To him it is sin

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. – James 4v17

One of the worst applications of any scripture in my life happened about 32 years ago in the Phillips Chapel at Highland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, TN. I won’t embarrass the speaker, even if he is with the Lord now, by giving his name, but he ‘preached’ on this passage.

He went through a whole long list, each accentuated with – ‘To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.’

Is it good to pray an hour a day?
Is it good to share the gospel with six people a day?
Is it good to refrain from the world’s entertainment?
Is it good to get up at 5.00 and have devotions?

And on and on and on. I am sure that he thought he was doing right. I am sure he wanted to get us worldly college students sorted out. I wanted to ask him, ‘Is it good to preach a verse in context and not rip it out for your own purpose,’ but thought better of it.

The context in James is very clear. The context is treating people right. The context is not looking down on people because they are poor and needy. The context is not favouring the rich (see next section for more on this). The context is not thinking so highly of ourselves. The context is not leaving God out of our plans. The context is having a humble spirit. The context is that it is not all about us.

Sure, we can take the principle of ‘not doing good’ and apply it in other areas, but not with a list of man made requirements. I might as well as, ‘is it good to take your pastor out to eat? Well, to him that knows to do good and doesn’t do it to him it is sin!’

The truth is that it is good to put away our bias on rich and poor. It is good to control our tongue. It is good to plan things in the will of God. It is good to not speak evil. It is good to remember the brevity of life.

To not do those things is sin.