In denying that God gives evil things the opposite is assured - that He is the giver of everything good, meaning things desirable, useful and morally right. God gives good things
because He is good, therefore His giving is consistent with who He is. His highest good is displayed in His own will and purpose in the lives of His people. In attaining this He turns
the evil of others against us to the working out of His own purposes.
Joseph's life is clearly an example of this truth. Joseph expressed the good action of God in working out His divine purposes:
The Scriptures are the Word of God Himself. Just as He is unchanging and reliable, so is His Word.
God is called the "Father of Lights" because He is the Creator, therefore the source of all light. The heavenly bodies are but a feeble representation of the glorious light of the great
Creator Himself. Physical lights are subject to alternations of light and darkness - even the shining sun has its "spots." But there are no spots - no variation or "shadow of turning."
Within the perfect light of our awesome God, the Creator, fallen man is notorious for variations in his word, indicative of his unreliability. God is absolutely constant, trustworthy,
dependable, His word is just the same as He is. How we should value, reverence, lean upon His Word in faith, and in obedience build character and conduct upon it that glorifies
Him.
Our Re-creation Is Plainly Of His Will
James 1:18 "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth,
..."
The creation of the heavens and the earth originated in the mind and will of God. The divine activity as Creator demonstratively reveals Him to be personal, sovereign, Almighty, rational,
loving and caring (Genesis 1:1 ). In our new creation "own will" refers to the emphatic desires of God that "brought us forth or gave us birth, and in contrast to our nourished evil
desires that when fully grown brought forth death (James 1:15 ). He willed for us a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17 ). Our redemption through faith in
Christ and commitment to Him is the fulfilment of God's planned intention for us, including:
Ephesians 1:3 "... all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
"
He chose us in Him to be holy and without blame before Him in love, and full realisation of our inheritance in Christ, as adopted sons (Ephesians 1:5; 1:14; Romans 8:15,23 ).
Ephesians 1:5 "... according to the good pleasure of his will, "
Our Re-creation Is Positively His Work
James 1:18 "... He brought us forth ..."
The teaching of Jesus positively states that it is not possible to see the kingdom of God unless one is born again (John 3:3 ). Most Bibles have a margin note giving the rendering
of the text as "born from above" emphatically emphasising the divine aspect of regeneration. Upon receiving Christ and believing in His saving name we are born anew (John
1:12 ). The new birth is not because one is directly descendant from godly parents, "not of blood" (John 1:13 KJV). Nor is it the outcome of fleshly desire, that is, not "of the
will of the flesh," (John 1:13 KJV). Not because parents earnestly desire the new birth for us. Nor is the new birth resultant from human achievement, "nor of the will of man"
(John 1:13 KJV). Not of works of the flesh, "but of God" (John 1:13 KJV; Ephesians 2:9 )
Without the positive action of the kindness and love of God toward us, without His mercy, and supernatural action in Christ, we would not be saved, nor be His children by new birth
(Titus 3:4-7 ).
Our Re-creation Performed By His Word
James 1:18 "... by the word of truth, ..."
The original creation is revealed to have been accomplished by the spoken word of God (Genesis 1:1,3,6,9,11,14,24 ). James, by describing the action of the spoken word of
God in bringing forth to new birth pinpoints the means by which saving faith comes, and how the work of regeneration takes place. God uses the proclamation of the Word of truth in
bringing forth to new birth - certainly not the philosophy of men - nor through the sharing of their academic knowledge or worldly wisdom, which though having value in contributing to
learning, has no regenerating power for the "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1 KJV).
Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word
of God. "
Behind the spoken word of the truth of the gospel is the mighty voice of Christ making alive those who hear with faith because they have heard the spoken Word of God. The word of
truth is the living and enduring word of God, imperishable, enduring and life-giving (1 Peter 1:23-25 ). The hearing of which sets in motion God's re-creation of us.
Our Re-creation Gives Pledge Of Creation's Wholeness
James 1:18 "... that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His
creatures."
Just as the waving of the sheaf of firstfruits indicated that the whole harvest would follow and that all belonged to God (Leviticus 23:9-14 ), Christ is spoken of as the firstfruits of
those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15:20 ), meaning that the resurrection of Christ was as an earnest or prototype of the resurrection of all His people.
""We," says James, "are like a harvest. We are the first ripe fruit of God's new creation, promising the full harvest to come." Like Paul,
James believes God will redeem all of creation, not just humanity (Romans 8:18-25 ). The present rebirth of believers promises more to come. But
the first are the best, the specially holy portion." Peter H. Davids - New International Biblical Commentary -
"James"
God's Word should be recognisable in your life - because it is good it produces godliness - because it is unchanging it produces confidence in you - because it is recreative it is
producing Christlikeness.
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QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION