Source: https://cincinnatichurch.net/the-general-epistle-of-james-part-20
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 04:59:16+00:00

Document:
A. James here rebukes the ungodly rich who oppress.
1. Such as these drew the poor brethren before the judgment seats. JAM 2:6.
2. Such as these were given preferential treatment in the assembly. JAM 2:1-4.
3. Such as these blasphemed the name of Christ. JAM 2:7.
4. Such as these exploited their brethren for financial gain. JAM 5:4.
5. Such as these were defined by pleasure and voluptuousness. JAM 5:5.
6. Such as these were responsible for the death of just brethren. JAM 5:6.
7. Such as these were wrongly envied and imitated by some brethren. JAM 4:1-5.
being those whose God was their belly. PHIL 3:18-19.
envied or even admired by the simple and carnal, considered very spiritual by the “gain is godliness” crowd, deemed indispensable for the church's respectability and progress, thought too important to rebuke or exclude, exercising influence over the ministry or church polity, perhaps even feared by the saint of low degree, unscrupulous in business, or who milk the church for monetary gain (2PE 2:1-3).
C. But consider some errors associated with riches.
is not sinful for a Christian to be rich in material wealth. 1TI 6:17.
1. Love of money is the root of all evil. 1TI 6:10.
2. Riches are deceitful, can choke God's word, and render one unfruitful. MAT 13:22.
3. As here, riches can be acquired unjustly. c/w PRO 28:8; 21:6.
4. They may be used illicitly: perverting judgment, buying influence, purchasing sin.
5. They may be foolishly hoarded. ct/w 1TI 6:18.
6. They can ruin children while parents are alive and after they die. PRO 20:21.
7. They can make one arrogant. PRO 18:23.
8. They destroy a fool. PRO 1:32.
9. They can be a substitute for trust in God. PSA 52:7; HAB 2:9.
10. They are a major barrier to submission to the gospel. MAR 10:24.
D. These wicked rich are told to weep and howl for the miseries that they would receive. v. 1.
1. Such lamenting and howling assumes the great anger of God at hand. JER 4:8.
2. Riches will not buy off God's wrath. PRO 11:4.
3. They were currently living it up (v. 5) but their riches might be their only consolation.
4. Woe unto the wealthy church which is already miserable but doesn't know it. REV 3:17.
E. They had laid up treasures for themselves but were not rich towards God. LUK 12:16-21.
F. All of their riches were corrupting, even their gold and silver was cankered and rusting. vs. 2-3.
1. canker: v. To infect or consume with canker (spreading sore, ulcer, gangrene). To corrode, rust, tarnish. fig. To infect, corrupt; to consume slowly and secretly like a canker.
2. rust: v. Of iron or other metals: To contract rust, grow rusty; to undergo oxidation.
3. Though noble metals, gold and silver are corruptible. 1PE 1:18.
4. Their obsession with corruptible treasure showed the state of their hearts. MAT 6:19-21.
indifference of the poor they exploited and defrauded. v. 3.
b. When evidence condemns a man, it may be said that the evidence destroyed him.
of their flesh by fire in the day of judgment.
wealth at the expense of others. MIC 3:3; MAT 23:14.
e. These were men who kept riches to their own hurt. ECC 5:13.
7. They had “...heaped together treasure for the last days” (v. 3), treasured up wrath. ROM 2:5.
a. (PRO 11:4) Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
b. That which they hoped upon will prove their ruin. JOB 31:24.
foundation against the time to come. 1TI 6:17-19.
G. They had increased their wealth by fraudulent withholding of wages. v. 4.
1. fraud: The quality or state of being deceitful. Criminal deception; the using of false representations to obtain an unjust advantage or to injure the rights or interests of another.
to pay according to contract.
b. Jesus taught that men should be able to freely contract in labor. MAT 20:1-15.
2. The Law, Prophets and Apostles are explicit on this point.
LEV 19:13; DEU 24:14-15; JER 22:13; COL 4:1; 1TH 4:6.
a. This title of God implies His vengeance.
b. Strong's Concordance shows that sabaoth means armies.
(1) It is a military epithet of God.
(2) It is also rendered Lord of hosts. ROM 9:29 c/w ISA 1:9; 1SAM 17:45.
the Lord (vs. 7-8) Who shall surely come with the armies of heaven.
REV 19:11-16 c/w 2TH 1:7-9.
thine hand to do it.
thought of answering to God. v. 5 c/w AMO 6:3-6.
1. They had lived in pleasure, which one may do in a state of death. 1TI 5:6.
a. wanton: Of persons: Undisciplined, ungoverned; not amenable to control, unmanageable, rebellious. Of children: Naughty, unruly. 5. Insolent in triumph or prosperity; reckless of justice and humanity; merciless.
b. Their pursuit of pleasure was ungoverned. c/w 1PE 4:3-4.
day of slaughter. c/w ISA 22:12-13.
I. They had also “...condemned and killed the just...” (v. 6).
1. This speaks of obvious miscarriage of justice at the judgment seats, per JAM 2:6.
a. They had likely used their wealth to pervert judgment. c/w MIC 7:3; ISA 1:23.
b. The judiciary of the Jews was known to be complicit in eliminating men.
ACT 3:13-15 c/w MAT 27:19, 24.
a. He was condemned and killed by such as these wicked rich.
b. He set the example of non-resistance. 1PE 2:19-23.
3. Affluent Mystery Babylon has in her the blood of prophets and saints. REV 18:24.
4. The wicked rich of this world have a long history of persecuting the saints of God.
busybody in other men's matters.
the cry of the humble.

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