James Chapter 5
James warns the rich person who did not yield themselves to God that they will in the future weep and howl because of the misery that will come upon them. He reminds them that their riches are temporary and will be destroyed. The warning is that losing their life in the judgement of God will be far worse than losing all their riches.
Let's Reflect
1. What were some of the ways in which the rich people obtained their wealth?
2. James moves to the opposite type of person, most likely a poor person, and admonishes him to be patient for the Lord’s coming. He wants the believer who may be enduring hardships to see the need to remain steadfast in their walk with the Lord while waiting for His return. Just as a farmer must wait for the rain that comes in the spring and the autumn to harvest his crop, the believer needs to be patient for the return of the Lord. The warning here for the believer is that a lack of steadfastness will bring about judgement. The one we are waiting for to return is Jesus, who is also called what according to verse 9?
3. Many Jewish people made distinctions between binding oaths and non-binding oaths. Oaths that did not include the name of God were considered non-binding. It was a way to make a promise to someone when you had no intention of keeping that promise. James condemned them for making such oaths. Instead, he said to only say what you mean. How did he express this idea?
This thought about not swearing oaths may seem out of context, but when you go back to verse 9 and read that James is telling them not to grumble against one another you can see why he thought about the importance of teaching them not to make false oaths. He is teaching them to be men of integrity and great character. This lack of character will be exposed at the judgment of Christ.
4. James ends his letter with exhortations for the believers to care for one another. The most important thing we can do for one another is pray. In these verses James tells us that when someone is sick to have the elders of the church do what?
The use of oil being poured out on the sick person may refer to a medicinal purpose of oil. See Mark 6:13 and Luke 10:34. We should not get caught up in what the purpose of the oil was but rather know that it didn’t hold any special power. It was most likely just a symbol of cleansing.
5. The reason why God heals the prayer of a righteous person in some instances and does not heal in other instances is something we do not know, only God knows. But the point James is trying to make is that many are not healed from sickness because no one prayed for them. This is not to say God does not heal who He wants to, because He does. But we also know that God acts upon the faith of people and so James is teaching the believer the importance of praying for others in need. When we visibly see God act upon our prayers, James says it is what? See verse 16.
6. What example from the Old Testament did James write about, that was a man who prayed fervently?
7. A believer should pray for someone who has heard the truth of the gospel and then has wandered back into a sinful lifestyle. The believer should also gently encourage them to repent and come to Christ. In doing so, what has the believer literally done for the lost person?
