Sinning Against the Will of God (James 4:13-17)

How much should Christians involve God in the "secular" areas of their lives?  Does it make any difference how we make a living and plan our lives as long as we are honest?  What about the man who is in business?  Is God really interested in and concerned about his business associates, his operations, and his policies?  If the hairs of our head are all numbered--and they are--then surely God is interested in the minutest details of our life.

Whatever we do, we are enjoined to "do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men" (Colossians 3:23).  The words of Solomon forbid restricting God to the "spiritual" aspect of life: "In all they ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:6).

Evidently the Christian merchants to whom James refers planned their lives as though God did not exist.  They carefully arranged their plans so as to make the most money in the shortest time (James 4:13).

James does not condemn making plans or making money.  In themselves these activities are not evil.  But planning without-thought for God's will is a refusal to recognize His providence over all thing sand our accountability to Him in all things.

God is not running the world by chance.  He is fulfilling a perfect plan, arranged before the foundation of the world, and He wants His people to own His sovereignty and order their lives so as to please and honor Him in everything.

The businessman is not the only person guilty of excluding God from his affairs.  The common laborer can be just as guilty.  No Christian is exempt from this danger.  We make all our plans and then ask God to bless them.  Would it not be wiser to seek His guidance earlier?  Are we depending upon how wisely we manipulate our circumstances?

Life is uncertain, and it is the height of presumption and pride to live as thought the future belonged to us and as if we could control our destiny at will.  It's foolish to plan without God because man is ignorant of what even one day may bring forth.

The best of plans can go awry.  Life is like a wisp of clouds (vs. 14).  The period of its duration here on earth is very short.  In the light of eternity, man's life is like a "handbreadth" (Psalm 39:5).  It's "swifter than a weavers shuttle" (Job 7:6).  "A thousand years...are but as yesterday when it's past, and as a watch in the night" (Psalm 90:4).

Since human life is both brief and uncertain, we should live in constant recognition of the superintending sovereignty of God.  "If the Lord will." That's what James tells believers they should say before making their plans definite (James 4:15).

The expression is not a magic charm or a frivolous platitude.  It suggests we submit our wills to His will and comply with His direction and love it even thought it runs contrary to our projects and plans.

Paul did not hesitate to make definite plans for his missionary travels.  Nevertheless, his plans were always subject to change by divine intervention.  What he proposed he proposed in the will of God.  Whether by life or by death, he intended to glorify God.

Whether he remained in prison or visited Philemon rested in the will of God.  Whether he preached to the saints at Rome or ventured to a pioneer field in Spain, he determined to know God's will and do it.  Combined Paul's plans were his own responsibility and God's sovereign appointments.  He was an apostle by the will of God (1 Cor. 1:1).

He knew what was good and acceptable and the perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).  He experienced the gracious operations of the Holy Spirit working in him to enable him to choose the will of God and fulfill it (Philippians 2:13).

The people to whom James wrote were guilty on two counts:  They did not consider God in their plans, and they rejoiced in their own boastings.

They were proud of their pride (James 4:16).  That is almost as bad as being proud of humility.  James does not mean to call all rejoicing evil.  He wants us to understand this kind of rejoicing is evil.  It is useless and worthless.  It's a sad commentary on human nature we all have the propensity of taking delight in what is wicked.  Paul calls it glorying in shame (Philippians 3:19).  What we ought to be ashamed of we boast about.

The Corinthians went so far as to boast in their sinful attitudes toward incest.  When they should have been mourning, they were making merry.

James 4:17 could really stand as a concluding summary to the entire book of James.  In a special way it summarizes vs. 11-16.  James evidently anticipates some Christians will excuse themselves on the ground they have never committed these grave sins against believers, and so he reminds them that failing to do what they know is right is as bad as practicing what they know is wrong.

They must learn that doing nothing will not exonerate them.  We can live as if God didn't exist by leaving undone what ought to be done as well as by doing what should have been left undone.  With this exhortation James takes us right back where we started--the place of doing and working and living what we say we believe.

Failure to do so in nonconformity to the character and will of God, and all such omissions, through either ignorance or neglect or defiance, are sins against the Word of God and the Spirit of God.