James 4:12-17

Christians Need To Face Up To The Frailty Of Their Lives (James 4:12).

The contrast between man in his inability to act as judge in contrast with the great Judge Himself, now leads up to the question of the frailty of life and the need to recognise that our lives are at God's disposal. For men should recognise, especially those who are running round with the aim of building up wealth, that not only must they not judge each other, but that they are unable even to judge how long they will be here on the earth carrying on with their normal occupations. Rather then they should look to themselves and recognise that, being aware of the need to do good, if they fail to do so it is sin (which will, of course, be brought into judgment).

Analysis.

a But who are you who judge your neighbour? (James 4:12 b).

b Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and make gains for ourselves” (James 4:13).

c Whereas you do not know what will be on the morrow (James 4:14 a).

d What is your life? For you are a vapour, which appears for a little time, and then vanishes away (James 4:14 b).

c Because you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that” (James 4:15).

b But now you glory in your arrogant words. All such glorying is evil (James 4:16).

a To him therefore who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17).

Note that in ‘a' they are asked who they think they are to be able to judge their neighbour, and in the parallel they are reminded that rather they should judge themselves. In ‘b' they airily declare what they are going to do, and in the parallel they are condemned for their arrogant words. In ‘c' they do not know what will happen on the morrow, and in the parallel they are to recognise this and say ‘if the lord wills we will do this or that'. Centrally in ‘d' they are to recognise that their live is a vapour which is brief and then vanishes away.