Crossing Church

5:1 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. James 5:1-6 ESV

After writing to Christians throughout the book, it seems likely that James shifts gears to speak to wealthy unbelievers that have oppressed their poor Christians workers. To rebuke them, he uses some very strong language to call them to “all out” repentance.

Their first crime is that they have hoarded so much wealth it has rotted. Most of the wealth in their day would have come in the form of grain, oil or costly garments, but their “silver and gold” was “crying out against them” as well. Obviously, this uncontrolled greed has given way to oppressing the poor.

Their second crime was that they had failed to pay their workmen who harvested their crops. The workers cries had reached the Lord and the Lord is speaking back to them through James.

The third crime is that these people have lived in luxury and self-indulgence. One translation renders this as “fattened themselves.” For this and other crimes, their judgment is imminent.

Their final crime is that they have murdered innocent men. It seems that this is to be taken literally. It shows us the true depths to which greed can go—murder.

I believe the takeaway from this indictment of greed in their life is to look for greed in our own lives.

The problem is not just “out there” but “in here” as well.

Where is greed at work in our own lives?

Where have we lived in luxury and self-indulgence and turned a deaf ear to the cries of those around us?

What changes are God calling you to make in light of this text?

Listen and respond to the grace of God.