James (written)

Wednesday, 28 August 2019

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17

The words here are not unlike those of Paul in Romans 14:23 –

“But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”

Doubting, faith, to know – these things are internal, and yet we are shown that we are held accountable for doubting when we do not eat in faith. And faith is something that must be read from the heart. Likewise, knowing to do good may be something that we alone know about, and yet if we do not act on that good thing that we are aware of, we sin.

James begins with, “Therefore.” He is summing up his thoughts concerning the future. The fact is that none of us knows what the future holds except in general brushstrokes of how God has revealed it in Scripture, or as can be logically deduced based on past experience. But ultimately, the future, and our personal interaction with it, is an impenetrable wall. We are bound to the present.

Because of this, James says, “to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” The meaning – in the context of making plans – is that we must submit our future actions to the will of the Lord. This is especially so when we interact with others. If we speak of the future as our own possession, we sin. We have laid hold to that which belongs to the Lord alone. Therefore, we are to include the Lord’s will in our future claims, subordinating what we say to His will.

This statement of James, however, is a general statement as well. It is one which carries truth in it all by itself. When we fail to perform a duty that we know is right, it is no less sinful than committing a known sin. In both, we commit an offense. Jesus speaks of this in Luke 12. In verse 47, He says, “And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.”

When evil will occur because of our inaction, we cannot say, “I didn’t act and therefore I am safe.” Either way, our conduct is an inconsistency in the eyes of God which then results in sin.

Life application: Sin can be divided up in multiple ways, but the three main categories of all sin are:

Sins of commission
Sins of omission
Sins of the mind

We often focus on sins of commission – things that we actively do which are wrong, like stealing, adultery, lying, etc. These make for great sermons and are what the law is mostly based on. The majority of The Ten Commandments are things we are told not to do. Do not lie, for example. When we do, we commit a sin of commission.

Sins of the mind are good to use when witnessing to others –

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27, 28

Our thoughts reveal our corrupt nature and show us how far we really are from holiness. Even if we don’t actually commit adultery or murder, our intent condemns us. The commandment “Do not covet” falls under this category.

The third type of sin, which is that of omission, is no less wrong and covers a vast part of the sin in our lives. We know we should do something – that it is morally right to do it – and yet we make excuses to avoid doing it. James says that when this occurs, it is sin. What does all this tell us? It reveals to us that we really, really need Jesus. We may not have committed adultery, but we sure have thought about it. We may not have stolen, but we failed to stop the person accompanying us when they stole. Such sins separate us from God and only Jesus can restore us. Praise the Lord for Jesus!

Lord, surely we admit that we have committed every type of sin imaginable. We have done that which we ought not to have done. We have left undone those things we should have done. We have also intended evil in our hearts towards others. Yes, all of this is sin and we can only thank You and praise You for Your great mercy revealed in Jesus. It is He alone who cleanses us from all unrighteousness Amen.

Tuesday, 27 August 2019

But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. James 4:16

James is still speaking of the same subject which goes back to verse 13. It is the boasting which arises out of the assumption that we have the future in control, and that we can say, “Today or tomorrow we will do this and that.” Without including the Lord in the matter, we are boasting of possessing that to which we have no right to claim. As he noted in the previous verse, we should say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

However, we fail to do this. In our failure, he says, “But now you boast in your arrogance.” We have, in fact, attempted to lay hold of that which belongs to the Lord alone. It is boastful, and it is arrogant.

This is the final use of the word translated as “boastful” in the New Testament. It is a noun which has been used by Paul 10 times. It is variously translated as boasting, confidence, glorying, and rejoicing. It can be positive (about God’s grace) or negative (about self) based on the context. Here, it is obviously a negative boast.

The word translated as “arrogance” is found only here and in 1 John 2:16. It properly means “a vagabond (‘quack’), making empty boasts about having ‘cures’ to rid people of all their ills (even by producing ‘wonders,’ etc.)” (HELPS Word Studies). Such quackery attempts to set a person in a favorable light concerning matters of which he has no ability or authority.

