Frequently in Scripture, there is a sense that people are summoned, called. Sometimes they are invited to come and receive good things from God, at other times they are summoned to give an account for themselves and to face judgement and consequences. It is in the latter sense that James issues an invite or summons to his wealthier readers.
A look at the text (Read James 4:13-17)
Those who make grand plans are invited to “come now”, an echo of the Prophets’ invitation to “come and reason with the Lord.” They are described as those who make confident declarations, announcing their travel and business plans, confident of success as they are sure that they will make a profit (4:13). James warns against such confidence, you are not acquainted with tomorrow, you don’t know what it will bring. Certainty about such things isn’t possible because life is frail, fragile and short. James echoes the language of the preacher in Ecclesiastes, we are like vapour, like the morning breeze (4:14). Believers should acknowledge that God not only knows but has determined the future. We are dependent upon him for our very life and so, it is only if he wills it that our plans will come to pass. James’ readers should acknowledge that their plans are conditional upon God’s purpose (4:15).
James accuses them not just of over confidence in their certainty but of arrogance and boasting. He strongly denounces such boasting as evil (4:16). It’s sin, or evil because they should know better. They know, not to boast, they know the importance of faith but choose self confidence (4:17).
Digging Deeper
James is focusing in on a specific group of people here, a merchant class who would belong among the wealthy.[1] Remember that throughout the epistle, the two big questions have been to do with whether God’s people have faith and wisdom. True faith is demonstrated by actions. Do God’s people act wisely, where wisdom is a moral rather than intellectual characteristic. The rich are frequently seen as having neither wisdom nor faith and this becomes clear here because they have already been told what kind of boasting is permissible, it is boasting that understands that God controls our end destiny. To make grand plans is to boast about our own control over the future and to show dependence on our own wealth and resources not on God.
In that respect, those who do not show true faith in action are seen as temporally ignorant and so foolish. They forget the past and what God has done for them (1:13) and here are seen to be ignorant about the future too both in that they do not and cannot know what tomorrow holds and even if they will live to see it but also in that they do not know that they are ignorant and helpless in regards to the future.
A look at ourselves
Our attitude towards the future demonstrates the kind of faith that we have. We can fail in faith both by being unduly fearful about tomorrow, overwhelmed with anxiety and worry, and also by being over complacent. Both attitudes demonstrate that our confidence is not in God.
[1] Cf. Davids, The Epistle of James, 173 and McKnight, The Letter of James, 376.
Faithroots 