James started off his letter speaking about the need for enduring faith in the midst of trials. Trials are an inescapable part of life. And James says rather than seeking immediate relief from them, we need to endure them with persevering faith, knowing that God uses trials to refine our faith, so that our faith might be complete, lacking in nothing. Then he adds to that process the need for divine wisdom, so that we might understand God’s purposes and plan for our salvation, that we might have hope and confidence in God’s plan for our lives.
Today then, as we take up this study in verse 9, we notice it begins with a conjunction, which ties it to the preceding verse. The conjunction “but” indicates a contrast to what has come directly before it. And what came directly before was the statement about double mindedness, which is the description of the man who doesn’t have the wisdom of God, who doesn’t have unwavering faith. We said last time, such a man is very likely unsaved. He holds onto the world and tries to have Jesus at the same time, but really doesn’t believe the word of Jesus, or believe that God’s word is truly wisdom. And so when trials come, he opts out of faith in God, and turns to human wisdom. He most likely never had saving faith to begin with.
But in contrast to that person, James introduces another kind of trial that believers must endure, and he gives us the wisdom of God concerning this kind of trial, that we may be able to persevere through it. And the trial that he introduces here is the lack of money, or the trial of being poor.
It’s very certain that the Christians who James is writing to are for the most part very poor in material goods. It appears that James writes primarily to converted Jews that had been dispersed across Asia as a result of persecution, who were poor because they had to leave everything - their homes and jobs, and escaped with only what they could carry. But whether his immediate audience were Jews or Gentiles, they were predominately poor. Being wealthy in those days was something that you had to inherit, or it came from a prominent political position. But being a Christian was almost a certain guarantee that you were ostracized from society, whether Jewish or Gentile, and as a result you were poor.
The apostle Paul, speaking to the Corinthian church, said it was generally true that Chrisitians were poor in comparison to the world. He said in 1Cor. 1:26-28 “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are.” I suppose that was the general rule for all the churches in Asia. Many Christians were even slaves or indentured servants.
I believe that in James day, there were primarily only two classes of people. The rich and the poor. There was not so much of what we think of today as a middle class. And I believe that we are seeing the elimination of the middle class in our society as well. But in any event, I think that even the poor in our society would be considered rich in comparison to many other places in the world, and especially in comparison to the way most people lived in James day. We take for granted many things that they would have considered the utmost luxury.
Nevertheless, for the purposes of this message, I think we can agree with James who divides society into two social divisions, rich or poor. And in the context of his message about enduring trials with joy, he brings up the trial of being poor. Notice also that he addresses those people who are poor as brothers. So he’s speaking to Christians who are poor. You don’t have to be poor to be a Christian, but I would have to say it helps. Whereas, being rich is a hindrance to being saved.
You will remember that Jesus said in Luke 18:25 "For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” If you have ever seen and smelled a camel, then you know that is an impossibility, isn’t it? I know some commentators and clever pastors have tried to say that the eye of the needle is the name of a very narrow pass through a canyon somewhere in Israel, and a camel had to get on it’s knees to crawl through it. I happen to think that is not what Jesus is referring to. He is looking at the rich young ruler who had just turned away from salvation because of his great riches, and he is probably riding away on a camel, which was like the Cadillac of that day. And this young man, who is very rich, probably had a fleet of them in his entourage.
The disciples certainly understood Jesus to not just be speaking of a difficulty, but an impossibility. They asked, “then who can be saved?” And Jesus answered, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” So being rich does not absolutely exclude you from the kingdom of God, but Jesus did say it is practically impossible. But thankfully, that which seems impossible to men is not impossible with God.
But by and large, James indicates that the church is primarily made up of poor people. And they consider being poor a trial. He contrasts this Christian brother who is suffering the trial of being poor to that of the double minded man who loves the world in the previous verse. James says “But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position.”
James isn’t deliberately speaking in riddles. But he’s speaking in a manner of teaching that was common to the Hebrews, which is often seen in the Psalms and Proverbs. It’s a method where he uses contrast and parallelism to teach a subject.
