Bible Study on James 1, verses 13 to 18, the Father of lights

 

James 1:13 ¶  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16  Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

I’ve already spoken of how to take the meaning of verse 13. Again, though;

James 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: [with evil, of course, as the verse is to be understood].

 

We are tested and tempted when we ourselves are drawn away from God by our own lusts, enticing as bait for a fish. Lust births sin and sin, when it completes its work, leads to death. James warns us that good comes from God, that which leads us in our walk with Him, showing that what our lusts produces is the opposite of what God faithfully offers us without fail. We are His offspring and a sort of firstfruits of all of His creatures. Consider these verses.

 

1John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

1Corinthians 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Colossians 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

We are born again by the will of God Himself.

John 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

We are not tried or tested by God with the expected and desired result of watching us fall but we are tempted by our own lusts and God is not the author of such. Do not accuse God of sin, as one commentator said. God tests us to prove us, to strengthen us, and to give us more resolve, not to destroy us.

Hebrews 11:17  By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18  Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19  Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.