Sins of the Rich
Introduction:
1. The Bible tells us that is it easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven ( Mark 10:25).
2. In this section of scripture James address three ways in which the Christians should be warned of the sins of the rich.
3. These three sins describe how the rich get their riches, how they use their riches, and how they maintain their riches.
I) Sin in Obtaining Wealth (v. 4)
A) Defrauding the Poor
1. Cheating the Poor of their wages.
a. They may have uses various means to do this.
(i) Claimed they did not work diligently.
(ii) Accused them of breaking a tool.
(iii) Sadly, claiming they spilled some grain or damaged some product.
b. However even in the Old Testament there are warnings against such fraud.
(i) Leviticus 19:13 - Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
(ii) Many prophets condemned Israel based upon this practice.
(a) Jeremiah 22:13 - Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;
(b) What a horrible heart that frauds his own countryman and working for the supposed same end.
2. Denying the rights of the poor.
a. Both management and labor have rights.
(i) The management has the right to have the laborer work diligently and efficiently.
(ii) The laborer has the right to a fair and faithful employer.
b. This should remind us of the book of Philemon.
(i) The laborer was told to return to his master and work for him.
(ii) The master was told to treat his slave with mercy and grace that God had showed him.
3. God provides provisions for the poor in the Old and New Testament.
a. Colossians 4:1 - Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
b. Colossians 3:22-25 - Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
B) Cries of the Poor
1. God commands the poor to obey their managers regardless of the situation.
a. Despite how our employers treat us we have a duty to God to obey them.
b. The situation we are placed in even if it is unfair has two consequences for the Christian.
(i) He must continue working diligently for that employer or change jobs.
(ii) He has the right to cry to the lord for justice.
2. Seeking justice from God.
a. Nothing that occurs upon the earth is missed by the ears of the Lord.
b. Even the thoughts of our hearts are know by God.
c. The obvious implication is that God will take action against these fraudulent employers.
C) Judgment of God
1. A court scene is convened.
a. This is a preview of the judgment scene
b. The word Sabaoth means hosts or army
(i) God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient.
(ii) As a result he emits might, power and glory ruling in this judgment court.
2. Judge is on His Throne.
a. The held back wages are the witness to the injustice.
b. Those who defraud the poor will face the combined might of God.
(i) Those who have none on Earth to secure justice have one in heaven and can guarantee justice in the end of time.
(ii) This justice is not salvation for the poor but a condemnation of the sin of the rich.
II) Sin in Using Wealth (v. 5)
A) Lived Uselessly
1. They are leading an indolent, fleshly indulgent life
a. A delicate life is one lived for the gratification of the flesh.
b. It shows the pleasures found in a worldly mind.
(i) There is luxury and extravagance at the expense of the workers.
(ii) The fraudulent behavior has made them wealth and now they use it to secure their own fleshly desires.
2. Their life contributed nothing to the welfare of others.
a. It is vain life in that they are not concerned about their own laborers.
b. This life style is not pleasing to God.
(i) It may not be a sin to have an easy life.
(ii) But God's might extends to vain life as well.
3. We are obligated to dutifully perform useful activity in the world.
b. He provided no service for humanity.
c. He did not ease any of the suffering in the lives of his workers.
d. He had no use for his wealth.
B) Lived Wastefully
1. They contributed nothing to age in which they lived.
a. These individuals are idle in their wealth.
b. Similar to being useless.
c. The difference is the object of the wasteful life.
(i) The rich were wasteful in that the passed nothing on.
(ii) There was nothing beneficial for world that they created or developed for the betterment of society.
2. Eventually, they will live for nothing else other than their fleshly pleasures
a. Those who live for wealth or pleasure alone soon will lose the ability to live for any other reason.
b. This ease of life causes him to forget the need to get up and do some work.
c. Luke 21:34-35 - And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
3. This is what it means to be given over to sin.
a. Romans 1:28 - And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
b. God essentially let them do whatever they wanted confirming the wastefulness of their lives.
C) Lived for the Slaughter
1. They fattened themselves by giving in to every desires
a. To nourish means to fatten for the slaughter.
b. They have been given or given themselves everything they desire.
(i) No one has told them "No"
(ii) Neither to the have the discipline to say no to themselves.
c. Yet their hearts have hardened because of the fat that covers it.
2. They believe they are wise and astute because of their wealth and luxury.
a. To measure one's life by this standard is simply stupid.
b. The stupid man is one who wants the thing of the world at the expense of his own soul.
c. A pig can be lead to the slaughter by following a few grains of corn without ever looking up to see where he is going.
d. They have never looked up to see what awaits them in the end.
III) Sin in Maintaining Wealth
A) Corrupted Justice
1. They have influenced the courts to rule in their favor.
a. Either by influence of the judges of the courts.
b. Or by mocking justice by framing his guilt.
2. They have essentially established a Kangaroo Court where the guilt or innocence has been predetermined.
3. They are accessories before the fact to murder.
a. This is a legal term - a person who procures or advises or commands the commission of a felony but who is not present at its perpetration.
b. They are guilty of murder because they gave the courts the weapons to condemn.
B) The Just or Righteous One
1. They murdered the Righteous One or the Just
2. There are two views
3. The first view is most probable
a. The Greek phrase is singular.
b. This phrase repeatedly refers to Christ in the New Testament
c. Connection to the Crucifixion of Christ
(i) Who else was condemned by a corrupt court and murdered under legal pretense?
(ii) Additionally, Jesus did not resist the corruption and His eventual death.
C) All this done in order to maintain the status quo
1. What did the Wicked Pharisees and Sadducees want from Christ?
2. It is characteristic of the Lord and inspired writers to show the connection between the wickedness of their day as the consequence and guilt of the sins committed in earlier time.
Posted in: Book of James, Sermon Outlines, Sin, Wealth, Worldliness