The Strong-Willed Individual
James 4:13-17
January 25, 2015
This morning we move into somewhat of a new section
In the book of James.
I suppose the link in flow would be that James just spent several verses
Outlining for us the importance of humble submission.
Here he addresses the person that is exactly the opposite.
The initial reading would tell you that James is talking about the boaster.
(16) “But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.”
And that is certainly true.
But I want you to understand it is far more than just a “loud mouth”
Who constantly talks about what great things he can do or has done.
We aren’t just talking about a bragger.
Boasting here is much bigger.
We are dealing here with an arrogant person; a strong-willed person.
We are talking about the type of individual
That not only thinks they know everything,
But who is unwilling to listen to anyone else – even God.
They are self-confident
They are self-assured
They are arrogant and strong-willed
Throw all that together and we have a boaster.
And while there have been great men of God (like David before Goliath) who did boast in God,
This type of self-trusting boasting is clearly wrong.
Jeremiah said:
Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”
Clearly boasting in the Lord is acceptable,
But boasting that trusts in your own wisdom, might, or riches is wrong.
In fact, if you will remember that often quoted passage from Paul,
God chose you specifically so that you would not boast.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.”
In Romans 3 after Paul outlined how man is saved by the atoning sacrifice of Christ and not works of the Law, Paul went on to say:
Romans 3:27-28 “Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”
Clearly boasting in or trusting in your own abilities or intellect or riches
Or whatever was never part of God’s plan.
Instead as believers we are to recognize our weakness and inability.
We are to trust in God’s strength
And we are to submit to His plan (since He knows more)
This is what Jesus meant when He taught us to pray:
Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.”
Instead of being certain that you have it all figured out,
Why don’t you submit yourself to the will and ability of God.
And this is the issue James deals with here.
As you know James is looking at the church, and remembering Jesus, and wondering why the church doesn’t look more like Jesus.
And this is another area.
On one hand we have Jesus, who always did the Father’s will.
John 5:19 “Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”
John 4:34 “Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.”
Matthew 26:39 “And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
Jesus never took matters into His own hands,
He continually walked according to the will of the Father.
On the other hand we have “believers” who do their own will.
Imagine how confusing it is for James then to look around and see so many Christians who arrogantly ignore God’s will for their lives.
It is a frustrating thing to be certain to be in a church,
Surrounded by people who claim to be God’s people,
And yet see those people insist on doing things their own way
Instead of God’s way.
And I don’t want to get into some sort of list of examples,
(I certainly have my hot-button topics)
But let me just put it this way:
Any time you do not follow
God’s ordained plan, command, pattern, or example
(and instead follow what seems best to you)
That is the type of arrogant boasting that James is referring to.
It is to estimate that your wisdom is better than God’s
And that your ability is better than God’s.
Sound arrogant?
That is the type of strong-willed, arrogant, boasting person that James is dealing with here.
And unfortunately (again) James is right on the money.
I want to show you 5 things.
#1 AN ACCOUNT OF BOASTING
James 4:13
It could be that James has a specific incident in mind,
But more than likely he is simply giving a hypothetical
Of what arrogant, strong-willed, boasting looks like.
You find an individual that is dripping with confidence in their own ability.
After our study of Genesis,
You can again pretty easily see the young man Jacob found here.
There is no prayer
There is no seeking
There is no submission
This person has it all under control
And if you want to break it down a little further
You can easily see the 5 areas that they are so confident in.
1) THE TIME
“Come now, you who say, “Today or Tomorrow”
They have already determined the time table
In which they are going to carry out their plan.
They didn’t seek the counsel of the Lord,
They are doing it WHEN they feel it is right.
Of course this goes against the grain of Scripture.
Isaiah 40:31 “Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”
We ought to seek God’s. Paul did this.
Romans 1:8-15 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.”
What do we think stopped Paul? It wasn’t soldiers or supplies,
None of those things ever stopped him.
He was waiting on God’s time table.
2) THE TRAIL
“we will go to such and such a city”
They have already determined where they are going to go.
They have picked this on their own.
How can we possibly know where the best place for us is,
If we have not first sought God’s will?
Paul also did this.
Acts 16:6-10 “They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
Again, Paul was sensitive to the will of the Holy Spirit.
3) THE TENURE
“and spend a year there”
They are surely confident how long their trip will take.