He says the brother is in humble circumstances. That’s a nice way of saying that they were poor. There is nothing more humbling than being poor. I can tell you from experience many stories from my past when I experienced humbling circumstances. God took me from a position of wealth, or at least thinking I was wealthy, to a position of extreme poverty. And during that time I had to do some pretty humbling things in order to keep food on the table. I put my wife and kids through many humbling circumstances. It was a time that left scars which we still deal with even today to some extent.
It was kind of like the experiences that I heard my dad speak of having come through the Great Depression. People that came through that had a different perspective on money for decades afterwards. They were often afraid of spending money because they never wanted to go through such times again.
So being poor was a trial that a lot of the Christians were going through. But James says the man in humble circumstances, or a low economic position, should glory in his high position. That phrase “high position” is a reference to his standing with God. We that are saved have a high position with God. Peter says we are a royal priesthood. Paul says in Romans 8:17 that we are the children of God. “And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with [Him] so that we may also be glorified with [Him.] 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.”
So our suffering in poverty is producing for us a weight of glory beyond our comprehension. Paul says in 2Cor. 4:17-18 “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 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.” We that are poor in this world have our eyes fixed, our hope fixed, on the next world, on that which is eternal. We have a high position with God, though for the time being, we suffer a low position on earth. And in that sure hope we can glory, we can rejoice.
So Peter says in 1Peter 5:6 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.” That’s what James is talking about when he says let the brother of humble circumstances glory in his high position. We endure the humbling circumstances now, because we know that God will make all things new in the consummation of the kingdom. We are like princes in exile, but one day the King is coming back in power and glory, and in that day He will set His sons and daughters on thrones to reign with Him in His kingdom.
James says in chapter 2 vs 5, “Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world [to be] rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” Then let us glory in our high position and endure with patience the suffering of being poor, in humbling circumstances.
But the rich man, he is now contrasted with the brother of humble circumstances. His end is not the same, nor is it better than the poor man. His faith has been in his possessions. His dependence is not on God, but on his own resources. James says in vs 10 “and the rich man [is to glory] in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.”
First let’s recognize who this person is who is rich. Notice that James called the poor man “brother” but omits this term when he introduces the rich man. It’s possible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, Jesus said, but only because God is able to make what is impossible for men, a possibility with God. But I think in a general manner of speaking, James is likely presenting the rich man in a similar light as the double minded man of the previous passage. It’s very likely that the rich man is not a true believer. He has a double minded faith which considers the riches of this world too great to let go of for the sake of the kingdom.
Remember the rich, young ruler? He believed in God. He was very religious, very moral. But Jesus said one thing you still lack - sell all you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow Me.” And he didn’t do it, because he was so rich. Now was that man saved or unsaved? I suggest he left unsaved. And so we might also assume that the rich man James speaks of here is not saved. He might be religious, he might be moral, he might believe in God, but his faith falls short because he depends on his wealth.
Notice also that James says about this rich man that he will pass away. The poor glory in their future in eternity, but the rich man glories in the present. But James says something here which is difficult for us to understand, perhaps because it’s somewhat confusing in it’s translation. He says the rich man should glory in his humiliation. What I think James is referring to is that he needs to recognize his low spiritual condition. He needs to realize that his wealth is temporary, and instead lay up treasure in heaven.
James, you remember is Jesus’s half brother. And he is obviously familiar with what Jesus taught in Matt. 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The rich man needs to see that though he is rich in the world’s goods, he is poor in heaven.
Jesus said in the Beatitudes, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” What that speaks of is recognizing your spiritual bankruptcy. When you realize you are spiritually bankrupt, then you are able to receive the gift of God, which is the righteousness of Jesus Christ applied to your account. So if the rich man is to glory, then let him glory in his humiliation, in the fact of his spiritual bankruptcy. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, and He will exalt you. And when he has repented, he may receive mercy, that he may at the last day enter into glory.
I suppose another perspective on this is you can also think of riches as a trial. I know we are conditioned to think of riches as a blessing. We say things like “God blessed me with a financial windfall,” or “God blessed me with a well paying job.” Whatever the cause may be, we think financial well being is a sign of God’s blessing. But maybe it’s not. Maybe it’s a test. It’s a trial.
