James, Session 11: Making Plans and Making Money

Read the passage: James 4:13-5:6 (ESV, Bible Gateway)

1. What principles guide your decision making?

Read James 4:13-5:6

2. Considering the passage as a whole, what overall themes run through it?
3. In v13-14, what sort of person, or behaviour/attitudes, is James taking aim at?
   • How do you make plans?
   • How does the way we plan our lives/futures reveal things about what we truly believe?
   • Look at Proverbs 16:3, 9, and 19:20-21. How would you synthesise these into a way of making plans?
4. Considering v14, what biblical theme is he drawing on?
   • Look at Ecclesiastes 6:12 and Psalm 39:4-5. Is this how you view your life? Why or why not? Why might it be wise to?
5. How do the two attitudes displayed in v13 and v15 differ?
   • Which approach might give you more security and purpose in life and why?
6. How does James define sin in v17?
   • Why does remembering this description of sin matter?
7. Considering 5:1-6, does James denounce wealth in and of itself? Why does it matter that we get what James is saying right?
   • If we apply this today, who is James aiming his critique at?
8. Look at Matthew 6:19-21 and 1 Timothy 6:6-10 and 17-19. How should these verses shape our view of wealth and wealth creation?
9. In 5:1-3, what future does James foresee for the unjust rich?
   • Re-state what James is saying in v2-3 using modern examples.
10. How do v4-5 give us a basis for social justice?
    • What meaning does the term ‘Lord of hosts’ carry, and why might this explain why James uses it here?

Recap & Reflect

• What would be a correct biblical mindset in making and talking about future plans?

• Going forward, try to bring this into your decision making and speech habits.

• Summarise in a few bullet points how James specifically, and the Bible generally, views wealth and wealth creation. Examine your heart, your finances, your work motivations, and your spending habits. Do they align with what you have learnt?

• Where might you need to make changes and what will those look like practically?

Leader’s notes

The notes are here to help you lead a group and answer tough questions. The idea isn’t to read the “right” answer out after each question, but rather to give you support or a helpful nudge in guiding your discussion in the right direction. Feel free to use them as best suits your group.

2. Considering the passage as a whole, what overall themes run through it?
   Both parts (4:13-17 and 5:1-6) begin with ‘Come now…’ – suggesting James is addressing a common theme. The first is addressed to those who live for profit and self, the second those who live for riches.
3. In v13-14, what sort of person, or behaviour/attitudes, is James taking aim at?
   Those who live for themselves, their own plans, and for profit/selfish financial gain.
4. Considering v14, what biblical theme is he drawing on?
   The idea that our lives are but a breath. Ecclesiastes addresses this – life as hebel – which literally means mist/breath/smoke – something you can’t grasp.

6. How does James define sin in v17?
   • Why does remembering this description of sin matter?
     We tend to think of sin as wrong things we do – sins of commission. We can forget sins of omission. If we only think in terms of commission we will tend to think we are doing better than we actually are.
7. Considering 5:1-6, does James denounce wealth in and of itself? Why does it matter that we get what James is saying right?
   James is not denouncing wealth but wealth hoarded for selfish purposes. This matters because great good can come from wealth that is used for God’s glory and the good of others. If we take a negative view of wealth creation, in and of itself, it may perpetuate poverty and injustice.

10. How do v4-5 give us a basis for social justice?
    There is such a thing as ‘fraud’ – unjust employment conditions are sinful; James says that the Lord of hosts hears the cries of the exploited. If he does, we should too. There is a coming day of judgment – the day of slaughter.
    • What meaning does the term ‘Lord of hosts’ carry, and why might this explain why James uses it here?
      The Lord of hosts = the lord of heaven’s armies/hosts of angels. Wealth causes us to think we are godlike – powerful and the rules don’t apply to us. Knowing that God is the Lord of hosts reminds us, he is far more powerful than us.

Download the complete study: Bible study on James (PDF)