Who are You Calling an Atheist?
A. If we were to ask question: “Who is an atheist?”, we would probably not have many hands
raise.
1. We think of an atheist as one who proudly asserts, “there is no God.”
2. They wouldn’t give God praise, or talk about Him as part of their lives; they certainly
wouldn’t revolve their plans around Him; they most certainly wouldn’t involve
themselves in activities where God is honored.
3. No, you won’t find any atheists here!
B. Or would we? Is being an atheist only saying there is no God, or is one an atheist who lives as
if there is no God?
1. The theme of James 4 is “leaving God out”
2. James gives three ways that Christians were being tempted to do this even 2,000 years
ago.
I.
Leaving God out of our Speech (4:11,12)
A. Problem of misusing the tongue so prevalent that James has one more thing to say about it
(v. 11).
1. They were speaking evil of one another.
2. NIV – “Brothers, do not slander one another.”
3. Slander: Defamation of character; differs from gossip in that it is a deliberate attempt to
malign another.
4. And shame of shames, they slandered their fellow Christians; should not slander anyone,
but to slander a brother in Christ is abominable!
B. Not only guilty of slander, but also of judging their brethren (11).
1. What is the “judging” that James condemns? Misjudging.
2. These are some of the features of the judging condemned in the Bible:
a. Making a judgment from the wrong motives.
b. Making a hasty judgment.
c. Making a judgment from partial or incorrect evidence.
d. Putting the worst possible construction on the facts in the case.
e. Making a judgment regarding the motives of the one judged.
f. Being overly harsh in our judgment.
C. But we get to our theme as James convicts these brethren not only of slander and misjudging
their brethren, but also of trying to replace God by their actions.
1. Says this in an unusual way (v. 11).
2. James says the one who slanders his brother is, in reality, slandering the law!
3. The “law” talked about here is the one we see throughout James – “the perfect law of
liberty” (1:25); the royal law (2:8), the law of Christ.
4. The 2:8 James defines “the royal law” as “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Is
loving your neighbor compatible w/ speaking evil of him?
5. No, so if you deliberately slander and midjudge your brother you are implying that the
law to love your brother is not a good or necessary law.
6. You have made a decision, a judgment about the law, and have indicated that there is no
need to obey this law.
7. Man is to be a law-doer, not a law-giver.
8. James closes this section w/ a perfect question: “Who are you to judge another?”
9. An atheist believes he is his own god, and so do those who try to take His place in
judgment.
II.
Leaving God out of Your Planning (13-16).
A. James second illustration is in the matter of leaving God out of our planning:
1. Imagery used would have been very familiar to his Jewish readers.
2. 13-16
3.
Prior to captivity, the Jews had been basically an agricultural people; as they were
scattered, they had to adapt or die.
B. When James says, “ye that say,” not implying that they were just full of talk.
1. They had planned the time to start, the place to trade, how long the venture would last,
their activity and their results.
2. So what’s the problem? Is he condemning trade or business?
3. He is speaking against leaving God out of our planning.
4. Look again at the words of v. 13 – not a word about God; no indication at all that they
were even slightly interested in what God would think about their plans.
C. In the next few verses James shows the foolishness of those who boldly say, “We will do this
or that” w/o considering the will of God.
1. Foolish b/c they did not take into account the uncertainty of life (14a). They planned
confidently for a year, but did not even know what the next day might bring.
2. Foolish b/c they did not take into account the brevity of life (14b)
3. Foolish b/c they did not take into account the WILL OF GOD (15).
a. All plans are subject to the will of God.
b. The term “if the Lord will” indicates several things about the person who says it.
1. The person believes in God
2. He believes God is in control
3. He believed that his life needs to be controlled by God
4. Constantly on the lips of Paul (Acts 18:21; 21:14; Rom. 1:10; 15:32, etc).
5. Foolish b/c they were proud of themselves and their abilities (v. 16).
III.
Leaving God out of Our Activities (17)
A. Makes a great sweeping statement w/ far-reaching application (17).
1. They knew what was right and what was wrong; they even knew they should do good,
but there they stopped!
2. They did not do what they knew to do and in that failure to do so, they sinned!
3. James is pointing out the seriousness of deliberate, willful sin!
4. Think of it: Here is an individual who knows there is an all-powerful God who has made
everything, an all-powerful God before whom we must stand to give an account
someday.
5. Knows what this God has asked him to do, and then this individual coolly, deliberately,
and disdainfully refuses to do what he knows the God of the universe had told him to do!
B. Guy N. Woods – trained as a lawyer said, if he was defending this man before a jury of 12
typical members of the church and get a verdict of not guilty.
1. He said, “I would say this man did not drink, gamble, run around on his wife, did not
cheat on his taxes, beat his children.
2. I do not doubt I could get a verdict of not guilty.
3. But this man was guilty – guilty of failing to do what he knew was right!