God bears witness to Himself With Him is no "variableness," James says. The Greek word tells us that with God there is not the slightest variation — in contrast with the sun that seems, to the eye, to move across the heavens, rising in the east and setting in the west.

With God, furthermore, there is "neither shadow of turning." The reference here might be to the sundial, one of the oldest instruments devised by man for keeping track of time. It marks the shadow cast by the sun on the dial as the sun proceeds upon its way. The reference might also be to the sun as it sets swiftly in a ball of flame behind the western horizon and casts lengthening shadows upon the earth as it sets.

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God does not change; He casts no shadows. The wise man of old declared, "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Prow 4:18). Jesus said, "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).

2. A gift that brings divine life (1:18)

James now gives us his version of the new birth. He sees it as being related to the will of God: "Of his own will begat he us"; to the Word of God: "with the word of truth"; and to the wisdom of God: "that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." The will of God takes us back to a dateless, timeless past when the members of the Godhead decided to act in creation. The Word of God is our current point of reference, the instrument of the Holy Spirit in revelation and regeneration (Heb. 1:1; 1 Peter 1:23). The wisdom of God embraces His future purpose in exhibiting us as "the firstfruits of his creatures."

People have raised all kinds of difficulties regarding the sovereignty of God as related to the will of man. The Bible clearly teaches that God acts sovereignly and of His own volition in arranging for the regeneration of certain members of the human race. However, Peter balances that truth by reminding the redeemed that they are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God"(1 Peter 1:2). Paul says much the same thing (Rom. 8:29-30). We might never resolve the issues involved in the two great issues of divine sovereignty on the one side and human volition and accountability on the other. The fact is certain that the initiative in our salvation is God's. The Lord Jesus is presented to us as "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world"(Rev. 13:8). Calvary was no afterthought with God. When the members of the Godhead decided to act in creation, they knew that the time would come when they would have to act in redemption. It was all foreknown, including God's omniscient knowledge of who of Adam's race would respond to the gospel.

The actual process of bringing the redemptive work of the cross home to our hearts is bound closely with "the word of truth." The Word of God is the Holy Spirit's instrument to bring us under conviction of sin, to open our eyes to the person and work of Christ, and to bring about the miracle of regeneration in a believing heart.