Hello Friends!
This week we’ll continue to work our way through this serious “study” series solemnly surveying the powerful book of James in considering the TRUE calling of the “Christian” life as directed throughout this excellent Epistle – “Putting Faith to Work!”
The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 4: Verses 13-17)
14 Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin – James 4:13-17
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: In looking into the LIFE of a true “believer” beseeched, “we” will indeed assume them to be a “Christian” of whom is committed to the life-long LIVING by the “will of God” in full. And as “Jesus Christ” Himself had Sovereignly said all throughout His earthly MINISTRY that the “one” who diligently “does” the wonderful “will” worked of “My Father” is also “My brother, and sister, and mother” in kind…
While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother – Matthew 12:46-50
Therefore, “Jesus” and “James” are indeed BOTH truthfully “teaching” that the devoted “disciples” of whom are spiritually related to “God” will have LIVES that deeply demonstrate a deep Divinely deposited “desire” to diligently DO His wonderous “will” alone. The true “Christian” aptly accepts the “Lordship” of Jesus Christ over absolutely ALL of their being. And although this does NOT mean “we” are ALWAYS going to ”do” His purposed “will” prescribed perfectly as such, the deep DESIRE is decidedly there none the less. This herein IS the wonderful – Will OF God!
That is WHY the psalmist also solemnly said concerning the welcomed “will” wanted of “our” great “God” granted…
Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness – Psalm 143:10
It's as if the “writer” is saying he wants to dully “do” the working “will of God” but is not sure HOW to fully “do” it as such. And he DELIGHTS in the “will of God” given, but needs the sanctified “spirit” to tellingly “teach” him specifically in the legitimate LIVING by and overt “obeying” Him through it in kind. Therefore, the firm foundation found in “our” righteous RELATIONSHP realized in “Jesus Christ” is diligently ”doing“ His wonderful “will” in this “life” by becoming MORE like Him – For HIS Glory!
And now “James” practically proclaims this potent point in his excellent “epistle” addressing yet another telling true TEST of a legitimate “living faith” founded upon “Jesus Christ” alone. HOW? By boldly bemoaning the belligerent “boasting” brought THROUGH the manifested “mouth” of maniacal mankind mandating – SOUND Speech!
Man’s Boasting OR God’s Will!
Constant disregard for and disinterest in the “will of God” is the outward EVIDENCE for the proems presence of pious “pride” held in the “heart” of the phony professor of a factious “faith” found in “God” Almighty. And this practical passage is BUILT around the illustration of a certain “foolish” Jewish businessman of whom blindly “believes” he can “live” his “own” life lived WITHOUT the “Lord” lauded. Herein lies MORE great insight into this matter of HOW we approach the – PERFECT will of God!
Man’s BOASTING!
“James” therefore BEGINS this poignant passage in very practical terms using an excellent EXAMPLE for each of “us” to seriously consider:
Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away – James 4:13-14
There are “some” people who flatly IGNORE the wonderful “will of God” in their lives and they “live” as if He was NOT even around! And “they” are introduced intentionally here by “James” in this excellent EXAMPLE of a jaundice Jewish businessman. The “Go to now” of which he expounds upon here is a familiar Old Testament prophetic style of rebuttal and in the Greek language means: “Let me HAVE your EAR in this manner” by speaking directly to the “ye that say” of whom will coarsely “continue” in the present tense and habitual sense. That is CARELESSLY confident crass cocky talk and rightly REPRESENTS the non-contingency self-designed pragmatic PLANNING of which is quite typical of lost seething “sinful” man manically desiring to be his OWN self-governing god of sorts. Therefore, we have here a typical “unbelieving” man manifest of commerce involved in worldly TRADE agreements to boldly “buy and sell, and get gain” of sorts. However, he totally – IGNORES God!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: We must also consider the parable of the Rich Fool in the Gospel of Luke in where “Jesus Christ” Himself addresses SAVING the sordid “soul” and to “layeth up” the true “treasure” of which is sent from “God” Almighty…
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God – Luke 12:16-21
Is a proper approach to “planning” in and of itself a “sinful” or an ethically WRONG activity? Is there something immoral about saying “Today or tomorrow” we’ll greatly “go into such a city” and “continue there a year” to brazenly “buy and sell” to grandly “get gain” of sorts? NO! To be honest, EVERY businessman would want to say this! There is NOTHING innately immoral or overtly unethical mentioned here and there are NO specific spiritual principles being vehemently VIOLATED in these verses. So far, so good – HOWEVER…
Sin of PRESUMPTION!
