THE EPISTLE OF JAMES – CHAPTER FIVE

 

Misuse of Riches

 

James doesn’t waste time or words in condemning the selfishness exhibited by the rich and well off people who are hoarding wealth, spending all their riches on themselves and continuing to accumulate as much material possessions for themselves as they can. Read his condemning as he writes verses 1 through5 in chapter five of the book of James.

 

“1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!”

 

The use of the words “Come now” is an effort to confront someone with an issue or to challenge their motives, actions or behavior. James adds to these words the prediction that their actions of selfish behavior will bring upon them miseries and hardships so great that they will weep tears of terror and howl like wolves for the miseries that will come upon them for their selfish accumulation of wealth for only themselves. James is so incensed by the motives, attitudes and actions of the selfish wealthy that uses some very creative unimaginable events that will take place because of their selfish hoarding of their wealth. He knows that when you accumulate too much you can never utilize it completely. When he states that “your riches have rotted” he is absolutely correct. If you gather great amounts of clothing, food, items of value and trinkets you will never be able to attend to all such hoards of wealth. The clothing will become moth eaten. The food will spoil. The riches you have invested in such as land, animals, and objects will rot, spoil or go to seed because you don’t have time to use or care for such a great amount of wealth. Such selfish actions are wasteful and irresponsible. They are evidence of the epitome of a sinful, selfish heart and mind that is absolutely not Christ-like and caring.

 

He states what we might say are some impossible results that will take place to emphasize the insensitivity of their selfishness. He states that their “gold and silver will rust,” and this evidence will be a witness against them. Gold and silver do not rust…but possibly what James means is the gold and silver which is selfishly accumulated and then is used to purchase items that are never really used end up wasting away through lack of care and use. It seems as if James is creating a courtroom situation where the evidence of their selfish thoughts and behavior will be used as evidence to condemn the rich of their wasteful spending on themselves when such wealth could be used for more appropriate, responsible ways to help others, alleviate poverty and starvation or to promote the Gospel!

 

James continues in verse 4 of chapter 5 with his accusations against the wasteful selfish rich.

 

“4 Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.”

 

James speaks against the selfish rich in verse 4 where he accuses them of withhold pay for those who have labored in their fields. This again, is a harsh accusation. The rich are so selfish they can withhold honest pay that is due to those who work hard for them to become well-off. These rich hoarders want to keep everything for themselves and do not even consider paying a decent wage to those who work hard for them. James uses a part of speech called an “anthropomorphism” here. An anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to an animal or object. James is saying that if a rich person withholds a decent wage from the pay of those who work for them, the withheld payment of money to laborers will in a sense cry out against the stingy rich person, why…because this is such a selfish and stingy way to treat those who work hard for a day’s wage. James continues with even heavier warnings of judgment because these cries of complaint for the selfishness exhibited will reach the ears of the Lord God Almighty Himself!

 

You might be wondering what the words, “Lord of Sabbath” means?

 

Shawn Brasseaux of Aarc Ministries (ambassadors for the risen Christ ministries) explains its meaning as follows; “The title “the LORD of Sabaoth” means “the LORD of hosts.” It is a title of JEHOVAH God’s military might, His strength to fight and win battles. The LORD is commander of the angelic soldiers as well as the armies of Israel (“the LORD of hosts” is defined in 1 Samuel 17:45 as “the God of the armies of Israel”). Romans 9:25-29 and James 5:1-9 anticipate the day when Jesus will return to Earth in wrath, His Second Coming, to defeat and destroy the wicked, all unbelieving Jews and Gentiles.”

 We see even further evidence of the horribly selfish actions of the rich described in verses 5 and 6.

 

“5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.” James continues to give evidence of this horrible wanton selfish indulgence of the rich. He states they have lived luxuriously and led a life of what might be called, out of control or wanton pleasure. James states that such behavior is like fattening a calf or pig for slaughter. In other words, the rich are so selfish they are actually fattening themselves up for a tremendous judgment from almighty God! God will be judge them for their wanton selfishness because the evidence of their selfish actions is the hoarding of wealth for themselves while failing to be fair to those who work for them! The selfish and arrogant rich have condemned themselves and in a sense, “put to death the righteous man,” who has worked hard for the rich with no resistance against them, simply obeying their selfish master who is a hoarder of wealth and comfort for only themselves. I wonder if we, living in this current century, could maintain our composure and Christian witness, if we were in the situation of the first century people who were abused by such overseers, bosses, landowners and managers? Below is a chart from Pastor Charles Swindohl’s commentary on James that may be of help as we seek to evaluate “Wealth and Poverty” and understand the various aspects of being “Physically Rich or Poor”  or  “Spiritually Rich or Poor” and how they can influence each other.

 

 Let’s view the passage of James 5:2-6 with some summary statements which might give us some additional help in what James is communicating and how we might both understand and seek to apply what he is challenging us to perceive and live out in our lives as Disciples of Christ.

 

SUMMARY ONE

 

James is rebuking the rich because they are guilty of hoarding their riches and wealth. (James 5:2-3)

 

James is rebuking the rich because they are guilty of cheating others. (James 5:4)

 

James is rebuking the rich because they are guilty of self-centered lifestyle. (James 5:5)

 

James is rebuking the rich because they are guilty of taking an advantage of the righteous. (James 5:6)

 

SUMMARY TWO

 

Hoarded riches always eventually reap miserable dividends, such as stress, emptiness! (James 5:1-3)

 

Riches do not provide any relief in eternity! (James 5:3) Read Proverbs 11:4 if you wish further evidence!

 

Unjust acts of those who are unsaved are not forgotten! (James 5:4)

 

A lack of judgment (punishment for sinful actions) does not mean lack of any judgment in the future! (James 5:1-6)

 

Now James turns to those who have been taken advantage of, who have been worked to the bone by their self-centered masters, who are struggling to remain calm and obedient to their Heavenly Father for understanding, encouragement and strength to endure their plight and strive to emulate their Savior, Jesus Christ in such horrible hardships.

 

EXHORTATION

 

James now shares some spiritual advice, pours out encouragement to Disciples of Christ to endure and persevere in their faith as Christ did on the cross. He also advises them that they should be patient as they rely upon their Heavenly Father, their Savior Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, who lives within them, and who also gives them spiritual strength.

 

“7a Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.”

 

In verse 7 see James gives them an instruction in how to cope. First he advises them to be patient. Patience in such situations as these Christians were living in is not easy at all, but that is where God can give strength, endurance, patience beyond what we can muster on our own. God blesses those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior, seek to live like Christ, live by the precepts contained in the Holy Bible and allow the Holy Spirit to give them the power to walk as Christ did on this earth.

 

Then James gives them the hopeful future event to focus their hearts, minds and souls on…the COMING OF THE LORD, their SAVIOR and LORD! He gives them an example to follow in the humble farmer who must wait for his crop to break forth from the soil to grow, mature and produce a bountiful crop!

 

“7b The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.”

 

If you have ever planted a garden or raised flowers from seeds, you have learned how to be patient after your hard work. Its no easy task to work hard and then have to wait many weeks to see your commitment pay off as green shoots break forth from the bed of soil. But what a joy it brings as those tiny green sprouts peek out from the brown earth. You thrill to see the evidence of what might be, whether it is a eventual beautiful flower, a talk stalk of corn, or a marvelous bushy tomato plant with large luscious red tomatoes! James continues…

 

“8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

 

James shares even more encouragement to be patient by challenging these struggling Disciples of Christ to strengthen their hearts of faith. He does this by reminding them that the “coming of the Lord is near.”

 

Now you might say, “But these Christians lived in the first century and we are living over 2,000 years later and Christ has not yet come. How could James give them such false encouragement?”

 

I would say this to you. We MUST ALWAYS have the mindset that Christ could return in a few minutes, an hour or tomorrow, for He very well could. We are called to live like Christ each and every day…ALWAYS anticipating that He might come in a year, a month, a week or a few seconds. That is the mindset we as Disciples of Christ should have. Why? Because if we have this perspective of the imminent return of Christ…we will be diligent to live holy and prudent as we persistently walk in the light of the Holy Scriptures, always letting the Spirit guide us in how we live, think and act. If we are always expectant of the return of Christ, we will not falter in living like Christ. We will not take Christ’s death for granted, we will always seek to be a witness of our Lord and Savior. Whenever we falter in having this perspective…we will begin to shuffle back to our old self before we committed our life to Jesus Christ. We will become spiritually lazy. We will begin to doubt our commitment to Christ. Remember the commitment you made to Christ. It is all or nothing. When you accept Christ as your Savior you have given your entire self to Him.

 

James continues with more advice, encouragement and instruction in verse 9.

 

“9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.”

 

Here in verse 9 of chapter 5 we see James again give instruction on how to live waiting for Christ to return. He shares that the Disciples of Christ should not complain against one another. If they do…if we do…we will be judged for our thoughts and behavior.

 

I list below several passages in Holy Scripture that command us to “love one another.”

 

John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

 

John 15:12-14, “12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.  13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

 

John 15:17, “17 “This I command you, that you love one another.”