In this state, James says that “All such boasting is evil.” This is so because it is based on a completely unfounded view of who we are as individuals. We are the created. We are the dependent. We are the unknowing. And yet, we speak in an evil way – as if we are in the place of God – grabbing onto a future which is wholly and solely at His authority. A single moment may destroy our hope of any future at all, and we are to therefore place our lives – from moment to moment – under the caring guidance of God. We are to submit ourselves to His unfurling of the sails which take us from the shores of the present into the endless expanse of the future which lies before us.

Life application: Why is boasting or bragging evil? Think it through and you will see. If a woman is exceptionally lovely, wasn’t it a gift of her birth? What if she highlights herself to look beautiful – then isn’t this temporary and false?

If someone is a natural musician, how can he brag about what he was born with? Suppose he worked hard to become a musician because he lacked natural talent – where did the time, circumstance, and drive to learn the skill come from?

If you are born into a wealthy family, what did you do to deserve it? But what if you became wealthy by playing the lottery – wasn’t this providence and beyond yourself? Or, what if you worked hard and made great wealth? Again, where did the ability, time, and circumstance come from to allow you to become rich?

It doesn’t matter what the issue, what the circumstance, or what the possession, it all ultimately came from one Source – the Creator. Likewise, each breath we take is from His goodness to us. Every heartbeat is under His control. If you don’t believe this, then go back and watch videos of the 911 attack, or click on any of a host of YouTube videos that caught death in the act. None of those people expected what was coming and their plans for the next moment were in vain. How much more tenuous are our long-term plans! Each moment is precious and every sunrise is a gift. Don’t squander your life pursuing the wind, but instead consider Solomon’s sound advice –

“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come,
And the years draw near when you say,
‘I have no pleasure in them.’”

From this, Solomon goes on to point out the many ways death arrives. Now is the time of God’s favor; remember Him now.

Forgive us O Lord for taking credit for the blessings You have provided. Forgive us also for boasting about a future which is within Your control alone. Give each of us a sound and wise attitude toward those things which You have provided. May we ever acknowledge that all things stem from You, belong to You, and are at Your disposal. Amen.

Monday, 26 August 2019

Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” James 4:15

James just spoke of the life of man being a mere vapor which appears for a short time and then it fades away. Because of this, it is boastful to claim that we will do something or another in the future. Now he instructs us on how we should state any future decision or goal, beginning with, “Instead you ought to say.” This is set in contrast to the words of verse 13 –

“Come now, you who say…”
“Instead you ought to say…”

Those in verse 13 proceeded to speak boastfully about what they would do. In fact, however, they didn’t know if they would be taking their next breath. James corrects this by showing that we should approach the future with humility by saying, “If the Lord wills.”

Other than the moment in which we presently exist, we have no idea what will transpire next. The ground could quake under us and the roof could then fall on us – life over. The future is known only to God, and we are to leave that unknown sea of time up to His will. In invoking His will, we can then say, “we shall live and do this or that.”

Both life, and what is done with that life, are up to His allowances. However, this is not a fatalistic approach to the future by any stretch of the imagination. Two things are occurring here –

1) If the Lord wills, we shall live (solely a decision of the Lord).
2) If the Lord wills, we shall do this or that (based on the granting of the first statement that we shall live, we will then act with freedom to choose what we will do).

The concept of free will in man is seen throughout Scripture, and it is revealed even in our acknowledging His sovereignty over the future. The Bible does not portray the fatalistic view of Islam or various other religions. Nor does it portray the autocratic rule of God – even in salvation – which is held to by Calvinism. Instead, it reveals that God is wholly sovereign over all things, and yet He has factored in our free will desires and actions. This is seen for example in Paul’s words, such as in 1 Corinthians 4:19 –

“But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.”

