Henry Krabbendam - James - World Evangelical Alliance

their (model business) plan looks good,” similar to the plan of the farmer of
Luke 12:18, “as if there is nothing and no one else in the world ... as if winds
never blow ill, the roads are always safe, markets are always stable, and so
on” (Brosend, 126-127). In all this they exemplify carnal presumption, but are
not necessarily carnal hearts that go after carnal projects with carnal hopes of
success (against Manton, 387, 394, who refers to Sisera’s mother in Judg.
5:28-30).
What James has in mind here, is a run-of-the-mill, every-day, kind of
sinfulness that always seems to hit Christians from the blind side, especially
those who routinely “compartmentalize life” and separate “God” from the
“world” (Jam. 4:4) and the “Sunday” from the “Monday” and the other days
of the week. 347 I characterize it as such because it pertains to a sort of conduct
that is not sinful on the face of it. After all, who would be alarmed when an
industrious businessman eagerly unfolds his plans? Nevertheless, it gives rise
to something that he, as well as the apostle John, emphasizes throughout.
Christians are and remain “open sewers,” that by definition spew out “an
abundance of sewage,” unless they are God-centered in their motivation and
objectives, Christ-centered in their origin and substance and Spirit-centered in
their enablement and empowerment (Jam. 1:17; 3:17; 4:7, 10; 5:13; John
1:7). Without all this they may be shrewd and successful businessmen. But in
this segment of their lives they are at the same time callous, practical atheists,
who do not think “high enough,” ignoring the God who is in over-all control,
and self-deluding masters of self-sufficiency, who do not think “far enough”
ahead, leaving the future God-less and open-ended. Precisely because the
conduct under discussion pertains to a matter that is honorable in itself,
James’ warning pertains to a temptation that is subtle and easily overlooked.
Evidently the traveling wholesale trader, in contrast to the local retailer
(Laws, 189-190; Nystrom, 251) has an exciting, although not totally risk-free,
life in a world and during times of throbbing industrial and commercial activity.
He is fully caught up in his work, which may well give him his identity
and double as his life. Whether a workaholic or not, he is a meticulous planner
who is enterprising, knowledgeable, careful, skillful, energetic, and, although
this is not James’ focus, undoubtedly determined to be a success.
Starting times as well as itineraries for his projects are well in advance
marked on the calendar. In theory, of course, these characteristics and this
347 See Brosend, 129, who further laments that the compartmentalization of life is not only
awash among the membership of the Church, but also endemic to the “pulpit.” Most preachers
play it safe and rarely tackle controversial issues that are politically incorrect or tend to upset
the applecart in their own setting. Fearlessness with regard to the exposition and application
of the text should return to the pulpit, with the willingness to let the biblical chips fall where
they may and must!
707