James 4:7-5:6 Series

Making plans, working hard, and earning wealth is not a sin but it is sin to assume that we are promised tomorrow. The rich young fool was so consumed with pride he only cared about laying up treasure for himself. Little did he know he would meet his Maker that evening. That leads us to the third warning from James. He says that pride will cause us to oppress the poor.

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 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. 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. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. (James 5:1-6 ESV)

It’s hard to add to James’ words. They speak so clearly. But the prideful hoarding of riches that leads a person to oppress the poor is completely against the gospel of humility. James condemns the rich who place themselves above God’s law that requires us to treat one another with justice. The rich are guided by envy and ambition they try to keep everything for themselves. Even if it means defrauding and oppressing the poor to do so.

Pride undermines the whole work of Jesus Christ and life is too short. We are not promised tomorrow. This is why James issues this urgent call back in chapter 4

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:7-10 ESV)

When we live humbly by God’s grace, drawing near to God, resisting the devil, cleansing [our] hands and purify [our] hearts. That requires changing both our deeds and our thoughts. Moreover, we are to “mourn and weep” over sin that would undermine the work and cause of Christ. We rightly say that God humbles us, but James commands us to humble ourselves. I pray we would take the posture of the apostle Paul when he said:

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:12-16 ESV)

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RESPOND IN WORSHIP