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welcome to everyone if you have your Bibles you can turn to Psalm 121 for our call to worship in Psalm 121 I'll begin reading in verse 1 the song of a sense I will lift up my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help my help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth he will not allow your foot to be moved he who keeps you will not slumber behold he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep the Lord is your keeper the Lord is your shade at your right hand the Sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night the Lord shall preserve you from all evil he shall preserve your soul the Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth and even forevermore amen well please turn in your Trinity hymnal to him number 60 hymn number 6-0 will stand as we sing together [Music] well let us pray a great God and our Holy Father we gather together in your name we call upon the father through the mediation of the son by the power of the Holy Spirit we would pray that our great and our glorious God would be exalted and enthroned upon the praises of his people tonight we acknowledge your might your power your glory we acknowledge your justice and your righteousness and how we are thankful as well for your graciousness and your mercy and your goodness and your kindness to creatures and to your left in particular we thank you that you chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world we thank you that in your timing you sent forth your son born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those under the law and we praise you for the life and the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ that he was in fact our substitute on Calvary's tree that he was that blessed sacrifice that that Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and how we praise you for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit who has effectually called us out of darkness into marvelous light showing us the glory and the majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ we confess Most High God that you are worthy to be praised and certainly for this act of redemption with which we have benefited from greatly may cause us tonight as we sing as we pray as we look to Holy Scripture to do all of this in the spirit of worship and adoration and praise to our great and our living and true God we ask that you would be pleased to send forth your Holy Spirit tonight for God as Jesus taught us apart from him we can do nothing and when it comes to the worship of the high king of heaven we stand in need and we would pray that your spirit would guide us and direct us and aid us help us to focus our attention upon the things that are that are most important help us Lord God to take every thought captive to the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ and give us grace to approach you with fear and with trembling and with great joy and Thanksgiving for you are our God and you have saved us and brought us to yourself we pray that you would forgive us for our sins and our transgressions as your people we are called to let our conduct be worthy of that calling wherewith we'd been called and oftentimes God we sin against you we transgress your holy law we do not conform unto it so we ask for forgiveness in and through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we praise you for that that prophecy of Zechariah that there would be a fountain open for sin and uncleanness and how we praise you that you've made us benefactors of that and we pray even now wash us and purify us for your Glory's sake and for our well-being we thank you that there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared and we pray father that others would come to know this truth that those who are dead in their trespasses and sins would be awakened by Sovereign Grace that they would be made to know and be made to know that there is forgiveness in the Lord God Most High and that by your grace sinners would come unto the Lord Jesus Christ believing on him turning from their their their sinfulness and their useless idols and and looking to that one in whom there is forgiveness and mercy we pray for other churches in our community we thank you that we're not alone here we pray that you would bless those places that do preach the gospel we pray that you would prosper them and encourage them and cause them father to know the nearness of God as their good we pray for the outpouring of your Holy Spirit throughout this nation in terms of the churches we pray she would revive us and cause us to think your thoughts after you cause us to be a prayerful people cause us to be an obedient people unto you our God and we pray that you would awaken those who are dead in their trespasses and sins it is a grief to us to live in a country where murder is rampant and it's sanctioned by the federal government we think of abortion and euthanasia and we see this as a great violation of the law of God Most High and we would pray that she would change the hearts of those in high places chains that change the hearts of those who vote change the hearts of those who live in this country to cry out against such wickedness and such evil and we would pray to you our God that you would send forth their glorious gospel conquering and to conquer in effect that change from the inside out do work in the hearts of sinners throughout this land and cause your people to cry to you and humble repentance and may you indeed have mercy upon this nation we pray for the persecuted Church and those who suffer in other countries due to their faith in the Lord Jesus we ask that you would undertake on their behalf she would grant them grace and perseverance and strength to deal with the various challenges and issues that they face on an ongoing basis and may you strengthen the resolve of your people in such situations and may they stand fast to the very end testifying of the goodness and the graciousness of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and we pray for these nations that are steeped in false religion we pray for the gospel to be preached in those lands