SERMON: “Ambition without Arrogance” (James 4:13–17)
“Ambition
without Arrogance”
(James 4:13–17)
Series: “James: True Faith Works” #21 Text: James 4:13–17
By: Shaun Marksbury Date:
March
16, 2025
Venue: Living
Water Baptist Church Occasion:
PM Service
I.
Introduction
Every day, it’s natural that people make plans. We might set goals for our careers, our
finances, our education, and even our retirement. Some might seek to live life one moment at a
time, without an eye to the future; but many of us are diligent planners,
carefully considering each step toward success.
Yet, is this right? The
Bible presents ambition as a double-edged reality — it can be a selfish pursuit
of worldly gain, but it can also be a godly drive to fulfill one’s calling. On one hand, Scripture warns against ambition rooted
in pride and self-glory. Philippians 2:3
exhorts believers to “do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit.” That’s a warning we also saw back in James
3:14–16, which cautions against bitter jealousy and selfish ambition. Worldly ambition prioritizes personal
success, wealth, and power at the expense of others and obedience to God.
However, ambition itself isn’t inherently sinful, and
Scripture even commends diligence and purposeful striving when it aligns with
God’s will. For instance, Paul urged
believers to “and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life” and work well (1
Thess. 4:11), recognizing that providing for one’s family is honorable (cf. 1
Tim. 5:8). Likewise, Paul also declared,
“I aspired to preach the gospel” (Rom. 15:20, LSB). When ambition is directed toward God’s glory —
whether in personal livelihood, family responsibilities, or ministry — it
becomes a means of faithful stewardship rather than self-exaltation.
We’ve noted that there can be a godly ambition, but the merchants
associated with the early Christian church here were not engaged in that. So, James challenges them and the rest of us by
asking a question — are we making plans with God in mind, or are we arrogantly
assuming control over our future? James
4:13–17 is a sobering reminder that while ambition is not inherently wrong, it
must be pursued with humility and submission to God.
What might it look like to honor the Lord with our ambitions
in life? This evening, we’ll see that godly
ambition humbly submits to the Lord’s will.
We’ll see that in three points this evening. First, recognize fragility for godly ambition
(vv. 13–14). Second, pursue submission in
godly ambition (v. 15). Third, avoid defying
godly ambition (vv. 16–17). Let’s
consider the first point:
II.
First, Recognize Fragility for Godly Ambition
(vv. 13–14)
Come now, you who
say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year
there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be
like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that
appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
We might initially think the issue is that of planning
itself, but James is not condemning that.
In fact, Scripture commends wise planning for the future while
maintaining humility before God. For
instance, in Romans 15:22–29, the Apostle Paul expresses his intent to travel
to Spain, demonstrating foresight in his mission while submitting to God’s
will. Similarly, Nehemiah carefully
planned the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, assessing the situation before
taking action (Neh. 2:11–18). Jesus even
taught about counting the cost before building (Luke 14:28–30). Proverbs even calls believers to “consider
the ant” (Prov. 6:6–8), to diligently prepare for the future. So, we’re reading this incorrectly if we interpret
this to mean don’t give thought to tomorrow.
Instead, James reminds us that all plans must be made in
humble dependence on the Lord’s will. The
problem is that these merchants are making their plans as if God does not
exist. Their confidence is in their own
ability rather than in God’s providence.
The phrase “Come now” is a strong interjection meant to
seize his audience’s attention.[1] This phrase appears again in James 5:1, and
both indicate a shift to a new topic. In
fact, both here and the address to the rich in chapter five might be addressing
the same or a similar group of people.
These are the merchants who say, “Today or tomorrow we will
go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and
make a profit.” The term for “engage in
business” is emporeuomai, the word from which we get “emporium.” Obviously, they are planning something, which
isn’t necessarily wrong in itself, and they expect to turn a profit.
James is challenging their presumption, though. He exposes their folly by writing, “Yet you
do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.” As the ESV has here, they don’t know “what tomorrow will bring.” Proverbs 27:1 says, “Do not boast about
tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” Life is uncertain,
and no one can predict the future except God (Isa. 46:9–10). To live as if we control our destiny is both
arrogant and foolish.
They haven’t
considered what their life is, how brief it can be. James illustrates this point by
comparing life to a vapor, a mist that appears for a short time before
vanishing. As Psalm 144:4 declares, “Man
is like a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” They had been ignoring the fact that they are fragile.
Job was a man of business and great wealth, both of material
riches and relationships. He lost nearly
all of it. Note how the Book of Job
describes life (as one commentator notes):
Job, possibly the first book of
Scripture to be written, says much about life’s ephemeral nature. In 7:6 Job lamented, “My days are swifter than
a weaver’s shuttle, and come to an end without hope,” while in 7:9 he added,
“When a cloud vanishes, it is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol [the abode of
the dead] does not come up.” “We are
only of yesterday and know nothing,” said Job’s friend Bildad the Shuhite,
“because our days on earth are as a shadow” (8:9). Continuing his lament, Job said, “Now my days
are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good. They slip by like reed boats, like an eagle
that swoops on its prey” (9:25–26). Job’s
complaint to God in 14:1–2 aptly summarizes the frailty and brevity of human
existence: “Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil. Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not
remain.”[2]
We must remember that we can’t plan like we have all the
time in the world. Consider also the
parable of the rich farmer, one who had a productive year. Jesus said in Luke 12:17–21:
And he began reasoning to himself,
saying, “What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?”
Then he said, “This is what I will
do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all
my grain and my goods. And I will say to
my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’ ”
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very
night your soul is required of you; and now
who will own what you have prepared?’
