Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 63:4 (Dec 2020)
Article: A Case For James’s Condemnation Of The Rich In James 5:1–6 As Addressing False Believers Within The Believing Community
Author: Joseph K. Pak

JETS 63:4 (December 2020) p. 721

A Case For James’s Condemnation Of The Rich In James 5:1–6 As Addressing False Believers Within The Believing Community

Joseph K. Pak

Joseph K. Pak is Professor of Biblical Studies at Taylor University, 236 W. Reade Ave, Upland, IN 46989. He may be contacted at [email protected].

Abstract: Although many commentators consider James 5:1–6 as referring to unbelieving rich outsiders, there are several indicators in the Epistle of James that suggest that James is addressing unregenerate false believers in the believing community in the passage. First, 1:10–11 most likely refers to the rich believers, so James is addressing an audience made up of both rich and poor believers. Second, James has already denounced those who have the means to help the poor but only pay them lip service in 2:14–26. Third, in 4:13–5:6, James is rebuking two different classes of people among the audience, the self-sufficient merchants (4:13–17) and the rich (5:1–6). Fourth, in his letter, James issues strong warnings to those whose deeds and words show that they are self-deceived about their religion (e.g. 1:22–27). It is likely that the rich in 5:1–6 are part of those people, and James is calling them to repentance.

Key words: the rich, false believers, self-deception, unregenerate, warning, call to repentance

Jesus warned that on the day of his return, there will be many who address him as Lord and claim to have done many works in Jesus’s name but he will tell them he never knew them (Matt 7:21–23). His warning is affirmed when we find that the NT epistles identify false believers in first-century churches. By “false believers,” I mean those who profess faith in Christ but are unregenerate.1 Paul mentions “false brothers” in 2 Cor 11:26 and Gal 2:4. Thus, “false believers” is a valid category that has existed since the first century of the church’s history. James has those false believers in mind when he warns against the kind of faith that cannot save those who possess it in 2:14–26. This article will primarily focus ...