Verses 1-6
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Gold and silver do not rust or corrode, which is why this verse is puzzling. The point is that in the end, even the best of material things (gold and silver), will fail, so those who have trusted in them will fail also.
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Riches will burn and perish, and those who love them will burn and perish also. Do not love money!
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Those unbelievers who trust in their riches live in luxury now and often oppress their subordinates. Others, as employers, gain through fraud, and those who do so will be judged for it. If you're an employer or business owner, gain honestly and pay fair wages!
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If you seek to protect yourself at the expense of others, or seek to take more than you give, you will only heap up judgment for yourself! Seek to provide well for others, not just yourself. Then you will be safe.
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Verses 7-12
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Be patient, through your hardships, for the day when Christ returns for judgment, and avoid any unnecessary judgment upon yourself.
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To be patient:
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Like a farmer, occupy yourself with productive work, for the glory of God, and know that God will bring in the fruits of your labor in time.
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Like Job and the prophets of old, learn to be patient through suffering. Study the lives of men like Job, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, etc., and you will begin to learn. Apply their godly habits and disciplines in your own life.
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They were able to endure, in part, because they had hope of the end intended by the Lord. Help yourself have more hope and patience by focusing on what the end result of your endurance will be.
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Also keep your heart established. This means keep your heart strong by being grounded in a true understanding of and obedience to the Word (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13, Hebrews 13:9).
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Continue to grow in reading the Word, and avoid behaviors, conversations, or doctrines that weaken you (Hebrews 13:9).
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When the time does come for Christ to return, is will be very hard to endure for all who are on the earth. Most will perish. So work to be strong now!
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To avoid judgment:
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Do not grumble or complain, and especially not against your fellow man (verse 9). Complaining shows impatience.
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Do not make oaths or promises (verse 12); say a simple yes or no, and do what you say. Complaining is also, in essence, going back on your word in your heart. If you say yes to something, do it without complaining, or there will be judgement for your bad attitude.
- Also, James says "above all" that we should keep our word because all patience and endurance in our lives, without grumbling, comes from following through on the one YES we gave to Jesus when we decided to follow Him. If you said yes to Christ, keep your word to Him every day by enduring the sufferings of discipleship without complaining. This one yes is the one that is "above all" in its importance.
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There will be judgment for making oaths you don't keep!
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Verses 13-18
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The overwhelming theme in this passage is the importance of prayer. When we have faith, and we pray diligently, there will certainly be results.
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Remember that praying will always make things better, and not praying will always make things worse.
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To be more effective in bringing results, also confess your sins to each other, and forgive each other. This will contribute to bringing healing in many areas.
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When we truly pray in faith, what we speak will always come to pass (Mark 11:22-24). What does it mean to pray in faith?
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Consider the example of Elijah.
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Elijah heard from God that it was time for rain to fall again (1 Kings 18:1).
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He fully expected that what God said would come, saying it was happening before he saw it happen (1 Kings 18:41).
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Then he prayed earnestly until he saw the fulfillment (1 Kings 18:42-44).
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As such, praying in faith requires (1) hearing from God what His will is for a situation, (2) choosing to believe that what is commanded will be done, and (3) praying earnestly until the result comes to pass. This is the prayer of faith: Faith hears, it trusts, it prays fervently and ceaselessly; and it always works!
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When it comes to physical healing, it's important to remember that it's not always God will for a person to be healed in the moment that we prefer. It is God's will to heal, but healing comes in His timing, and for some, healing won't happen until death has come first.
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All in all, know the Word really well, and grow in listening to the Holy Spirit. This will allow you to be more guided by God's will, thus bringing in greater faith and greater results from your prayers.
Verses 19-20
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Understand that helping a person repent from sin is massively important to God and prevents much evil. Also know, based on the context, that you can use prayer as a way to turn a sinner from the error of his way. Pray what is needed for a person to be able to repent better.
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If you know a believer that's struggling with sin, encourage them to repent and lovingly correct them.