James 5:1-20
Come now, you rich, weep and howl… (v. 1a) You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. (v. 5a) Often when I read a New Testament item about the rich I pause and consider the full context, because compared to the rest of the world we in the USA are rich indeed! So what does James say about the rich here? Clearly the rich in this passage are people who are exploiting other people – keeping back wages, condemning and murdering a righteous person. I’m not sure we are guilty here, except that we do have a responsibility toward those in need, both here and abroad. For each of us it’s a personal matter, but I also fear for our nation as a whole…
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (vv. 19-20) I don’t know of any other New Testament encouragement for evangelism (other than Jesus’ own words in Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8) that is stronger that what James writes here. A good quote to end James…!!
See also: March 23 / James 5:1-11; March 24 / James 5:12-20