 

Romans 13:8, “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”

 

1 Thessalonians 4:9, “9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;…”

 

1 Peter 1:22, “22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,…”

 

1 John 3:11, “11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;…”

 

1 John 3:23-24, “23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. 24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”

 

1 John 4:7-14, “7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”

 

2 John 5-6, “Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.”

 

To instruct the readers of his letter, James continues with some examples of people who loved God and obeyed Him even while enduring suffering and hardship.

 

“10 As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”

 

James is wise to use examples of those who were faithful during suffering and expressed godly patience during such trials. We all need examples of faithful Disciples of Christ to illustrate that it is possible for us to be dedicated enduring saints as well. If we have no examples of those who are faithful we can always argue that it is beyond us to be faithful because no one can be. When we are confronted with examples of dedicated Disciples who endure hardship and ridicule for their faith it demonstrates that we too can be like them. It also challenges us to rise to the occasion and seek to trust God more as we see that we need to trust our Heavenly Father to instill faith and spiritual strength within us under the ministry of the Holy Spirit to endure hardship, ridicule and pressure on our faith. James mentions the prophets who are excellent examples of dedicated saints.

 

In the book of Hebrews we find the excellent LONG list of examples of those who were faithful as well. This list can be found in Hebrews chapter 11. I list below this passage which should encourage us to see what kind of Disciples we should strive to be.

 

HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 – THE TRIUMPHS OF FAITH!

 

“1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

 

4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.

 

5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

 

7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

 

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

 

11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.

 

13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

 

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;  18 it was he to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED.” 19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come.

 

21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

 

22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

 

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

 

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

 

31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

 

32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

 

39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”

 

After such an exhaustive list of examples we should be encouraged that while we may view ourselves as just “average” people with “average” faith, many of the list of individuals were simply average as well, but they chose to trust God to give them strength, determination, faith and commitment to God to do mighty things for God!

 

In verse 12 of chapter 5 James now shifts gears and presents to his readers some basic actions of spiritual faith that are responsibilities of those who call Jesus Christ Lord and savior. Lets look at this list.

 

“12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.”

 

James states that we should not swear, neither by heaven or by earth or any similar oath. We should just say “yes” or “no” and leave it at that. We need to step up and demonstrate that our faith is pure and strong and live like Christ would have us live. When we simply say “Yes” or “No” we are establishing that our word is something people can depend upon. It promotes strength and honesty in the simple but STRONG faith we have. People appreciate those who are dedicated and keep their word and express their commitment to God.

 

But what moved James to share his opinion about this issue in this letter? Were people swearing falsely and therefore misleading people of their dependability? Let me share some thoughts with you on this matter. There are two other scripture passages that might help us investigate this issue from other New Testament writers.

 

First there is a passage in Matthew 5:33-37. “5:33 Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.”

 

Here Jesus is condemning the making of “false vows” that are never intended to be kept in the first place. These individuals who make “false vows” choose well-known and respected objects to make vows upon to add veracity to their vow, but have no intention of keeping their vow or promise. They actually are misleading people and lying because they never intend to keep their vow or promise.

 

Secondly there is the another passage in Matthew 23:16-22 where it says; “16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ 17 You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.’ 19 You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? 20 Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.”

 

Jesus pronounces eight “woes” on the scribes and Pharisees. Woes are effectively curses, condemnations to Hell. This is extremely serious, because Jesus, who is God, is telling the scribes and Pharisees they are condemned. Once God pronounces this, it is forever done. 

 

You can see that the Bible teaches that Disciples of Christ should not take make oaths, but if we look at the context of where these passages are found we can understand better in what circumstances “making oaths” is wrong or inappropriate.

 

James is clearly echoing Jesus’ words. The Bible teaches Christians should not take oaths. However, the context of these passages helps clarify for us under what circumstances oath-taking is wrong.

 

The scribes and Pharisees were making oaths they did not intend to keep while ignoring other oaths when it suited them. For example, they may swear “by the temple,” but they had no intention of honoring their oath, making an excuse that one only had to honor an oath sworn by the “gold of the temple.” 

 

In other words, these hypocrites had found a convenient excuse to lie or renege on a promise whenever they wished. For this, Jesus condemns them. He points out the gold of the temple is not more important than the temple that sanctifies the gold. Their excuses for breaking promises were based on contrived technicalities that didn’t even make logical sense.

 

Based on the context of these passages, we can understand why taking oaths voluntarily is a sin. A person taking a voluntary oath is attempting to convince someone else they are telling the truth. Phrases like “I swear on a stack of Bibles” or “I swear to God” are given as evidence someone is not lying, which is only necessary when the person is suspected of being untrustworthy or a liar. Therefore, when a person volunteers to take an oath, they usual do so to compensate for lack of trustworthiness.

