The Subtle Sin of Self-Sufficiency

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to preach from James 4:13-17. This is a powerful text that gets to the heart of one of the most subtle and serious sins in all our hearts. Here is a brief summary:

1. Arrogance Rebuked (4:13, 16)

James quotes those he is writing to in verse 13. Then, he calls their statement arrogant and evil in verse 16.

2. Reality Proclaimed (4:14-15)

Verses 14-15 tell us exactly why the statement in verse 13 is evil: they forgot their own frailty and God's sovereignty. Particularly, James says they forgot 3 important realities:

• They forgot their own ignorance of the future ("you don't even know what will happen tomorrow")
• They forgot their own frailty ("you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes")
• They forgot their total dependence on God ("If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that")

I show how believing these things are meant to free us to live radically for God. I was able to quote from John G. Paton's autobiography as to how these truths helped Paton endure persecution and suffering.

3. Conclusion Stated (4:17)

In verse 17, James says that ignoring God and living self-dependently is sin.

I concluded with 5 practical thoughts:

-Ponder God’s patience. Billions of people ignore God and live their lives as if they are self-sufficient. That God does not wipe us all out right now is solely owing to his magnificent patience.

-This text is a practical expression of Proverbs 3:5-6 (“in all your ways acknowledge Him”).

-We ought to say “God willing” and “if the Lord wills” when it is appropriate. Notice James’ emphasis on saying something.

-Consistently practice the Spiritual Disciplines as a declaration of your dependency on God.

-Consider our Savior, Jesus Christ. Never once did he ignore God. Never once did He commit a sin of omission. And, He was punished for our sin of self-sufficiency. He was bruised for our lack of dependence on God. What a Savior!