that your word would run swiftly and be glorified and that Christ would have dominion from sea to sea we long for those days prophesied by Isaiah when the knowledge of the Lord would cover the earth as the waters cover the sea we know that Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth and he has told his church to go and to make disciples we pray that you would bless that effort that you would prosper your word and cause there to be a great turning unto you and that many would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior God we pray and ask that you would look with favor upon this church be with those whom we know and love that are hurting and suffering we do pray for our sister friend tonight we know that there's been many difficulties for her we do pray for Iran we pray for Sheila we ask God that you would just bless our dear sister with strength with grace with the ability to persevere in the midst of these trials and difficulties bless the other ladies that are with child how we thank you for this recent birth of of hazel - Ari and Marie we pray for others that are pregnant she would bless the fruit of the womb that you would look with favor upon all the children and the young people in our congregation and we pray God in Heather that they would remember their Creator in their youth she would bless the preaching of the word that they would receive it by her grace and they would look to you all the days of their lives we ask that you would continue with us now and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well you can turn with me again in your Trinity hymnal to him number 500 hymn number 500 will stand as we sing together [Music] well you can turn to the Prophet Amos for our scripture reading this evening Amos chapter 2 we'll pick up reading at verse 6 we read from chapters 1 chapter 1 verse 1 to chapter 2 verse 5 last time and noted that the Prophet serves the Living God the true God the God of heaven and earth and that God's Word doesn't come only to Israel but rather it's addressed to the various nations of the earth and that's precisely what we find in that opening section Oracle's against foreign nations well now the focus is upon Israel Amos was a prophet to the north he prophesied about 760 BC and we'll see how he targets the northern kingdom specifically for their sin and rebellion against God beginning in chapter 2 at verse 6 thus says the Lord for three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not turn away its punishment because they sell the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of sandals they pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor and pervert the way of the humble a man and his father go into the same girl to defile my holy name they lie down by every altar on clothes taken and pledge and drank the wine of the condemned in the house of their God yet it was I who destroyed the amorite before them whose height was like the height of the cedars and he was as strong as the Oaks yet I destroyed his fruit above and his friend his roots beneath also it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt and led you forty years through the wilderness to possess the land of the Amorite I raised up some of your sons as prophets and some of your young men as Nazarites is it not so o you children of Israel says the Lord but you gave the Nazarites wine to drink and commanded the prophet saying do not prophesy behold I am weighed down by you as a cart full of sheaves is weighed down there for flight shall perish from the Swift the strong the strong shall not strengthen his power nor shall the mighty deliver himself he shall not stand who handles the bow the Swift of foot shall not escape nor shall he who rides a horse deliver himself the most courageous men of might shall flee naked in that day says the Lord amen already targeting the nation for sin social oppression godlessness rebellion all the sorts of things we've seen recurrent recurringly in our studies in 1st and 2nd Kings the Lord God Most High called Israel to function in a particular way in the land that the Lord gave to them he gave him his covenant document specifically the book of Deuteronomy he appended promises for obedience he gave curses for disobedience and he told them not to function as godless men in the land so they enter into the land and they become like the Canaanites whom God had driven out before them so since they continued to rebel and defend God will bring judgment upon them in the language that Amos employs here indicates that there is no escape when the judgment of God comes notice in verse 14 therefore flight shall perish from the Swift the strong shall not strengthen his power nor shall the mighty deliver himself he shall not stand who handles the bow the Swift of foot shall not escape nor shall he who rides a horse deliver himself the most courageous men of might shall flee naked in that day says the Lord so the able the skilled the mighty cannot withstand the great and terrible judgment of our God will let us pray our Father we come to you now and we confess that so often we are like Israel of old in the new covenant church you've called us to live and to conduct ourselves in a particular manner and oftentimes we transgress your law we confess that iniquity and sin now we plead the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we would ask God that your spirit would indwell us powerful so that we may walk carefully before our God that we would live in a manner that is consistent with your word and that we would shine his lights in a crooked and perverse generation and that we would hold forth your word of truth give us grace to glorify you in this lower world and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well for our final hymn you can turn to number 79 again in your Trinity hymnal hymn number 79 will stand as we sing together [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to James chapter 4 James 4 as we continue to look at who in many respects is a new testament or a new covenant amos james attacks the sort of sins that amos does in the Old Testament setting we'll see that God willing next time social oppression the exploitation of wage earners those are the kinds of things that Amos addresses as well but our focus tonight is on verses 13 to 17 in James 4 it's a condemnation of carnal presumption carnal presumption making plans living our lives as if God was not beginning in James 4 I'll read at verse 1 where do Wars and fights come from among you do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members you lost and do not have you murder and covet and cannot obtain you fight and war yet you do not have because you do not ask you ask and do not receive because you ask amiss that you may spend it on your pleasures adulterers and adulteresses do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God or do you think that the scripture says in vain the Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously but he gives more grace therefore he says God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble therefore submit to God resist the devil and he will flee from you draw near to God and He will draw near to you cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double-minded lament and mourn and weep let your laughter be turned to mourning in your joy to gloom humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up do not speak evil of one another brethren he who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law but if you judge the law you are not a doer of the law but a judge there is one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy who are you to judge another come now you who say today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city spend a year there buy and sell and make a profit whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow for what is your life it is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away instead you ought to say if the Lord wills we shall live and do this or that but now you boast in your arrogance all such boasting is evil therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it to him it is sin amen let us again ask the Lord's help as we look to his word father we pray for the Spirit of God to be upon us now help us to take to heart the things addressed here help us to live our lives and the conscious realization that God is always with us over the everyday affairs over the small things as well as the big things in our lives grant us help Lord God to acknowledge and to recognize that absolute sovereignty and may it be our joy and our comfort and our encouragement may it be that which does sustain and stabilize us each and every day and may you help us God not to conduct ourselves as practical atheists in this world we just praise you we thank you we ask for your blessing now and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well trying to figure out the specific connections at times and James's book is a little bit difficult not because he is not clear but because not all of us are as brilliant as others so I want to try and piece together for you what I think is the structure or how the Apostle little a Apostle James is proceeding here remember that in chapter 3 at verses 13 to 18 he gave us the Streetman concerning two types of wisdom there is this wisdom that is from above that is from God that is righteous it is pure it produces good fruit and then there is this wisdom that is from below its demonic its sensual it's ungodly so he treats that topic and then in chapter 4 he highlights the rotten fruits of demonic wisdom in other words the persons to whom James is writing or having issues they're having problems they're having conflict with one another according to James for verses 1 to 2 a they are also at enmity with God in verses 2 b-26 so what the Apostle is saying is that this sort of demonic wisdom it's not Theory only but it's actually being conducted or being improved upon among the people of God and so he calls them to stop he issues this call to repentance in verses 7 to 12 7 to 13 wrath I'm sorry 7 to 12 specifically repent toward God verses 7 to 10 and then secondly repent toward one another you offended men you're at enmity with God fix the relationship with God by His grace and then fix your relationships with one another that's the structure in chapter 4 verses 1 to 12 now verses 13 to 17 and specifically continuing on into chapter 5 verses 1 to 6 he seems to be addressing issues not seems he is addressing issues wherein the people of God are living as if there is no God sorry to condemn them for being adulterers and adulteresses and friendship with the world and enmity with God but here specifically in verses 13 to 17 there is this boastful self-reliance among the professing people of God and then in chapter 5 verses 1 to 6 there is this selfish indulgences among the people of God or professing people of God so that's sort of the flow he's dealing with particular sins among the persons to whom he was writing and certainly these are timeless admonitions all of us need to hear this all of us struggle with conflict with our brethren all of us struggle with spiritual Horta all of us struggle with not being the men and women that Jesus Christ purchased us to be we need to remember that we ought to be in passages like these preach them to ourselves frequently and not fall prey to the sorts of sins that has indeed affected so many in the history of the church thomas Manton I think introduces this subsection well in verses 13 to 17 he says heavenly having formerly spoken against those that contemned the law contend that not condemned contempt means to speak evil of having formerly spoken against those that condemned the law which he does in verses 11 and 12 he now speaketh against those that contempt Providence in other words living our lives as if there is no God is to contemp heads it is to say there is no such thing he says promising themselves a long time in the world and a happy accomplishment of their carnal projects without any sense or thought of their own frailty or the sudden strokes of God I think that gets at the point that James is making here in verses 13 to 17 so we'll look first at the caution against carnal presumption in verses 13 to 15 and then secondly the condemnation of carnal presumption in other words we