 

This is the context in which Jesus condemns oath-taking in Matthew 5. Notice the first verse: “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’” Jesus condemns hypocrisy and challenges the idea of oaths compensating for untrustworthiness. Jesus says a righteous man should not swear by anything, because his yes will be yes, and his no will be no. In other words, trustworthy individuals don’t need to resort to taking oaths.

 

Therefore, a Christian should be trustworthy in everything he or she says and does, thereby making oaths unnecessary. Jesus says Christians are not to make voluntary vows to enhance our promises, for doing so suggests we are less than trustworthy under normal circumstances. 

 

We understand from what the Bible teaches that our honesty and integrity must be of the most importance. When we say we are going to do something, we should honor our word. James tells us that it is of great importance that we demonstrate our faith by our works (chapter 2), and live up to our word because this is a reflection of our faith in God. As Disciples of Christ we should display our trustworthiness in everything we say and do, which makes it unnecessary to make any sort of oaths or promises.

 

But it is also very likely that we will encounter situations in civil society when we are required to take an oath (e.g., in a court of law, entering the military, etc.). In these cases, the oath we take is not voluntary, which changes the situation significantly. Voluntary oaths are taken to enhance personal credibility, which Jesus says is a sinful crutch, but involuntary oaths serve an entirely different purpose. 

 

Involuntary oaths are required as a matter of law to notify a person taking an oath they are subject to perjury penalties. This oath is not a guarantee of trustworthiness; it merely establishes legal authority to hold a person accountable for dishonesty. So a Christian may freely take an oath when required by law since this is not a voluntary act intended to compensate for untrustworthiness. When a Christian agrees to take an official oath as required by law, he or she is displaying respect for authority and law, which is consistent with trustworthiness. A refusal to take a required oath would suggest less trustworthiness, which is not the witness a Christian should seek. 

 

One more point I should make is that the manner of taking an oath may be of concern to some Christians. For example, the tradition in many courts is to use a Bible in the oath-taking process, but in light of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5, some Christians may object to this practice. Under these circumstances, courts allow a person to swear an oath without the use of a Bible. In all cases, let your conscience be your guide, doing your best to balance your witness and your desire to obey the law. 

 

Now I summarize James 5:7-12 using four main encouragements to enable you to respond in a Christ-like manner when you have been done wrong.

 

James 5:7-8 – “Don’t dwell or focus on the situation or you will find yourself either getting angry or mad. This can cause you to respond to the situation in your flesh rather than relying upon the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within you. Submit yourself to God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit as well as to the wisdom, strength and comfort found within God’s Word.”

 

James 5:8 – “Don’t focus on what has happened to you for this will foster “self-pity” growing within your mental and emotional health. Spiritual growth is made possible as we focus on how God works in the “Hard Times” as well as the “Blessings” He allows us to experience.”

 

James 5:9-11 – “Don’t fall into the temptation to seek someone to blame for this will cause three negative results: 1. You will seek to complain which can distract you from considering how Jesus would respond in this situation. 2. You will be hindered from hearing the Holy Spirit who lives within you, as He seeks to assist you in responding in a godly manner.”

 

James 5:12 – “Don’t focus on the present. Instead seek to look into your future for wisdom and insight in how you can use the situation to grow in wisdom, patience and spiritual maturity. Ask yourself how Christ would respond and how the Holy Spirit can enable you to grow spiritually in this situation. When we focus on the immediate difficult situation we lose the wisdom of what the future holds for us and how God will use this tough time to mold us into a person of stronger faith and spiritual maturity.”

 

Several other scriptures validate how to respond as a Disciple of Christ when going through trials and tribulations.

 

Romans 8:18, “8 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

 

2 Corinthians 4:17-18, “17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

 

1 Peter 1:6-7, “6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;…”

 

I share now some verified Bible trivia concerning James and his tenacity for practicing the necessity of prayer in the life of the Disciple of Christ. James was known to be a dedicated prayer warrior. Because of his tenacious regular practice of prayer he was nick-named, “Camel Knees!” You may wonder why was he given this nick-name? Well his habit of spending so much time in prayer he spent SO MUCH time on his knees praying they eventually resembled the greatly calloused knees which camels possessed.

 

James now proceeds with three specific instructions concerning suffering, cheerfulness and illness.

 

“13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray.”

