James 4:13-17
13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow 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.
In writing to the Romans, after defending the great mercies of God in salvation through in Christ in Romans 1-11, the Apostle Paul instructs on what the practical outworkings of those great truths and promises are. He begins by calling all believers to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). The way that believers do that is the content of the remainder of that letter, but Romans 12:2 gives us a foundational key for how we are to live in the light of God’s grace in Christ when it says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” He tells us not to allow the world to squeeze us into its mold, but instead live transformed lives from transformed minds by the truth. Instead of allowing the world to direct us, we must allow God’s Word and will to direct us.
It is to this issue that we come to in James 4:13-17. The worldly wisdom that is rooted in selfish ambition (James 3:13-18) was working its way out in the lives of those first century Christians as they lived and planned their lives. James specifically addresses some Christian businessmen who seem to make ordinary business plans in verse 13, but it is revealed that in their planning, they have neglected God and His will. While all of James is extremely practical, this portion of the letter is a very timely call for Christians in our time to learn to center our lives around God’s will and not our own ambitions. To help us, there are three essential reminders that we need that can be drawn from this text.
First, we are called to remember that life is short. The group James addresses are Christian businessmen who seem to plan out their business pursuits without considering God’s will in the matter. After identifying the group and actions he was addressing in verse 13, James gives us all a sobering reminder by way of a question and answer: “What is your life?” The answer is “a vapor.” It is a puff of stream that is here and gone in a few seconds. The point he makes is plain and profound. Our lives are short. We can never take for granted that we have ten more years, five more years, a few more months, a week, a day, or tomorrow. Our lives can come to an end at any moment and they will inevitably come and go on us even if we are given 70-80 years to live.
Next, we are called to remember that life is a gift. The error in their thinking is revealed in verse 15. They presume upon God’s grace to give them the time to do what they have planned. Their attitude is what I like to call “practical atheism.” It is believing in God but living as if He doesn’t exist. James calls it “boasting” or “arrogance.” To take for granted that we are guaranteed life and then to live what life we have been given selfishly for ourselves is the height of arrogance. Today, this would be person who decides to live their life or structure their schedule in such a way that they leave service to God out with the intention of serving Him later on. Some decide to make all the money they can with the intention to serve God after retirement. Some bury themselves in activities for their kids with the intention of being faithful to Christ when their kids are grown and out on their own. James addresses such thinking as sinful. Life is a gift from God. This attitude demonstrates a failure to see life for what it is, a gift.
Lastly, we must remember that life has a purpose. Life is not only a gift from God, but it also has a purpose that He defines for us. James stresses the need for immediate obedience. You’ve perhaps heard it said that “delayed obedience is disobedience.” It is true. The time to serve Christ is now. The time to repent is now. The time to be saved is now (2 Corinthians 6:2). One of the greatest deceptions that we can fall prey to as a human being is to think that we can put off for tomorrow what God desires for us to do today. We fill our schedules with so many things, most of which come from pressures of the world. We say to ourselves, “Surely God doesn’t want me to give this up? My kids have to do this to live fulfilled lives. I’ve got to make money, after all.” In doing so, we inevitably neglect training ourselves in godliness, diligently teaching our children to follow Christ, and faithfully serving Christ and building His kingdom. Jesus died for us. He paid a high price for us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Paul gives us an appropriate word in 2 Corinthians 5:15 when he wrote, “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” Our lives have a clear purpose, to live for God’s glory and His will. We are called to take part in His great ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Our lives have a purpose.
Are you making the most of your life? Are you living your life with the understanding that it is short, that it is a gift, and that it has a great purpose given by God? Are your decisions based upon the thinking of the world or the will of God? We cannot undo what we have done in the past, but today we can surrender to the will of God. Today is the time to respond. Today is the time to serve Christ. Tomorrow may be too late.