Warnings to the Wealthy James 5:1-6

Tests of Living Faith The Test of Trials (1:2-8, 12) The Test of Obedience (1:19-27) The Tongue Test (1:26, 3:3-12) The Prejudice Test (2:1-9) The Wisdom Test (3:13-18) The Friendship Test (4:1-7) The Wealth Test (6:1-6)

James 5:1-6 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…

James 5:1-6 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.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 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. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

JC Ryle Money, in truth, is one of the most unsatisfying of possessions. It takes away some cares, no doubt; but it brings with it quite as many cares as it takes away. There is trouble in the getting of it. There is the anxiety in the keeping it. There are the temptations in the use of it. There is the guilt in the abuse of it. There is the sorrow in the losing of it. There is the perplexity in the disposing of it Two-thirds of all the strifes, quarrels, and lawsuits in the world, arise from one simple cause – money!”

1 Timothy 6:6-10 But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

James 5:4 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.

Deuteronomy 24:14-15 You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the LORD, and you be guilty of sin.

Leviticus 19:9-10 "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God

The Problem with the wealth in James 5 is that it was… Selfishly Hoarded Unjustly Acquired

What Would You Do For $10,000,000.00? (25%) Would abandon their entire family (25%) Would abandon their church (23%) Would become prostitutes for a week or more (16%) Would give up their American citizenship (16%) Would leave their spouses (10%) Would withhold testimony and let a murderer go free (7%) Would kill a stranger (3%) Would put their children up for adoption

Prosperity  Pride  Forget God Hosea 13:6 When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me. Prosperity  Pride  Forget God

The Problem with the wealth in James 5 is that it was… Unjustly Acquired Lavishly Spent (on themselves)

The Problem with the wealth in James 5 is that it was… Selfishly Hoarded Unjustly Acquired Lavishly Spent (on themselves)

James 5:5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter

Matthew 16:24-25 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

McCartney It is not the simple enjoyment of material blessings that James here condemns, but the sybaritic enjoyment of material wealth that has been unrighteously obtained. To withhold wages is to steal from those who are less powerful, and to indulge in luxury with those stolen wages is doubly offensive

Altucher "I thought, if I could make 10 million dollars then it must be too easy. In fact, I honestly thought, everyone else had probably already made 11 million dollars. So then I felt poor again. I now needed 100 million dollars to be happy."

Believers Should Invest Their Wealth in… Honor the Lord with First Fruits Providing for their families Give generously/cheerfully to Help Others Pay Taxes Plan Wisely for the Future Personal/Family Enjoyment

Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever

1 Timothy 6:17 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

How Do I Know if I Love My Wealth Too Much? Thoughts of money consume my day. Others’ success makes me jealous. I define success in terms of what I have rather than what I am in Christ. My family is neglected in my pursuit of money. I easily ignore the genuine needs of others. I am living in the paralyzing fear of losing it. I am prepared to borrow myself into bondage. God gets my leftovers, rather than my first fruits (Alistair Begg)

Philippians 4;11-13 – Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me

JAMES 4 (6) – But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.“ (10) – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you