 

Verse 13 presents a very obvious piece of spiritual instruction. If you are suffering in some way, be it emotional, mental or physical you “must” pray. Note that James does not say, you might consider praying about it, he states that you must pray. I take this to mean that when we suffer as a Disciple of Christ we should seek to pray to God about our suffering. This could be physical, mental, emotional or psychological issues we are experiencing. The reason we must pray is because God would desire you to pray for comfort, resolution, strength or resolution to your suffering. God is your great care-giver and desires to be involved in all aspects of your life. Whatever is causing you discomfort, mental torment, physical issues or concern, you need to open up to the Lord about this situation or experience. Our Heavenly Father is always just a prayer away and desires to hear from you at all times, especially when you are suffering, facing hardship, ill or overly concerned about some issue. This is just one aspect of the intimate relationship we have with our Heavenly Father. We should never hesitate to speak to the Lord about concerns we have.

 

One spiritual concept we must always remember when seeking God to answer our prayer is that God may choose not to answer our prayer in the way or manner we wish it to be. God never promises to answer every prayer the way we wish, but in the manner that best serves our spiritual growth, in the way that glorifies God and brings us closer to spiritual maturity. Remember that prayer doesn’t express faith in God to deliver us “FROM” trials, but “THROUGH” trials.

 

Next James instructs us to share our joy, cheerfulness and exuberance with Him.

 

“Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.”

 

If we are cheerful, happy, overwhelmed with joy we should sing praises to God. When we are in this pleasant mood of emotions and mindset we should share this state of mind with our Heavenly Father. Remember we are in an intimate relationship with God and we should desire not only to share our down times with the Lord but also the pleasant and exuberant times with Him as well. Remember Nehemiah 8:10 “…Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

 

Now James moves on to a more serious matter; when we are ill or sick and greatly concerned about our health which may be affected by disease, stress, infection or abuse. This health issue may be emotional, physical or mental. Whatever the problem is we should always seek out help and resolution through not just our own prayers but also the prayers of other Disciples of Christ and James here instructs us to call for the Elders and/or Pastors of the church.

 

“14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”

 

The elders or pastors (spiritual leaders of the local church fellowship) are in the ministry of caring for the local church fellowship both in spiritual matters but also in health issues as well.

 

Pastor Charles Swindoll has developed “Five Laws of Suffering” which I summarize below. His spiritual thoughts can help us understand our suffering and help us cope as we live through hard times, be they spiritual, emotional, mental or physical.

 

     “LAW ONE: “There are two classifications of sin. Original Sin: This is the sinful condition all humans (but not Christ) inherit from Adam, who was the         source and “head” of the human race (Romans 5:12) Personal sins are individual acts of wrong we regularly and willfully commit on our own because of our sinful condition (Romans 3:23) because of original sin (the root), we commit acts of sin (the fruit).”

 

     “LAW TWO: “Original sin introduced suffering, illness, and death to the human race (Romans 5:12). Had original sin never entered the garden of Eden, humanity never would have known sickness or death. In the broadest sense, all sickness and suffering are the result of original sin.

 

     “LAW THREE: “Sometimes there is a direct relationship between personal sins and sickness. King David testified to the relationship between his own personal acts of disobedience and physical ailments in Psalms 32:3-5 and 38:3-5.  Paul also warned that some of the Corinthian believers were “weak and sick” and a number of them had died because of personal sin (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).”

 

     “LAW FOUR: “Sometimes there is no relationship between personal sins and sickness. Some people are born with afflictions, suffering before they ever reach the age of committing personal sins (John 9:1-3; Acts 3:1-2). Others, like job, are living upright lives when suffering comes (Job1:1-5). Jesus Himself never committed personal sins, yet He often suffered; that is why He can fully sympathize with our plight of suffering in a fallen world (Hebrews 4:15, 5:8).”

 

     “LAW FIVE: “It is not God’s will that everyone be healed in this life. Some believe God wants every believer to experience complete physical healing in this life. They support their convictions with the words of Isaiah: ‘By His scourging we are healed” (Isaiah: “By His scourging we are healed.”). “Christ’s death brought us healing!” they sing and shout. Of course it did! BUT what kind? Check the context. The whole flow of thought in Isaiah 53 has to do with the ‘spiritual’ needs of humans and Christ’s priceless provision for the forgiveness of sin. It’s true that Matthew 8:17 quotes Isaiah 53:4 in reference to both physical and spiritual healing, but there Matthew relates it to Christ’s personal work of healing as a sign of His true identity as Isaiah’s Servant.”

 

In the local church we attend often a Pastor or Elder will pray over someone and anoint them with oil. This is a religious ceremony which imparts divine grace upon a person for mental, physical or spiritual healing. In addition to the anointing with oil there is also a prayer for the person and the laying-on of hands by the elders upon the person. In addition often those who witness this ceremony will also pray for the person or persons to recognize that the entire congregation is in accordance with the necessity of holding them up in prayer and encouraging them that their prayers will be answered.

