In James’ introductory chapter he writes, “Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,
and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.
For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls,
and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.”
As you read on, you’ll quickly notice that James doesn’t have many good things to say about the
wealthy. In fact, a lot of the New Testament seems to be particularly harsh towards the rich. Why
is that? And does that mean that any attempt to generate wealth necessarily sets God against us?
When we are looking at what is said about wealth in James, it’s helpful to notice the character
of the rich people James condemns. In 2:6-7, he says that they have been exploiting the readers,
dragging them into court, and blaspheming the name of Jesus.
The wealthy people James describes here are not Christians,
but are instead the source of the some of the persecution Christians have been experiencing!
Additionally, in 5:1-6, James addresses the unjust means many of them have used to obtain wealth:
they have withheld the wages of their workers, gaining wealth by oppressing the less
fortunate—something God absolutely hates. Further, by describing them as hoarders and self-indulgent,
James paints a vivid picture of a group of people with no concern for how to use their wealth
for the benefit of others and who are instead only interested in living their best life now.
So James is clearly targeting a group of unbelieving and oppressive wealthy people with
his comments. But what’s not quite as clear is whether or not any of James’ Christian readers are
rich as well, and thus also the intended audience for some of his corrective comments about wealth.
The fact that he urges the rich to take pride in their humiliation
rather than their wealth (in James 1:10-11) and his description of some apparently Christian
merchants solely focused on making money (in James 4:13-15) suggests that there might have been.
Some of James’ Christian readers may have had a bit more money than the rest, most of whom would
have been relatively poor. But regardless of the financial status of each individual,
it does appear that this church in general had trouble understanding what constitutes
true wealth. They struggled with a materialistic attitude. Looking around, they saw things others
had that they wanted, which sparked jealousy and quarrels. They asked God to give them “stuff” from
selfish motives. Because their hearts prioritized material things, they picked favorites.
People with wealth became the people they wanted to be associated with,
even if they were the cause of Christian persecution. Rather than trust God for
protection and provision, it became much easier to look to people with money.
Money; stuff; security; protection; became more important than submitting to God’s will.
So James encourages his Christian readers, that though it looks like
the rich are succeeding now—especially the unbelieving rich who are their persecutors—they
are merely storing up treasures on earth, which are of no eternal benefit,
as Jesus talked about in Matthew 6:19-21. It is only those who are rich in faith - regardless of
the amount in their bank account, that have a true and abiding wealth and who inherit the kingdom.
Money and material goods so often get in the way of understanding this about true wealth.
This is what Jesus was getting at when he told his disciples, “Truly,
I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven…. it
is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person
to enter the kingdom of God.” His disciples were understandably shocked at Jesus’ statement,
especially since their worldview saw wealth and abundance as evidence of God’s blessing.
To suggest that those who looked most like they had God’s favor were actually at a disadvantage,
rattled their thinking and they asked, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus encouraged them and said,
“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Though there are dangers that come along with the accumulation of wealth, not least
of which is forgetting our ultimate Source and Provider, it is not inherently immoral to be rich.
The problem with wealth is when it controls us and usurps God’s place in our lives—which
only leads to misery. But Proverbs 10:22 says, “The blessing of the LORD makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.” When we understand true riches, we won’t put improper emphasis on
financial security, even if the number in our bank account begins climb. And that is the core
of what James and the other New Testament authors want us to understand about wealth.