Born Again By The Word Of Truth.

BORN AGAIN BY THE WORD OF TRUTH.

James 1:17-21.

James has already indicated that our God is a generous Giver (James 1:5). Here he cites God as the inexhaustible source of “every good act of giving, and every perfect gift” (James 1:17a). There is not so much as a shadow cast as a result of any changeability in God, the Father of lights (James 1:17b). God is “Father of lights” not only in Creation, but also in redemption (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:6). He is the living, giving, forgiving God.

Our salvation is based in God’s will (James 1:18a; cf. John 1:13). It was His decision, not ours, that we should be ‘born of the Spirit’ (cf. John 3:8). We did not choose Christ, He chose us (John 15:16); and no-one comes to Jesus but those whom the Father who sent Him draws (John 6:44). Our faith is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8); the ability to believe is something which is given to us (Philippians 1:29).

The instrument used to bring us to the new birth is “the word of truth” (James 1:18b; cf. 1 Peter 1:23). The written Word, the preached Word; the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ applied to our hearts by the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the new birth is that we might be a sort of first-fruit offering: set apart unto Him, and marked out for holiness (James 1:18c).

Having been brought to the new birth “by the word of truth” (James 1:18), we continue to be nurtured by the “implanted word” (James 1:21). We will be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).

It is Jesus who has fulfilled all righteousness (Matthew 3:15), and we must learn from Him. There is such a thing as righteous anger, such as Jesus displayed at the cleansing of the Temple (John 2:17). But He was ever obedient to the Father (John 8:29), and His anger was never tainted by sin. Our anger can so easily be distracted, so we are elsewhere only permitted to be angry with a double caveat: ‘Be angry and sin not, and let not the sun go down on your anger’ (Ephesians 4:26).

Not only are we to be swift to hear “the implanted word”, but we must do a little gardening ourselves (James 1:21). We have a responsibility to root out all that taints our lives, and the overflow of wickedness that still remains from our old lives. Not only are we to hear the word, but also “meekly” (in a gentle submissive way) to receive it. Turn it over in your heart, chew on it, meditate, apply.