 

Anointing oil is mentioned frequently throughout both the Old and New Testaments. There is nothing magical about the anointing oil itself, it is just a symbol of faith in God and in His ability to heal, cleanse and make things holy. The history of anointing oil is rather interesting. Originally this oil was made of five specific ingredients, see the ingredients below:

 

     Myrrh was a bitter embalming fluid also used as a purifier and signifies a purified life and death to our old man (Rom 6:6). The number-one ingredient for an anointed life is meekness and submission to God’s will. Myrrh was given to Jesus at His birth and death. He wouldn’t take the myrrh on the cross to dampen the pain. His love for us will pay the full price!

 

     Cinnamon comes from a tree that grows remarkably straight. Christ Himself is The Upright One and a sweet aroma. (Song of Solomon 1:3) It is said that this cinnamon grew so straight it had no curves. An upright life is a sweet aroma to the Lord (2 Cur 2:14)

 

     Sweet cane (Calamus) is a reed that grows in swamps. When it is dried and pulverized, Calamus yields a very fine aromatic smell. This speaks of a life bending low in humility. Humility is a sweet taste to the Lord. He dwells with the humble. (Isa 57:15)

 

     Cassia produces a leaf that till today, is used for inner cleansing. Malachi 3:2 says, “He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap.” The branches of the cassia herb retain moisture and must be planted in a swampy area near the banks of a river in order to survive. This signifies that we can’t survive without the Spirit. Cassia in the Hebrew language also means to bow down the head, signifying surrender and prayer.

 

     Olive oil. The process required to get olive oil is intense, signifying that it’s costly to get the anointing oil! The parable of the virgins in Matt 25 tells us that the oil must be purchased. The “vehicle” by which the spices are carried in the oil. Holy Spirit makes Jesus real and through us diffuses His fragrance in every place!

 

In Exodus 30, the composition of anointing oil was given based on five specific ingredients–myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, cassia, a nd olive oil. There are many anointing oils sold today which may not adhere strictly to the original recipe. They may, for example, include frankincense (another spice mentioned frequently in the bible).

 

But in looking at the ingredients that make up the anointing oil, it should be less about its specific accuracy than the lessons we can glean from the uniqueness of each individual spice. Taken together, it’s almost like a recipe to show us how to live an anointed life!

 

Jesus and His disciples anointed and healed people on many occasions, Mark 6:13 being one of them “And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.” In the Old Testament, it was the priests and prophets who anointed people and things. But in the New Testament, there is an extension to that definition, as according to 1 Peter 2:9 we are all priests. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…”

 

Originally, the oil was used exclusively for the priests and for setting apart the articles in the Tabernacle, but its use was later extended to include kings (I Samuel 10:1). King David himself was anointed with oil (1 Samuel 16) by the prophet Samuel when God chose him as Israel’s next king. Oil represents the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Oil was a familiar and important cultural symbol in the Old Testament times. But anointing oil was not merely a tool in a ceremony, it foreshadowed the work of the Holy Spirit that was to come in New Testament times. As with all other spiritual tools, the real power comes from God. Simply put, anointing oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit coming upon us to heal, empower and bless. We still anoint and appoint people; we still pray for the sick.

 

So while today in ministry situations, the anointing with oil is usually delegated to Pastors, Elders and Deacons. It is not unheard of to have small group leaders anoint a member or even a father of a family to anoint his wife and/or children for the reasons mentioned in Holy Scripture. Furthermore, we are all leaders in various capacities. If you’re a father, you’re the leader of your family. And if you head a department or business, you lead your co-workers. Remember that there is nothing mystical about anointing oil, it is a tool for you and a symbol of your faith in God; in whatever small or large leadership capacity you have, use the tool, even on yourself!

 

If you wish to have a concise manner in which to pray effectively consider the following:

 

     FIRST: Study the Word of God and meditate upon it, and pray according to what you have read and meditated upon.

 

    SECOND: Specifically share with God what is on your heart, mind and soul and ask for God to answer your prayer.

 

    THIRD: Have complete faith in God that He will answer your prayer and the answer will be according to His will.

 

James now moves from the ministry of using anointing oil to the ministry of confessing sins to one another and praying for one another to ask for healing be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual.

 

“16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.”

 

James shares two actions that those in a church fellowship should consider practicing among themselves to assist each other through intercessory prayer. First he mentions the confession of your personal sins to one another. This instruction by James is not meant to put people on the spot or to dwell on each others sins in a morbid way. James is instructing Disciples of Christ here that the confession of sins can be very beneficial for several apparent reasons.

