James 1:17 (2)

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” ()

James had just shown that God isn’t the author of sin but what we find here, God is actually the Author of all that is good.

This is especially true of the spiritual gifts and graces that He so richly bestows upon us.

“Every good...gift”

(1.) Good as opposed to what satan gives:

Blind mind ; Unruly desires . these gifts are evil and not good.

(2.) Not common mercies but gifts such as the “spiritual blessings” in .

“and every perfect gift”

Those gifts that lead to our perfection.

That initial saving grace that justifies us before God.

That progressive sanctifying grace that makes us holy daily.

At the last, perfection. Eternal life itself.

These are all the gift of God.

We know that eternal death are the wages yet eternal life is a gift.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ()

We deserve the wages but eternal life is the gift!

Summing it up, not just the beginning, but all the gradual accesses from grace to glory, are by gift, from the free mercy of God!

“is from above”

Which is from heaven. They place where our blessings were designed.

Heaven is the ultimate aim of all our earthly gifts.

"Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.” ()

The heavens. Because that place is where all these gifts originated and there is the place where these gifts shall all be accomplished!

“coming down from the Father of lights”

Here’s a reference to God as the Father of lights in that like the sun, that streams out all its light to all the stars

and so God, the Author of all perfections, is said to be the Father of lights.

“who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Stars take on many different shapes and sizes and brightness.

Shadows, depending upon the earths rotation, we either have short or long shadows.

But the Father of spiritual lights there is no change like the shifting shadows of you and me.

He is a sun that doesn’t set or rise, cannot be overcast or eclipsed!

Let’s make several observations.

1. All good things are from above and they come to us from God.

God is unchangingly good.

This note, that God is the author of all the good that is in us, is useful to prevent many corruptions; as,

(1.) Glorying in ourselves.

Who would magnify himself in that which is from above?

We count it distasteful for a man to claim another person’s work and boast as if it was their own and glory in it!

This goodness flows into your life and heart is the bounty of heaven to you!

It’s not your course and work but God’s.

(2.) Exalting over others.

If all this “good” came from ourselves then we’d all be boasting of our superiority over others.

"For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it?” ()

Who makes you different from someone else? Paul shows that glorying in self contradicts the reality that all we are and have come from God.

(3.) Envious of those who’ve received the most.

Beeke, J. R., Barrett, M. P. V., & Bilkes, G. M. (Eds.). (2014). The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (p. 1651). Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books.

Our eye is evil when God’s hand is good to others.

Envy is rebellion against God Himself and His freedom and pleasure of the gifts He dispenses.

He distributes His gifts and blessings as He wills, not as we will.

Our role is to be content and to plead for grace to be faithful and make use of what we’ve been given.

2. Whatever we have from above, we have it as a gift.

We have nothing but what we’ve received.

And what we’ve received we have received freely.

There’s nothing in us that would oblige God to bestow any good upon us.

The gifts and favor of heaven are not set at any sale price.

When God invites us to mercy, He doesn’t invite us as a presenter, but as King.

We’re invited not to buy but to take, and those with no money as most welcome!

"“Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the water; and you without silver, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without silver and without cost!” ()

Salvation is free for sinners, obtained without worthiness or merit because Christ has already paid the price (53:1–12).

Think this through. Who’s more thankful: the repentant or the innocent.

Their sin led them to come and drink down God’s mercy which they found to be doubly free in giving and pardoning.

We ought to be so sensible to this in such a way that all our actions we might sense God’s love and our end or motive is to behold God’s glory!

3. Among all the gifts of God, the spiritual blessings are the best.

In our text, they’re called “good and perfect” because this is what His gifts make us into.

"Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? "Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.” ()

Comparatively speaking, an earthly father’s love for his children is far less than the love that God has for His children,

for the best of fathers is corrupted by sin (evil), but God is perfect.

your Father … give good things. God is generous to His children.

This, too, underscores the Father’s ability to provide for His people and their freedom from the need to worry (6:25–34).

You take the gifts of life or the gift of a house to manage.

That home could become a snare and life can become burdensome right?

But you’ve never known anyone that grows tired of spiritual blessings!

God’s grace and the love of God have never been burdens to anyone.

"My lips will glorify you because your faithful love is better than life.” ()

Nothing but the best mercy will make the best hearts content.

"Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people. Come to me with your salvation” ()

"Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your practice toward those who love your name.” ()

Remember. Set one’s mind and heart upon intentionally (vv. 7, 45).

favor. Goodwill or pleasure

"Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your practice toward those who love your name.” ()

Turn to me. Face me or turn to me. be merciful.

Be gracious. or show undeserved favor.