Henry Krabbendam - James - World Evangelical Alliance

life at all (Moo, 1985, 155). Often, it takes an occasion that makes humans
look death in the face before this will dawn upon them. It is passing strange
that some folks live for today, as if there is no tomorrow, while others live for
tomorrow as if there is one! The first one indicates indulgence, the second
presumption. Both attitudes stand condemned. Both seem to forget that life is
short as well as uncertain. Of course, when the focus is upon God (Ps. 73:25-
26; Hab. 3:17) and his Christ (Phil. 1:21; 3:10; 4:13), both “today” and “tomorrow”
fall into perfect place, and the fragility of life in both its brevity and
uncertainty can be properly assessed and dealt with.
In short, the uncertainty, fragility and shortness of life should be sufficient
reasons to turn away from a presumptuous approach to life. In the larger
context of Scripture, and often in conjunction with the return of Christ, they
also function as reasons for the urgency of a life of holiness before, and of
service to, God (Rom. 13:11; 2 Pet. 1:13).
At any rate, James states that the solution is to be found in the recognition
and acknowledgment that life is fully in the hands of God (Acts 18:21;
Rom. 1:10; 15:24, 32; 1 Cor. 4:9; 16:7; Phil. 2:19, 24; Heb. 6:3; 3 John 10).
He formulates this in terms of “the will of God.” In this context it signifies
the will of control or decree. In other words, what comes into view here is
God’s plan or providence by which he determines whatever comes to pass,
and in this context, whatever will come to pass!
Frankly, too often “the will of God” in contexts like this is thought to refer
to the so-called “guidance of God.” One should guard against this not only
in this passage but also elsewhere. It is quite pertinent to bring this up, since
in the present context decisions are being made, in fact, “big” decisions. The
doctrine of “guidance” holds that there is supposedly a “perfect” or “ideal”
will of God, which is designed to direct and lead us in life especially in areas
and issues of crucial significance. It touches on those aspects or instances
where there is no explicit instruction from God, such as whom to marry, what
profession to choose, and where to reside. The aim is to identify God’s leading
in life. Again and again we are told to make sure that we are “in the center
of God’s will.” Frequently an elaborate set of rules, with green or red lights
and all, is drawn up to determine its content. To succeed in this is pretty momentous.
After all, to miss it ultimately makes for, at times, very “unhappy
campers.”
The question, of course, is unavoidable whether the traveling traders in
this context are exhorted to seek “divine guidance,” or to find “God’s ideal or
perfect will for their lives?” This question must emphatically be answered in
the negative. As will now be shown, this whole concept is totally foreign to
the teaching of Scripture. In the course of demonstrating this I also aim to de-
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