 

Confession of sins among a small intimate groups provides a way for a person to receive godly loving advice on what steps to take to avoid such sins in the future as well as to pray for forgiveness for sins. A loving small group of Christians who are intimately involved in their lives can pray for one another and hold one another accountable that such sins can be avoided in the future. Asking for supportive prayer as well as accountability can provide a way for any Christian to be held accountable in a loving manner, avoid gossip amongst a fellowship and provide ways of not only healing from the consequences of sin, but also encourage spiritual growth among all members of a fellowship. Of course it is always wise to consider what sins should be shared and to whom. Sometimes it is necessary to have some sins to be divulged to only a single person, be it an elder, pastor, deacon or an close Christian friend. Sometimes it is prudent to be cautious about how much should be shared in public or even a close friend because of the risk of committing the sin of gossip. Unfortunately even Christians can spread rumors as much as anyone and you would never wish to have someone break a confidence you put in someone’s hands.

 

The second aspect of this verse mentions that as we pray for one another the goal could lead to healing. Healing is not defined here and it could be spiritual, mental, emotional or physical healing. All of these aspects of healing could be associated with sins that are committed and that are causing manifestations of illness of one sort of another. Whatever the cause of the need to be healed we see that the last portion of this verse gives us confidence that the “effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” This does not mean that only “a righteous man” should pray for someone, but it puts forth the concept that a mature, experienced, dedicated and godly person will have wisdom, spiritual maturity, a strong faith in God and compassion to be able to pray appropriately for someone in need and when appropriate not break a confidence if the request for prayer must be kept a private.

 

Now in James 5:17 James gives an example of a “man of prayer” which is Elijah. You may wish to read the story of the prophet Elijah to gain an understanding of who he was, how God used him and learn something of the kind of man and prophet he was. His history can be found in 1 Kings 17 through 2 Kings 2:12.

 

James tells us that Elijah was a man with a nature likes ours. Why does James say that Elijah had a nature like ours. Before we go much further with this example of Elijah we should consider the fact that while Elijah was a great prayer warrior he also easily at times ran in fright when confronted with powerful people that might do him harm. One example is he gave a bold message to King Ahab concerning the king’s actions but he ran in fright to his hiding place beyond Ahab’s powerful reach.

 

Another example of Elijah’s emotion of fear that would flare at times is after he had just had a “mountaintop experience” in defeating the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. Fire had descended from heaven, the people of Israel acknowledged the Lord, and the false prophets were all put to death. This was a great spiritual triumph but that experience was followed by an episode of fear and failure in Elijah’s life: the prophet was afraid and ran for his life from Queen Jezebel. The reason is made clear in 1 Kings 19:1–2: “Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” This death threat caused Elijah to flee a day’s journey into the wilderness (1 Kings 19:4). At one point Elijah was so discouraged that he desired to die: “And he asked that he might die, saying, ‘It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers’”.

 

Now when we read James 5:17 we understand that while Elijah was a great man of prayer and faithfulness to God, he also had panic buttons like most of us as we read about him in 1 Kings 17 through 2 Kings 2:12.

 

“17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.”

 

In James chapter 5 we read in verse 17 and understand from reading about the life history of Elijah in 1st and  2nd Kings we probably can relate to him in many ways. We are amazed at the answered prayers of Elijah; calling down fire from Heaven and calling rain to pour down in the midst of a drought. But we see another side of Elijah when we find that he picks up his cloak and runs in fright away from Queen Jezebel and asks God to let him die! James uses Elijah as someone that his readers would know about. He was great man of God that was used by God to do many miracles and to preach against paganism and sinfulness. But Elijah also had his weak areas, just like we do. When Elijah was on fire to serve God he performed many miracles and confronted the godless King, Queen and false prophets  in his time, but he also had weak areas much like we do. He would often run in fright when his life was threatened and grew exhausted when his fears got the best of him. He hid in a cave when he lost his wits and often moaned in agony when he was exhausted from his ministry. But here in James 5:17 James focuses on his obedience to God despite Elijah’s weaknesses and fear. James tells us that Elijah prayed EARNESTLY that no rain would come and God answered his prayer by delaying any rain possible for three years and six months! Then when directed by God, Elijah prayed and the sky let loose with pouring rain in order that the earth could product crops of fruit.

 

James is calling us to consider the example of Elijah and while we may at times lack faith, are fearful of what life brings us or are sporadic in our faithfulness to God we can rise to our calling as Disciples of Christ to live for Christ, walk according to the Faith we are called to and bring glory to God in our speech, actions and thoughts. Yes, we may at times stumble in our walk, grow faint-hearted in our struggles, but God understands this and Christ will intercede for us and the Holy Spirit will give us the spiritual strength to endure and live out our witness under any circumstances. Faith is only a prayer away and other Disciples of Christ will hold us up and stand by our side as we seek to glorify God in all we do.

