James 5:1-6
A commonly heard cliché is “money is the root of all evil.” However, this is a misquotation of 1 Timothy 6:10 which actually says, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” James 5:1-6 reveals the sorrows that come from a love of money. The gold and silver corrode, the fine clothes become moth-eaten, and their cries of anguish ring out.
So is James saying that all who are rich will perish? The answer is no. The aim of James is to lead first-century Christians away from hypocrisy and point them toward right Christian living. An example of this is when Jesus spoke with the rich young ruler. With an eager spirit, the wealthy man asked what good thing he could do to achieve eternal life. Jesus told him to keep the commandments, to which the ruler responded that he already does. One last thing Jesus asked of him: “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21). This, the young man would not do, and walked away sad, retaining his wealth.
What we see Jesus doing is exactly the point of the book of James—marrying faith and works. Jesus’ command to the rich young ruler was aimed to reveal the man’s heart. The reason this man wouldn’t do the work of selling all of his things was because of his great love for material possessions over God. His lack of faith is revealed by his lack of deed. Further, this passage in James shows not only does the love of wealth show lack of faith, but it also can lead to taking advantage of and abusing others in the pursuit of more wealth.
Is it impossible to love God and remain wealthy? No. But the love Christians have for God must surpass the desire to accumulate wealth so much, that we are willing to give it up and share our resources for the Kingdom. We must keep a loose grip on the things of this world, and a cling tightly to Jesus’ commands.
Additional references for further study: Proverbs 11:4, 28; Matthew 6:19-24
Photography: @davidparks
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