The past three weeks, we've focused on James 4. The central, overriding idea in this chapter is that God expects his people to have whole-hearted commitment to himself. We have to choose between friendship with God, and friendship with the world. We can't try to have it both ways. God expects us to be all-in for him.
Now, how do we know if we've compromised in this? Normally, with adultery, you'd think the answer is pretty straightforward. You've either compromised, or you haven't. But either way, you know.
But the type of adultery James describes is a little more sneaky. A little less straightforward. When we shift from being friends with God, to friends with the world, it tends to be a slow drift. It's gradual, and we might not even be aware of what we're doing. All we know, if we look back at our lives, is that at some point, our priorities changed. The things we fill our minds with, have changed. What we want from life, has changed. God, and his kingdom, and his church, have become far less important. Other things have taken their place.
James understands all of this. He knows you maybe didn't intend to become friends with the world. You maybe didn't want to become an adulterer. It just sort of happened. The worst part, though, is that you might not even realize what you've done.
And so what James did, in the verses we read last week-- James 4:13-17-- was help us wrestle with whether or not we've compromised. He did this by painting us a picture of one type of adulterer. We were forced to look at this picture, and decide if we were seeing ourselves. I'd like to start today by rereading these verses. Let's hold
up the mirror a second time:
(13) Come now, the ones saying--
"Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city,
and we will do/spend a year there,
and we will buy and sell,
and we will profit,"--
(14) [you] who don't know what will happen tomorrow-- of what type of life you'll have.
For smoke/vapor you are-- which for a little time becomes visible.
Then also disappears.
(15) In place of this, you should say,
"If the Lord wants/wills/consents, we will both live and do/spend this or that."
(16) Now, you now boast in your pretences/posturings/braggings.
All such boasting, evil, it is. ["Evil" is focused]
(17) And so then, to the one who knows to do good, and doesn't do it, sin to him it is.
The type of adulterer James describes here thinks he is in total control of his future. He will decide the when, and where, and how long, and what, of his life. He is the one who determines his success-- his smarts, and careful planning, and hard work, will be enough.
In all of this, he has a few sinful problems-- he doesn't understand his frailty. He boasts, making sure others know his plans. He places limits on how much good he will do.
But his main problem, I think, is that the path he is taking in life has the wrong starting point. His focus isn't on what his Lord and Master desires. If you start with what God wants for you, you will make plans. But those plans will flexible. They will be open to God's input, and to God opening and closing doors. And perhaps most importantly, you will leave room in your plans for loving your neighbor as yourself. Ideally, as you go through life, you will be like Good Samaritans. And when you see people in need, you will have compassion on them, and help, regardless with how much it costs you in money, and time, and inconvenience-- regardless with whether or not it interferes with your plans.
James continues his letter, in what we call James chapter 5, by painting a second picture of an adulterer. He starts out the same way, with a call to "come now." It's like a call to listen, and think. And we will find ourselves forced, a second time, to look at his picture, and decide if we are seeing ourselves. For those of us with some money, and wealth, it's going to be hard to look at this picture. I'll just read through the whole thing:
(5:1) Come now, the rich ones, wail,
crying out because of your difficulties/suffering approaching you.
(2) Your riches have rotted/decayed,
and your clothing, moth-eaten, it has become ("moth-eaten" is focused).
(3) Your gold and silver have rusted/tarnished,
and their rust/tarnish (for) a witness against you, it will be,
and it will eat/consume your flesh like fire.
You stored up treasure in the last days.
(4) LOOK! The wages of the workers reaping your fields-- the ones being defrauded by you-- cry out,
and the cries of the reapers, to the ears of the Lord of Armies have entered.
(5) You lived in luxury on the earth,
and you lived indulgently.
You fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.
(6) You condemned.
You murdered the righteous one.
He doesn't oppose/resist you.
When we read verses 1-6 as a whole, what are the rich being condemned for? James condemns them for seven things (put in outline):
(1) You stored up treasure in the last days (verse 3).
(2) You defrauded the poor (verse 4).