 

There are specific things for which we as Disciples of Christ are to pray for, these are listed below.

 

     For those who are persecute us. (Matthew 5:44)

 

     For the kingdom of God. (Matthew 6:10)

 

     For daily provision. (Matthew 6:11)

 

     For overcoming temptation. (Matthew 6:13)

 

     For forgiveness. (Luke 11:4)

 

     For all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18

 

     For the Gospel’s advancement. (2 Thessalonians 3:1)

 

     For earthly rulers. (1 Timothy 2:2)

 

     For wisdom. (James 1:5)

 

     For suffering. (James 5:13)

 

     For one another. (James 5:16)

 

     For wayward believers. (1 John 5:18)

 

Before I leave the topic of prayer I wish to share with you four more important points.

 

FIRST: Prayer should not be limited to one particular time of day. Prayer should be as continuous as possible. I don’t mean we go around praying so often you can’t do your job at work, or that you ignore those around you or even cause you danger because you weren’t paying attention to your surroundings. I suggest you develop a sensitivity so that no matter what you are doing you can always be ever ready to pray for anything the Spirit brings to your mind. We should never be caught off guard as a Disciple of Christ to be ever ready to pray for anything that the Spirit brings to our mind or when a situation calls for us to intervene in daily life with prayer.

 

SECOND: Prayer is designed for every aspect of our lives and therefore we should pray in all kinds of ways. The obvious use of prayer is for the needs of ourselves or the needs of others. But we can also praise God in prayer for a blessing we receive. We can pray for not just the needs of others but give thanks to God for how their needs were answered. We can worship God in prayer through praise and adoration of who He is and how He works in our lives and the lives of others.

 

THIRD: Prayer should not be substituted for our own responsibility. Prayer should include intelligent, responsible action on our own part. There are times when a Disciple of Christ will pray in a situation, but fail to follow through with what they already know should be done. An example would be you might have an illness that you are concerned about so you pray for healing, but fail to see a doctor to determine what could be done to help you. Another example is you might have an issue with pornography and as you pass an X-rated magazine store you don’t pray for strength to keep walking, instead you battle with your flesh, avoid asking for help from the Holy Spirit and end up meandering through magazine after magazine, quenching the Spirit of God and damaging your relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit!

 

FOURTH: Remember that Prayer is not for the “Perfect” but the “Imperfect.” Prayer is such a blessing because we have such a loving God who knows us better than anyone. He is NEVER surprised by our thoughts and actions. He knows what each of us have to deal with day in and day out. He knows how we have been hurt, wounded and insulted during our lives. He knows every quirk, bad habit and weakness we have. He can’t be surprised by any prayer we would pray. So rest in the fact that God loves to hear your prayers for strength, for forgiveness, for help, for peace, for bravery to handle the stresses of life.

 

PLEASE CONSIDER THIS TRUTH: “God is waiting to hear your prayers whenever and wherever you are.”

 

James ends with his letter with verse 19-20 of chapter 5 and informs us of our critical ministry of helping others in the faith. As we have seen in the book of James there are many things that can cause us to drift away from the faith. Some of these issues are outside us from unruly people, temptations and hardships that overwhelm us. But there are also issues that can cause us to slowly meander away from the gospel. Whatever the case or cause James states the following in James 5:19.

 

“19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

 

First James addresses the “brethren” which is a loving way to address fellow Christians, who can be either men or women. James is speaking of a situation where a Disciple of Christ has strayed or drifted away from their commitment to their faith in Jesus. James tells us that if we counsel or pray with a wandering Christian which causes them to return to their commitment to Christ that we have saved their soul from death. Turning someone from wandering away from their faith who was apparently committed to Christ can re-establish their commitment to the Father, Son and Spirit. Such can making many mistakes that can do them harm and restore their fellowship, not only with God, but also other Disciples of Christ. Also mentioned in this verse is the obvious prevention of the committing many sins as they wander from the faith and if they were not truly a committed believer who was actually saved it can avoid the death of their soul at the great judgment.

 

I wish to end this commentary with a few summary comments and encouragements.

 

As a Disciple of Christ seek to have your “INWARD CONVICTIONS” manifest themselves in “OUTWARD ACTIONS!”

 

As a Follower of Jesus make sure your “WORDS MATCH YOUR DEEDS”.

 

As they say, “Talk is Cheap and ACTIONS ALWAYS SPEAK LOUDER than WORDS!”

 

Finally “REAL FAITH” will manifest itself with “GENUINE WORKS” OF “SPIRITUAL STABILITY!” 

 

(See James 1:1-27, 2:1-3:12, 3:13-5:6, 5:7-20)