Henry Krabbendam - James - World Evangelical Alliance

y means of oppression and lawsuits was ultimately a matter of religious bias.
At any rate, it should always be remembered that any biblical exclusivist, in
terms of doctrine or practice, will eventually become a target of hateful
prosecution, just as darkness always seeks to drive out the light (John 15:18ff;
2 Thess. 1:4ff; 2 Tim. 3:11).
But be all this what it may, the inevitable implication of the present
shameful conduct is that eventually an oppressor, prosecutor or blasphemer
would be given the royal, red carpet, treatment. To recognize this is by definition
to abandon the prevailing practice.
Of course, James does not intend to set forth, as a rule without any possible
exception, that the rich are by definition a “lost cause.” All we can conclude
is that James describes a specific ungodly conduct that prevailed in his
days, possibly in a society where there was little or no middle class. 229 Even if
it must be admitted that the rich as a category are prone to intolerable conduct
(See also Jam. 5:1-11), Scripture teaches that riches, in and by itself, is not
sinful (Job 42:12-13). Although riches do form an easy snare (Prov. 30:8, 9;
Mt. 19:23-24), it is the love of money that is said to be the root of all evil, not
money itself. Hence the strong exhortation to the rich not to be proud of their
social status, nor to place their trust in the riches that produced that status, but
rather to be willing and liberal to communicate to others (Ps. 62:10; 1 Tim.
6:17-19)! Their response to this exhortation would undoubtedly disclose the
focus of the love of their heart. Especially societies, inclusive of churches,
that are financially upscale and consumerist are in constant danger to derail as
a precursor of their destruction (See also Nystrom, 123, 128-129, 132). Of
course, the case of “The Rich Young Ruler” (Lk. 18:18-27) is a veritable beacon,
a most meaningful and telling “straw in the wind!”
In conclusion, sanctified sense does (should) carefully scan all possible
implications, logical as well as practical, of all one’s words and actions, and
draws the appropriate conclusions. If these conclusions are patently and unacceptably
senseless, and foolish, if not outrageous, from a biblical perspective,
these words and actions ought to be subject to repentance, and subsequent
radical change! This, however, is only James’ introduction to the more
principial attack upon partiality that now follows. This attack comes in three
stages. He measures partiality by the standard of Love, the standard of the
229 Historically the middle class functions as a buffer zone between the rich and the poor. A
middle class with economic and public muscle is usually responsible for strong institutions,
legal as well as otherwise, that are difficult to manipulate or subvert. Such institutions serve
as a shield for the poor against greedy attacks on the part of unscrupulous rich operators, who
subscribe to the thesis that “might makes right!”
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