James: A Handbook on Holiness

The Range of Holiness: The Rich

James 5:1-6

General outline:

1. The Way to Holiness: The Divine Perspective 1:2-27

   1. The Trial-Temptation Complex (1:2-18) & The Word of God (1:19-27)

2. The Principles of Holiness: The Biblical Framework 2:1-26

   1. The Law is the Structure (2:1-13) & Faith is the Dynamics (2:14-26) of Holiness

3. The Implementation of Holiness: The Christian Experience 3:1-4:10

   1. The Obstacle to Victory: Human Impotence 3:1-9

   2. The Nature of Victory 3:10-18

   3. The Requirements for Victory: Self-Knowledge & God-Centered Repentance 4:1-10

4. The Range of Holiness: The Fabric of Life 4:11-5:18

   1. The Relationship to "The Other:" Your Brother & the Future 4:11-17

   2. The Relationship to Yourself 5:1-11

      1. The Rich 5:1-6

James 5:1-6

The Warning

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.

The First Ground

2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.

3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.

The Second Ground

4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

The Third Ground

5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

The Fourth Ground

6 You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Discussion Questions:

1. V. 1 – Is James condemning all who are rich? _____ Is James calling these rich people to repent today (see 4:9) or telling them they will end in hell? _____________________________

2. Vv. 2-3 – How will money fail you? _______________________________________________

3. V. 4 – How will fraud fail you? ___________________________________________________

4. V. 5 – How will luxuries fail you? ________________________________________________

5. V. 6 – How will injustice fail you? ________________________________________________