James 1:18

In yesterday's blog we learned that God does not change...He is immutable! Since then, I read this in a commentary [albert barns] & wanted to share it with you so you could mull it over in your mind:

• He is always the same, at all seasons of the year, and in all ages; there is no change in his character, his mode of being, his purposes and plans. What he was millions of ages before the worlds were made, he is now; what he is now, he will be countless millions of ages hence. We may be sure that whatever changes there may be in human affairs; whatever reverses we may undergo; whatever oceans we may cross, or whatever mountains we may climb, or in whatever worlds we may hereafter take up our abode, God is the same.

We looked at the error of man, now we're going to look at the will of God.  What is the will of God? The will of God is giving us life by his determined grace.  Read verse 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Jas 1:18). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

In verse 13 we saw that God does not give birth to temptation but He does give birth to regeneration, right?! How does He do this?  James says, "of His own will".

The Greek term here for will:

Strong's #1014  βούλομαι boo´-lom-ahee; mid. of a prim. verb; to “will,” i.e. (reflex.) be willing:—be disposed, minded, intend, list, (be, of own) will (-ing). comp. 2309.

Strong's #2309  θέλω thĕlō, thel´-o; or ἐθέλω ĕthĕlō, eth-el´-o; in certain tenses θελέω thĕlĕō, thel-eh´-o; and ἐθέλέω ĕthĕlĕō, eth-el-eh´-o, which are other wise obsol.; appar. strengthened from the alt. form of 138; to determine (as an act. option from subj. impulse; whereas 1014 prop. denotes rather a pass. acquiescence in obj. considerations), i.e., choose or prefer (lit. or fig.); by impl. to wish, i.e. be inclined to (sometimes adv. gladly); impers. for the fut. tense, to be about to; by Heb. to delight in:—desire, be disposed (forward), intend, list, love, mean, please, have rather, (be) will (have,-ling,-ling [ly]).

It was a word used to describe in ancient times, the will and the determination of the god's of ancient Greece.  In Biblical terminology it refers to the counsel and purpose of God as distinguished from His consequent action.  The will of God is not a whim.  It presupposes logical thought.  God willed our salvation after considerable thought about the cost it would involve for Himself.  He sat down and thought about it.  He knew it would mean that He would have to give up His only precious son.  He thought about it!  He knew His son would have to forsake His home in heaven; He knew His son would have to come down to earth and live with us...gross sinners; He knew that He would have to die on the cross.  He willed it-He thought about it.  Romans 8:32
Here are some scriptures for you to study that will help you in understanding all of this:  

John 1:13>Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

God willed your salvation!
Look at Ephesians 1:4 & 5> According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

God willed your salvation.  

Romans 8:29-32, Romans 9 & II Thess. 2:13,14

The next part of the verse says:
He brought us forth [born again] by the word of truth.
What does Word of Truth mean?
Word = Strong's #3056.  λόγος lŏgŏs, log´-os; from 3004; something said (including the thought); by impl. a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extens. a computation; spec. (with the art. in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):—account, cause, communication, × concerning, doctrine, fame, × have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say (-ing), shew, × speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work
Truth = Strong's #225.  ἀλήθεια alēthĕia, al-ay´-thi-a; from 227; truth:—true, × truly, truth, verity

Strong's #227.  ἀληθής alēthēs, al-ay-thace´; from 1 (as a neg. particle) and 2990; true (as not concealing):—true, truly, truth.
Strong's #2990.  λανθάνω lanthanō, lan-than´-o; a prol. form of a prim. verb, which is used only as an alt. in certain tenses; to lie hid (lit. or fig.); often used adv. unwittingly:—be hid, be ignorant of, unawares.
Whenever you have an "A" in front of a Greek word it means against.  The root word for aletheia [truth], is lanthano which means to hide or be unaware or ignorant.  Truth is that which is not hidden or concealed.
Psalm 119:43>And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, For I await for Your ordinances.
Proverbs 22:21>To make you know the certainty of the words of truth That you may correctly answer him who sent you?
Eccl 12:10> The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.
II Cor. 6:7>in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
Col. 1:5>because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel
II Tim. 2:15>Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
James 1:18>In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth,
Have we figured out yet what Word of Truth is?  It is the Gospel.
John 14:6>Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Ephesians 1:13>In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
You were born again by the Word of truth.  Romans 10:13-17 No one can be saved apart from the gospel message, the Word of Truth.

Remember that James is writing to the 12 tribes who are dispersed abroad so when he says in verse 18, "so that we might be" the "we" is in reference to those 12 tribes.  The part that says, "the 1st fruits among His creatures" is referring to the 1st group of Jewish believers among all the created order.  So we are not the 1st group of believers but we are believers if we have believed the Word of Truth.

Well, I hope this gives you lots of food for thought!