This verse is perhaps a link between the verses that precede it and those that follow. Many have erred in connection with lust, sin, and death. Some blame their sin upon God, or on others, rather than themselves. Then there are some who have erred about the source of good gifts, and other things that appear in the following verses.

Deceived: The Revised Version reads, "Be not deceived, my beloved brethren." This rendering is better. We have the word "deceived" in verses 22 and 26 of this chapter. In our verse 16, we have to be careful not to be deceived in ideas of God; in verse 22, it is being deceived about ourselves and in verse 26, it is on being deceived about religion. We need to be especially cautious about having false ideas of God.

Deceived about lust and sin: Many, because of a wrong understanding of holiness, are deceiving themselves about lust and sin. They do not seem to know, that to be holy or sanctified means "to be set apart" or "separate." We may be set apart to something, or for something, or from something. Every true Christian is set apart by God for Christ. We, likewise, should be set apart from evil, and to a life devoted to Christ. Some make holiness to mean sinless perfection, and deny that they have any lust. Some boast in that they have not sinned in many years. This is plainly pharisaic. When they do sin, they call it an error, or a mistake, or a failure, or a shortcoming. A sin is a sin, no matter what you name it. "The thought of foolishness is sin" (Prov. 24:9). There is nothing gained by misnaming sin. The best thing to do is to confess it, and forsake it. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

Other errors: The Scripture speaks of various things in which some have erred. Hymenaeus and Philetus erred in that they said, "The resurrection is past already" (2 Tim. 2:18). The Sadducees erred about the resurrection, too. They asked about a woman who had seven husbands, all of whom died. "Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven?" (Matt. 22:28). Christ answers, "In the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God." The trouble lay in the fact that they did not believe in resurrection at all; and there are many such today. Some that profess to be Bible teachers, do not believe in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and ridicule the thought of the resurrection of the dead.

Deceived as to the power of the Gospel: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6, 7). Some have a false notion that they can live any way they please, and God will overlook it all. They may have a little religion and hope in that, but they know nothing of the power of the Gospel of Christ to transform the lives of men and women. The Apostle Paul speaks of such in 2 Timothy 3:1-9. In verse 5, he says, "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."

"... my beloved brethren." James uses the expression "My Brethren" many times. This we considered in connection with 1:2. Three times he uses the expression, "My beloved brethren" (1:19, and 2:5).

"... beloved ..." The expression, "My beloved brethren," is often heard from pulpits today. This may be full of meaning; then again, it may be just a formal expression. Some use it over and over again just as something to fill in time. James was in dead earnest when he used it. The brethren were dear to his heart, and he was deeply concerned about them. No one should ever seek to exhort the people of God apart from a deep seated love for them. If there is the least suspicion that this is lacking, exhortation will not be accepted, but rather resented. James intends giving many practical exhortations, and has already given some, and he would have them understand that spiritual exhortations come from a heart of love, and a desire to help.

Love important: Love among Christians is extremely important. The Word, over and over, emphasizes this. John mentions it many times in his writings, twelve times in the five chapters of his first epistle. He says, without it, we are not children of God at all. "He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (1 John 3:14).

Paul and love: Paul emphasizes love a great deal, too. He says, "My brethren dearly beloved" (Phil. 4:1). "I have you in my heart" (Phil. 1:7). The whole of 1 Corinthians 13 is on this subject.

Peter and love: In each of the five chapters of 1 Peter, we have a verse telling us to show love toward the brethren. "Love the brotherhood" (1 Pet. 2:17). It seems, in some quarters, this has been a forgotten note in preaching, and consequently, the church has suffered greatly.

Scripture Reading: James 1:17 (KJV)

This verse is further proof that God does not tempt one to evil. God gives only good gifts, is the Father of lights, and is not the author of evil and darkness. These Christians were surely tried and tempted, and may have thought that these came from God. James would have them understand that all of God's gifts were good and perfect, and none of them harmful or evil.

All evil comes from Satan: Satan is the originator of all evil. He brought sin into the world when he tempted Eve to sin. Now, man's heart is corrupt, and much sin comes from there. Even if Satan and his demons were all chained, man would still sin. But, nevertheless, Satan was the first one to sin, and he brought sin into the world. He is the father of it. God is never the author of evil.

The Father's chastisement: But some might say, "God does chastise His people – sends troubles into the world, and He does send sinners to hell." But does this make Him the author of evil or of human troubles? It certainly does not. Does a father punish his child because the child has done evil or good? The cause of the child's chastisement is his own wrong. The purpose of it is that the child may not do it again. Even so, the reason for the Lord's chastisement lies in the Christian's sin, and the purpose of it, that he may sin less.

