James 1:16 –18 – The Unchanging Gift Giver
Most everyone is probably aware of online scams. They have become common as online and digital engagement has increased. One particular type of online/digital scam is known as phishing. Are you familiar with that term? No, it doesn’t have to do with actual fish, or fishing rods, or even water.
Phishing is a deceptive attempt to steal information or money by disguising a fraudulent message as one from a trusted source. It comes most often in the form of an email or private message on social media. It has proven to be very effective in deceiving people and getting them to share private (often financial) information resulting in stolen identity or stolen money.
If that has ever happened to you, you know how awful it feels to be deceived. Even if you have not been a victim of phishing, you understand how devastating such deception could be. None of us like to be deceived. We do not like it when we are led to believe one thing only to find out later that it was not true.
Even so, it is quite common for us to be deceived about the nature and source of temptation and sin, as well as the character of God. Since the beginning of chapter 1, James has shown that all believers, all people in fact, face temptations. In verses 12-15, he warned of not realizing the progression of sin that starts with temptation, as well as the source of sin, which is not God but our own corrupt hearts.
Put plainly, because our sinful hearts are easily deceived, we are prone to believe lies about God's character instead of trusting His unchanging goodness.
However, throughout Scripture we learn that God is good and perfect all the time and never changes. He always acts in ways that are consistent with his character. God is also the giver of every good and perfect gift. That is why, in this passage, James points believers to the Father of lights—the unchanging God who gives every good and perfect gift and who has graciously brought us to new birth through the word of truth. God’s Word reveals His true character and His saving work in Christ.
And because God never changes, we can trust every good gift He gives.
So how can we avoid this type of spiritual deception? How can we avoid thinking and believing that which is untrue about God and his character?
In James 1:16-18, James reveals three truths that are vital in our fight against spiritual deception. You can see them printed there on page 6 of the WG. We can avoid being deceived and trust God’s goodness when we remember: every good gift comes from God, God's character never changes, and God has graciously given us new life through the gospel.
In verses 13–15, James has carefully explained where temptation comes from. It does not come from God. It comes from our own sinful desires, which conceive sin, and sin eventually gives birth to death.
Now look what he writes in verse 16. James issues a stern warning. He warns his audience, “Do not be deceived.” The deception James has in mind is much more devasting than having your identity stolen or losing money, as truly bad as those may be. James is speaking of spiritual deception.
Why this warning about spiritual deception? Because deception is deadly. Before anyone commits outward sin, something has already happened inwardly. They have believed something false about God. Every temptation ultimately asks the same question the serpent asked Eve in the garden of Eden: "Can God really be trusted?"
Sin whispers that God is withholding something good from us, that disobedience will satisfy us, or that God Himself is somehow responsible for our struggles.
James then counters the tendency to be deceived by reminding believers who God truly is. Look at the first part of verse 17 - “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights,” All good gifts come down from above. In other words, all the good things we receive come from our gracious Father.
Scripture is clear – all that is good is a result of God’s providential will. This is because God is goodness personified; He is the fountain of all that is good. Psalm 85:12 says, “Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.” In John 3, the Apostle says, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” 1 Cor. 4 says, “What do you have that you did not receive?”
God is the good Giver. And because the giving is good (not just the gift) you can be sure that God has thought through just how, just when and in just what manner He will give it. God makes no mistakes in this matter. God is the One Who supplies that which satisfies true needs.
Have you ever seen someone receive a gift that was just what they wanted? Most often, they are overjoyed and grateful. How much more should we be, knowing that all we have comes from our sovereign gift Giver? While the exact phrase, “count your blessings” is not found in the Bible, that concept is expressed here. John Calvin says in his commentary on today’s passage: “To do good is what properly belongs to [God], and according to his nature; and from him all good things come to us.”
If you were to go through and list all the good things you have, the ultimate source of that is God. From the least to the greatest spiritual and material blessing you possess; all can be traced back to your heavenly Father. When we remember God’s goodness and that every good gift comes from Him, we are comforted. We are encouraged.
