James pivots from focusing on the negative aspects found in lust, sin, and death, and turns his attention to that which is positive, specifically speaking of the goodness of God. James makes the contrast using the same strong language. In the same way as he attaches lust and sin to man, so he attaches goodness and blessing to God. In other words, lust and sin come only from man and goodness and blessing come from God.
This is true in the context of the local church. The blessings that we bestow upon one another (whether material or otherwise) come ultimately from a love for God. Would the natural man give of his estate or wealth for another? Romans 5:7 says, “For one will hardly die for a righteous man, though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.” In other words, the natural man would not give graciously in this manner. But as people who love God, we give out of our love for God which extends to a love for one another.
The goodness of God is shown in the gifts that are given both generally speaking and individually. These will be looked at in order.
Generally
This general good giftedness of Yahweh is seen throughout all of human history. First, let us see this in His love for Israel. How so? He provided those who would craft all that was needed for Israel to worship at the tent of meeting. Yahweh also gave to Israel one who would be skilled in making the robes for the Aaronic priesthood. Exodus 31:1-11 gives the account. What we see in this text is that Yahweh gives Israel all that she needs to worship Him rightly. What He doesn’t do is give them a command that they are unable to follow. Isn’t this comforting to you and me? For this same truth is true today. God does not give us any command that we cannot keep.
What does this good giftedness of God look like today, generally speaking? Psalm 104:14-17 resonates with us. Listen to how Yahweh God gives of His goodness to those on the earth… Does God still give grass for the cattle to graze upon? For some of us we have seen first hand the blessing of God upon our gardens and other ventures for preservation, like cows and the like. We benefit from what is declared by David in Psalm 145:9, “Yahweh is good to all, and His compassions are over all His works.”
God’s good gifts are not shown to us in a sustaining sense physically, but spiritually as well. Again, from the Psalter. Psalm 37:23-24 tells us that Yahweh God establishes the path of life that we take. Yahweh God delights in the lives that we live that continually strive to please Him. Yet, even when we fall, He is the one who watches over that too, and He stops us by His grace (most likely the greatest gift of all outside of salvation in Christ alone) because He “is the One who sustains ‘our’ hand” (Psalm 37:24, my edit).
One commentator (Blomberg, Kamell) suggests that one of these good and perfect gifts could be wisdom because of the reference in James 1:5. What is said in Proverbs 8 about wisdom would definitely fit the description of a good and perfect gift. What believer would not want the reminder that “wisdom is better than pearls; and all desirable things cannot compare with her” (Proverbs 8:11). Or to be encouraged to “Hear discipline and be wise, and do not neglect it” (Proverbs 8:33). If we are one who is currently lacking wisdom and inquiring God for it, Proverbs 8:34 tells us to listen to wisdom so that “he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from Yahweh” (Proverbs 8:35).
In a general sense, every Christian that is going through a trial is a good gift from God. For this gift is the means that God uses to bring Him all the closer to Himself. We believe that God does not waste one opportunity. For example, consider the gift of God in light of sin. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Many people, including Christians, ask, why did Adam and Eve have to sin? We would be perfect if they would not have. But what we fail to see sometimes is that it was our sin and hatred toward God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that makes the gracious gift of eternal life, that neither you, nor me deserve, all the more sweeter and more precious to us.
We could be here all night considering the good works and perfect gifts that God has bestowed generally speaking, as well as individually in our own lives, which is where we now turn.
Individually
There are three specific gifts that are given to believers according to verses 17 and 18. They are, 1. The guarantee that God does not change, ever, 2. God regenerates us by the word of truth, and 3. God brings us forth as the first fruits (or as the very best) among all that He has made.
God does not change
The Greek phrase for ‘variation or shifting shadow’ only occurs in this verse in all of Scripture. The Greek defines this phrase as God who never changes. Individually speaking, this truth about God brings great comfort. One confession I have heard in this body is that God is the same throughout every generation. And this we get from Scripture. Psalm 33:11, “The counsel of Yahweh stands forever, the thoughts of His heart from generation to generation” (Psalm 119:89-90). Not only is God unchanging from generation to generation, but His gifts are applied in the same way. The outpouring of the blessings and gifts of God never changes. Just looking at verse 18 we could say that this is true. Is God still bringing people forth before Him by the word of truth? And is God still bringing us forth as a most prized possession or as a firstfruit among His creation? In both instances, we would say that these things are still going on.
