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James 4:16
16 But [de] now [nun] ye rejoice [kauchaomai] in [en] your [humon] boastings [alazoneia]: all [pas] such [toioutos] rejoicing [kauchesis] is [esti] evil [poneros]. KJV-Interlinear
16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. NASB
To form your own plans for life, based on your own wisdom and confidence, both of which are founded on your worldly, academic, and day to day experience, all of which have been used to build up your own shrewdness, reasonableness, level-headedness, prudence, and so forth, is a certain path to your own spiritual destruction.
Your temporal life will last but a few decades. Your spiritual life will last forever. Which is the one that you should commit your attentions.
Any and all departures of thinking from Bible doctrine, from Gods truth, from a thinking pattern within your fellowship sphere, are in effect arrogance, and therefore evil.
Evil gains you nothing, and it takes away everything.
When you do not anticipate failure in life, when you presume that you will be alive indefinitely or until your plans are accomplished, when you refuse to recognize the many problems that can come into your life, and especially when you are indifferent to Gods role in your life, then you are guilty of the sin of presumption.
You by default, presume that God and His plan have no impact on your life. You presume that you can go about your own business with complete disregard to God. You presume that you already know Gods will for your life, and as such, have adapted your own ideas as to what you believe is His will.
All of this departure from God, from doctrine, from what is correct and true in life, is a form of boasting.
Boasting says that you know better. Boasting says that you deserve credit for who and what you are. Boasting says that you can adopt or define or subscribe to whatever views are popular, or convenient to you and to your life, and still be in the right.
Boasting says that you can do whatever you wish, so long as it does not interfere or affect someone else's life.
Boasting says that you do not have to 'always' obey God.
Boasting says that you can find another 'better' way in life, for yourself.
Most criminals are not remorseful while they commit their crimes. They see no harm, since there is no one to stop them, or interfere with their criminal activities.
However, they generally become remorseful when they are caught.
When your life ends in this world, you are in effect, caught by Christ. In heaven your first response will be either humility because of your spiritual commitment, or embarrassment (which is not a sin by the way) due to your worldly stupidity. Which will be your response?
