When we think of what some have called the sin of worldliness,
we often think in terms of immodest apparel, filthy language,
watching the wrong kind of television programs, movies and so
on. But a worldly attitude also includes being hypercritical
of our brethren (4:11-12), and planning for the future without
really including God in our plans. James chapter 4 reminds us
that there is more much involved in being a Christian than just
planning ahead or using your talents, abilities and financial
resources in a prudent manner. All self-starters, all conservative
thinkers, and all hard workers are not necessarily right with
God. More is needed to be right with God than rugged individualism.
"The following industrious businessman who make careful and
elaborate plans without any regard for God. The various activities
may not be improper, but if God is ignored, they are worldly"
(Kent p. 160).
4:13 "Come now, you who say, 'Today
or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a
year there and engage in business and make a profit'".
"Come now"-Somewhat
like our "come, come now". It is a way of saying, "Take
a good look at what you are really saying". The King James,
"Go to now", is an expression that sounds strange to
our ears, but in times past was a way getting someone's attention.
"you who say"-There
is some discussion among commentators concerning who is being
addressed in this section. Many assume that James is rebuking
the arrogance of Jewish businessmen. But why would James suddenly
start talking to non-Christians, in a letter than has been thus
far directed right at Christians? In addition, the attitude,
"if the Lord wills" (4:15), won't help an unbeliever
unless they first become a Christian. But such a attitude would
be the repentance necessary by one who is already a Christian.
"Today or tomorrow"-indicating
that these were real plans and not just pipe dreams.
"we shall go to such and such a
city"-Barclay notes, "So the picture is the picture
of a man looking at a map. He points at a certain spot on it,
and says, 'Here is a new city where there are great trade chances.
I'll go there; and I'll get in on the ground floor; and I'll
trade for a year or so; and I'll make my fortune, and come back
rich'" (p. 133). Hence a person could return, buy a large
piece of property, become a wealthy landowner or gentlemen farmer
and enjoy the good life. Note, nothing has really changed.
The same attitude to make it rich, the same high hopes and confident
expectations have fueled people during the gold rush, and still
fuel people today.
Points To Note:
"and spend a year there and engage
in business and make a profit"-The expression "engage
in business" is translated from a Greek word, from whence
we get the English word "emporium". It means to traffic,
carry on trade, to go a trading.
Points To Note:
These verses should make us really think, "Why are we a Christian?"
One writer noted, "Christians today frequently pride themselves
on being different from the world, but in reality they are usually
only different from a particular segment of the world
.Because
we cling to conservative American values, we tell ourselves that
we're acting independently of our culture. But conservative attitudes
can be just as much a part of the world as liberal ones
.We're
only fooling ourselves when we equate conservative attitudes with
godly attitudes"
The point is that often we think we are really doing good because
we believe in the work ethic, and we are working hard ourselves,
without realizing that many people with the same attitude are
lost! Are we a Christian merely because we naturally like various
conservative ideas that we find in the Bible, or are we a Christian
because we have realized that we cannot live without God? And
that we have come to love Him with our whole mind, heart, soul
and strength?
4:14 "Yet you do not know what
your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears
for a little while and then vanishes away."
"Yet you do not know"-Proverbs
27:1 "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what
a day may bring forth." Like the rich man in Luke 12:19,
we can easily assume that we have "many years". Here
we see human presumptuousness. We are admittedly very finite,
why we can't even guarantee that we will be around tomorrow.
And yet, we so easily make earthly plans which stretch far out
into the future, without even thinking that we might not be around.
"what your life will be like tomorrow"-The
same people who are making plans for the whole year---don't even
know if they will be around tomorrow! In addition, they don't
even know what their life will be like tomorrow.
Points To Note:
"You are just a vapor"-Especially
when we are young we think we are invincible and eternal. James
brings us down to reality. What type or quality of life do we
really possess? The expression "what your life will be
like tomorrow", in some manuscripts reads, "for what
kind of life is yours".
"just a vapor"-boy,
what a humbling statement! "Your life is transitory, precarious,
and not totally controllable or predictable
.Like steam that
escapes from a pan cooking over the fire, or the breath that is
briefly visible on a cold morning, so life itself has its time
of visibility; but in light of God's eternal plan, the earthly
manifestation is brief" (Kent pp. 162-163). "The
word 'vapor' means either 'mist, fog, breath, or smoke.' Any
such rendering will preserve the figure. It stands for something
seemingly with us which vanishes suddenly and is seen no more.