(3) You lived in luxury on the earth (verse 5).
(4) You lived indulgently (verse 5).
(5) You fattened your hearts (verse 5).
(6) You condemned (verse 6).
(7) You murdered the righteous one (verse 7).
Now, some of us, reading this list, maybe find ourselves a little nervous. We wonder if we are seeing another picture of ourselves. I don't defraud the poor. I don't condemn the poor. I don't murder righteous people-- or anybody, for that matter. But maybe I've stored up treasure on earth, that I'm unwilling to share with those in need. Maybe that wealth has gotten cobwebs, and rust, and moth-eaten, because it's unused. Maybe I've lived indulgently.
I think there's no harm in taking these verses, and thinking about how we spend, and save, our money. But James here isn't describing the middle, or upper-middle class. When we read the passage as a whole, we see that James is not describing us. He's describing the one percenters of his world.
[What follows is based on Patrick Hartin, James, 235ff].
In every society, the ultimate source of wealth, is land. Land is wealth. And in the first century, when James is writing, large tracts of land were being collected/amassed by just a few wealthy and powerful people. A modern example is where billionaires buy up large swathes of Hawaii, or New Zealand, or even North Dakota.
But the problem, in the first century, wasn't only that a few people control vast estates. The bigger problem was how that happened. "The development of large estates throughout Palestine was largely due to the powerful rulers annexing land for their own use or granting land as favors for political reasons. [Horsely] writes, "We can see how the system worked when Herod took over from the Hasmoneans. He simply killed the Hasmonean family and offers, expropriated their land and property, and then granted his own family members and high-raking offers various estates (B.J. 1.358; Ant. 15.5-6; 17.305-7)" (Hartin, 235).
In the first century, property rights weren't respected, or built into a founding constitution. If someone in power wanted your land, they could take it. And once they had your land, you'd be forced to work as a day laborer. You still have to put food on the table, and provide for yourself and your family. But now you do so, as a vulnerable laborer. Imagine being a farmer, working on the land that's been passed down from generation to generation. Only now, it's no longer yours. You know every low spot in the fields where you might get stuck. You know which areas need more fertilizer, and which need less. You know every inch of that property. But you work it, as a day laborer.
And if, at the end of your day's work, the landowner changes his mind about how much you get paid, or if you get paid, there was nothing you could do about it. Everything in society was stacked against you.
So when we read these verses, within their first century context, who are "the rich"? James isn't talking about people who have great jobs, who make a good living. He's talking about the group of people who exploit the poor, and who build empires for themselves on oppression.
We have a different name for those people today. In the U.S., we call them "the swamp."
The swamp is made up of politicians who make multi-million options trades, based on legislation they are about to pass favoring particular corporations. It's made up of the bankers, who seamlessly move back and forth between working for the central banks, and working for the big banks.
In the E.U., it's the group in the Netherlands that is trying to drive farmers out of business, by restricting their ability to fertilize with nitrogen, on the pretense that nitrogen causes global warming. They want to cut the amount of nitrogen used by 50%, by 2030. It's insane.
The swamp is the group that was determined to make a profit from Covid. They wouldn't talk about natural immunity to Covid, because there's no money in that. And they wouldn't promote using Ivermectin to treat Covid, even though over 100 peer-reviewed studies show it's safe and effective, because ivermectin is too cheap to make a profit from.
The swamp is the group that works in the Pentagon, until it works as lobbyists for arms manufacturers. It's the group that topples some governments, and lifts others up, on the basis of their loyalty/fealty to the U.S.
It's the shadow government that hides where the money is going, and what's being done.
So who is the swamp? It's the military complex. The pharmaceutical complex. The World Economic Forum. It's politicians on the take. And it's the mainstream media that manipulates us all, and gives an air of legitimacy to all of it.
And I don't say any of this as someone who is in love with Trump, or who thinks the Republican party is amazing.
The swamp transcends political parties, and nations.
When James calls out the rich in James 5, he's calling out the swamp.