Paul freely chooses to come to those in Corinth, and yet He understands that the Lord may not will him to do so. There is a synergism which is being displayed in the life of man who works within the confines of God’s overall sovereignty.

Life application: If you are ever talking with someone about future plans like traveling, starting a business, etc., and that person says, “I’ll be doing that, the Lord willing,” you can know that they are obeying this particular verse of the Bible. Instead of speaking as if the plans are certain, this individual is willing to acknowledge that God is sovereign and our decisions and hopes are based solely on His allowance of them coming to completion.

This attitude does several things –

1) It rightly gives credit to the Lord for achievements in our life.
2) It removes from us an aspect of the stain of failure should our plans not come to fruition.
3) It keeps us living in the Spirit because we are ever-conscious of His guiding power in all matters.

As God allows or restrains the intentions of the wicked, how can we expect to land safely at the next airport without the Lord’s protection? As God is in control of the natural forces, how can we expect to climb a mountain during an earthquake? As God is in control of our very heartbeat and breath, how can we make plans to see our children’s marriage apart from His allowance of it? As God likewise controls the lives of others, how can we expect even one more visit from our father or mother? Every moment is precious and every moment is controlled completely by Him. Therefore, whatever we plan, it should be with the understanding that it will only come about if the Lord allows it to occur.

Lord, forgive us for looking to the future and thinking that we have any control over it. We can only hope to have what we wish for, but in the end we must rely on Your open hand to provide it. Please remind us to be sure to acknowledge Your sovereign hand over all things when we speak of our plans for the future. Amen.

Sunday, 25 August 2019

…whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:14

James now builds upon what he had just said. The readers (whoever they may be) were presumptuous and said, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit.” The words were presumptuous and boastful because they made a claim upon a matter as if it had already been settled, but which they had no right to the claim in the first place. As James tells them, “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.”

Our next breath, much less what will happen later in the day or on the next day, is not guaranteed. To assume that we have control over time is to put ourselves in the place of God, who alone knows the future. What He is fully aware of is completely unknown to us. This is a concept that Solomon spoke of centuries before –

“Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1

A day may bring an earthquake. It may bring forth a heart attack. It may bring forth a car crash or a snake bite. We have no idea what lies ahead of us, and so to lay claim to “tomorrow,” when we are still unsure about “today,” is the height of arrogance. James then asks his reader to consider this –

“For what is your life?”

The question is a broad one that could be answered in a million ways, but he has already set the parameters for the expected answer. He is speaking of time, and so the answer to the question should likewise be dealing with time, particularly the present. One could ask, “What is your life at this very moment in time?”

Again, he is not asking about the condition or quality of life at this moment of time, but rather of its relation to the future. And so the question could then be further refined as, “Is the beating of your heart now (signifying life which exists) any determining factor of it still being beating in a day, or in an hour, or in one minute?”

Again, Solomon reflected on this same type of thought in the book of Ecclesiastes –

“For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?” Ecclesiastes 6:12

Man doesn’t know what the state of his existence will be from moment to moment, and he certainly can’t tell what will happen after him, when his existence ends. And that could be at any moment. A shadow passes as the sun moves, and the sun constantly moves. Further, a shadow can also move as a body moves in relation to the sun. And some bodies move very quickly. Therefore, a shadow can come and go in a heartbeat. Because of this, James says something akin to what Solomon said with the words, “It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

The verbs are present participles. Young’s translates them, “for it is a vapour that is appearing for a little, and then is vanishing.” There is no set timeframe for the event. It happens and then it ends as it is happening. One can think of Solomon’s words which appear right at the opening of the book of Ecclesiastes –

havel havelim ha’kol havel – “Vapor of vapors the all is vapor.” One can walk outside on a cold morning and see his breath. It is a vapor which appears, and within a short moment, the vapor disappears. This is what Solomon says everything is, and this is what James says our life (which is our personal “everything”) is. It is appearing and it is vanishing.

