The Gold Standard by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2016, all rights reserved. Chapter 1 I found a program on TV that was a talk show. Not a regularly scheduled talk show, but apparently a one-time thing. Steve Forbes was the main guy, and he was answering questions that people had. Forbes is known as a rather bright fellow, and one of our nation's more prosperous men. I watched and listened for a while, thinking I might learn something useful. Forbes had ideas on changes that ought to be made in our nation. But then, I was surprised and disappointed to hear Forbes say that he thinks we should return to the Gold Standard. I know better than that. It was right about then that I changed the channel. I don't need to hear any more from Forbes. The Bible says, "Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you perceive that he doesn't have the lips of knowledge." (Prov 14:7) I wouldn't go so far as to say that Forbes is a foolish man, but that's a foolish idea, to go back to the Gold Standard. Foolish and ignorant. I'm aware that our nation used to be on the Gold Standard. The idea was probably that people would trust our paper money more if they were assured that a paper dollar was backed up by a dollar's worth of gold, stored safely in a vault somewhere. And then we went off the gold standard. Perhaps those in government believed that assurance was no longer necessary. But it would be a bad idea to go back to the Gold Standard in light of the fifth chapter of James. I guess Forbes doesn't read the Bible much. But if you want to be a serious intellectual, you are missing out on valuable input by neglecting the Bible. Notice what James is saying about gold and silver. ___James chapter 5 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days. I believe this passage in James is prophetic. It will happen in the future, without our knowing exactly when. Notice the "shall come" in vs 1. That puts it in the future. Something will happen to the gold and silver. James is telling us that what will happen to the gold and silver will make them significantly less valuable. You'll wish you hadn't invested in gold and silver. And that's why gold and silver are a bad investment. Actor William Devane is one of those on TV urging people to invest in gold. Looks like Devane doesn't have much use for the Bible, either. And that's one of the selling points of those who try to get you to invest in gold, is that the precious metal won't lose its value. But James says gold and silver will lose their value. I choose to trust James and the Bible and God more than William Devane. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God..." (2 Tim 3:16) One Preacher suggested that the gold could become radioactive. Radioactivity has killed people. There was a Technician working around some Plutonium, at the time of the Manhattan Project, and he dropped a wrench near the Plutonium. He made the mistake of reaching down to pick up the wrench, and the radiation burned him so badly that he was dead within like three days. Both gold and silver are very dense, heavy metals like Uranium and Plutonium. If the gold and silver became radioactive, you couldn't handle them. They would be worth a lot less than they are today. In James 5:3, it says that the rust of the gold and silver will eat flesh like fire. If you've put most of your money into gold, and then its value drops to half or one third of its value, that could ruin you financially. One day, you're a rich man. The next day, you're a poor man. Chapter 2 I'm not saying that Preacher necessarily hit the nail on the head with his radioactivity idea. No doubt God has many other ways to change the value of gold and silver. Clouds in the sky didn't use to make rainbows prior to Noah's flood. In Gen 9:13, God says he's putting the rainbows in the clouds as a token of the covenant between Him and mankind that God won't again destroy the earth by water. That's when rainbows started. How did God start rainbows when there didn't use to be rainbows? He hasn't confided in me exactly how he did it, but my guess is that God changed the geometry of the water molecule. A water molecule is two atoms of hydrogen with one atom of oxygen. I'm guessing he repositioned the atoms within the water molecule so that now, water vapor works like a prism to display the colors of the rainbow. Can't God do like that with gold and silver? Yes, of course He can. We don't need to know exactly how God will do it. But we know from James chapter 5 that the gold and silver will become less valuable. But people on earth have a bad habit of leaning to their own understanding. Prov 3:5,6 tells us,-- 5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don't lean to your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he'll direct your paths." The fact that Forbes has been a prosperous man no doubt tends to persuade him that when it comes to finances, he knows what he's doing. But when the bottom drops out of the gold and silver markets, he may need to rethink his philosophy. Do you remember that fellow, Alan Greenspan? He was head of the Federal Reserve for a period of years, and I think under several different Presidents. He would hold press conferences, and the reporters would hang on every word that he spoke, as though they were hearing from God. One little word from Greenspan could make stock values go up, or it could make them go down. Investors lived by the words of Greenspan. Then came the crash in about 2009. Greenspan said, "We didn't know that this could happen." He had this reputation as some kind of financial genius, and he didn't know that crash could happen? It looks like Greenspan was very much overrated all along. So sometimes your so-called experts are not really experts, and especially if they are ignorant of the word of God. In the Old Testament book of Job, we read about Job, a prosperous and successful man. But then something happened, and Job lost pretty much everything, including his health. Job really had no way to foresee those events. But Job stayed faithful to God, and God brought him through it, and gave him twice as much at the end as he had before. I've read the book of Job. I don't see anywhere that Job bragged that his financial success was due to his great prowess with money. But there is a statement in Job 3:25, "For the thing that I greatly feared has come upon me..." Both Kenneth Copeland and Charles Capps have jumped on that and said, "You see, it was Job's fear that brought those evils on Job." No, I believe that both Copeland and Capps are wrong about that. Look at Job 1:1,-- There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and hated evil. After God has said that Job was perfect and upright, where do Copeland and Capps get the idea that the problems were Job's fault? And Capps has said, "Fear is kind of the reverse gear of faith." No it's not. The reverse gear of faith is unbelief. And Capps seems to have ignored the fact that there are two kinds of fear, and not only the bad kind of fear. Consider Psa 111:10,-- "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, a good understanding have all of those who do his commandments, his praise endures forever." So then, Psa 111:10 talks about a good kind of fear. If there's a good kind of fear, then not all fear is bad. Now consider Prov 28:14,-- "Happy is the man that always fears, but he that hardens his heart shall fall into mischief." So then, that's another scripture that talks about the good kind of fear. I believe that Job's fear in Job 3:25 was the good kind of fear, and who are Copeland and Capps to say that it was not? "Judge not, that ye be not judged," fellows. (Matt 7:1, King James Version) The bad things that happened to Job came because of a discussion between God and Satan. God allowed Satan to test Job. And Job came through the tests with flying colors, if people would actually bother to read the book of Job, instead of jumping to wrong conclusions. Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (John chapt 3) To become a born again Christian, obey Romans 10:9,10-- "That if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation." ___James chapter 1 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings. 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations, 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away. 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man, 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God. 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror, 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ___James chapter 2 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also, 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool," 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats? 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called? 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well, 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law. 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food, 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that? 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ___James chapter 3 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies. 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants. 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind, 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be. 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace. ___James chapter 4 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask. 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?" 6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up. 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else? 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit," 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that." 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin. ___James chapter 5 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter. 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near. 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door. 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation. 13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven. 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good. 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him, 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.