---

We have been learning about the importance of being spiritually mature. Just as a newborn baby grows in time into a child, an adolescent and then a mature adult, so should a new believer experience a growth process. The book of James gives guidelines on how to live one's everyday life, for both those who have just come to know the Lord as well as those who have known the Lord for some time.

As I travel around the world I see many examples of oppression and corruption brought about by the rich and by governments. Unfortunately, oppression and corruption of this sort is not new. It occurred to such an extent in Jesus' day that James gives a striking warning in chapter 5 to rich oppressors, particularly to those who call themselves believers. Let's examine the passage in three sections...

"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh with fire..."

James 5:1-3

What graphic language! He certainly should have your attention with those words!

The people in the first century had rich people that were oppressing the others. James reminds them that God's judgment will fall and God always has the last say.

Bribery and corruption

Many countries of the world are plagued with rich and unscrupulous oppressors. They pad their own pockets with networking and bribes, rarely allowing the profit to trickle down to the main economy and people. As a result we see severe poverty, crime, child-prostitution, and starvation. We have seen this in Haiti, Cambodia, Mexico, Egypt, Uganda, and India are a few examples, but the list goes on.

God reminds us that He does not cast a blind eye to the mess. He sees it and He will judge it. He says that in light of the shortness of one's life, what the rich have will corrode, so ultimately their 'treasures' will come to nothing. Not only will their selfishness lead to wealth being eaten or totally eradicated, but it will also eat away at them!

Let's look at the second part of our passage...

"...You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty." James

5:3-4

Notice the characteristics of these people. They have hoarded wealth, which is not referring to wise savings; instead they have exploited people. They keep more than enough for themselves, while stealing from average people, not paying the promised wages to those they hired.

I have been in Central America and talked to teachers who had their wages withheld from the Government and recently I had similar conversations with people from a country in East Africa. What a sad state of affairs! Can you imagine working hard and, come payday, your boss intentionally goes missing - consistently?

James tells us that the cries of disadvantaged people reach the ears of the "Lord Almighty". Keep in mind when you read the Bible as it presents God as the 'Almighty', it means the 'Lord of Hosts'; another way we can say this is the 'Lord of the angels', or the 'Lord of the heavenly army'.

When we read 'Lord Almighty' in both the New Testament and many times in the Old Testament, it refers to God bringing justice. He is coming with His holy angels to fight.

One of the greatest mistakes we can make in our understanding of God is that because He is love, we conclude that He will forego justice. Not so! God is perfectly balanced in regard to bringing love while also bringing justice.

The Bible says, "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." (Romans 12:19).

Injustice

If you think God does not see injustice and will not judge it is His time, you are severely mistaken. God will repay all who have violated others!

Let's continue with the final section...

"You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you." James 5:5-6

God has these people 'down' - He knows all about them! He sees what they are doing in the dark and behind closed doors. God sees everything and He will judge everything!

So what should our response be? Pray to God and promote justice; the areas that we cannot seem to change, leave to God and see Him bring about justice in His time. He does not forget; His memory is not compromised: God will deal with all oppressors.

Maybe you have or are experiencing some type of injustice through your job or even your own family. Let me give you some sound advice. If you have done all you can to promote justice and deal with it in a respectful way, but you are still oppressed and it "seems" as if the offender has gotten away with it, know that God will have the last say! He sees everything, so entrust yourself to your God and He will set the record straight, either right here on earth, or in eternity future, but He will have the last word. So do not despair or get discouraged, take heart that your Heavenly Father will set the record straight.

Pastor Gary C. Simons serves as the senior pastor of Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, 82 Church Street, Hamilton, Bermuda.[[In-content Ad]]

---