What thing is so dear to you that you’d be upset if God asked to have it? Search deeply and I think you’ll find there’s more than one. A loved one? A hobby? A habit? A political philosophy? For people in the Apostle James’ little congregation, the thing they didn’t want God to have was their money. In James 5:1-6 (and most of chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 4), he says scathing things about greed, the power of wealth, and injustice.
James says things that rub Protestants the wrong way. What do we do with 2:24, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone”? Remember that James is not writing to accomplish the same things as Paul. Paul is anxious about how a person comes to faith in Christ and has assurance of that faith, so most of his writings address this. James takes for granted that his congregation has assurance. He is anxious about what it means to live as Christ’s disciples. How is Christian life to be lived as a distinct response to the grace we have in Christ? For James, this comes down to one thing: perfection. James doesn’t consider Christ’s call to “be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48) as only a platitude. While we cannot ever be perfect in this life, we should model our lives after Christ (1 John 2:6). James says, “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (1:4). James challenges us to follow Christ’s perfect example. Then he focuses on two significant issues: the control of the tongue and the way Christians should see their wealth.
Please bear with me as I do some cultural critique. Taking what James says seriously, I will press you to answer a really hard question: “Is my wealth an extension of my faith, or does it indicate that my trust in God’s promises is conditional?”
James 5 begins by lambasting wealthy Christians, “Come now you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you!” Why weep, howl and mourn? Because, “You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts.” So what’s the problem here? There is nothing wrong with luxury and comfort, right? Be careful how and why you answer this! A quick “no” might blind you to the main point of the passage, a resolute “yes” may turn you into a Pharisee-legalist. We do well to stop and think of what this passage meant to the original hearers.
We are the “rich” James talks about! Few of us can escape James’ label, not only because we live in such prosperous countries, but because we fit the definition of James’ time: there was essentially no middle class, just the contrast of rich and poor. Most of us are so wealthy that we have money we can put in the bank. Think about that—you actually have money that you can just have sit somewhere, until you need it. Most of us will die not having used it all. Meanwhile, so many in the world have no money, little to no food, and basic or no shelter.
As Christians, are we OK with that? James is not advocating giving up all of our wealth, right? Well, be careful how you answer this too. Remember, James wants us to strive to be perfect. In the Gospels Jesus is asked, “What must I do to gain eternal life?” And the response is, “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell all that you have and give it to the poor” (Matthew 19:16, 21).
The point is, as soon as we say we have a claim on our wealth as “ours,” then we are saying that God doesn’t have a claim on it. He may get his share, but we get ours. The point is not that you give up all you have, but that you are willing when needs are made known. That is hard. But it is not impossible. Peter tells Jesus, “Lord, we have given everything up to follow you” (Matthew 19:27). Discipleship is not a matter of part-time commitments, but a change in loyalties and trust in the Master.
When we begin to see our wealth as James invites us to, our view of the poor changes. It’s common in our culture to see the poor in either of two extremes. The political left tends to use images and language that pities the poor. In this view, the poor are helpless and weak, impossibly behind and unable to catch up. It is the powerful-wealthy who will be the saviors of the poor. As helpless victims, the poor are only supplicants who assuage the guilt of the rich. The poor become indentured to the generosity of the wealthy. What arrogance!
The political right fares no better. Their images and language tend to classify the poor as lazy, drug addicts, bums and handout-seekers—sappers of resources who are out to ruin everyone else’s wealth. What judgment! Both views paint with broad brushes and are unbiblical. Sadly, both views see the poor as the problem.
Contrast these worldly views of poverty with the language of Scripture and you get a far different picture. There you see the poor as inheritors of the Kingdom, recipients of God’s grace and provision, the truly wise who understand God’s truth (unlike the powerful or learned). Jesus himself chooses poverty. God has more in common with them by nature. He neither pities them as victims nor dismisses them as deviants. The biblical view both respects and honors the poor, exulting them as a virtuous model to follow, a lens into God’s personality, and a people in need of protection, grace and generosity.
James says that rich Christians in his day have committed “fraud.” They live in luxury and self-indulgence while their workers toil and labor for sustenance. This is expected in a world where power and profits rule the day—but what about Christians? Shouldn’t the gospel both frame and inform our money habits? As Christ’s people, shouldn’t we be different?
James thinks so. And he scolds the rich: “You have laid up treasures in the last days” (James 5:3b). Three times in this chapter he stresses Christ’s return as reason and motivation for sacrificial action. Knowing that Christ is coming soon means that hoarding for the future when there are real needs today is sin. Faith trusts God. Christ’s imminent return allows one to act differently. God’s promises encourage our generosity by letting us know God will take care of us. The “fraud” of the rich is that they indulge themselves at the expense of others. The faith of the rich is in their wealth. The hypocrisy of the rich is that they ignore the gospel’s challenge of their habits.
Back to our original question: What thing is so dear to you that you’d be upset if God asked to have it? Can we as Christians justify not giving to the poor, to charities, to our local churches, to missions, to church-plants and to the CLB? Doesn’t the gospel change the way we see, save and spend our wealth? Doesn’t James’ reminder of Christ’s imminent return fly in the face of sly arguments like this: “God doesn’t want me to be reckless with my money, but a good steward”? Really? If being a good steward means learning how to make money and profit, can we justify Jesus’ call to the rich young man? Stewardship is about making wise, biblical decisions on how money is spent. It is not an excuse to save or make a profit while genuine needs exist (read James 2).
So, has James made us a little angry? That’s OK. After all, perfection is his standard. No one likes to hear we can do more because that always means denying ourselves. But James issues us a challenge. Let our wealth reflect our faith. This is discipleship, not just that we stand in grace, but that we walk in faith. And remember, lest we begin to feel we give too much, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). There’s your wealth—in Christ alone. Now, let’s put our money to Kingdom work, not luxury and self-indulgence.
Pastor Bruce Hillman serves Hillside Lutheran Brethren Church in Succasunna, New Jersey.