Notice that James does not say, "Try harder." Instead, he says, "Don't be deceived." The battle begins in the mind before it ever reaches the hands. The remedy is not merely stronger willpower. The remedy is clearer vision. To see God as He truly is. A generous Father. The Giver of every good and perfect gift. It is crucial that we understand this about the source of all good gifts.
Next, James points out that God’s character never changes. Look at the second part of verse 17. James writes, “coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
That title immediately directs our attention upward. In the opening chapter of Genesis, God created the heavenly lights—the sun to govern the day, the moon and stars to govern the night. Every light in the universe came into existence through Him. He is not merely another light among many. He is their Creator.
Yet James is doing more than reminding us that God created the heavens. He's drawing a contrast between the Creator and the thing created. Think about the lights in the sky. The sun rises and sets. The moon grows full and then disappears. The stars seem to change positions ever so slightly across the night sky as the seasons progress. Day becomes night.
But God does not change. James says there is "no variation or shadow due to change,” in God. He is describing the changing shadows caused by the movement of heavenly bodies. As the earth rotates and revolves around the sun, shadows lengthen and shorten. Light shifts throughout the day.
That is not the case with God. He never changes position. He never becomes less holy. He never becomes less loving. He never becomes less faithful to His promises or His people.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism that we read earlier puts it like this: God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
In saying that God doesn’t change, James is describing one of the attributes of God, what theologians call His immutability. Immutability is just a fancy word for unchanging. God, in all that He is, in His being, does not change.
Hebrews 13:8 says the Triune God “is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Numbers chapter 2 says, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.” In Malachi chapter 3, God says, “I the Lord do not change.” Scripture reveals over and over that God is unchangeable.
Some of you may be aware of the famous Angel Oak tree on John’s Island, SC. According to its website, the Angel Oak stands as a living monument to the passage of time. Standing 66.5 feet tall, this ancient Southern live oak is more than just a tree; it is a symbol of endurance and resilience, captivating visitors from around the world with its grandeur. Most experts tend to place the tree’s age between 400 and 500 years. This range makes the Angel Oak one of the oldest living things in North America. The Angel Oak is a relic from a time long past, a natural wonder that has survived wars, storms, and the encroachment of modern development.
There are many things we see in nature that seem to have a sense of permanence, this like the Angel Tree - mountains, the ocean, stars. And yet, there was time when they were not and there is a time coming when they will not be. In fact, that is true for all creation.
But that is not the case for the Creator. He is forever and always permanent. That includes His character, which includes His goodness. It is vitally important that we understand this. Why? Because our confidence in God's gifts depends upon confidence in God's character. If God could change, we could never fully trust Him. But because God cannot change, His promises cannot fail. God’s immutability—inability to change—is a great comfort, for it tells us that He can do only what is good.
So rather than judging God by what is happening around us, Scripture tells us to judge our circumstances by who God has revealed Himself to be. That doesn't minimize the times when we experience trials and suffering. Trials are real. Grief is real. Loss is real.
But God's goodness is more real still. His character is the anchor that holds when every circumstance threatens to overwhelm us. That is exactly what James is teaching. When you don’t understand what God's doing through a certain circumstance, you can trust His heart. Because His heart has never changed.
When you are struggling, when you face the temptation of sin, or just when you feel distant from God, do you remember His faithfulness, His unchanging character? Remember, He is working all things out for our ultimate good and His glory. This is nowhere more evident than in what James teaches next.
So we have the truth that every good and perfect gift comes from God and the truth that God's character never changes. Now James reaches the heart of his argument. He doesn't simply tell us to look around at God's gifts and character. He tells us to look back to God's greatest act of generosity – the giving of His Son to save us from sin and death.
Notice how verse 18 begins. "Of His own will…" James is emphasizing that salvation begins entirely with God. James is highlighting the sovereign grace of God. The God who owes sinners nothing has chosen to give them everything.