Even a full life is only a moment in eternity" (Roberts
p. 177).
Points To Note:
4:15 "Instead, you ought to say,
'If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that'".
"Instead"-Note what
James didn't say. James didn't say, "Since life is so short
and unpredictable---live in fear!" Barclay notes, "But
James goes on. This uncertainty of life is not a cause either
for fear or for inaction because of the insecurity of the future.
It is a reason for accepting and realizing our complete dependence
on God
..The true Christian way is not to be terrorized into
fear, and not to be paralyzed into inaction, by the uncertainty
of the future, but to commit the future and all our plans into
the hands of God, and always to remember that our plans may not
be within the purpose of God" (p. 134).
"If the Lord wills"-Which
is found in other passages (Acts 18:21; 1 Corinthians 4:19; 16:7;
Hebrews 6:3).
Points To Note:
"we shall live"-First
things first, we need to remember that while we have big plans,
we might not be alive to start the project, much less finish it.
"Death often comes with shocking suddenness---a sudden
stroke, a fatal heart attack, the rendering crash of an automobile,
and it is over, in a moment, without an instant's warning"
(Woods p. 247).
"and also do this or that"-Note,
that God doesn't ridicule the idea of planning. James doesn't
go to the other extreme, where people simply say that God will
do everything for them. Here, we find that human planning, human
effort and the Divine will and power are to work together in harmony.
We still need to plan, work and use prudence.
Points To Note:
4:16 "But as it is, you boast in
your arrogance; all such boasting is evil".
"But as it is"-"But
here you are, boasting in your proud pretensions!" (Mof).
"boast in your arrogance"-The
word "arrogance" means "empty, braggart talk"
(Thayer p. 25). "The word signifies the self deceived and
groundless confidence in the stability of life and health on which
the worldly pride themselves. On this foundation your boastful
speeches (and plans) are built" (Alford p. 1619). "The
basic idea of James's term is pretentiousness or arrogance. These
merchants were proud of their abilities, made no secret of the
fact, and conveyed the impression that they were fully capable
of accomplishing by their own abilities whatever they set out
to do" (Kent p. 165).
Compare with 1 John 2:16 "the boastful pride of life":
"It denotes the disposition to claim cleverness, strength,
skill; hence, sufficiency; and, of course, without God
..Bad
as it is to feel independent of God, it is worse to glory in it,
and to boast of it to others" (Woods p. 252). Carefully
note, that such boasting might simply have been in regard to their
commercial lives
.they may have been very pious in services
and at home. But we need to be reminded that no part of life
is outside the rule of God.
"all such boasting is evil"-"All
such pride is wrong" (Gspd). "All such"-arrogance
in any area of our lives, not just in reference to business enterprises---is
wrong. It is wrong because it is the attitude that I can live
without God, I don't need Him, it is where I have elevated myself
to the status that only belongs to God. "We must ever
remember that God is the superintendent of the universe; we are
the creatures of his hand; and we should conduct ourselves accordingly"
(Woods p. 252). And yet there are things that we need to boast
about (1 Thess. 2:19; Galatians 6:14).
4:17 "Therefore, to one who knows
the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin".
"Therefore"-Indicating
that this verse is connected with the preceding verses. James
has outlined the right thing to do, not only in this chapter but
in the previous three chapters. Therefore, the person who keeps
on making plans without God is continuing in sin, and the person
who continues to be hypercritical of their brethren (4:11-12)
is doing the same thing.
"to one who knows the right thing
to do"-The verse assumes that Christians do know the
right thing to do. James knew that these Christians could understand
exactly what he was saying. On the whole, when people don't do
the right thing, it's not because they are confused by the teaching
found in the biblical record. The verse also infers that we
can do the right thing (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
"and does not do it"-"present
active, 'and to one not doing it'" (Robertson p. 56).
These Christians knew that friendship with the world is enmity
with God, that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble,
and so on. They knew better, they were not living up to the standard
which they were capable (Luke 12:47; John 15:22).
Points To Note:
"to him it is sin"-It
is also sin for anyone else that falls into the same category.
"he is guilty of sin" (Gspd). God is making it clear
that these Christians are without excuse if they fail to apply
the teachings in this letter. It is a sin to do something which
one has moral doubts about, even if it is the right thing to do
(Romans 14:23), it is also a sin to know that a thing is right
and yet leave it undone.