Solomon’s admonition for this condition is found in Ecclesiastes 12. Jesus gives a thought concerning the matter in Luke 12:13-21. Take time to read those passages today.

Life application: James says our life is like a mist. It comes and it is gone before our eyes. Job says –

“Man who is born of woman
Is of few days and full of trouble.
² He comes forth like a flower and fades away;
He flees like a shadow and does not continue.” Job 14:1, 2

The Bible speaks of our life as fragile and temporary many, many times. Because of this, it implores us to seek God while we can. More often than not, those who face death will try to find religion quickly. The problem is that we may not find the truth in the religion we seek. In such desperation our minds become over-taxed with the stress of the moment and we may grab onto a faith which is misdirected.

However, God has given us a wonderful plan of redemption, and it is available to all people. To call on God in the wrong way is to fail to call on God at all, so we need to pursue His offering now, while our heads and thoughts are clear. Because your life is so very temporary, make the best of your time in the present by seeking after God and calling on the Lord Jesus for your salvation. As Paul states as clearly as possible –

“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” Amen.

Saturday, 24 August 2019

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;  James 4:13

James is beginning a fourth thought in this one chapter. He started out by speaking about pride and how it affects our relationship with God in verses 1-6. He then went to the idea of submitting to God through humility in verses 7-10. This was given as a cure for the pride of the first section. After that, he wrote two verses concerning judging others. And now, he will write about arrogant boasting concerning our future when our future is wholly unknown to us.

To open this thought, he begins with, “Come now.” It is a phrase given to grab the attention of the reader. Today, when we want to capture someone’s attention, we might say, “Check this out,” or “Get a load of this.” This is the same type of thought here. James is calling the mind to attention in order to make his new point.

He then speaks of anyone to whom the interjection might apply by saying, “you who say.” Whoever the coming statement applies to at any time is who is being spoken of here. It is his way of saying, “Does this apply to you?” If it does, then that person needs to consider James’ words. And the thought that may apply to any given person is, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, and make a profit.”

This sounds like a rather innocuous thing to say. It is certainly something that anyone might say at any time about any matter –

“Next year, we will take a trip to Israel.”
“I retire in three more years, and then I will start a new career.”
“I will be attending my daughter’s graduation in June.”

James is asking us to reflect on this type of thought so that he can correct our boastful attitude. He will begin to explain what he means in the next verse.

As a side note, the word translated as “buy and sell” is emporeuomai. It is used only here and 1 Peter 2:3. It is the root of our modern word “emporium,” and it especially means “to trade.”

If you have not read James before, what part of the statement do you think he is calling attention to? Is it the time reference? Is it the idea of traveling? Or, is it one (or all) of the three desired actions of 1) spending a year at the city, 2) buying and selling, or 3) making a profit?

Life application: Until the full idea of what James is referring to is revealed, let us simply remember that business and making money is part of our lives. From the very fall of man, the toil of labor to sustain ourselves has been something intended for man to do –

“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
¹⁸ Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
¹⁹ In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:17-19

Therefore, to sit around idly accepting handouts, when there is gainful work to be had, is actually a violation of our intended purpose. There are times when work can’t be found or when man is physically limited, but this is the exception and not the norm. Almost everyone can be productive and there is always something to accomplish if one wants to put his foot forward and accept responsibility.

As the Bible says, it is the sluggard who complains that there is a lion in the streets (meaning the slothful man will find ANY reason to stay inside and watch TV rather than getting out and working). If you are not producing according to your abilities (other than such reasons as a poor economy, ill-health, etc.), then you are bringing discredit upon yourself. Have respect for yourself – there is no lion in the street.

Heavenly Father, please give each of us the ability, the desire, and the opportunities to be productive. May we not whittle away our years doing nothing. Instead, may our works be such that they bring You great glory. And as we are blessed to be productive, remind us to turn and cheerfully give a portion back to You – in gratitude for what You have done for us. Amen.