He chose to give us birth through the word of truth…
James is talking about the spiritual life, but he uses the comparison of physical birth and growth.
Just as we all are physically born and grow up, students of Jesus are born again. Then with Jesus as Teacher and the Holy Spirit as tutor, students of Jesus spend the rest of their lives growing up into the likeness of Jesus.
Unlike our physical existence, which eventually ends in death, our new birth and life in Jesus never ends. Our life becomes everlasting. A gift from God!
In contrast with God’s good and perfect gift of life, stands another way of living. This life does not seek to become more like Jesus. It seeks to fulfill the flesh and satisfy the cravings of human nature instead.
James also uses the metaphor of conception and birth to describe this way of living that ends, not in eternal life, but in death.
This is how the life given over to sin is described. It is a life dominated by human passions and desires which are the source of temptations.
But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
What James is asking us to do is to pause a moment and think about what is going on inside of every human being. To get above ourselves and be sensitive to inclinations of heart that have the power to lead us away from the good life God gave us.
James is not suggesting students of Jesus can live without sin. He is reminding them not to embrace a way of living that leads to death - Do not err, my beloved brethren...
Unlike our physical existence, which eventually ends in death, our new birth and life in Jesus never ends. Our life becomes everlasting. A gift from God!
In contrast with God’s good and perfect gift of life, stands another way of living. This life does not seek to become more like Jesus. It seeks to fulfill the flesh and satisfy the cravings of human nature instead.
James also uses the metaphor of conception and birth to describe this way of living that ends, not in eternal life, but in death.
This is how the life given over to sin is described. It is a life dominated by human passions and desires which are the source of temptations.
But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
What James is asking us to do is to pause a moment and think about what is going on inside of every human being. To get above ourselves and be sensitive to inclinations of heart that have the power to lead us away from the good life God gave us.
James is not suggesting students of Jesus can live without sin. He is reminding them not to embrace a way of living that leads to death - Do not err, my beloved brethren...
Rather to focus on the gift of life God gives through Jesus!
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