So though it may be hard to believe, being rich can be a trial. So many Christians think having money is a blessing. When in fact it can be a terrible temptation to live independently from God, to not love your neighbor, to be greedy, to be an unfaithful steward, and a host of other ways you can sin against God by putting your trust in this world’s goods. Jesus said, you cannot serve God and wealth. You cannot serve two masters.
1Tim. 6:7-10 tells us that if being rich is not directly a trial, it is at least a temptation. “For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
There’s that idea of being a double minded man again, and not persevering in faith, but abandoning faith in God and instead trying to hold onto the wisdom of the world. And the wisdom of the world is that he who dies with the most toys wins. That money is the means of happiness and contentment and status. But the Bible tells us the opposite. Because real contentment comes from spiritual riches, and an eternal perspective. Real status comes from our position in heaven. And the riches of the world cannot obtain those things.
James then gives an analogy of the way that those who pursue riches will end up destitute. He says in vs11, “For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.”
James gives us a picture of the flowering grass, which springs up after a rain, but when the sun rises and the hot winds blow across the landscape, the grass quickly withers and the flower falls away. It’s a picture of the rich man who in the midst of pursuing money will suddenly fade away.
But notice that James doesn’t say that riches will fade away. Sometimes that happens as a result of a crash in the stock market, or housing market, or any number of other possibilities. But he isn’t talking here about riches fading away. He says the rich man will fade away. Death comes without warning, without keeping schedule. And death eventually comes to everyone, rich or poor. And what you spent your life in pursuit of, is left to your descendants to fight over, while you go to meet your Maker. Jesus said, “what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”
Jesus gave a parable about such a rich man. In Luke 12:15-21 we read, “Then He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not [even] when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive. "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' "Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years [to come;] take your ease, eat, drink [and] be merry."' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This [very] night your soul is required of you; and [now] who will own what you have prepared?' "So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
So the poor man, though he is of humble circumstances, is rich towards God. But the rich man, who is wealthy in the world’s goods, is poor towards God. He is spiritually bankrupt. He needs to recognize that, to repent and have faith in God, that he may be rich in the kingdom of heaven.
And so James concludes this section about trials with the following pronouncement of blessing in vs 12, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which [the Lord] has promised to those who love Him.”
Trials are a test of our faith, given to prove our faith, that we might exercise our faith by enduring, persevering in our faith towards God. Our faith is not a wrench by which we manipulate God into giving us health, wealth and prosperity, but it’s a wrench by which God transforms us into the image of Jesus Christ as we share in His suffering. Suffering is a means by which God transforms us from trusting in the world, and in the world’s wisdom, the world’s goods, to trusting totally and completely in Him.
And once our faith has been approved, we receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love Him. When James says, “our faith has been approved” he isn’t speaking of earning our salvation through works. But he is saying that once God has ended the period of testing which He designed to refine our faith, then we will receive the crown of life. The crown of life I think speaks of our glorification, when we shall be with the Lord at the consummation of the kingdom. What James is urging us to do is to endure to the end of this life. We don’t get the promise that somehow God is going to make everything work out here as we go through this trial, so that we can end this trial in a quick fashion and enjoy the rest of our life living in prosperity and good health. But what he is saying is that we endure these trials to the end. Revelation 2:10 says, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
God tests our faith as we persevere, looking forward to what He has promised, which is eternal life, the crown of life, that we receive in full once the trial of this life is over. This whole life we live now is a trial. And our trials will be over when our physical life is over. Then we will receive the promise of the crown of life, the abundant life, eternal life, that God has promised to those who love Him. Who love Him more than we love this world, love Him more than wealth, more than fame, more than all the material possessions that this life appears to offer.
If you love the Lord, then you will gladly give up this world in order to have Him. Jesus said in Luke 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
I trust that each of you have enduring faith, that will persevere through the trials of this life, whether rich or poor, in sickness or in health, until death one day separates you from this life and you receive the crown of life. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
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