In James 5:1-6 he address one specific group of people-the rich. And it doesn’t sound pretty. He tells them they are headed for trouble and anguish. Is James talking to every rich person? Is he saying having money is a bad thing?
No. He’s saying riches can become a problem if we put more value on money than we do on our relationship with God. And he’s specifically calling out people who have gotten rich by taking advantage of other people.
There are many examples of godly people in the Bible who were very wealthy. Abraham, Job, and Solomon come to mind immediately. God was with them, blessed them, and never condemned their wealth. But God does have a problem when we put material things above Him.
1 Tim 6:10 says the LOVE of money is the root of evil and here James says all those riches and fine clothes are going to rot away. The residue will testify against those who spent their lives getting rich by taking advantage of others and those who put all their hope in their possessions.
Again James is reiterating the point he made in James 4:4–Love God and not the things of the world.