ought to understand just how bad this is I think we as God's people certainly understand that adultery is bad I think we as God's people certainly understand that homosexuality is bad I think we as God's people understand that murder is bad we need to understand that carnal presumption living our lives as practical atheists living without the conscious recognition that God is over all things is bad - in other words Calvinism isn't restricted to or reformed theology isn't restricted to the five points of Calvinism God is sovereign over everyday affairs God is sovereign over your commerce over your plans over your business over your rising up and lying down over your family over your church life God is sovereign in everything and we need to acknowledge that we need to recognize that and we need to live in light of that that is James's admonition in this particular section now let's look for start the caution against carnal presumption he describes the problem in verse 13 and then I think he prescribes a remedy in verses 14 and 15 note the problem described in verse 13 come now you who say today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city spend a year there buy and sell and make a profit so this carnal presumption effects one's view of life in general in other words we're already thinking about days we're thinking about tomorrow's we're planning for years at a time and we have not given conscious thought to who God is and whether or not God would have us to do such things we need to learn that we don't make our plans do our thing and then say oh yeah I ought to make sure that God's okay with this the planning that we engage in the the plans that we make we ought to do so with reference to who God is now it's a common interpretation that James is condemning planning that James has an axe to grind with merchandising with making profits that he's a socialist or he's a communist and profits are bad and therefore don't do that that's not what James is condemning whatsoever I think John Gill is on the right track he says nor does the Apostle designed by this to condemn merchandise and the lawful practice of buying and selling and getting game but that men should not resolve upon those things without consulting God and attending to his will and subjecting themselves to it the problem isn't planning we'll see in just a moment that the Bible assumes that we will plan we are image bearers of God we are rational creatures if the ants prepare for the winter then certainly the sons of man ought to be preparing for winter as well if something is insignificant as an ant realizes that they need to lay up some goods for the winter time then certainly the image-bearer of God is going to plan also the issue is not planning the issue is not profit the issue is living your life without respect to who God is excluding him from the everyday affairs so this affects one's life in general it affects one's conduct in particular the person not only speaks of today tomorrow and years at a time but he also speaks of the very active at various activities that he will pursue you see as James is writing this you'll notice specifically these persons that he is targeting are not living in light of who God is again let's just satisfy our curiosity to see that James is not condemning planning turn to 2nd Kings chapter 20 interesting that we just dealt with this on Wednesday night at our Bible study to sort of corollaries verse corollary rather from them the main point in second Kings 20 is not to plan your life the main point in 2nd Kings chapter 20 is that Hezekiah had issues Hezekiah was inconsistent Hezekiah consulted the Babylonians Hezekiah wasn't the kind of person that always constantly relied on God that's the point of the book of 2nd Kings 20 but by way of a sideline observation notice in chapter 28 verse 1 in those days Hezekiah was sick in near death and Isaiah the prophet the son of a maas went to him and said to him thus says the Lord set your house and order for you shall die and not live set your house in order don't abandon your wife and kids without having done the necessary things to make sure they're provided for it's simply ungodly brethren to live your life without planning this idea that we just bounce along under the auspices of God's sovereignty is an abuse of God's sovereignty as well we need to make sure that there is a careful balanced treatment to this whole issue of planning under the sovereignty of God notice the use of means in verse then Isaiah said take a lump of figs so they took and laid it on the boil and he recovered so Hezekiah is sick Hezekiah is injured he's not on to death and God is going to heal him but God uses means particularly now this idea that we can just live our lives and not take aspirin if we get fevers is absolute foolishness God made the man who figured out aspirin God made the man who figured how tylenol God made the man who figured out seatbelts God made the man in all wisdom given so that men could make refrigerators and Men could warm buildings and and I should say women women do some good things too just kidding I'm speaking inclusively here mankind they do good things this idea that we are just to bounce around without any conscious thought whatsoever of what we will do tomorrow that's not taught in the scriptures either we ought not to abuse the passage on the either on either side we need to be responsible turn to the book of Proverbs where you see this emphasis as well with reference to men planning their ways proverbs chapter 16 at verse 9 a man's heart plans his way but the Lord directs his staff I think it's obvious in common and perhaps I'm already spending too much time on this point that what James is addressing are the sorts of people that do verse 9 but do not listen to the rest of the verse they plan their way but they're not conscious of the fact they do not recognize the reality and most likely do not care one bit that yahweh directs his steps and then in chapter 19 at verse 21 and there are others to be sure just a sampling of the passages here notice in 1921 there are many plans in a man's heart nevertheless the Lord's counsel that will stand so when we get back to James chapter 4 the condemnation is not planning the condemnation is not buying and selling the nation is not even making a profit brethren you need to make a profit because your wives or your husband's and your children they're all addicted to eating and you have to make a profit in order to provide the food that those who are addicted to that food need to sustain their lives the idea that we don't plan the idea that we only hide under the sovereignty of God is an extreme position the idea that we don't use medicine that will treat a particular problem is not godly and righteous if the Lord calls you to use the poultice use the pole tests this is his means this is his manner this is his way the obvious import of what James is addressing is making plans buying and selling making profits without God excluding him being like that fool who said in his heart there is no God it's an attack upon practical atheism moti ER says James is not trying to banish planning from our lives but only that sort of self sufficient self important planning that keeps God for Sunday but looks on Monday to Saturday as mine you all get this right that's not difficult to follow now let's look at the remedy I think it's still condemned natori I think he's still admonishing them but he gives them practical pieces of of help so that they can avoid this and I think the first one is recognize your ignorance one of the best helps to guard against carnal presumption is to recognize your own ignorance notice he says whereas you don't know what will happen tomorrow you're planning to go to such and such a city you're planning to do this in a year's time and you don't know that tomorrow is going to come and you certainly don't know what's going to happen tomorrow again mo tier says James indulges in a little irony he is talking about a person who was busy laying out his program for the next year and he quietly notes that you do not know about tomorrow this fact alone is enough to keep us low before the God who created controls and apportions time you see recognize your ignorance that's always a helpful thing that is always a wonderful thing I forgot to mention I think one of the other things that connects this section to the proceeding and looked forward is the common theme of pride he condemns pride in the previous section both with reference to wisdom the demonic sort and with reference to their conduct with one another in terms of their conflict and their enmity with God a fundamental root cause of their issues is pride and it's pride that's involved here carnal presumption living as if there is no God having this self sufficiency in this self independent spirit this I can conquer it I can do it I'm eight foot tall and bulletproof jane says you're ignorant you don't even know what's going to happen tomorrow how in the world can you successfully plan for a year from now secondly you need to recognize your frailty frailty look at verse 14 for what is your life it is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away I'm getting to that particular point in my life where I think I don't know that I want to go to the dentist because I could drop dead a week later and all that money and all that energy and all that effort had been expended and then I dropped out the next week I don't know what's going to happen next week of course I can't live that way I do go to the dentist you can get close to me my wife wouldn't have me if I didn't go to the dentist you get the point we got to recognize our frailty it's a good thing that age does right it starts to indicate or highlight that you're not 8 foot tall and bulletproof you get 40 you can't see anymore you hit 50 your teeth hurt not because of cavities there's herbs I don't know why things just start hurting you recognize your frailty it's like a car it hits about a hundred thousand miles and things start falling apart you recognize the frailty of the car when it hits a hundred thousand miles you recognize the frailty of your life as you begin to get older but James is saying to each and every one of us whether we're old or young recognize your frailty do not have this proud arrogant self-sufficient mentality that plans for a year from now when you don't even know about tomorrow and you don't know anything about your own life he says for what is your life it is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away the particular word means that vapor steam smoke the word was used of steam from a kettle or of smoke the wind carried away it graphically depicts the transience of life it's a good thing to recognize isn't it to guard against carnal presumption recognize your ignorance recognize your frailty there are several passages in the Old Testament that highlight this reality job 7 verse 7 9 and 16 Psalm 31 15 my times are in your hands Psalm 39 5 and 6 proverbs 27 and verse 1 do not boast about tomorrow but the one I want to look at is specifically Luke 12 Luke 12 Luke 12 beginning in verse 13 then one from the crowd said to him teacher tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me but he said to him man who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you and he said to them take heed and beware of covetousness for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses now I should just point out that it's not certain that James's problem in James for at least in 13 to 17 is covetousness it will certainly be addressed in five 1 to 6 but it may not necessarily be covetousness that is driving these people it's not again sin to go and buy and sell it's not a sin to make a profit it's not always obvious that one is covetous if they are successful in business I mean no matter how many times we hear that it still rises a that guy's rich how in the world can he be rich I know what riches would do to me it would make me cover chest you know God may have equipped men who are able to make a lot of money with the ability to not be covetous it could happen don't always assume that somebody who has something is necessarily covetous and don't always assume that it's only a rich man's sin poor people can be very covetous too so I just want to point out the issue in Luke 12 is specifically covetousness whereas in James 4 it's not necessarily Cottages but I think the point of both sections is the same as we come to the end of Jesus teaching here notice in verse 16 then he spoke a parable to them saying the ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully and he thought within himself saying what shall I do since I have no room to store my crops this is a first world problem isn't it I mean we're set at the outset we're told that a the ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully he's a rich man whatever he seems to put his hand to it just flourishes I mean this ground yields plentifully I mean his problem is I don't know where to put all my stuff I have so much in terms of I have so much in terms of things to eat my problem is I don't have any place to store it so he said I will do this verse 18 I will pull down my barns and build greater and there I will store all my crops and my goods and I will say to my soul soul you have many goods laid up for many years take your ease eat drink and be merry now here's the point that James is making but God said to him fool this night your soul will be required of you then whose will those things be which you have provided so that's the point that I wanted to short it sort of shine the light on this idea that you don't know recognize not only your ignorance but recognize your frailty john calvin says for he who remembers the shortness of his life will have his audacity easily checked so as not to extend too far his resolves nay for no other reason to ungodly men indulge themselves so much but be kept it because they forget they are men they forget they are men and that there are limitations to what they are able to do recognize your ignorance recognize your frailty thirdly recognize your dependence notice he says whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow there's your ignorance for what is your life that is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away there's your frailty now no realize or recognize your dependence instead you ought to say if the Lord wills we shall live and do this or that this is his point acknowledge God submit to his sovereignty look to his government realized that it's not just on Sunday but it's Monday through Saturday realized that it's not just in the rising or raising up of kings but it's in the marketplace where you do business that sovereignty of God is all pervasive it is all comprehensive and you as the people of God need to live in light of that reality and say if the Lord wills now I don't believe James's mandate in every instance at every step of the way each and every one of us say if the Lord wills there might be the occasion where persons use that phrase or DV and not really mean it there might be the time when those persons say if the Lord wills as sort of a convention but they're not really concerned about whether or not the Lord wills the point is submit to the government of God whether you express the words if the Lord wills or not submit to the government of God recognize that as your overarching reality and live in light of that mountain again says it is not always necessary to express these forms the words though there must be always either implicitly or expressly a submission to the will of God yet we cannot make it a sin to omit such phrases or words if somebody says something without saying if the Lord wills don't you know immediately put your finger in their face and saying well how dare you say you're gonna meet me Tim Hortons and not attach if the Lord wills there's a couple of instances in the New Testament where the particular authors make plans and they don't say if the Lord wills I'm not going to wag my finger in Paul's face and say what don't you live under the sovereignty of God of course he does the point isn't rehearse the formulaic words the point is live in light of God's comprehensive sovereignty that's how we ought to approach the marketplace that's how we ought to approach the kitchen that's how we ought to approach church life that's how we ought to approach everything if the Lord wills we shall live and do this or that now how do we acknowledge the primacy of God's will well in the first place you need to be in the scriptures where in do you find the revealed will of God it's from Genesis to Revelation that's where God speaks today you meet people that say well the Lord spoke to me was it from Genesis through revelation no I was out meditating and he just gave me a new word no God speaks to us through the written word God speaks to us in Genesis to Revelation and that is where we go to discover his will now we need to be mindful that God's Word does not explicitly address every possible scenario that you and I will face in other words if somebody invites you to Tim Hortons you don't say wait a minute I need to go look at the Psalms and I've got to inquire of the Lord to find out if I can legitimately go to Tim Hortons now there are certain instances and issues and things that God does not give you that specific authorization but conversely he doesn't give you any prohibition or it's God gives you liberty to make decisions with reference to things like Tim Hortons he dies you don't have to you know necessarily go to scripture to find out whether you should have raisin bran or Wheaties for breakfast you don't want to be that kind of person either that doesn't ever move without looking at the Psalms again look at the Psalms before you move by all means but don't think David and the Psalter is going to tell you what to have for dinner that is to abuse this as well the idea is is to live under the auspices of the sovereignty of God in every area of life being mindful of the scripture being mindful of God's revealed will being submissive to the secret things that belong to the Lord and as well being persons of Prayer how do we submit ourselves to the government of God best we do it at the throne of grace certainly we read scripture we hear from God we go to the throne of grace and we humble ourselves before God and godly brethren you know the Proverbs are filled with the admonition to seek righteous console so James is pointing to remedy rather is to recognize your ignorance your frailty and your dependence so this is the caution against carnal presumption now let's look finally at the condemnation of carnal presumption in verses 16 and 17 verse 16 but now you boast in your arrogance all such boasting is evil the first part of verse 16 makes it obvious that it was really happening this wasn't theoretical this wasn't just you know out there but James is dealing with real-life people that are engaged in real-life sin and James says to them but now you boast in your arrogance Lords you're engaged in this kind of godless living you're living your life as if there is no God when it comes to the marketplace or tomorrow or or in a year from now and not only are you not you know repentant over it or or saddened or sorrowful over it but you actually boast in your arrogance you're actually proud of your self-sufficiency you're actually proud of yourself independence or your independence you're actually proud of your abilities and your accomplishments as you live your life apart from God Calvin again says though they robbed god of his government yet they flattered themselves that they openly set themselves up as superior to God though they were especially inflated with confidence in themselves but that their minds were inebriated with vanity so as to disregard God so this was actually occurring but now you boast in your arrogance and all such boasting is evil and here I would suggest that this is another part of the remedy to guard against it we need to see this as sin we need to see this as evil so if I came up here and I said okay brethren you know go out this week and don't commit adultery I don't think anybody would say okay yeah of course don't go out and you know send the Clocktower in Chilliwack get your 30.6 and start picking off people from from that vantage you would not do that you wouldn't even think about doing that but I guarantee you we'll all get to Tuesday or Wednesday and be living like there's no God practical atheism practical atheism that's not doctrinal so you will still say there is a God will still say we are Christians but practical atheism is to conduct one's life as if there is no God that's what James is condemning you plan your today you plan your tomorrow you plan a year now you'd go to certain sir such and such a city you buy and you sell and you make a profit and you do all of this without God that's the problem that he is addressing and it's wrong and it's wicked and not only there are they engaged in this wrong and wickedness but they're actually boasting in their arrogance and he says all such boasting is evil Manton says that such is the degeneration of human nature that it does not only practice sins but glory in them listen to that for a moment this is the proof or this is another evidence of the degeneration of human nature that it does not only practice sense but glories in the sins that's what they were doing he says first we practice sin then defend it then boast of it sin is first our burden then our custom then our delight then our excellency I think he's right this is what James is highlighting now you boast in your arrogance all such boasting is evil and I think that if we fill our minds with the consciousness of the evil of this sand it will helpfully or hopefully be another help to prevent this carnal presumption and then let's look finally at the sin of omission in verse 17 some have suggested that James is just sort of randomly thrown verse 17 there it's gonna like the book of Proverbs you know proverbs is it goes from theme to theme to theme to theme and I think we all would understand that and I mean there's certain links and there's certain you know chapters where there's a few with a particular bent and in a chapter of Proverbs but for the most part it's probably not the easiest book to outline it's probably not the easiest book to have you know blocks of material that say all of these teach this and they're all in the same chapter well some have suggested that James are sort of composed that way and that verse 17 is just one of those other random things he throws in right here but the fact that it begins with therefore connects us to the proceeding therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it to him it is sin now this deals with what's called the sins of omission we all know what sins of Qom our God says don't commit murder we go out we commit murder that is a sin of commission but that prohibition against murder also involves doing everything we can to promote life doing everything we can to extend life and we sinned by omission when we don't take care of ourselves when we don't help others when we don't engage in the sorts of things that God's Word calls upon us to do so you see brethren we consent in two ways we can commit transgression against God or we can omit to do the very good things that God calls us to do we not only engage in the transgression of the law of God but a lack of conformity unto it and James puts that right here now perhaps the connection is worth verse 15 verse 15 says instead you ought to say if the Lord wills we shall live and do this or that verse 17 therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it to him it is sin the connection might be this obvious you are Christians or professing Christians you have been called out of darkness in the marvelous light you have been ushered from a state of death depravity and destruction to a state of life and blessedness and light in the presence of God Almighty of course you know God sovereign of course you know you live in light of his I of course you know you're supposed to conduct yourself with a view to God in each and everything and yet you know this and you don't do it you know this and you conduct yourself as a practical atheist you know this and you omit what is in many respects one of the most basic foundational principles of the new life in Christ recognizing God you know this and yet you fail to do this this is a most appropriate place to address this sin of omission of course you know God is sovereign of course you know you live in light of him of course you ought to conduct your business affairs with reference to him or relative to him and yet you know this to be the case and you don't do it of course the broader application with reference to the sins of omission we're not supposed to omit duty we're not supposed to omit those things that God calls us to we're supposed to actually do good now we emphasize in our church I hope off that that we're saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone that the Apostle Paul will have no admixture of works and faith to present oneself unto God though it's it's not justification by faith plus works now when we insist upon that and when we preach that and when we highlight that and our confession revels in that and the Scriptures everywhere declare that we do not neglect the reality that those who are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone are not now supposed to live godly righteous holy lives of course we are when we're justified freely by His grace the inevitable result will be sanctification it will be working out your own salvation with fear and trembling for God is at work in you both to will and to do according to his good pleasure we're to take the law of God as a rule of life as our standard as our pattern we are prohibited or forbidden from doing certain things but we're positively enjoying to do righteous things this is why I think the best treatment of the Decalogue is found in the Westminster larger catechism and those who follow it to be sure I mean all the Reformed writers I read do this they not only set forth what the commandment forbids but what the commandment requires this is the way you're supposed to read the sixth word yes not only are you not supposed to go out and murder people you're supposed to try and promote health and life with others and yourself I cited it on Wednesday night a sober use of meat and and and drink and physic and and and exercise or recreations these are all things that help promote obedience to the sixth word so sins of omission are condemned by James condemned by Jesus and Paul and the rest of them as well but here specifically therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it to him it is sin and I would suspect it here we're all thankful for the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ because brethren I doubt that each and every one of us are out doing good works each and every day consistent with our position or our place rather in Christ well in conclusion with reference to the believers plans the passage does not condemn planning the passage condemns planning apart from God that's bad living as a practical atheist as a professing Christian is bad you're not supposed to do that The Fool has said in his heart there is no God the Christian says there is a God and I submit to his government and I do what he calls me to do happily joyfully and in every area and sphere of life secondly by way of remedy we've already seen recognize your ignorance recognize your frailty recognize your dependence but I would add to this recognize the evil involved in this sin John Owen said it best when went when it comes to dealing with sin load your conscience with the guilt of sin think about that you're struggling with pornography load your conscience with the guilt of it see how bad it is it's an offense to God it's a transgression of his law it objectifies human beings that are image bearers of God it violates men's daughters men's wives men's sisters men's friends or women's husbands whatever the case may be load your conscience with the guilt of sin when it comes to carnal presumption you have been bought with a price therefore glorify God with your body don't live your life as if there is no God Monday through Saturday don't live as if you're a pagan Monday through Saturday don't conduct your affairs the way the world does just because the world cheats or frauds or gets away with things doesn't mean it's right doesn't mean that it's okay we need to be careful we need to be precise we need to be godly and this is what the passage calls us too we need to recognize that God's sovereignty is not limited to the five points of Calvinism we need to recognize that God's sovereignty is comprehensive that it affects you wherever you find yourself and recognize that submission to God's will is expressed through searching the scripture submitting to his Providence and being men and women of prayer and we ought to appreciate finally with reference to the pride involved be killing pride you gonna know anism be killing sin or it will be killing you be killing pride or it will be killing you and be thankful my dear brothers and sisters for the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness certainly as we move through James we have seen he is a hard-hitter he doesn't play games he calls people adulteresses he tells you know Christians if they need to cleanse their their clean their hands and purify their hearts it doesn't pull any punches so as we move through James we need to get the import in terms of our practical conduct before our God we need to learn and listen to the call to repentance in verses 7 to 10 we also need to be mindful of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and the reality that there is forgiveness with him that he may be feared well let's close in a word of Prayer our Father we thank you for your absolute sovereignty we acknowledge that it does affect not only church life but everyday life help us to live in a manner that is consistent with our profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ help us not to engage in the sin of carnal presumption which is really practical atheism give us grace to recognize those things that James sets forth before us and help us to see the evil involved in this sin betraying our God pretending that he doesn't exist with reference to these areas of our lives help us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ and we would pray now that you would go with us watch over us in this coming week guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus and please direct us according to your holy holy will and according to your mercies toward us and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation and then you