Go! And Do What You Know Is Right - James 4:17 Series

Go! And Do What You Know Is Right - James 4:17

The Compass and the Map

Imagine a seasoned hiker, standing at the edge of a great forest. In his hand is a detailed map and a perfectly calibrated compass. He knows the direction he must go, he understands the terrain, and he has everything he needs to reach his destination. But instead of stepping forward, he just stares. He delays, reasons, procrastinates… and eventually turns back. Not because he didn’t know the right path—but because he didn’t walk it.

Friends, knowing the right thing to do and failing to do it is not a small oversight. The Bible calls it sin.

James 4:17 (NLT): “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”

James, the half-brother of Jesus and a pillar of the early Church in Jerusalem, writes this letter to Jewish believers scattered among the nations. These were Christians trying to live out their faith in a world hostile to it. James is intensely practical, and his letter overflows with calls to real, lived-out faith.

James 4:17 concludes a warning about arrogance, self-reliance, and presumptuous living (see vv. 13–16). In this context, James rebukes the idea that we can plan our lives independently from God. He reminds us that we are like a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes (v.14). So he concludes with this sobering truth: To know the good and not do it is sin.

The Greek word translated “sin” here is ?µa?t?a (hamartia)—which literally means “missing the mark.” But this verse is not about failing to aim rightly—it’s about seeing the bullseye, knowing exactly what God wants, and choosing to ignore it. This is willful disobedience.

Luke 12:47–48 (NLT): “And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished…”

Jesus speaks this during a parable about readiness for His return. It’s about servants—not strangers—who know their master’s will but disregard it.

The more we know God’s will, the more accountable we are to obey it.

Charles Stanley: “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.”

Charles Stanley reminds us that obedience is never about convenience or outcomes—it’s about trust. Knowing the right thing and delaying in obedience is not cautious wisdom—it’s disobedience.

Romans 7:15–19 (NLT) Paul confesses: “I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate…”

Theleo (????) – “I desire.” Paul desired to do what is right. He knew the good. But the war within him between flesh and Spirit waged on.

This is not a justification for sin but a declaration of the human struggle under the weight of sin. Only through Christ do we have power over this struggle (see Romans 7:24–25).

Tim Keller: “The gospel is not just the ABCs but the A to Z of the Christian life.”

Keller teaches that we don’t move beyond the gospel after salvation—we live in it daily. Our failures to do good should not drive us into despair but into deeper dependence on Christ.

3. Matthew 25:41–45 (NLT): “I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me...”

The parable of the sheep and goats. Notice that the condemned aren’t judged for active evil, but for passive neglect.

Omission is not morally neutral. Neglecting the good is seen by Christ as grievous.

Max Lucado: “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

Lucado’s words challenge our excuses. We cannot shrug off responsibility just because we can’t fix everything. If we know the good we can do, we must do it.

John 13:17 (NLT): “Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”

Greek word: Makarios (µa??????) – “blessed”

The blessing doesn’t come from knowing alone—it comes from doing.

R.T. Kendall: “Faith that does not lead to obedience is not faith at all.”

Kendall cuts through the fog. If our knowledge doesn’t produce obedience, we may need to question whether it’s saving faith or mere intellectual agreement.

III. Practical Application: Living the Known Good

The Dying Man’s Letter

A Christian man, on his deathbed, wept—not over his sins of commission, but over the letters he never wrote, the kindness he never showed, and the conversations about Jesus he never had. “I knew what I should’ve done,” he whispered, “I just… didn’t.”

Church, don’t wait until your final breath to regret your inaction. Obedience delayed is obedience denied.

Three Real-Life Areas to Apply James 4:17

Evangelism:

You know someone who needs Jesus. You’ve felt the Spirit’s prompting. Speak. Share. Invite.

? Proverbs 24:11 (NLT): “Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die…”

Forgiveness:

You know you need to forgive, but you haven’t.

? Colossians 3:13 (NLT): “Forgive anyone who offends you…”