Nothing more clearly reveals the state of a person’s heart than his view of money and material possessions. Many who profess complete dependence upon Christ invalidate this claim through their opulent, indulgent, materialistic lifestyles… a clear indication that they serve wealth, not God (Matt. 6:24). Building on the teaching of our Lord, as he often does, James presents another such test of our faith in chapter 5… how one views money. The first six verses of this chapter form a strong rebuke, and in my opinion, the strongest in the entire epistle. James’s blistering, scathing denunciation condemns those who profess to worship God but in fact worship money. He calls on them to examine the true state of their hearts in light of how they feel about their wealth.