents. The servant that took the talent and hoarded it and let it grow stagnant, to make sure nothing would happen to it, was the one that was condemned. Paul writes in:

1 Corinthians 4:2 “2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”

Faithfullness is a fruit of the spirit, and as stewards of what God has given, it is required that we are faithful to use what we are blessed with to glorify God. We use what God blesses us with to turn around and bless others.

There is nothing wrong with liking and enjoying the good things in life. They are blessings that God gives us because He loves us, but when we allow our pursuit of these things to come at the expense of others, we are on dangerous grounds. These rich men were feeding themselves on their riches, they were seeking after more and more, never satisfied, but they were starving to death. The Greek word used is a picture of cattle being fattened for the slaughter.

We are told the story by Jesus in:

Luke 16:19–31 “19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.

20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,

21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,

23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.

26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not…”

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eleven: Money Talks (James 5:1–6)

If you match character with wealth, you can produce much good; but if you match self-indulgence with wealth, the result is sin. The rich man Jesus described in

We must focus on the heavenly, laying up treasure in heaven, and not on the earthly, where it will pass away and be for nothing one day. The old saying that you can’t take it with you when you die is so true.

The poem I read by the missionary C.T. Studd in the previous message holds true through all.

“Only one life, twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ, will last.” (C.T. Studd)

What their riches will do (James 5:1-4)

The third warning James gives here is about what the riches of these men will do. These men had thought they had finally made it because of their wealth. They had achieved greatness and they were better than all others, but James tells them to howl, literally to cry out, because miseries will come upon them.

James points out that riches will vanish. Grain will rot, gold will rust, and garments will be eaten by moths. Nothing that is of this world will last forever. It will all eventually decay and be garbage. The very nature of creation is a decay, and death to the temporary, only things eternal will last.

There is no security in wealth, there is no security in job or status. Paul wrote:

1 Timothy 6:17 “17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”

There are many who think they are secure, they think they have a good job or savings and all of that can be gone in an instant. I have spent the majority of my life working in healthcare in one form or another. Its a career field that you would think is pretty secure job wise. I have been in the IT side of healthcare since 2010. In 2020 the uncertainty of the things of this world hit home for so many people, me included.

I was working full time at the hospital in Franklin, running my DJ business on the side, and working part time at the performing arts center in Nashville. I remember getting an email on a Tuesday that all part time employees at the performing arts center were being laid off due to covid cancelling performances. With the shelter and restrictions that were put into place, all of my weddings and events for spring were cancelled and rescheduled. The next morning as I was getting ready for work I received a phone call from my CIO letting me know that there was a mandatory temporary reduction in work force, and I was one of four that were being furloughed from work.

In the space of 48hours I went from multiple jobs and income streams, to figuring out how to file for unemployment and relying on the little bit of savings I had, and the gracious help from my parents, to pay my bills. I thought I was in a pretty secure job field and learned quickly how fleeting that can be.

There is no security in the things of this world. Our only hope, our only security, our only trust must be placed in God alone. It is only in trusting in God that our needs are supplied. We have the promise that:

Philippians 4:19 “19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Matthew 6:25–34

English Standard Version Chapter 6

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,

29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

We don’t trust in the things of this world. We don’t worry about what tomorrow may bring. We place our trust fully and wholly in God alone for our provision, and our life and in doing this we can know, without a shadow of a doubt, that our needs will be provided, and God will carry us through whatever trial or temptation He allows in our lives.

CLOSING

The final judgment is something where each of us will stand. Those who were not saved by Christ will be condemned before the Great White Throne. Those who have been saved will stand before the Judgment seat of Christ. We find our hope and trust in Christ and those of us who have trusted, and believed in Him will not be judged for our sins.

This is an important point I continue to make in the study of this letter. It would be very easy for someone to take this letter and turn it into a legalistic gospel that says we are not saved without works. That is not the case. This misconception was what caused Martin Luther to early in his writings to call James a straw man book, and one that He did not like or even thought it should be in the Bible. Later in life his outlook changed and he came to an understanding of what James intended.

James wants us to know that we are not saved by our works. We can do nothing to earn our salvation. We are saved by grace alone and there is nothing we can do to lose our salvation once Christ has saved us. Jesus told us in:

John 6:39 “39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.”

We are not saved by our works but the natural outpouring of a changed heart is that of works that glorify God. We are told what we will be judged for our works and our ministry.

2 Corinthians 5:9–10 “9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

Where have you placed your trust? Where is your hope found? Is it in the temporary things of this world, that will decay and fade away in dust, or have you placed your trust and hope in Jesus Christ. Where your treasure is, that is where your heart will be found. It will either be found in Christ, or in this world. Your heart cannot be divided and seek after both. I pray that we can confidently say with Joshua

Joshua 24:15 “15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.””

PRAYER

Father, let our eyes be fixed wholly and completely on you. Let Your spirit move and work in our hearts and our lives that we don’t look to the things of this world for comfort and security. That we don’t trust in our jobs, our bank accounts, the temporary things that surround us, but let us trust completely in you alone for all of our needs. I pray that we have a focus in our lives that is fixed on the eternal and not the temporary. That we seek to lay up treasure in heaven and not on this earth, so that in that final day we may hear you call us, good and faithful servants. I thank you Father for Your promises that we can always trust and know are always kept. That we can know without a shadow of a doubt that by putting our trust in You alone, we can rest peacefully and secure in Your grace. I thank you for Your grace and the salvation You have given us through Your Son. I thank you for Your Holy Spirit that is with us and leads and guides us through this life. In the most precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen!

BENEDICTION

Psalm 121:1–2 “1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”