Warnings to the Wealthy

In this sobering message from the book of James, Chuck Swindoll addresses the seductive and often destructive nature of wealth when it is disconnected from God. While acknowledging that society is obsessed with financial gain, Swindoll turns to James 5:1–6 to deliver a stinging rebuke to the “ungodly rich”—those who hoard their possessions, cheat their workers, and live in selfish luxury while ignoring the needs of others.

Swindoll clarifies that the Bible does not condemn wealth itself; rather, it condemns the attitude of placing riches above righteousness. He categorizes humanity into four groups: the poor without and within, the rich without and within (like Abraham and Job), the poor without but rich within (believers with little material wealth), and the group James specifically targets: those who are rich without but poor within.

Using the cautionary tale of ten powerful financiers who met at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in 1923, Swindoll illustrates how earthly success without spiritual grounding leads to tragedy—suicide, insanity, and ruin. He balances the severity of James with the pastoral counsel of 1 Timothy 6, reminding believers that “the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil.” The message concludes with an urgent reminder that death is the great equalizer; we enter the world with a closed fist but leave with an open hand, carrying nothing but our standing before God.

Message Key Facts:

• The Four Financial Principles: Swindoll cites his friend Ron Blue to establish a biblical foundation for money: 1) God owns it all; 2) We are in a growth process; 3) Faithfulness is more important than the amount; and 4) Faith requires action.
• The “Shriek” of Misery: The phrase “weep and howl” in James 5:1 is better translated as “shriek.” It depicts a misery so intense it cannot be contained, resulting from the realization that earthly wealth offers no protection against divine judgment.
• Rotting Riches: James describes gold and silver as “rusted” and garments as “moth-eaten.” Swindoll explains that these terms highlight the destructive effects of time and disuse. When wealth is hoarded rather than shared, it spiritually “rots” in the owner’s hands.
• The Nero Illustration: To illustrate James’s charge that the rich have “fattened their hearts,” Swindoll describes the gross excess of Emperor Nero, who would purportedly gorge himself on food, vomit it up in a designated well, and return to eat more—a picture of total selfishness.
• The Edgewater Beach Meeting: Swindoll recounts a historic 1923 meeting of ten of the world’s most successful financiers. Twenty-five years later, their lives had ended in disaster—including suicides, imprisonment, insanity, and insolvency—proving that money cannot buy peace or security.
• God’s Memory: James 5:4 notes that the cries of cheated laborers have reached the ears of the “Lord of Sabaoth” (Lord of Hosts). Swindoll notes that God keeps a “book of remembrance” regarding unjust acts; while His wheels of justice grind slowly, they grind exceedingly fine.
• Rich Man vs. Lazarus: Swindoll references Jesus’ parable to show that the rich man went to hell not because he was wealthy, but because he was “possessed by his possessions” and unbelieving, while the beggar Lazarus found rest in God.

Message References:

• James 5:1–6: The primary text, offering a rebuke to the ungodly rich regarding hoarding, fraud, self-indulgence, and oppression.
• 1 Timothy 6:8–10, 17–19: Paul’s instructions to the church regarding contentment, the “love of money,” and the command for the rich to be “rich in good works.”
• Proverbs 11:4: “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.”
• James 4:13: The context for the rebuke, addressing those who plan their lives and business ventures as if God does not exist.
• Luke 16:19–31: The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, illustrating the eternal reversal of fortunes for the ungodly wealthy and the godly poor.

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll