Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (31.4)

The General Epistle of James

James Chapter 4:11-14 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

v11.     Speak not evil one of another, brethren.  Having mentioned sins of the tongue in chapter3, James shows here that evil-speaking flows from the same spirit of exalting self at the expense of one's neighbour as caused the fightings described in Jas 4:1. Speak not evil one of another literally means speak not against one another.  And by adding brethren here, James is emphasizing the fact that Christians are not exempt from tongue sins.  That’s why we need to keep a watch on our tongues and be mindful of what we say or write.

He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law. Humbling ourselves and getting right with God must result in our getting right with other people; we must not speak evil of one another and not judge our brother.  James rightly guards us against the illusion that we might be right with God, yet evil towards our brother. John says it this way. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also (1Jn 4:20-21).

James earlier mentioned that: If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well (Jas 2:8).  This royal law virtually condemns evil speaking and censorious judging.  James added further: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Now the law is the judge, so when we judge our brother, we put ourselves in the same place as the law, in effect judging the law.  So instead of being a doer of the law, we now become a judge of the law. This is an extension of the same humility that James has been speaking about in this chapter; for one who has a proper humility before God, it is inconceivable that they would arrogantly judge their brother.

v12.     There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?  The reason why we can judge God’s law is because we don’t have authority to do so. There is one lawgiver, so who are we to judge another, especially since it is God who is able to save and to destroy.  God only is both Lawgiver and Judge.  And He has the power to enforce His own judgment. Why usurp God’s role as Judge when we can’t enforce the judgment ourselves?

Submitting to God’s will

v13.      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.  The phrase, go to now, literally means “Come now”, a phrase meant to cause excitement.  James rebukes the kind of heart that lives and makes its plans apart from a constant awareness of the sovereignty of God, and with an overestimation of our own limitations. 

Notice firstly that all these plans mentioned here are worldly plans.  God is not in the picture at all.  They are so sure that there is going to be a tomorrow.  In fact they are so sure that today will not end prematurely for them. 

Next notice that they are so sure that they will continue to have the strength and health to do things: we will go into such a city. 

Thirdly, note that they are so sure that their plans will not be frustrated by anyone: and continue there a year, and buy and sell.  They speak as if they are in control whereas in reality they are not.

Lastly, notice that they are so sure of the outcome of their plan: and get gain.  We all know that when we do business, whether we trade or we invest, there is no divine law that say that we will make gains.  There are many believers today in various parts of the world who are made bankrupts because of business failures, but these people act as if God is obliged to let them be profitable.

v14.     Now let’s look at the reality: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.  This is the first thing we need to remind ourselves.  We are not in control of the future.  The Lord puts it clearly this way: And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God (Lk 12:16-21).

This young man in the parable has exactly the same plans as that described in the preceding verse.  His plans are entirely worldly, and God has no place in it.  But this parable tells us clearly that God is sovereign, and being sovereign, He is in total control. Man at best can only propose plans (through prayers), but God can dispose of such proposals in His sovereign right.   This young man in the parable is so sure that he will live to enjoy the gains of his plans, but God has other plans.  The young man never lived through that day.  For him there was no tomorrow.

James describes for us how God views our lives: For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.  The Psalmist puts it another way: The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away (Ps 90:10).  In God’s eternity, 70-80 years is but a moment, just like a vapour.

Ye know not what shall be on the morrow.  Did anyone (other than the hijackers) onboard those 4 hijacked commercial planes that crashed into the World Trade Centre in New York City, the Pentagon, and on the Pennsylvanian plains on September 11, 2001 know beforehand that they would be killed by boarding that flight?  No, they all had beautiful plans.  Nearer home, did anyone of those who died in the Bali bomb blasts recently know that there would be no tomorrow for them?  We can go on.  Did anyone onboard the ill-fated MI185 flight or the SQ006 flights know that the planes they were on would crash with many casualties? 

How foolish therefore is it for men to lay plans without taking God into their equations.  Long ago, Job said: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold (Job 23:10) and, God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof (Job 28:23).  Yes, our God is omniscient; He is all knowing.  And in His everlasting love, He tells us of things to come, of the wrath of God, and how the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse us from sins and lead us to eternal life.  Why then is it so difficult for men to accept this Gospel truth?