And it comes as a gracious gift from God. It is not something we have somehow earned; He chose to give it to us. James doesn't say, "Because we finally got our act together. Or because we became religious. Or because we sought Him first."
No. God willed, acted, and gave life. In John 3 Jesus tells Nicodemus, "You must be born again." Birth is not something the baby accomplishes. Birth happens to the baby. Likewise, our spiritual birth is the gracious work of God.
There are two births in James chapter one. One produces death. The other produces eternal life. And notice whose initiative it is. It is God’s. Paul says the same thing in Ephesians 2. We were dead in trespasses and sins. Dead people don't revive themselves. God makes them alive.
If you're looking for proof that God is good, don't begin by asking whether life is comfortable. Begin by asking whether God, through Christ, has rescued sinners. If He has done that, He has already demonstrated a goodness beyond anything we deserved.
James goes on. "He brought us forth by the word of truth…"
The word of truth refers to the gospel. Specifically, the gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s truth about Jesus is contained in His Word. As the gospel is proclaimed, God regenerates the sinner and transforms him into a ‘new creation.’”
The word of truth stands in sharp contrast to Satan's deception. God speaks truth. Temptation deceives. The gospel liberates. Sin promises life but produces death. God's Word announces life and actually creates it. Think back to Genesis. God spoke. Light appeared. Now in the new creation, God speaks again. This time dead sinners become living saints. All this by the Word of truth.
This reminds us why believers must saturate themselves in Scripture. Every day we are surrounded by deceptive voices.
For instance, advertisements tell us happiness is found in possessions. Social media tells us our worth depends on approval. Our culture tells us truth is whatever feels right. Our own sinful hearts preach false sermons every day. The only reliable antidote is the truth about ourselves and our Savior contained in God's Word.
James concludes there at the end of verse 18, "...that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." In Old Testament times, the first fruits were the first portion of the harvest, which was holy and belonged to God. It was set apart from the rest of the harvest. It represented both gratitude and expectation. That act of setting apart was the beginning of something much greater still to come. It foreshadowed the setting apart of believers through the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Therefore, James says believers are God's firstfruits.
So notice how James has answered the problem of being deceived. He has given us a greater vision of Christ. This is always how the gospel works. Sin loses its attractiveness when Christ becomes more beautiful. Counterfeit pleasures lose their appeal when we see the surpassing worth of the true treasure.
The Christian life is not sustained merely by resisting sin. It is sustained by delighting in a better Savior. James lifts our eyes beyond today's struggles to God's eternal purposes. And because He does not change, we can rest assured that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
So as we have seen in this passage, James calls us to remember that every perfect gift comes from above, from God's gracious hand, and there is none so wonderful as this gift of new birth in our hearts. It is to this that James points when reminding us that God is powerfully, dependably and graciously good. And it is this that we need to keep in the forefront of our minds, especially when facing the trials and temptations that will be a part of our lives each day.
Perhaps some here today have never experienced the new birth James describes. You've tried religion. You've tried morality. You've tried self-improvement. But you've never come to Christ in repentance and faith.
James reminds us that eternal life is not something we manufacture. It is something God graciously gives through the word of truth. Today, hear that Word. Christ died for sinners and rose again. Turn from trusting yourself and place your trust in Him. The God who gives every good and perfect gift delights to give the greatest gift of all—new life in His Son.
And to those who belong to Christ: you will continue to face trails and temptation until the Lord returns. The battle is real, but you do not fight it alone or without hope. As one author put it, “Every temptation is an invitation to believe a lie, but every page of Scripture proclaims a greater truth. Your Father is good. Your Father does not change. Your Father has already proven His love by giving you His Son and bringing you to new life through the word of truth.”
So as we come to the table today, we see and taste the goodness of our Father displayed through the good and perfect gift of the Son. We see and taste God’s commitment to His promise to provide a Redeemer for the salvation of His people. The more clearly you see His goodness, the less attractive the counterfeit promises of sin will become. May God grant us hearts that are not easily deceived, but firmly anchored in His unchanging goodness, until faith becomes sight and we rejoice forever in the presence of the One from whom every good and perfect gift has always come. Trust the unchanging gift Giver.
