Worth the Wait

Introduction

In the early verses of chapter five, James detours from addressing the church directly to highlight a pressing concern among believers. In those days, Christians faced intense persecution. They were mistreated, exploited, and abused by those around them, and the injustice they experienced caused discouragement and weariness.

James chooses to speak about the greedy wealthy who inflicted such harm on God’s people. At first glance, it might seem odd to address an unbelieving group that may never hear the letter. Yet, while James speaks of these wealthy oppressors—who profited through corrupt business practices and unfair wages—his true message is for the brethren. He wants the church to know that those who abuse, exploit, and oppress God’s people will face their just consequences.

The aim is not to cultivate bitterness or envy but to strengthen hope. James reminds believers that wealth is fleeting and that greed and oppression cannot escape God’s justice. Instead of longing for riches, Christians are called to a greater desire: a longing for Jesus, even amidst suffering and deprivation. Through this warning to the oppressors, James encourages the oppressed, assuring them that God sees their struggles and will vindicate them.

The Cry of the Rich Oppressors

James 5:1 “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.”

The certainty of judgment

The first message James wants believers to hear is that the oppressors will not escape punishment.

Wealth lasts only as long as life itself; like a vapor, it vanishes. When the rich finally meet the ultimate Judge, their riches will do them no good.

They will weep and wail, but their fate is sealed—condemned for unbelief and for their greed and oppression.

Contrast with the oppressed

Believers may have been poor, hungry, or needy, seeing oppressors living in fine homes, wearing lavish clothes, and enjoying plenty of food and money.

Such sights could tempt Christians to envy or to question God’s justice.

James writes to remind them that God sees all and that the oppressors’ wealth is temporary; it will not stand in the day of judgment.

Illustration / Biblical parallel:

Consider the story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19–31).

Lazarus suffered in life, while the rich man had everything money could buy. Yet in the end, Lazarus was comforted, and the rich man endured torment.

James paints a similar picture: the corrupt rich will cry out in agony, while the faithful in Christ will ultimately experience comfort and vindication.

Application / Encouragement:

For believers today: Do not envy the temporary pleasures of the wealthy or compromise your faith for comfort.

Trust in God’s justice—He sees every act of oppression, and His timing is perfect.

Transition to Point 2:

The cry of the oppressors is only the beginning; their wealth will not last, and their deeds will bring ruin.

The Consequence of Their Conduct

James 5:2–3 “Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”

Gold and silver: Precious metals were the ultimate currency, and possessing them placed one among the wealthy elite of the Roman Empire. While we have so much today to buy with money in the New Testament biblical days the things that made a man were simpler. Today, in our culture, even the poorest of people many times have opportunity to dine like kings as we say. They may have to save carefully, but we can dine in a fancy, expensive place if we have a mind to. In biblical days this was not the case. Food defined wealth. Many poor people barely ate bread and meat was a great treat in their home.

Another thing that made one wealthy is clothes. While we build closets to hold all of our changes of clothes in biblical days the average person had a single change of clothes or possibly two. Three different outfits would have been rarer and those that more were from the wealthy class of people. If their outfits were dyed with color it was a sign of great wealth especially if the persons clothes were made of purple, such as in the story of Lazarus and the rich man that we already mentioned.

Then there was the actual currency of the day; gold and silver. While our money fluctuates is real value depending on markets, governments, and status their money was still based in the cleanest form of wealth; primarily the precious metals of gold and silver. Of course, if you had a lot of it you were one of the few wealthy people in the Roman Empire.

It is these three things that James so viciously attacks in these two verses. The corruption of riches could have referred to rotting food. Clothes that were improperly placed would be eaten away by moths. Silver and Gold is described here as being rusted and while these precious metals can be victim to corrosion it does not rust. James is clearly speaking in symbolism here and refers to their gold and their silver being of no good to them. They saved up their wealth “for the last days”, but wealth could not save them or give them a place of comfort in eternity as they may have thought. In the end they find out that their wealth is of no good to them as they stand before a holy God that accepts no money, no wealth, and no excuses. The result of their wealth that they gained by the oppression of God’s people will ultimately seal their ruin. They will stand condemned before all of humanity and the only true and living God.

James gives a message of encouragement to the believers that are currently under oppression from the very men whose fate he is describing. He is hoping that they will take heart in their present situations as they lift praise to the Father for his Son has saved them from the same ruin and that they are joint heirs with Christ Jesus. One day they will have a place of comfort and take their position as partakers in the kingdom of heaven with God.

Transition to Point 3:

The wealth and possessions of oppressors may perish, but their character and deeds are exposed. James now turns to show how their unjust behavior reveals the depth of their corruption, leading us to Point 3: The Character of the Condemned is Revealed.

The Character of the Condemned is Revealed

James 5:4–6 “Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”

James has already laid out the condemnation of the oppressors and now he reveals the charges against them.

Fraudulent Dealings

James 5:4 “Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.”

Laborers were entitled to daily wages, not delayed payment.

Deuteronomy 24:14–15 emphasizes: “Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy…at his day shalt thou give him his hire…”

Rich farmers often withheld wages until harvest to ensure workers stayed.

Without daily pay, workers and their families went hungry, sometimes to sickness or death.

There was no labor department or enforcement, so protesting could leave workers destitute.

Charge: James calls this fraud, showing the oppressors’ greed and cruelty.

Selfish Living

James 5:5 “Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.”

While their workers starved and labored, the oppressors indulged in luxury.

James compares them to oxen fattened for slaughter — they live for pleasure now, but their selfish indulgence will be accounted for in judgment.

Their wealth was used for comfort, not compassion.

Charge: Selfishness, enjoying earthly pleasures while ignoring the needs of others.

Violent Behavior

James 5:6 “Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”

Hebrews & James 2. Charges against the Rich (vv. 4–6)

Jewish tradition taught that a person could murder another either by judicial murder or by depriving his neighbor of his living.

Jewish tradition recognized violence through both direct murder and the deprivation of livelihood.

These oppressors may have falsely accused workers, imprisoned them, or used influence to condemn them unjustly.

Their power was abused, and justice was denied to those who faithfully served them.

Charge: Violence and oppression, showing their total disregard for God’s law and the wellbeing of others.

Application / Encouragement

The sins of the rich oppressors reveal what God sees in all injustice: nothing is hidden.

For believers facing oppression: God is aware, and He will vindicate His people.

These charges remind Christians to live justly, care for the needy, and resist the temptation to exploit or oppress others.

Transition / Conclusion of Sermon:

James 5:1–7 draws a sharp contrast: oppressors will face judgment, while the faithful will be vindicated.

Believers are encouraged to remain patient and steadfast, trusting that God’s justice is perfect and His timing certain.

Conclusion

Christians across the Roman Empire faced harsh realities. They were mistreated, falsely accused, oppressed in their workplaces, underpaid, undervalued, and defrauded. Yet James sought to encourage them: despite these painful and difficult circumstances, they were to remain faithful to the Lord. One day, their oppressors would face judgment for their sins, while believers would be rewarded for their faithfulness with comfort and peace.

James then turns his message back to the church, offering guidance on how to respond to these trials. While much of that teaching will be explored next week, we end this sermon with his words of hope:

James 5:7 — “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.”

Even in the midst of oppression, injustice, and hardship, Christians can endure because they look forward to the day when God’s justice is complete. Our labor for Christ will bear fruit, and one day we will live in His presence in peace and harmony, rejoicing and praising Him forever.