Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Of His own will God gives people new birth and new life by the word of truth. This begetting is one of the good and perfect gifts that come down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or shadow of turning. Those He begets in this way become a kind of firstfruits of His creatures, brought forth by Him and belonging to Him. As His firstfruits they are to resemble Christ and be conformed to His image and represent God in their lives. That new life calls for being quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to anger, and for receiving the implanted word and being doers of it in pure religion and good works.
Giver and New Birth
Of His own will God begets people with the word of truth, giving them new birth and new life as believers and making them a kind of firstfruits of His creatures and creation. This bringing forth to new life is by His own will and choice, through the word of truth, so that those begotten belong to Him among what He has made. Because He has thus begotten them, He hears them and knows all about their burdens.
This begetting is one of the good and perfect gifts coming down from above from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning and without change or turning. The Giver is eternal, from everlasting before He decided to create heaven and earth, and lives forever. The word by which He brings people forth is God's enduring truth and message of truth, and the new birth comes through receiving God's word which is truth and remains enduring.
His mercies are pledged to every soul who asks in faith, so whoever comes to the Lord with a real desire to return, confessing dishonor to Him and transgression of His holy commandments and praying for forgiveness, will be received as the father received the prodigal son. Such a one is pardoned of transgressions and forgiven of sins, with all sins committed in disregard and defiance of the law of God scattered.
Firstfruits Identity and Purpose
Of His own will He begets people with the word of truth to new life, making them a kind of firstfruits of His creatures and creation among all that He has made. They are brought forth by God and belong to Him, as firstfruits of Christ's sacrifice. This begetting is one of the good and perfect gifts coming down from above from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning.
As such firstfruits they are to resemble Christ, be conformed to Christ's image, and represent God in their lives. Without this new birth they will not see heaven. Because He has begotten them, He hears them and knows all about their burdens, and Christ is nearer to them than they think.
Because they are members of Christ's body and have been bought by His blood, they are to treat one another with respect, love, and kindness. Receiving and obeying that word of truth brings forth good works that make their light shine.
Living Out New Life
The new life given by God's own will calls for being quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to anger, because human anger does not produce the righteousness of God. Silence is eloquent because it gives opportunity for thought, and thoughtfulness checks the hasty word. It calls for laying aside filthiness and receiving the engrafted word that saves souls. It calls for being doers and not hearers only, for looking into the perfect law of liberty, for bridling the tongue, and for showing pure religion in visiting the fatherless and widows and keeping unspotted from the world, with faith proved by works of mercy.
No one needs to send across the continent to knock at the door of human, finite wisdom or to pour out complaints to human ears to get wisdom from human channels. Instead each one should bow on the knees before the near God and ask Him for what is needed, practicing the teachings of the word and having faith in God who stands behind every promise He has made. The verse belongs to a chapter students are urged to read carefully and study prayerfully to understand personal responsibility and to seek victory over self. In that setting its teaching directs them to bring their wills into conformity with God's will and to press forward under God's discipline.
Salvation in this setting involves overcoming self, temper, and inclinations and uniting human effort with divine power, and the glory of heaven belongs to those who work out the righteousness of Christ. The verse stands within God's great remedy for the diseases of body and soul and God's health reform prescription in James 1:16-27, giving practical instruction to be brought into daily life. Taking heed to it day by day leads to triumph at last with the overcomers. The verse brings light and encouragement and calls for walking carefully and prayerfully before the Lord with His direction in all ways.
Of His own will God gives people new birth and new life by the word of truth. This begetting is one of the good and perfect gifts that come down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or shadow of turning. Those He begets in this way become a kind of firstfruits of His creatures, brought forth by Him and belonging to Him. As His firstfruits they are to resemble Christ and be conformed to His image and represent God in their lives. That new life calls for being quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to anger, and for receiving the implanted word and being doers of it in pure religion and good works.
Giver and New Birth
Of His own will God begets people with the word of truth, giving them new birth and new life as believers and making them a kind of firstfruits of His creatures and creation. This bringing forth to new life is by His own will and choice, through the word of truth, so that those begotten belong to Him among what He has made. Because He has thus begotten them, He hears them and knows all about their burdens.
This begetting is one of the good and perfect gifts coming down from above from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning and without change or turning. The Giver is eternal, from everlasting before He decided to create heaven and earth, and lives forever. The word by which He brings people forth is God's enduring truth and message of truth, and the new birth comes through receiving God's word which is truth and remains enduring.
His mercies are pledged to every soul who asks in faith, so whoever comes to the Lord with a real desire to return, confessing dishonor to Him and transgression of His holy commandments and praying for forgiveness, will be received as the father received the prodigal son. Such a one is pardoned of transgressions and forgiven of sins, with all sins committed in disregard and defiance of the law of God scattered.
Firstfruits Identity and Purpose
Of His own will He begets people with the word of truth to new life, making them a kind of firstfruits of His creatures and creation among all that He has made. They are brought forth by God and belong to Him, as firstfruits of Christ's sacrifice. This begetting is one of the good and perfect gifts coming down from above from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning.
As such firstfruits they are to resemble Christ, be conformed to Christ's image, and represent God in their lives. Without this new birth they will not see heaven. Because He has begotten them, He hears them and knows all about their burdens, and Christ is nearer to them than they think.
Because they are members of Christ's body and have been bought by His blood, they are to treat one another with respect, love, and kindness. Receiving and obeying that word of truth brings forth good works that make their light shine.
Living Out New Life
The new life given by God's own will calls for being quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to anger, because human anger does not produce the righteousness of God. Silence is eloquent because it gives opportunity for thought, and thoughtfulness checks the hasty word. It calls for laying aside filthiness and receiving the engrafted word that saves souls. It calls for being doers and not hearers only, for looking into the perfect law of liberty, for bridling the tongue, and for showing pure religion in visiting the fatherless and widows and keeping unspotted from the world, with faith proved by works of mercy.
No one needs to send across the continent to knock at the door of human, finite wisdom or to pour out complaints to human ears to get wisdom from human channels. Instead each one should bow on the knees before the near God and ask Him for what is needed, practicing the teachings of the word and having faith in God who stands behind every promise He has made. The verse belongs to a chapter students are urged to read carefully and study prayerfully to understand personal responsibility and to seek victory over self. In that setting its teaching directs them to bring their wills into conformity with God's will and to press forward under God's discipline.
Salvation in this setting involves overcoming self, temper, and inclinations and uniting human effort with divine power, and the glory of heaven belongs to those who work out the righteousness of Christ. The verse stands within God's great remedy for the diseases of body and soul and God's health reform prescription in James 1:16-27, giving practical instruction to be brought into daily life. Taking heed to it day by day leads to triumph at last with the overcomers. The verse brings light and encouragement and calls for walking carefully and prayerfully before the Lord with His direction in all ways.