They seem surely confident that they can accomplish
All they need to accomplish in a years time.
I remember a youth man telling me one time he was about to leave a church, because he just felt like he had done all he could do there.
I promise you that is right.
I did all I could do here, two days before I ever arrived.
It is the picture of trusting in your own abilities and your own time frame.
Again, Paul didn’t do this.
Acts 18:5-11 “But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue. Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized. And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”
4) THE TACTICS
“and engage in business”
They also determine how they are going to accomplish their goal.
They already know the strategy they are going to impart
In order to do what they think must be done.
There are many church growth strategies out there like this.
People enter a church, and already know exactly what they are going to do
In order to grow that church. BE CAREFUL.
Paul never determined his own tactics.
1 Cor. 1:17 “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.”
1 Cor. 2:2-5 “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”
5) THE TARGET
“and make a profit”
There goal was set by them, and it was all about what they wanted.
Again, many churches do the same thing.
One person sets a goal, and then adopts his own personal strategy to get there.
This is not Biblical.
Let God do what God wants.
His goal for you may be far different than one you would have set for yourself.
I don’t think any of us would have set the goal that Paul achieved.
1 Cor. 4:9-13 “For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.”
I don’t know of any preacher that ever went to a church
Expecting to become “scum” or “dregs”.
But remember, God’s goal may look different than yours.
Now it is certainly not wrong to be prepared and plan ahead
And those types of things.
(We’ve read the passage several times in the past month how Paul told the Romans that he planned to go on to Spain and they could help send him there)
James is not endorsing some “fly by the seat of your pants” type of lifestyle where you don’t plan anything.
James is merely talking about the type of person who
Makes all these plans without consulting the word or will of God.
They aren’t interested in what God would do or have them do.
They’ve already got a plan and they don’t need God’s advice.
It is arrogant.
An Account of Boasting
#2 THE ABSURDITY OF BOASTING
James 4:14
So here we have a person who has adamantly and confidently
Made their own plans.
You particularly notice the confidence, “we will…and…and…and…”
They’ve got it all figured out.
And here is why that is so absurd.
“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.”
They are acting with certainty in an area
They can’t possibly know anything about.
No one knows what tomorrow holds.
Proverbs 27:1 “Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”
Proverbs 16:9 “The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.”
Anyone who confidently asserts what they will do is foolish,
For it is impossible for them to know what tomorrow will bring.
Furthermore, you don’t even know if you will be here tomorrow.
“You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”
The point to that being:
Life is Brief
Life is Temporary
Psalms 103:15-16 “As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer.”
It is like the rich man and his barns:
Luke 12:16-21 “And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘ “But God said to him, ‘ You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
It just doesn’t make sense that anyone would confidently assert
What they will do in the future.
And again this isn’t saying that if you tell someone,
“I’m going to Lubbock tomorrow” that you are sinning.
What James is referring to is the person
Who follows their own plans and will in spite of God’s.
This would be a person whom God told them not to go
And they stubbornly said, “Well we are!”
It is foolish arrogance.
And it is absolutely absurd.
Isaiah 30:15-17 “For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” But you were not willing, And you said, “No, for we will flee on horses,” Therefore you shall flee! “And we will ride on swift horses,” Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift. One thousand will flee at the threat of one man; You will flee at the threat of five, Until you are left as a flag on a mountain top And as a signal on a hill.”
All of their boasts proved to be absurd.
So is everyone who is strong willed and boasts against God.
An Account of Boasting, The Absurdity of Boasting
#3 THE ALTERNATIVE TO BOASTING
James 4:15
Here is what ought to happen:
“Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
Instead of arrogant boasting
Instead of strong will and defiance
There should be humble submission.
It is the simple reminder that
You don’t even know if you are going to live tomorrow.
I know it appears that you have control over a lot of things,
But stop and think about all the things you don’t have control over.
• You don’t have control over any other person (if they bomb you)
• You don’t have control over nature (if a tornado should come)
• You don’t have control over your organs (if they should continue)
And if you think about it, those are some pretty big loose ends
You are failing to account for.
Not to mention if you raise your odds of death
By riding in a car, or turning on a power tool, or sticking your face in a fan.
You ought to back up and realize that your life is a gift from God
And it is all up to His sovereign control.
Psalms 139:16 “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.”