God and the sinner's punishment: It is the same in connection with the sinner. God permits human trials and sufferings to come because of man's sin, with the thought that thereby some would turn to Him in repentance. And what is it that sends a man to hell? Is it that there is evil in God, and that He delights in punishing the wicked? Not at all. He says, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Ezek. 33:11). In 2 Peter 3:9, we read, the Lord "is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." It is man's sin, and his refusal to repent and to trust in the Lord Jesus, that really is the cause of his doom.

God gives no evil: No, beloved, God is not the author of evil, or sorrow, or pain. These are just the things He is seeking to eliminate. None of these things will be in heaven. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Rev. 21:4). God is not the giver of evil, pain, or death: He is the giver of every good and perfect gift.

He gives spiritual blessings – His Son.: He not only gives all natural blessings, but also, all spiritual ones. The foremost is the gift of His Son. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son" (John 3:16). And what a gift that was. It transcends human thought or human tongue. If God was willing to give His Son, we need worry about nothing else. "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8:32).

Salvation a gift of God: Salvation is a gift of God. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8). We have the same truth in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The Lord desires to give salvation to all men, but some still think it is something we earn. During World War II, a poll was taken in a Service Men's Center in Chicago. Nine out of ten surveyed thought good works brought about our salvation. What a task it was then, and today, to convince some that good works are the fruit of salvation, not the root. We cannot earn salvation by our works.

Life is a gift of God: Life is also a gift of God. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish" (John 10:27, 28). We read of this life, which the Lord gives to those who trust and obey Him repeatedly in the Word: thirty times in John's Gospel alone. Some may think of it only as a life that will be had forever in heaven, but it is far more than that. It is a life that we receive the moment we are born again and a life that we begin to live as soon as we are raised to walk in newness of life. That is why the Scriptures speak of being born again. It is receiving a new life just as definitely as a baby receives life when born. At birth, a baby begins living the human life. The moment a soul is born again, the divine life begins, which is a gift from God.

Other spiritual gifts: Here is a list of other spiritual gifts: (1) His words (John 17:8). Of course, the whole Bible is His Word and (2) the whole of it is a gift from Him; (3) The Spirit (John 14:16); (4) Peace (John 14:27); (5) Special gifts given to various individuals in the church (Rom. 12:6-8; see also 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4:11); and (6) He also gives us glory (John 17:22). Every good gift comes from God.

No room for pride: "What hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hast not received it?" (1 Cor. 4:7). If everything we have is received from the Lord, there is no room left for pride or boasting. All we can do is praise Him. Perhaps, some of us need the exhortation of Psalms 103:2, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

A generous giver: The story is told of a certain king who died. The leaders in the kingdom had the task of appointing his successor from infant twin sons. The decision was difficult, since they were so much alike. Finally they noticed that one was sleeping with his fists tightly shut, and the other, with his hands extended wide open. They chose the latter, and when he became a man he was known as "The King with the open hands." This would be a title well fitted to our generous Lord. When it comes to giving, His hands are wide open. Ordinarily, a giver is well liked, but strange to say, some have no room in their hearts for this greatest of all givers.

"... from above ..." The expression "from above" is interesting, often found in the Bible. It is another way of saying "from heaven," and so, from God Himself. Some are so wrapped up in earthly affairs they seem to forget there is a heaven. They are like the man in Pilgrim's Progress, who is so busy raking in the muck with his rake, that he does not see the angel hovering above waiting to put a crown of glory on his head. They are like the moles that have burrowed in the earth for many generations; they have lost the use of their eyes. A life without a link to God, knowing nothing of that which is from above, is most certainly a dead existence. Man is not a real man until he is right with his Creator.

The Bible from above: The expression "from the very first" (Luke 1:3) is the word "another" in Greek, which is nearly always translated "from above." So this verse in Luke could read, "It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from above, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus." By this Luke claims to have written his gospel by inspiration of God. This same claim of inspiration we find all through the Bible.

The Savior from above: That the Lord Jesus is of heavenly origin, we read in John 3:31: "He that cometh from above is above all." This truth we also have in the Bible many times. Everything the Lord said, and everything He ever did, proved He came from above.

Salvation is from above: "He sent from above, he took me in, he drew me out of many waters" (Ps. 18:16). This tells us that salvation is from above. If He did not reach down and lift us up from sin and degradation, we would be lost forever. Jonah realized this when he was inside that great fish. He said, "Salvation is of the Lord," and the great fish could hold him no longer.

The new birth is from above: The word translated "again" in John 3:3 and John 3:7 is "another." Here again it should be translated "from above". "Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God." To be born means to get life. Only the Lord can give this new, divine life.

Wisdom is from above: James 3:17 tells us that wisdom also comes from above. All true wisdom, whether natural or spiritual, comes from God. Truly wise men in this world are men who know the Lord, know His Word, and know how to pray.

