James 5:1 began on a rather harsh tone against the rich. Here and the two verses in sequence place judgment on the rich. Without probing further, one will come to the unfounded conclusion that no rich person has a chance with God. The Bible makes it plain that this is not a sweeping statement against all people of means. Specifically, two things characterized the people condemned by James. Firstly, they were unjust to their workers. They failed to pay those who worked for them, who made the riches possible in the first place. “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.” (James 5:4 NKJV). If you want to get the import of this, you have to take it to its Old Testament root. “‘You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning.” (Leviticus 19:13 NKJV). The seeming harshness of James was arrears of wages that were not paid, yet the employers self-indulged in luxury.

“Wealth gotten by the way of diligence and justice, and equally deployed to kingdom causes is a great blessing…The trustees of such wealth are storing up for themselves great treasures in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus.”

Secondly, they were accused of murder. “You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.” (James 5:6 NKJV). It is possible that while the workers asked for their due, they were eliminated. These were the situations addressed by James. Wealth gotten by the way of diligence and justice, and equally deployed to kingdom causes is a great blessing. This type of wealth is never condemned anywhere in the Bible. The trustees of such wealth are storing up for themselves great treasures in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus.