Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.5 You have lived on the earth in pleasure and tluxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.  6 You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.  James 5:4-6

The rich people James was warning got their wealth by using other people through fraud and unfair treatment.  James tells them that God loves the people they have used.  He has noticed and will respond.  When we defraud and use people we should know that even if it seems like we’ll get away with it,  God knows about it.  In fact, James goes on to say, “You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.”  After robbing and oppressing other to accumulate their wealth, these rich people spent the rest of their life passionately pursuing their own desires.  The idea talked about here of “the day of slaughter” is a very descriptive metaphor of the judgment of God.  We are always “blessed to be a blessing.”  These rich people thought that their extra was for them, and that because they could then they should.  The oppressive rich were using the political and judicial powers and influence to continue to gain their wealth.  They had to make wrong right to be able to continue to heap wealth.

Application:       Know this:  Unrighteous gain  leads to unrighteous living and the consequences of unrighteous living & the judgment of God.  Is there someone you have used, abused, or  lied to in order to get something from them.  The best thing you can do is seek their forgiveness and pay them back!