The real “sin” being constantly committed here is what is NOT said and that's the implication that “James” addresses. Although sound STEWARDSHIP surmised with wise and careful practical PLANNING is indeed essential and is eagerly EXPECTED by our great “God” Himself, the pious problem here is there is NO mention of HIM denoted anywhere within this rank “rich” man’s endeavors! This is a picturesque portrait portraying the lethargic “living” of one’s OWN lauded “life” as if there was NO actual accountability unto “God” and entirely encompasses the factious “foolishness” of intentionally IGNORING the wonderful “will of God” and His Sovereignty over absolutely ALL matters. Thus, this matter rigorously relays the serious “sin” of such purported – PRESUMPTION Posed!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: Back in the oldest book found within “scripture” and is most likely the FIRST one written, we find Job describing his BRIEF dire “days” drugged upon earth…
My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good. The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more – Job 7:6-9
In other words, our very existence is largely “spent without hope” in pertaining to “life” and “death” being very BRIEF and surely “consumed” like a “cloud” that vilely “vanisheth” from the sky – In an INSTANT!
Therefore, “James” along with “Job” and “Jesus Christ” Himself is surmising that “life” is but a BRIEF varying “vapour, that appeareth for a little time” and then violently “vanisheth away” like smoke! And there are “some” people who “believe” that “God” Himself exists and who CLAIM to be “Christians” themselves. However, they but do NOT include “God” in their “plans” for life in a practical self-atheism practiced – Man’s BOASTING!
God’s WILL!
Now, let’s consider this “saying” from the OTHER perspective… What “James” proclaims here is being ignored by the “ye that say” crowd is NOT simply the existence of the “will of God” but the benefit of His wonderful “will” as well! Therefore, “James” continues with a corrective statement beginning with “For that ye ought to say” concerning this type of “sinful” and GODLESS expectation expounded:
For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that – James 4:15
Even as “Christian” converts, any of “us” too can FALL foolishly into this sordid “sin” of pragmatic presumption prescribed. And although it is NOT any longer constantly characteristic of our brand “new nature” to dearly DISREGARD the Divine “will of God” aside, it DOES indeed happen from time to time. However, there is a perfect “will” that “God” Himself has for every dimension of “our” lives. Therefore, “James” says “If the Lord will” and since “God” Almighty DOES indeed have a watchful “will” for each of “us” He indeed WILL let “us” each KNOW it if “we” actually SEEK our great – God’s WILL!
EVIL Rejoicing!
Then notice AGAIN how pastor “James” surely speaks of this “evil” particular “sin” born OF the “tongue” here:
But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil – James 4:16
The term "boastings" here literally means to be loud-mouthed or to speak loudly in kind. It refers to either “rejoicing” rightly in “God’s“ accomplishments OR a belligerent “boasting” in the flesh concerning one’s OWN accomplishments. Obviously, in its consorted CONTEXT the specific “your” used here was an arrogance of a bragging “heart” and it is absolutely – ENVIOUS Enticers!
HISTORICAL HINTS: The Greek word that is translated "boastings" originally referred to a wandering and was used of particular “people” who mounted a platform in a public place to SELL their goofy goods. This is equivalent to the original SNAKE OIL salesman saying: “Step right UP folks, have I got the CURE for you!” It resembles the old quackery approach of aptly ATTRACTING amiable common crowds in where many crooked CHARLATANS and fraudulent FAKES were demonically duping unsuspecting “people” to personally BUY their poky products. They were boldly "boasting" with their LIES but they could NOT actually accomplish what they caustically CLAIMED to do as such – EVIL Rejoicing!
Selfish SIN!
And “James” then carefully closes this very IMPORTANT chapter with an axiom appropriately anticipated:
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin – James 4:17
“Therefore” pastor “James” is aptly addressing a woefully “wicked” attitude attained TOWARDS the wonderful “will of God” that essentially says: “I totally KNOW what You WANT but I will NOT do it!” This is satanically surmised “sin” settled deeply WITHIN the wholly – HARDENED Heart!
Omission OR Commission?
Incidentally, this vexing verse is often reduced to the “sins” of overlooked omission in overtly NOT diligently “doing” what you KNOW you outwardly ought to “do” in life. However, implied here in NOT doing what you KNOW you ought to decisively “do” is that you went ahead and DID what you ought NOT to “do“ in the first place! Rarely can “we” intentionally ISOLATE a serious “sin” of overt omission from a serious “sin” of compromised commission of sorts. WHY? Because if “we” didn't “do” what should have been done, “we” surely did what ought NOT to have been done – Selfish SIN!
In closing:
Beloved, when the “believer” beholds the PERFECTLY modeled picture of “Jesus Christ” our loving “Lord” we see the essence of a right RELATIONSHIP realized unto “God the Father” beautifully bound in “obedience” to Him. And although it is IMPERFECTLY lived out in “our” lives, it is nonetheless characteristic of each of “our” love lauded FOR Him as His “child” bearing His nature having a deep DESIRE to diligently “do” His watchful “will” wanted. Conversely, if there is NO deep ingrained desire within a heinous HEART to decidedly “do” His wonderful “will” as such, this makes up the maniacal MARK of a rankly rebellious person who has NOT been totally – Transformed BY Him!
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
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Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
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