Let’s pray.
Phishing is a deceptive attempt to steal information or money by disguising a fraudulent message as one from a trusted source. It comes most often in the form of an email or private message on social media. It has proven to be very effective in deceiving people and getting them to share private (often financial) information resulting in stolen identity or stolen money.
If that has ever happened to you, you know how awful it feels to be deceived. Even if you have not been a victim of phishing, you understand how devastating such deception could be. None of us like to be deceived. We do not like it when we are led to believe one thing only to find out later that it was not true.
Even so, it is quite common for us to be deceived about the nature and source of temptation and sin, as well as the character of God. Since the beginning of chapter 1, James has shown that all believers, all people in fact, face temptations. In verses 12-15, he warned of not realizing the progression of sin that starts with temptation, as well as the source of sin, which is not God but our own corrupt hearts.
Put plainly, because our sinful hearts are easily deceived, we are prone to believe lies about God's character instead of trusting His unchanging goodness.
However, throughout Scripture we learn that God is good and perfect all the time and never changes. He always acts in ways that are consistent with his character. God is also the giver of every good and perfect gift. That is why, in this passage, James points believers to the Father of lights—the unchanging God who gives every good and perfect gift and who has graciously brought us to new birth through the word of truth. God’s Word reveals His true character and His saving work in Christ.
And because God never changes, we can trust every good gift He gives.
So how can we avoid this type of spiritual deception? How can we avoid thinking and believing that which is untrue about God and his character?
In James 1:16-18, James reveals three truths that are vital in our fight against spiritual deception. You can see them printed there on page 6 of the WG. We can avoid being deceived and trust God’s goodness when we remember: every good gift comes from God, God's character never changes, and God has graciously given us new life through the gospel.
In verses 13–15, James has carefully explained where temptation comes from. It does not come from God. It comes from our own sinful desires, which conceive sin, and sin eventually gives birth to death.
Now look what he writes in verse 16. James issues a stern warning. He warns his audience, “Do not be deceived.” The deception James has in mind is much more devasting than having your identity stolen or losing money, as truly bad as those may be. James is speaking of spiritual deception.
Why this warning about spiritual deception? Because deception is deadly. Before anyone commits outward sin, something has already happened inwardly. They have believed something false about God. Every temptation ultimately asks the same question the serpent asked Eve in the garden of Eden: "Can God really be trusted?"
Sin whispers that God is withholding something good from us, that disobedience will satisfy us, or that God Himself is somehow responsible for our struggles.
James then counters the tendency to be deceived by reminding believers who God truly is. Look at the first part of verse 17 - “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights,” All good gifts come down from above. In other words, all the good things we receive come from our gracious Father.
Scripture is clear – all that is good is a result of God’s providential will. This is because God is goodness personified; He is the fountain of all that is good. Psalm 85:12 says, “Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.” In John 3, the Apostle says, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” 1 Cor. 4 says, “What do you have that you did not receive?”
God is the good Giver. And because the giving is good (not just the gift) you can be sure that God has thought through just how, just when and in just what manner He will give it. God makes no mistakes in this matter. God is the One Who supplies that which satisfies true needs.
Have you ever seen someone receive a gift that was just what they wanted? Most often, they are overjoyed and grateful. How much more should we be, knowing that all we have comes from our sovereign gift Giver? While the exact phrase, “count your blessings” is not found in the Bible, that concept is expressed here. John Calvin says in his commentary on today’s passage: “To do good is what properly belongs to [God], and according to his nature; and from him all good things come to us.”
If you were to go through and list all the good things you have, the ultimate source of that is God. From the least to the greatest spiritual and material blessing you possess; all can be traced back to your heavenly Father. When we remember God’s goodness and that every good gift comes from Him, we are comforted. We are encouraged.
