James: A Handbook on Holiness

The Range of Holiness: Facing the Future

James 4:13-17

General outline:

1. The Way to Holiness: The Divine Perspective 1:2-27

   1. The Trial-Temptation Complex (1:2-18) & The Word of God (1:19-27)

2. The Principles of Holiness: The Biblical Framework 2:1-26

   1. The Law is the Structure (2:1-13) & Faith is the Dynamics (2:14-26) of Holiness

3. The Implementation of Holiness: The Christian Experience 3:1-4:10

   1. The Obstacle to Victory: Human Impotence 3:1-9

   2. The Nature of Victory 3:10-18

   3. The Requirements for Victory: Self-Knowledge & God-Centered Repentance 4:1-10

4. The Range of Holiness: The Fabric of Life 4:11-5:18

   1. The Relationship to "The Other" 4:11-17

      1. Facing your Brother 4:11-12

      2. Facing the Future 4:13-17

         1. The Injunction against Presumption 4:13

         2. The Solution of Presumption 4:14-15

         3. The Nature of Presumption 4:16-17

James 4:13-17

The Injunction against Presumption

13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"-

The Solution of Presumption

14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

The Nature of Presumption

16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Discussion Questions:

1. Vv. 13, 16 – What is the difference between a plan and presumption? __________________
   _____________________________________________________________________________

2. V. 14 – Why should we not be presumptuous? _______________________________________

3. V. 15 – What is a godly way to plan? ______________________________________________

4. V. 17 – How is presumption an "intentional sin" (not an "unintentional sin"/"sin of ignorance")? _____________________________________________________________________________
   How is it a "sin of omission?" ___________________________________________________

5. If holiness reaches to unintentional sins, and sins of omission, does it reach to all of life? _____