James 4:17
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
Last week in Bible study, we were studying Titus 1, and our discussion turned to sin. We talked about the fact that no matter how hard we try to live good Christian lives, we are still going to sin. Sometimes we may even sin without immediately realizing that we have done it.
I think sometimes the world looks at Christians and assumes that we think we are perfect—or that because we call ourselves Christians, we are somehow claiming to be better than everyone else. But most Christians I know have never claimed that. In fact, Christianity begins with admitting the exact opposite: we need a Savior because we aren't perfect and never will be on this side of Heaven.
I might even call myself a Christian perfectionist. I want to get it right. I want to do my best. I want my life to reflect what I believe, and when I realize I've gotten something wrong, I want to correct it. But being a Christian perfectionist doesn't mean believing perfection is attainable here on Earth. It means continuing to strive toward the example Christ has given us while knowing I will never completely reach it in this life.
Maybe the goal isn't perfection. Maybe the goal is to keep becoming more aware, more obedient, and more willing to change when God shows me something.
Since last week's study, this verse has kept coming back to me:
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
I think sometimes we have a very narrow definition of sin. We think about the obvious things--lying, stealing, gossiping, losing our temper, saying something hurtful, or deliberately doing something that we know God has told us not to do.
But James reminds us that sin isn't always something we do.
Sometimes it is something we don't do.
As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit living within us. I believe He speaks to us, convicts us, and nudges us toward the things God wants us to do. Sometimes it may be that little thought telling us to call someone. Check on someone. Give something. Stop and help. Say the encouraging thing we're thinking instead of keeping it to ourselves. Forgive. Apologize. Speak up. Be quiet. Pray for someone--or maybe even pray with them.
And how many times have I felt one of those nudges and immediately started negotiating with it?
I'm too busy.
Someone else will help.
They probably don't want me bothering them.
I don't have enough to give.
That would be awkward.
I'll do it later.
Then later never comes.
That's what has been bothering me about James 4:17. If I recognize that something is good and right, and I believe God is prompting me toward it, can I simply choose not to do it and still say that I have been obedient?
This week, God has shown me another side of this.
I've had to forgive a couple of people in my heart. They haven't asked me for forgiveness, and I don't expect them to, because I don't think they even realize that what they did hurt me.
For a while, I could have justified holding onto that hurt. After all, they hadn't apologized. They didn't even know there was anything to apologize for.
But I knew what I needed to do.
I needed to forgive them anyway.
That doesn't mean I had to go tell them what they did. It doesn't mean I had to make them feel guilty or have a conversation that wasn't necessary. For me, forgiveness this time wasn't something that needed to happen between me and them. It was something that needed to happen between me and God.
I needed to say, “I'm not carrying this anymore. I forgive them, and I'm moving on.”
And maybe that is another example of what James is talking about.
Sometimes the good we know we need to do isn't something anyone else will ever see. Sometimes obedience happens quietly in our own hearts. Nobody congratulates us for it. Nobody even knows there was a struggle.
But God knows.
Colossians 3:13 tells us to forgive one another, “even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” That doesn't say, “when they realize what they've done.” It doesn't say, “when they apologize properly.” My responsibility for the condition of my heart isn't dependent upon someone else's recognition of what they did.
That challenged me this week because I realized I could wait indefinitely for someone to give me something they don't even know I need—or I could do what I already knew God was asking me to do.
Forgive.
Release it.
Move on.
The story of the Good Samaritan gives us another picture of this kind of obedience. The priest and the Levite didn't attack the injured man. They didn't rob him. They simply passed by. The Samaritan was the one who stopped and did the good that was in front of him.
Galatians 6:10 says, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men.”
That word opportunity stands out to me.
God puts opportunities in front of us every day. Some are big. Most probably aren't. And some may not even be visible to anyone else.
Maybe it's helping someone.
Maybe it's making the phone call.
Maybe it's giving when we feel prompted to give.
Maybe it's saying the kind thing we're thinking.
Maybe it's apologizing when our pride would rather explain ourselves.
And sometimes maybe it's quietly forgiving someone who will never know they needed to be forgiven.
That doesn't mean every thought that pops into my head is God speaking. My feelings aren't always reliable. What I feel led to do should agree with God's Word and His character. But I also don't want to become so cautious about whether a prompting is “really God” that I use that uncertainty as an excuse to ignore an obvious opportunity to love somebody.
Maybe part of spiritual maturity is learning to recognize those nudges and becoming quicker to respond.
Instead of always asking, “Do I have to?”
Maybe sometimes the better question is, “Why wouldn't I?”
If the thought is to encourage someone, help someone, pray for someone, forgive someone, show kindness, be generous, or demonstrate the love of Christ, why am I working so hard to talk myself out of it?
Maybe there are sins I have spent a lot of energy avoiding while overlooking the opportunities for good that I have walked right past.
And maybe that's part of what it means to keep growing as a Christian. I'm never going to reach a point where God has nothing left to teach me. I'm never going to reach perfection here. But I hope I never stop wanting Him to show me where I can do better.
So this week, my prayer isn't only:
“God, keep me from doing what is wrong.”
It's also:
“God, help me recognize the good You put in front of me—and give me the courage to actually do it.”
Help me notice the person who needs encouragement. Help me recognize the opportunity to help. Help me make the call when You put someone on my heart. Help me forgive without waiting for an apology. Help me release the hurts You never intended me to carry.
I know I won't always get it right. I know I will never be perfect. But when You show me something, don't let me use my imperfection as an excuse.
When I already know the good I should do, Lord, help me stop making excuses and simply do it.
Hope you all have a wonderful week!
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