These people have directly and indirectly increased the suffering of the poor across the globe. Millions of people are suffering. or dying, or dead, because of their decisions.
Now, we know how we feel about the swamp. But how does God feel about the swamp?
James, sounding like a prophet, says that these people are doomed. They have lived a life of luxury, and indulgence, while leaving ruin behind them, everywhere they go. It's going to really bad for them on the day of judgment-- in verse 3, James says that their wealth will be like a fire that consumes their flesh.
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And for these verses, I think the approach of Dibelius, Luke Timothy Johnson, and Patrick Hartin works beautifully. James here sounds like an OT prophet imaginatively condemning a foreign nation, while standing inside of Israel. The goal of this condemnation isn't to provoke change, or repentance. The goal is to bring comfort to God's people. James painted this picture, to prepare us for his transition ("oun") in verse 7 to speaking directly to the church-- to "brothers."
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Now, why does James condemn the swamp? He's not calling them to repentance. He's not really talking to them, at all. He condemns the swamp, as an encouragement to you. The day will come, when you will be freed from your oppressors. And it's at this point, that James directly addresses his readers-- including you. James wants to give you a comfort, and an encouragement. So hear these words, as addressed to you:
James 5:7:
(7) And so then, wait patiently/steadfastly, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.
LOOK! The farmer awaits the valuable fruit of the land,
being patient/steadfast concerning it until he receives the early and late rains.
(8) Be patient/steadfast also you.
Inwardly strengthen your hearts
because the Lord's coming has drawn near.
(9) Don't sigh/groan/express discontent, brothers, concerning one another,
in order that you will not be judged.
LOOK! The judge before the doors stands. ["before the doors" is focused].
(10) An example/model take, brothers, of the mistreatment and the patience/steadfastness of the prophets-- the ones who spoke in the name of the Lord. ["example" is focused]
(11) LOOK! We consider blessed the ones enduring/being steadfast.
The endurance/steadfastness of Job you heard [about],
and the outcome from the Lord you saw,
that very compassionate, the Lord is, and merciful.
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On "wait patiently," in verse 7: the idea isn't simply to "be patient," but "to remain tranquil while waiting" (BDAG) for something/someone.
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Life in this world is a lot harder than it needs to be. We should be able to keep more of what we produce. We should be free to go through life without oppression. We should get a fair day's pay, for a fair day's work. But what we see, around the world, is the swamp squeezing people.
How should we respond?
(1) The first, and less obvious, response, is to imitate James's example. We can shine a light on members of the swamp-- on oppressors-- who would rather work in the dark. A great example of this, is the twitter account Pelosi's Portfolio Tracker. Nancy Pelosi is the single greatest investor the world has ever seen. She nails almost every trade, perfectly timing entries and exits, becoming fabulously rich. She's done this, perhaps because she's an incredible trader. But it's also possible that her success is due in part to controlling legislation. She can pass bills that choose winners and losers in the corporate world. And she can make trades, ahead of any announced legislation. If you know the government is going to pass a bill promoting domestic semiconductors, you can buy call options in NVDIA and make a killing. In all of this, she's done nothing illegal, as far as I know. Politicians can trade based on what bills they are about to pass. But even if it's legal, it looks terrible.
Now, the remarkable thing about Pelosi's Portfolio Tracker, is that a single person, shining light on Pelosi, is apparently going to put an end to all of it. The optics of what she has done are so bad, and the awareness of it has become so widespread, that politicians are maybe going to vote to make insider trading for themselves illegal.
When we speak publicly about oppressors, we are copying the example of people like Isaiah, and Amos, and Micah, and Jesus (Luke 6:24-26). We are giving God's perspective on oppressors. We are fighting for the poor, by speaking on their behalf. Some of you may not like when pastors, and churches, talk about these things. You'd prefer that churches focus solely on the Bible, and leave the politics out. You don't want to hear about people jailed at Guantanamo Bay for 20 years without a trial. You don't want to hear about the CIA torturing people overseas, or about our role in supplying the bombs that have killed thousands of innocent people in Yemen, both directly, and indirectly through famine.
