James 5:1-9

The Conflict Between Labor and Management

There are two divisions to this lesson:

Verse 1-6 - The condemnation of the rich.

Verse 7-9 - Encouragement to the just.

Division # 1

Verse 1-6 - The condemnation of the rich.

Introduction: James is not saying it's a sin to be rich, but that it's a sin to use our wealth for the wrong thing.

I. I Tim. 6:10 - The love of money (not money) is the root of all evil.

A. Gen. 13:2 - Abraham was very rich.

B. I Chron. 29:28 - David died full of days and riches.

C. Matt. 27:57 - Joseph of Arimathaea was a rich man (He helped bury Jesus).

D. Scholars say Mary, Martha and Lazarus were rich. It was Mary that broke the alabaster box of ointment, John 12:1-8.

E. Job was a wealthy man, (and God gave him double when he lost it).

II. Ps. 35:27 - The Lord hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servants. Note:

A. This Psalms is not only talking about money, but also spiritual affairs.

B. Said "His servants" - those that serve Him, not themselves.

III. A persons attitude toward their possessions reveals their attitude toward God and their service to Him.

A. Prosperity has ruined more people than poverty.

B. Note the verbs in verses 1-6 are in the "positive" sense. James talks like troubles will come and they can't be stopped.

C. The truth is: most rich people won't repent of their evil so God can stop the trouble.

D. Matt. 19:23-26 - A rich man won't be saved because he will trust in his riches instead of trusting in God.

E. Matt 19:16-22 - See the example of the rich young ruler.

IV. Verse 1, Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

A. There is no admonition for the rich person to repent, but to weep for the coming calamities.

B. The fruit of these peoples lives show they haven't trusted God, but their wealth.

C. A final warning in the end of the Book of James confirming again the judgment of God upon all that trust in the arm of flesh. (Whether he be faithless {1:3}, forgetful {1:21}, un-religious {1:27}, partial {2:2}, without faith {2:26}, lacking self-control {3:2}, prayer-less {4:1-11}, or planning without God {4:13-17}.)

V. Verse 2, Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.

A. The judgments of God upon the rich. Their misery shall come from the very things they took comfort in.

B. All riches are corrupted. The word actually means to perish.

1. Acts 8:20 - Peter told Simon, "Thy money perish with thee."

2. II Peter 3:10 - The elements shall melt with fervent heat.

C. Garments are moth eaten - The moth develops and grows and destroys the wealth of the wicked. They cannot pride themselves on moth eaten garments who used to dress so fashionably.

VI. Verse 3, 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.

A. Gold and Silver is cankered - actually means to rust.

1. Gold and silver do not rust like steel and iron, but when left for a long time in a dark, damp place it takes on a dark color which is doubtless referred to here.

2. This refers to the vast amount of gold and silver accumulated and doing nobody any good, except for the owner to look upon. (Eccl. 5:11)

3. The "rust" or "un-use" of their wealth. Nobody got any good from it.

B. Eat flesh as it were fire - not literally, but as the fire is not satisfied (Prov. 30:15,16), so the saver of wealth is not satisfied.

1. The riches are kept to the hurt of the owner. (Eccl. 5:13)

2. Their selfish works - Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

a. Ye - This has been done at the owners design for his own destruction. He wasn't forced.

b. heaped - The sin of covetousness is laid upon this people. They were very fleshly and considered not that God could supply for them.

c. heaped - Sin of faithlessness - They did not believe God could and would supply their needs, so they did it themselves.

d. last days - While providing material goods for their retirement, they prepared destruction for their judgments before God. (Then they couldn't use the wealth they had provided for themselves.)

e. James was written about 60 A.D. In 70 A. D., Titus destroyed Jerusalem. 1,000,000 people died. The rich got it first. The "last days" may not be very far off!)

VII. Verse 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.

A. Selfish oppression of others - failure to pay wages due.

1. They used to pay wages at the end of each day.

2. The poor needed the wages and the rich needed the work done, but because of his power, the rich doesn't pay wages rightfully due the worker.

3. When the laborers pray to God, He hears the prayer and stores up judgment against those who don't pay the poor.

B. This verse is not saying that the employer and the employee is equal and should share equally in all profits.

1. It is saying that the employer is liable before God to pay the employee a wage that is appropriate for the employees labor and skills.

2. God holds the employer liable when he withholds wages by fraud (the employer cheated the employee of his wages).

a. Employers ought to be more afraid of God than of the labor union, or a strike by the employees.

b. God does notice what the lost and saved do in this world.

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

A. Selfish living in pleasure - while oppressing the poor.

1. live in pleasure.

a. Eccl. 2:24 - God desires us to enjoy the good that He has given us.

b. But this "living in pleasure" refers to a living solely for the enjoyment of this world while completely forgetting they must give account to God.

c. Note that while the rich enjoy themselves, they do not pay their help and cheat (at court) those that demand wages.

2. wanton - This does not mean lewd, or lustful acts, but of anything sportive, joyous, variable or fickle.

B. The result of this way of life. Ready for slaughter.

1. Not as Christ was led to the slaughter (Is. 55:7)

2. But as a hog is fattened for the kill.

IX. Verse 6, Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

The rich have brought the laborers to court and had them condemned and some even killed. The poor have not resisted, for how can they resist "spiritual wickedness in high places", Eph. 6:12.

Division # 2

Verse 7-11 - Encouragement to the just.

Our duty.

A. Verse 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.

1. Be patient unto the coming of the Lord, for the reward will not be in this life, but in the life to come.

2. Like the farmer who waits for the early and latter rain. (The rain to make the plant and the rain to make the fruit.)

3. Luke 16:9 - Send treasure ahead by using your money to win souls who will greet you when you get to heaven.

B. Verse 8, Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Be also patient - actually, speaks of faith.

1. He tells us the second time to be patient, for it is very important.

2. James 1:2,3 - Tribulation works our faith which brings patience.

C. Verse 8 - Establish your heart.

1. Very important today in this age of pre-packaged religion.

2. Every person must be fully persuaded in his own mind.

3. Ps. 73:2 - David was discouraged when he saw the prosperity of the wicked, but understood when he went to the House of God.

4. Matt. 6:33 - God's promise is that He will supply all the things we need if we put Him first. So -- We really don't need the rich people (or their money) as bad as we think we do.

5. Luke 16:10 - Be faithful to God with what you have. You won't be faithful with a million dollars if you're not faithful with the ten dollars you now have.

D. Verse 8 - Look for the return of the Lord.

1. Our joy should lie in being with Him, not in having worldly possessions, or in what we are doing for Him.

2. If our joy is in what we are doing for God, we are doing nothing for Him, but our works are for ourselves.

E. Verse 9, Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. - Don't complain to everybody about your complaints because you'll discourage them.

1. Luke 6:38 - Give, as God gives you - even if others (rich folks) do not give to you, or to God.

2. Phil. 4:4-9 - Take your troubles to the Lord and then think about good things.

3. James 4:4 - Pray to the Lord about people who wrong you.

4. The judge standeth before the door - God not only hears what the evil rich people say and do, He also hears what the evil poor say and do. He judges with righteous judgment.