The unchangeableness of God or what is called the ‘Immutability of God’ is vast in time. Listen to the decree of Yahweh as told to Isaiah which demonstrates the fixed nature of God (Isaiah 46:8-11)... Did you hear the definitive decrees? The usage of the word ‘will’ 4 times solidifies the concrete nature of what God has said He will do. And before we move on to the next point. Just in case anyone had any doubt, Hebrews 13:8 plainly says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
God regenerates us by the word of truth
The second gift of God is that He regenerates His people, by the word of truth. This God has graciously done to us by “the exercise of His will.” In other words, this regeneration is of God’s doing. The Greek defines the word “brought” as the bearing forth of a child. Bill Mounce defines it as “to generate by spiritual birth.” In other words, God makes us brand new. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). There is no greater gift to us as Christians than to be regenerated by God. To have the old, sinful, and fleshly person taken off, and to have it replaced with the new person that glorifies God. This is only accomplished if we have been regenerated.
God has given two gifts to us ‘so to speak’ for our regeneration. The two gifts are 1. Jesus Christ and 2. The Holy Spirit. Titus 2:14 and 3:5-6 flesh this reality out for us. It is Christ who gave Himself to “purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). And it is by Christ’s mercy, as worked out “through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5) that we are regenerated and transformed.
All of this given to us by the “enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:23). Because God said that these things are so, they are so. This is the means of faith in the Christian life. As Christians, we are convinced that all that God has said in His word is true and for the continued growth of His people. What confidence that we have in the word of God. Listen to Psalm 119:160, “The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments is everlasting.” God gives us confidence that His word is true. Here, the Psalmist says that the completion or sum of God’s word is truth. Every word is true and endures forever. This is why James can confidently say that this is the means that God uses to regenerate His people. For us today, this is a most precious gift that is given to each one of us, yet we share it corporately as we invest in one another’s lives.
It is the word of God that is used to bring forth our salvation and regeneration (Ephesians 1:13).
God brings us forth as the first fruits (or as the very best) among all that He has made
The third gift of God individually received is being brought before God as the very best. Now, this is not to get our heads to swell, but it is to work out in us the great love that God has for us. This is indeed a most precious gift!
Whenever you think of firstfruits (which is probably not often) you must go back to the meaning of firstfruits as found in Leviticus 23:10. Yahweh God speaks to Moses and tells him that when Israel is given the Promised Land, they are to give the very best of it back to God. It is this firstfruit offering that is to be brought before God that is given as “a perpetual (or forever) statute throughout your generations in all your places of habitation” (Leviticus 23:14). In other words, no matter where Israel resided, they were to give the very best of what they had to God first. This is not a study on tithing. For Israel, it was a command to set their heart rightly before Yahweh God who had blessed them with so much that they did not inherently deserve. Doesn’t this sound familiar? This sounds like the precious gift of salvation found in Jesus Christ, the firstfruit of God. Listen to Romans 8:23 tell us of the precious gift of God residing within us, “also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit.” God, in His kindness has given us the very best, the Holy Spirit. Thus, the only reason we are a firstfruit of God’s creation is because the firstfruit of God resides within us. This ties us back to the work of regeneration in our lives.
Similarly, this is said of the 144,000 in Revelation 14:4, “These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.” This leads me to ask this question. Because we are believers alongside the 144,000, is it said of us that we follow the Lamb wherever He goes? Not one of us would deny that we are the firstfruits of God’s creation because Scripture tells us so. Yet, the Scripture clearly defines these followers of Christ as devoted and committed to His cause. May it be true of us who are the firstfruits of God’s creation that we are wholly and completely devoted and committed to the cause of Christ.
Conclusion
What, then, do we take away from these verses? Here are three to consider.
- Every good thing and perfect gift is from God. It does not come from the kindness or goodness of you. Give credit where credit is due. It is God, and God alone, who gives all that is good and perfect. Instead of thinking that we do good on our own, let us give thanks to God that He brings forth within us the means to do good amidst the sin and evil that we are prone to think of and sometimes commit.
- Take comfort in the promises of God. As you remember that God does not change, that He has regenerated you, and that He counts you as the firstfruits of His creation, may this cause you to reflect on the deep love that God has for you. God did not ‘have’ to do these things. He was not compelled to act in such a way, but He chose to because He loves you.
- Let us be open to what God is going to do in our lives as He uses each one of us to further His kingdom. He has bestowed all these gifts upon you so that you can be useful to God. May we have eyes to see and ears to hear as God calls us to live and act according to the exercise of His will.