But when we read books like James, and Isaiah, and Micah, I think we see that part of our calling is to speak against the swamp, with whatever voice we have.
I say this, but how vocal you are, maybe depends on where you live. If you are citizens of a country that respects free speech, you can be more brave. But if you live in a country where politicians will kill you, or imprison you, for publicly speaking the truth, what should you do? What if the swamp is deep enough to drown you?
That's a tough call. I have a ton of respect for the brave people who work as independent journalists, shining a light on the swamp. Some of these people have made the world a far better place.
My own instinct, I think, would be to encourage you to keep your head down, and your mouth publicly shut. Wait until you get behind closed doors, and you cry out to God. Let's reread James 5:4:
(4) LOOK! The wages of the workers reaping your fields-- the ones being defrauded by you-- cry out,
and the cries of the reapers, to the ears of the Lord of Armies have entered.
Cry out to God for justice, understanding that God, is the Lord of Armies. He is a powerful general, and he, one day, will fight for you. And when you cry out, understand that the evidence of your oppression is also crying out to God. Your lost wages, and you, cry out together. The money in the swamp's bank account cries out to God, telling God that this isn't right.
(2) A second thing we should do, in response to the swamp-- and this is really James's focus-- is be patient, and steadfast. We understand that the day of judgment is coming. God will ultimately drain the swamp, and free us from our oppressors. And knowing this does two things for us. First, it gives us reason to live confidently. Second, it helps us resist the urge to violently resist our oppressors.
Let me reread James 5:6:
(6) You condemned.
You murdered the righteous one.
He doesn't oppose/resist you.
The righteous don't take up weapons, and violently fight for what's right. Instead, they cry out to God for justice, and wait for God to act.
James knows that for the oppressed, the hardest part is the waiting. We want vindication now. We want to be made whole now. And James says, be patient. God's judgment is coming soon. The Judge is standing at the door, ready. But the door isn't yet opened.
So James says, be patient, like a farmer is patient. The day of your help is coming. In the end, your story will look like Job's. Your story won't end with your defeat. God is merciful, and compassionate. He sees your suffering. He hears your cry. And He will help you. One day, you will become far more prosperous than Job was-- you will inherit the earth.
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I'd like to close today with some thoughts about the day of the Lord. The church, historically, has understood that the final judgment is based on works.
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A good example of this is Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, 3:840-50. He was a Reformed, Calvinist, Presbyterian theologian and principal of Princeton Theological Seminary. His systematic theology is in the public domain:
https://archive.org/details/systematictheolo014257mbp/page/848/mode/2up?q=849&view=theater
"5. The ground or matter of judgment is said to be the “deeds done in the body,” men are to be judged “according to their works;” “the secrets of the heart” are to be brought to light. God’s judgment will not be founded on the professions, or the relations of men, or on the appearance or reputation which they sustain among their fellows; but on their real character and on their acts, however secret and covered from the sight of men those acts may have been. God will not be mocked and cannot be deceived; the character of every man will be clearly revealed. (1.) In the sight of God. (2.) In the sight of the man himself. All self deception will be banished. Every man will see himself as he appears in the sight of God. His memory will probably prove an indelible register of all his sinful acts and thoughts and feelings. His conscience will be so enlightened as to recognize the justice of the sentence which the righteous judge shall pronounce upon him. All whom Christ condemns will be self-condemned. (3.) There will be such a revelation of the character of every man to all around him, or to all who know him, as shall render the justice of the sentence of condemnation or acquittal apparent. Beyond this the representations of Scripture do not require us to go.