Notice that James does not say, "Try harder." Instead, he says, "Don't be deceived." The battle begins in the mind before it ever reaches the hands. The remedy is not merely stronger willpower. The remedy is clearer vision. To see God as He truly is. A generous Father. The Giver of every good and perfect gift. It is crucial that we understand this about the source of all good gifts.
Next, James points out that God’s character never changes. Look at the second part of verse 17. James writes, “coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
That title immediately directs our attention upward. In the opening chapter of Genesis, God created the heavenly lights—the sun to govern the day, the moon and stars to govern the night. Every light in the universe came into existence through Him. He is not merely another light among many. He is their Creator.
Yet James is doing more than reminding us that God created the heavens. He's drawing a contrast between the Creator and the thing created. Think about the lights in the sky. The sun rises and sets. The moon grows full and then disappears. The stars seem to change positions ever so slightly across the night sky as the seasons progress. Day becomes night.
But God does not change. James says there is "no variation or shadow due to change,” in God. He is describing the changing shadows caused by the movement of heavenly bodies. As the earth rotates and revolves around the sun, shadows lengthen and shorten. Light shifts throughout the day.
That is not the case with God. He never changes position. He never becomes less holy. He never becomes less loving. He never becomes less faithful to His promises or His people.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism that we read earlier puts it like this: God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
In saying that God doesn’t change, James is describing one of the attributes of God, what theologians call His immutability. Immutability is just a fancy word for unchanging. God, in all that He is, in His being, does not change.
Hebrews 13:8 says the Triune God “is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Numbers chapter 2 says, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.” In Malachi chapter 3, God says, “I the Lord do not change.” Scripture reveals over and over that God is unchangeable.
Some of you may be aware of the famous Angel Oak tree on John’s Island, SC. According to its website, the Angel Oak stands as a living monument to the passage of time. Standing 66.5 feet tall, this ancient Southern live oak is more than just a tree; it is a symbol of endurance and resilience, captivating visitors from around the world with its grandeur. Most experts tend to place the tree’s age between 400 and 500 years. This range makes the Angel Oak one of the oldest living things in North America. The Angel Oak is a relic from a time long past, a natural wonder that has survived wars, storms, and the encroachment of modern development.
There are many things we see in nature that seem to have a sense of permanence, this like the Angel Tree - mountains, the ocean, stars. And yet, there was time when they were not and there is a time coming when they will not be. In fact, that is true for all creation.
But that is not the case for the Creator. He is forever and always permanent. That includes His character, which includes His goodness. It is vitally important that we understand this. Why? Because our confidence in God's gifts depends upon confidence in God's character. If God could change, we could never fully trust Him. But because God cannot change, His promises cannot fail. God’s immutability—inability to change—is a great comfort, for it tells us that He can do only what is good.
So rather than judging God by what is happening around us, Scripture tells us to judge our circumstances by who God has revealed Himself to be. That doesn't minimize the times when we experience trials and suffering. Trials are real. Grief is real. Loss is real.
But God's goodness is more real still. His character is the anchor that holds when every circumstance threatens to overwhelm us. That is exactly what James is teaching. When you don’t understand what God's doing through a certain circumstance, you can trust His heart. Because His heart has never changed.
When you are struggling, when you face the temptation of sin, or just when you feel distant from God, do you remember His faithfulness, His unchanging character? Remember, He is working all things out for our ultimate good and His glory. This is nowhere more evident than in what James teaches next.
So we have the truth that every good and perfect gift comes from God and the truth that God's character never changes. Now James reaches the heart of his argument. He doesn't simply tell us to look around at God's gifts and character. He tells us to look back to God's greatest act of generosity – the giving of His Son to save us from sin and death.
Notice how verse 18 begins. "Of His own will…" James is emphasizing that salvation begins entirely with God. James is highlighting the sovereign grace of God. The God who owes sinners nothing has chosen to give them everything.
And it comes as a gracious gift from God. It is not something we have somehow earned; He chose to give it to us. James doesn't say, "Because we finally got our act together. Or because we became religious. Or because we sought Him first."
No. God willed, acted, and gave life. In John 3 Jesus tells Nicodemus, "You must be born again." Birth is not something the baby accomplishes. Birth happens to the baby. Likewise, our spiritual birth is the gracious work of God.
There are two births in James chapter one. One produces death. The other produces eternal life. And notice whose initiative it is. It is God’s. Paul says the same thing in Ephesians 2. We were dead in trespasses and sins. Dead people don't revive themselves. God makes them alive.
If you're looking for proof that God is good, don't begin by asking whether life is comfortable. Begin by asking whether God, through Christ, has rescued sinners. If He has done that, He has already demonstrated a goodness beyond anything we deserved.
James goes on. "He brought us forth by the word of truth…"
The word of truth refers to the gospel. Specifically, the gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s truth about Jesus is contained in His Word. As the gospel is proclaimed, God regenerates the sinner and transforms him into a ‘new creation.’”
The word of truth stands in sharp contrast to Satan's deception. God speaks truth. Temptation deceives. The gospel liberates. Sin promises life but produces death. God's Word announces life and actually creates it. Think back to Genesis. God spoke. Light appeared. Now in the new creation, God speaks again. This time dead sinners become living saints. All this by the Word of truth.
This reminds us why believers must saturate themselves in Scripture. Every day we are surrounded by deceptive voices.
For instance, advertisements tell us happiness is found in possessions. Social media tells us our worth depends on approval. Our culture tells us truth is whatever feels right. Our own sinful hearts preach false sermons every day. The only reliable antidote is the truth about ourselves and our Savior contained in God's Word.
James concludes there at the end of verse 18, "...that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." In Old Testament times, the first fruits were the first portion of the harvest, which was holy and belonged to God. It was set apart from the rest of the harvest. It represented both gratitude and expectation. That act of setting apart was the beginning of something much greater still to come. It foreshadowed the setting apart of believers through the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Therefore, James says believers are God's firstfruits.
So notice how James has answered the problem of being deceived. He has given us a greater vision of Christ. This is always how the gospel works. Sin loses its attractiveness when Christ becomes more beautiful. Counterfeit pleasures lose their appeal when we see the surpassing worth of the true treasure.
The Christian life is not sustained merely by resisting sin. It is sustained by delighting in a better Savior. James lifts our eyes beyond today's struggles to God's eternal purposes. And because He does not change, we can rest assured that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
So as we have seen in this passage, James calls us to remember that every perfect gift comes from above, from God's gracious hand, and there is none so wonderful as this gift of new birth in our hearts. It is to this that James points when reminding us that God is powerfully, dependably and graciously good. And it is this that we need to keep in the forefront of our minds, especially when facing the trials and temptations that will be a part of our lives each day.
Perhaps some here today have never experienced the new birth James describes. You've tried religion. You've tried morality. You've tried self-improvement. But you've never come to Christ in repentance and faith.
James reminds us that eternal life is not something we manufacture. It is something God graciously gives through the word of truth. Today, hear that Word. Christ died for sinners and rose again. Turn from trusting yourself and place your trust in Him. The God who gives every good and perfect gift delights to give the greatest gift of all—new life in His Son.
And to those who belong to Christ: you will continue to face trails and temptation until the Lord returns. The battle is real, but you do not fight it alone or without hope. As one author put it, “Every temptation is an invitation to believe a lie, but every page of Scripture proclaims a greater truth. Your Father is good. Your Father does not change. Your Father has already proven His love by giving you His Son and bringing you to new life through the word of truth.”
So as we come to the table today, we see and taste the goodness of our Father displayed through the good and perfect gift of the Son. We see and taste God’s commitment to His promise to provide a Redeemer for the salvation of His people. The more clearly you see His goodness, the less attractive the counterfeit promises of sin will become. May God grant us hearts that are not easily deceived, but firmly anchored in His unchanging goodness, until faith becomes sight and we rejoice forever in the presence of the One from whom every good and perfect gift has always come. Trust the unchanging gift Giver.
Let’s pray.
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