Not Listening to What God Wants (James 4:13–14, 16) - Part 2 of 2

The second incorrect way a man feels about God's will as outlined by James in this part of his letter is that he chooses not to follow what God wants.

Second, Not following what God Wants (4:17)

These people know what God wants, but they choose to not follow it. Why do they not follow what God wants?

#1 Pride
This attitude shows even more pride than the first one. The person says to God, "I know what You want me to do, but I don't want to do it." "I know a lot more about this situation than You do!" 2 Peter 2:21 says, "For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."

Why do people who know what God wants them to do choose not to do it? I have already given one reason: pride. People like to say that they are "the master of their fate and the captain of their soul." In the human eye, man has done so many great things that he thinks he can do anything.

#2 Perspective
Another reason is that people don't know what God's will is. A misguided perspective is the belief that individuals can choose to accept or reject God's will. The will of God is not a choice; it is a duty. We can't "take it or leave it." We have to do what He says because He made us. We must obey Him because He is our Savior and Lord, and we are His children and servants. If we don't take God's will seriously, we are asking for God's discipline in our lives.

#3 Pleasure
Many people wrongly believe that God's will is not pleasurable and therefore a recipe for unhappiness. It is the opposite! Not following the Lord's will is what makes people unhappy. The Bible and what godly Christian people have lived through both show that such an assertion is true. Even if a Christian who doesn't follow the will of God may seem to get away with it in this life, what will he say when he meets the Lord? "And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:47–48).

What happens to Christians who choose to go against what they know God wants them to do? Their loving Father chastens (disciplines) them until they give in (Heb. 12:5–11). If a person professes their belief in God but does not experience chastisement, it indicates that they are a fake and have never truly been spiritually reborn. God's punishment is a sign of His love, not His hate. Our heavenly Father disciplines us just like an earthly father does so as to teach his child to respect and obey. Even though discipline is difficult to take, it has the comforting truth of being a son.

We must remember that there is also a risk of losing heavenly rewards. Paul compared the believer to a runner in the Greek races, as seen in 1 Corinthians 9:24–27. He had to follow the rules of the game to get a crown. If any contestant broke the rules, they were disqualified and embarrassed. In 1 Corinthians 9:27, the word "castaway" does not mean losing salvation; it means losing a reward. "Disqualified" would also be a good way to say it.

It may not seem like a big deal to disobey God's will today, but it will be a big deal when the Lord comes back and looks at our works (Col. 3:22–25).