Besides these general representations of Scripture that the character and conduct of men is the ground on which the final sentence is to be pronounced, there is clear intimation in the Word of God, that, so far as those who hear the Gospel are concerned, their future destiny depends on the attitude which they assume to Christ. He came to his own, and his own received Him not; but to as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God. He is God manifest in the flesh; He came into the world to save sinners; all who receive Him as their God and Saviour, are saved; all who refuse to recognize and trust Him, perish. They are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. When the Jews asked our Lord, What shall we do that we might work the works of God? his answer was, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom He hath sent.” In the solemn account given of the last judgment in Matthew 25:31–46, the inquest concerns the conduct of men towards Christ. And the Apostle says, If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha. The special ground of condemnation, therefore, under the Gospel is unbelief; the refusal to receive Christ in the character in which He is presented for our acceptance."
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Galatians 6:7-9 (NIV no reason):
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
God's people are like farmers, who sow to please the Spirit by doing good. We love God with the entirety of who we are. We love our neighbor as ourselves. And the harvest we reap from our doing good, is eternal life.
One more passage. Romans 2:5-11 (NIV no reason):
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a] 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.
And then hopping down to verse 25:
25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the[c] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
Those of us who have died with Christ, and been raised up to new life in him, and had our hearts circumcised by the Spirit, and walk in step with the Spirit, fulfill the law's requirements through doing good (Romans 8:4). We seek the glory, honor, and immorality that God gives (Romans 2:7). We don't reject the truth, do evil, and sow to please the flesh. And God gives eternal life to us, as a result. Eternal life isn't earned. It's a reward. It's a gift. But it's a gift given to those who have given their allegiance to Jesus, and live for God through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now, why does God set it up this way? Why does God give eternal life to the ones who do good, through the Spirit? Why do those who sow to please the flesh reap destruction?
Part of the answer, is that God gives people what they deserve. There is no partiality with God; God "repays" people for how they live (Romans 2:11).
But there's another part of it, and that's what James focuses on here. In the end, God will judge "the rich"-- the swamp-- not simply because they deserve it, but because He will create a world where people are free from oppressors. Where they can live in peace, and harmony, with God and with each other. He will create a new earth, where everyone can prosper. The type of future God envisions has no space for liars, or murderers, or oppressors. There will be no swamp. So that's the other reason, why those types of people are thrown in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8).
People who live that way now aren't necessarily doomed. If you live in self-indulgence, and luxury, and exploit the poor and vulnerable, there's still a way out. There's still time to turn from your sin, and turn toward God, and make things right with those who you've wronged. For now, the judge is still on the other side of the door. But the clock is ticking.
The ticking, for the rich, is ominous-- like in Peter Pan, when Captain Hook hears the clock. But the ticking for us, is a great comfort, and encouragement. Someday, God will make the world a much better place. Someday, God will drain the swamp.
Translation:
(5:1) Come now, the rich ones, wail,
crying out because of your difficulties/suffering approaching you.
(2) Your riches have rotted/decayed,
and your clothing, moth-eaten, it has become ("moth-eaten" is focused).
(3) Your gold and silver have rusted/tarnished,
and their rust/tarnish (for) a witness against you, it will be,
and it will eat/consume your flesh like fire.
You stored up treasure in the last days.
(4) LOOK! The wages of the workers reaping your fields-- the ones being defrauded by you-- cry out,
and the cries of the reapers, to the ears of the Lord of Armies have entered.
(5) You lived in luxury on the earth,
and you lived indulgently.
You fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.
(6) You condemned.
You murdered the righteous one.
He doesn't oppose/resist you.
(7) And so then, be patient/steadfast, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.
LOOK! The farmer awaits the valuable fruit of the land,
being patient/steadfast concerning it until he receives the early and late rains.
(8) Be patient/steadfast also you.
Inwardly strengthen your hearts
because the Lord's coming has drawn near.
(9) Don't sigh/groan/express discontent, brothers, concerning one another,
in order that you will not be judged.
LOOK! The judge before the doors stands. ["before the doors" is focused].
(10) An example/model take, brothers, of the mistreatment and the patience/steadfastness of the prophets-- the ones who spoke in the name of the Lord. ["example" is focused]
(11) LOOK! We consider blessed the ones enduring.
The endurance of Job you heard [about],
and the outcome from the Lord you saw,
that very compassionate, the Lord is, and merciful.