So is the man who stores up
treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
James reminds us that life is brief and unpredictable. Rather than boasting in our plans, we should
live each day with a heart of humility before God. And it’s that thought that provides the
corrective in the next verses:
III.
Second, Pursue Submission in Godly Ambition (v.
15)
Instead, you ought
to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
Instead of arrogantly presuming upon the future, James
offers the right perspective. This verse
highlights the necessity of recognizing God’s sovereignty in all our plans. Thus, it’s about adopting a posture of
humility before God.
Now, James’s instruction is not merely about tacking on the
words “Lord willing” to our sentences, for Scripture doesn’t call us to meaningless
mantras. In fact, as one commentary
notes, “This idea is not exclusively Christian,”[3] so what does James mean for
true believers here?
The phrase “If the Lord wills” reflects the biblical truth
that all things occur according to God's sovereign plan. As Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many plans are in a
man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand.” Paul exemplified this mindset in Acts 18:21
when he said, “I will return to you again if God wills,” and in Romans 1:10 when
he said to the Roman believers, “if perhaps now at last by the will of God I
will succeed in coming to you.” So, it’s
not about the specific formula of words, but the humility it knowing that God
directs our steps.
Moreover, in acknowledging God, we are not simply saying something
akin to “barring unforeseen circumstances,” “if all goes as planned,” or “if
the creek don’t rise.” First, we understand
that the Lord is in control, and nothing is truly happenstance in our lives;
events are unforeseen by us, not by God.
Second, this is about submission to that hidden plan of God, which is
why we also pray, “Lord, may Your will be done” (Matt. 6:10). We are expressing our willingness for God to
change our plans.
This means that our plans should take Him into account on
the whole, not just through lip service.
For instance, Christian business owners and professionals should submit
to God’s will by conducting their work with integrity, humility, and a
commitment to righteousness. This means they
are being honest in financial dealings (Prov. 11:1), treating employees with
fairness (Col. 4:1), avoiding the temptation of the love of money and greed-driven
decisions (1 Tim. 6:9–10), and never engaging in exploitative or deceptive
practices (Lev. 19:13). It also involves
using their resources to further God’s kingdom through generous giving (2 Cor.
9:6–7). Colossians 3:17 says, “Whatever
you do in word or deed, do all in the
name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father;” ultimately,
then, submitting to God’s will is not just about saying the right thing but
also living in a way that honors Christ in all decisions and dealings.
So, this isn’t about whether we should neglect planning. We should, in fact, plan so we ensure our
ambitions come from a heart of submission. Rather than boasting in our efforts, we must
trust in God’s providence. That’s what
we see next.
IV.
Third, Avoid Defying Godly Ambition (vv. 16–17)
But as it is, you
boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to
do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Instead of submitting to the Lord in their ambitions, they
were exalting themselves. These are hard
words, but they needed to understand this.
They were boasting in their self-sufficiency.
The phrase “you boast in your arrogance” describes a
self-confident pride that dismisses God. Boasting is rarely good in Scripture, except
when it is in the Lord (Jer. 9:24; 1 Cor. 1:31). Here, of course, James condemns boasting in personal
human ability, calling it “evil.”
This must have been a shock to people who were not necessarily
setting out to do evil. Yet, the mindset
that ignores God is worldly and fleshly.
This is why secular education in public schools can be dangerous for
children, even if the teachers aren’t pushing moral perversity: we should not
learn to think about the world without reference to God. This is where disaster comes.
Consider where this kind of thinking leads. I’ve been to graduations and even Bible
studies where I’ve heard portions of William Ernest Henley’s poem Invictus; contrast
this to the godly ambition we’ve been considering:
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and
tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Thinking that excludes the Lord’s rightful authority over
our lives leads a person to declare, “I am the master of my fate, I am the
captain of my soul.” God is omitted from
such a mind.
Omission is the real problem here. James closes with a general principle to that
regard: “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it,
to him it is sin” (v. 17). Failing to do
what is right applies beyond just planning; it includes failing to act in
faith, love, and obedience.
This isn’t a warning restricted to James. Jesus gave a similar warning in Luke 12:47,
when He said, “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready
or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes.” To neglect God's will, whether through
omission or commission, is sin.
Again, it’s not that the gathering of wealth in itself is
evil, as though it is wrong to make a profit and live. It is rather a question of doing good. A father who increases his salary to help his
family pay for needs is good, as is a mother who engages in her own merchant
endeavors (a la Proverbs 31). For
instance, Scripture praises saving up for giving to future generations; “A good
man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children” (Prov. 13:22). However, if the parents are storing up just
for large houses and big vacations while neglecting their duties to their
children and the church, that is a problem.
Christians should consider what good God would have of them as He allows
them to make money.
V.
Conclusion
Ambition in itself is not sinful, but arrogance is. True wisdom acknowledges this by considering the
frailty of life, submission to God’s sovereignty, and the avoidance of
self-reliance. We should strive for a
godly ambition in our lives.
What does that mean?
First, don’t live as if tomorrow is guaranteed. Live each day for the Lord.
Second, don’t avoid making plans. Yet, make plans with a heart that seeks the
Lord’s direction, submitting to Scripture.
If the Lord wills, He will prosper those plans.
Third, don’t boast in what you accomplish. True confidence comes not from our plans, but
from God’s. Make your boast in Him..
Commit your ambitions, goals, and future into the hands of
our sovereign Lord!
[1] John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael
S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R.
Grigoni, and David Bomar, Faithlife Study
Bible, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Jas 4:13.
[2] John F. MacArthur Jr., James, MacArthur New Testament Commentary, (Chicago: Moody Press,
1998), 233.
[3] Peter H. Davids, The
Epistle of James: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek
Testament Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1982), 173.