Matthew Henry Commentary James 4:11-17

"Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. One [only] is the lawgiver and judge, [even] he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor? Come now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or that. But now ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil. To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." — James 4:11-17 (ASV)

Our lips must be governed by the law of kindness, as well as truth and justice. Christians are brothers and sisters. And to break God's commands is to speak evil of them and to judge them, as if these commands placed too great a restraint on us. We have the law of God, which is a rule for all; let us not presume to set up our own notions and opinions as a rule for those around us, and let us be careful that we are not condemned by the Lord. “Go to now,” is a call to anyone to consider their conduct as being wrong.

How inclined worldly and scheming people are to leave God out of their plans! How vain it is to look for anything good without God's blessing and guidance! The frailty, shortness, and uncertainty of life ought to check the vanity and presumptuous confidence of all projects for the future. We can fix the hour and minute of the sun's rising and setting tomorrow, but we cannot fix the certain time of a vapor being scattered.

Human life is so short, unreal, and fading, as is all the prosperity or enjoyment that accompanies it. Yet, bliss or woe forever will be determined by our conduct during this fleeting moment. We are always to depend on the will of God. Our times are not in our own hands, but at the disposal of God.

Our heads may be filled with cares and plans for ourselves, our families, or our friends; but Providence often throws our plans into confusion. Everything we design and everything we do should be with submissive dependence on God. It is foolish and hurtful to boast of worldly things and aspiring projects; such boasting will bring great disappointment and ultimately prove destructive.

Omissions are sins that will be brought into judgment, just as commissions are. The one who does not do the good they know should be done, as well as the one who does the evil they know should not be done, will be condemned. Oh, that we were as careful not to omit prayer, and not to neglect to meditate and examine our consciences, as we are to avoid committing gross outward vices against the light we have!