While the Bible does not declare that wealth is evil, Scripture does shine a spotlight on the dangers of money and our relationship with it. In James chapter 5, the author addresses wealthy landlords who were oppressing their workers. “Now listen,” he writes in verse 1, saying that they will soon “weep and wail” because of the misery that is coming. James describes how they look from God’s perspective. “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes” (vv. 2–3).

On the day of judgment, their corroded gold and silver “will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days” (v. 3). Why were they meeting such harsh judgment? The answer is in verse 4: “The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.” Did you catch that? Even their wages were crying out to God!

These rich oppressors had lived in luxury and self-indulgence, treating themselves to every pleasure (v. 5). Because they ignored the needs of the poor, they were sentenced to death (v. 6). Jesus told of a wealthy man named Lazarus and a beggar who sat by his gate, waiting for table scraps. After the beggar died, the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. Then the rich man died also. Jesus said, “In Hades, where he was in torment, [the rich man] looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue’” (Luke 16:23-24). “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony’” (v. 25).

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