Lesson 9 | Boasting About Tomorrow

1. Presumption Is Practical Atheism

James 4:13 — “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town... yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.’”

James confronts people who make confident plans without considering God. It’s not business that’s wrong—it’s presumption. This attitude speaks as if we control the future, when in reality, we don’t even control the next breath (Proverbs 27:1).

This kind of presumption is practical atheism. We may say we believe in God, but if we live and plan without reference to His will, we are living as though He doesn’t exist. James is calling us to humility, not inactivity.

The issue is not forward thinking, but God-forgetfulness. Believers are to plan prayerfully and with spiritual sobriety, always aware of God’s sovereignty over time and events.

2. Life Is a Vapor

James 4:14 — “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

James uses a vivid image—a mist or vapor. Life is fragile, brief, and beyond our control. Like steam off a cup or fog in the morning, it’s here briefly and gone. This should humble us and awaken eternal priorities.

The Bible often compares life to grass that withers (Isaiah 40:6–8) or a shadow that passes (Psalm 144:4). James isn’t trying to depress us—he’s helping us live wisely (Psalm 90:12). When we understand life’s brevity, we seek what is lasting.

This doesn’t mean we live in fear—but in focus. The brevity of life should drive us to depend on God daily and hold our plans with open hands.

3. Wise Planning Submits to God’s Will

James 4:15 — “Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’”

James offers the alternative to presumption: a humble, God-centered approach. Wise people say, “If the Lord wills.” This isn’t just a religious phrase—it reflects the heart of someone who trusts God’s sovereignty.

Paul often spoke this way (cf. Acts 18:21; 1 Corinthians 4:19). It doesn’t mean we don’t plan, but that we plan with dependence, knowing God may redirect or change our course entirely.

This principle affects more than business—it applies to parenting, church, relationships, and health. Everything is under God’s providential rule. Saying “if the Lord wills” is not superstition—it’s submission.

4. Boasting in Our Plans Is Evil

James 4:16 — “As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”

James now names the heart behind the problem: arrogance. To speak of future plans as if we are sovereign is to boast in our own ability and ignore God’s providence. This kind of boasting is not neutral—it is evil.

Arrogant boasting is not always loud or obvious. It can be quiet self-confidence, unspoken pride, or reliance on ability, money, or security. The heart of boasting is self-trust.

James calls believers to repent of this worldly confidence. Planning without God is prideful independence. The mature Christian cultivates humility, dependence, and gratitude—even in their goals.

5. Knowing What’s Right and Not Doing It Is Sin

James 4:17 — “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

James ends this section with a powerful summary principle: sin is not just doing wrong, but also failing to do right. This is the sin of omission. If we know we should depend on God and live humbly—but we don’t—we sin.

This verse expands our understanding of holiness. It's not merely avoiding evil, but actively living in God’s will. To ignore the Spirit’s prompting, or put off obedience, is rebellion.

This calls for soft, responsive hearts. When God convicts us to pray, repent, speak truth, or act in faith, delayed obedience is disobedience. James calls us to live humbly now, not tomorrow.