James 4:13 - 17 (Ignoring God)

October 7, 2021 (Thursday)

 

God is with us. The problem with Christianity is that much of life is lived ignorant of the very real presence of God in those who follow Jesus.

 

James explains, “Pay attention, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such-and-such a town. We will stay there a year, buying and selling, and making a profit.” [James 4:13 CEB] As humans we tend to make plans. We do this because it makes sense. We do this because living without a plan is simply eating, sleeping, and taking up space. I don’t think James is saying to NOT make plans, let’s continue with the thought.

 

James continues, “You don’t really know about tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for only a short while before it vanishes.” [James 4:14 CEB] There are two ways to consider our mortality. The first way is to not think about the possibility. The second is to indulge ourselves. The mantra is “eat, sleep, and be merry for tomorrow we may die” (see Isaiah 22:33, Luke 12:19, 1 Corinthians 15:32).

 

The context in Isaiah is rebellion against God. In 1 Corinthians Paul uses the expression to convey the only logical lifestyle if there is no resurrection. In the mouth of Jesus it is a condemnation of the foolishness of indulging ourselves. Jesus proclaims, “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you…” [Luke 12:20a ESV] If you want a deeper insight (that will scare you spitless) to this expression PM me.

 

James attempts to correct our planning perspective, “Here’s what you ought to say: “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” [James 4:15 CEB] I do not think James is advocating the hollow repeating of a formula. James wants us to understand in the deepest depth of our being that what we do (or do NOT do) is ultimately directed by God. Or to quote Proverbs 16:9, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” [NLT]

 

Living life, without an eternal perspective in absolute dependence on God, is condemned by James. “But now you boast and brag, and all such boasting is evil.” [James 4:16 CEB] Ignoring God is at best arrogant, evil at worst. There is nothing positive to be said about living ignorant of the fact God is with those who follow Jesus.

 

And now for the twist… by now we are used to James taking something that seems simple and making it complex. “It is a sin when someone knows the right thing to do and doesn’t do it.” [James 4:17 CEB] In practice there are two types of sin: sins of commission and sins of omission. Sins of commission are sins we commit. (Doing what is forbidden and destructive.) Sins of omission are sins of omitting doing what we are to do.

 

Another way to understand sin is to understand “negative” and “positive” expectations. For instance, when God says “thou shalt not” those are “negative,” prohibiting something like murder. On the other side God says “thou shalt” those are “positive,” encouraging something like love.

 

When we ignore the fact that God is with us, we miss doing the next right thing. When we miss doing the next right thing, we are living in direct defiance to God and robbing our souls inexpressible joy (see 1 Peter 1:8 – 9)