Power is from above: When the Lord Jesus was being tried, Pilate said to Him, "Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above" (John 19:10, 11). How clearly this teaches us that even the power of the unsaved comes from God. The Lord Jesus says to the Christian, "Without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

"... every perfect gift is from above ..." Our verse sums it all up when it says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." This should teach us not to try to do anything in our own strength, but to look to the Lord for everything.

"... cometh down from the Father of lights ..." Here God is called "the Father of lights." This tells us that He is the creator of the great luminaries, the sun, the moon, and the stars. These are some of the good gifts He has given to us. What a boon the sun is; without it we could not live in this scene. We need it for light. What a drab, dread existence we would have if it was perpetually dark. Without it, plant life could not grow, so, if we did not freeze, we would all very soon starve. The sun also controls the movements of the earth, so if it was taken away, who knows where this world would fly. Maybe we would have some gigantic wreck with some other heavenly orb. Not knowing the true God, no wonder that some heathen worship the sun.

Light and darkness: We have references to light constantly in the Scripture, and it is often contrasted with darkness. Light speaks of purity and understanding, while darkness speaks of sin and ignorance. James uses this expression, "the Father of lights," to further impress on his readers that God is the author only of that which is good and pure, and not of that which is bad and sinful. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). It is further to prove that from the very nature of God, He "cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man" (1:13).

Let there be light: At the very beginning of Scripture, we have darkness, then light. "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let there be light; and there was light" (Gen. 1:2, 3). As the earth was in darkness and needed the light, so the human soul is in darkness and needs the light of God's grace. Light was the first gift in the realm of nature, and also, is the first gift needed in the realm of the Spirit. In John 3:19 we have, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Men, by nature, are in darkness, and love it. They are both sinful and ignorant, and do not want to be disturbed in their sleep of death. They need the light, but do not know it. What a joy it brings to the heart that opens up to let the glorious light of the gospel of Christ shine in.

Walk in the light: How wonderful it is to walk in the light. Our Lord Jesus says, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). As we walk with Him, even dark days are made light. We will walk in that light forever. "And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light" (Rev. 22:5). In that day there will be no natural darkness neither will there be any sin or ignorance. We will be like Him in purity and understanding. What a day that will be.

"... Father ..." The word "Father" tells of one who begets. God is spoken of in our verse as the "Father of lights." Is it not wonderful to think that the Father of lights, the Father of that wonderful sun in the heavens, the moon, and the stars, is also our Father? The Lord Jesus speaks of Him constantly as Father, over 100 times in John's gospel alone. When we think of Him as our Father, how close He seems to us. Everything a natural Father is to a child, He is to us in a spiritual way. As a son honors His earthly father, trusts him, and obeys him, so we should do to our Father in heaven (John 5:23). As a son's character is often like his father's, so we should, in some measure, be like our heavenly Father, too.

"... no variableness ..." Man is fickle, this way one day and that way the next, but our Father never changes. He does not dispense darkness one day and light, the next. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever" (Heb. 13:8). What He says He need never alter. "God is not a man, that He should lie: neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it?" (Num. 23:19). He need never swerve from the path on which He sets out. "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure" (Is. 46:10).

"... neither shadow of turning." The Revised Version translates this last expression, "Neither shadow that is cast by turning." This is a very striking statement. One would think that James knew that day and night was caused by the earth turning on its axis. History gives one by the name of Copernicus the credit for discovering this truth in the year 1520. The fact that James uses this expression as he does would prove that he wrote by inspiration of the Spirit of God.

Shadows: Shadows are not caused by the sun. It shines with equal brightness all the time. When it is night, it is because our part of the earth is not facing it. Dark days are not caused by the sun either. Earthly clouds shut off its light. In like manner, all darkness in the heart or life of man comes from an earthly source. Something is between man and the light of His countenance. He has not changed. His light is being spread abroad whether we bask in it or not. If there are shadows, it is because our face is not set toward Him. God's grace is a sun that never sets, and is never eclipsed. It is always at high noon, and never casts the least shadow on the sun dial. Sometimes, it may seem as though He has hidden His face from us, and that He is casting a shadow over our life. Rest assured, if He has sent it, and we have not brought it upon ourselves, this seeming shadow will prove an added light on our pathway to heaven.

The heavens shall perish: The sun will not always shine as it does. These heavenly lights, of which our God is the Father, shall change, but not our Lord. "They shall perish; but thou remainest . . . They shall be changed but thou are the same, and thy years shall not fail" (Heb. 1:11, 12). The earth may swerve from its axis, and the luminary spheres, from there paths, but not our Lord. He is ever the same. Through a long eternity, He will still be shedding abroad His light, and never will He cast a shadow by turning. His light will never grow dim, and we who are His shall bask in that light forever.

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