James 1:17-25

v17: Every good gift comes from God. It is from Him, who is the Father of lights, that the light of “divine revelation,” the light of “reason,” the light of “learning,” the light of “faith, purity, and all kinds of encouragements,” comes. “We have nothing good… except what we receive from God.” The more we realise this, the more dependent on and thankful to God we should become.

v18: “Just as every good gift comes from God, so also, especially, does the renewal of our natures.” We have been born again. We are not as we were before. This is not due to “our own skill or power, nor because of any good foreseen in us or done by us,” but according to “God’s own will” and through the word of truth. So, “our regeneration and all its holy, happy consequences must be attributed to” God alone.

v19-21: “Whenever matters of differences arise among Christians, each side should be willing to listen to the other.” There would be less anger and great benefits in our discussions if we took this instruction to heart and “be quick to listen to reason and truth on all sides and be slow to speak anything that would prevent this.”

v22-25: The word of God is like a mirror, showing us “our sins so that we may repent on them and have them pardoned. It shows us what is wrong so that it may be put right.” But it will do us no good unless we do what it says. It sad that many “when they sit under the word, are affected by their own sinfulness, misery, and danger and acknowledge the evil of sin and their need of Christ, but, when they have finished hearing, forget everything, lose their conviction and their good desires.” Ask for the help of the Spirit to listen in order to do what the word says.