Acts 17:26 “and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,”
There is a sovereign God who has numbered your days
And appointed your limits.
I think it wise then that you consult His will for your life.
So instead you ought to walk with humble submission.
An Account of Boasting, The Absurdity of Boasting, An Alternative to Boasting
#4 THE ARROGANCE OF BOASTING
James 4:16
So we know what boasting looks like, we know how foolish it is,
And we know what we should do instead.
The tragedy is that some will totally disregard all that
And still determine to be the master of their own fate.
• They know what boasting is
• They know that it is foolish
• They know what they should do instead
“But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.”
Despite all they know, they still choose to boast.
They remain strong willed about their own plans and abilities.
AND THAT IS ARROGANT!
Jeremiah 6:16-19 “Thus says the LORD, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ “And I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’ “Therefore hear, O nations, And know, O congregation, what is among them. “Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people, The fruit of their plans, Because they have not listened to My words, And as for My law, they have rejected it also.”
• It is a person who thinks they have found a better way.
• It is a person who throws the will of God behind their back.
• It is a person that disregards the plans and counsel of the Lord.
Do you realize that there is not a more arrogant thing you can do than disobey the word of God?
That is to adamantly tell God that you know better than Him.
That is to tell God that even if His way is right,
That you aren’t afraid of what will happen if you disobey.
It is brash and arrogant.
In fact James has a different word for it.
“all such boasting is evil.”
That is a blatant comparison to Satan.
Listen to this Old Testament passage.
It refers to the King of Babylon, but many agree that it is also a reference to Satan.
Isaiah 14:12-16 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit. “Those who see you will gaze at you, They will ponder over you, saying, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,”
Did you hear that?
5 times
“I will” – “I will” – “I will” – “I will” – “I will”
That was the mentality of Satan.
• I don’t care about God’s will
• I don’t care what God wants
• I’m going to follow my plan,
• I’m going to trust my ability.
It is arrogant and it is evil.
And obviously you can see why James has such a problem
With a person who would call them self a Christian
And then live more like the devil.
He has a problem with the Christian
Who can ignore God’s will and follow their own.
Someone once said that there are two words in the English language that can not be put together: “No – Lord”
Jesus said:
Luke 6:46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
And why would it be that people actually in the church
Would still refuse to read God’s word and obey God’s word?
That is evil.
And that brings then to the final point
#5 THE APPLICATION OF BOASTING
James 4:17
There it is, the mighty “Therefore”
Here is the conclusion.
“to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
Taken in context with what we have been studying,
You could read that like this:
“The one who knows what God’s will is,
But does not do it, to him it is sin.”
• It is one thing to be the ignorant heathen in distant corners of Africa
• It is one thing to be the secluded native in the deep jungles of South America
• It is one thing to be the Hindu forbidden to ever hear the truths of God
That is one thing
But to have been fortunate enough to have understood God’s will
And then to totally disregard it is a greater problem all together.
Luke 12:47-48 “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”
It is a dangerous thing to know God’s will and still disregard it.
In fact, “it is sin.”
And maybe that broadens your understanding of sin a little this morning.
Many times sin is associated with us doing things we shouldn’t.
Sin is seen as us doing bad things.
And some people even adopt the view that
As long as they don’t do bad things, then they aren’t sinning.
• As long as I don’t drink
• As long as I don’t cuss
• As long as I don’t steal
• As long as I don’t commit adultery
• As long as I don’t murder
Here we find that a failure to do what God desires is also a sin.
• Things like not forgiving when He says to
• Things like not participating in missions when He says to
• Things like not humbly submitting to His will in all things
Those are just as sinful to God as if you were getting drunk and cussing.
For both are an example of disregarding God’s will for your life.
One adamantly does what He forbids
One adamantly disregards what He commands
They both are arrogant
They both are evil
• You must not stiffen your neck before God.
• You must not seek your will over His
• You must not be arrogant.
Proverbs 1:20-33 “Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings: “How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge? “Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. “Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof; I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD. “They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. “So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices. “For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them. “But he who listens to me shall live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”
It is a foolish thing to choose your will over God’s.
And so the application is obvious.
• Humble yourself before God
• Seek His will in all things
• And when His will is revealed, then do it.
Don’t force your own agenda
Don’t force your own plans
Humbly submit to God.
“Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
Put another way:
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”
