Lesson 11 -- Exhortation Against Error (James 1:16) Series

Tom Lowe

1/30/2021

LESSON 11 -- EXHORTATION AGAINST ERROR (JAMES 1:16)

Text: Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. (James: 1:16; KJV)

Introduction

Many have said, “God is the source of evil -- Instead, the He is the author of all that is good: every good gift and every perfect gift (v. 17) is from Him (v. 18).

Thus far, James the Wise has declared what God is not, what qualities are alien to Him; but this is only a negative aspect of the truth, and he now would show the positive—namely, that God is the author of all and every good. Here he introduces a caution to his “beloved brethren, do not be deceived.” He is earnest” and “emphatic” about this -- “Be not ye deceived,” however, a lot of the world may wander down misleading paths. A marked change from the last verse’s threatening tone is made here to bright reflections on God’s gifts and the happy thoughts of His.

Commentary

(v. 16) Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

Do not be deceived because the wrong thoughts lead to inappropriate conduct. God never draws men to do evil. He only draws men to do good. For those who love God, everything He does is for their benefit - “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”(Rom. 8:28).

By supposing that God is the author of sin, or that anything sinful in the heart or conduct of man can, with truth, be ascribed to Him: as well as darkness and coldness can not be attributed to the sun. It is indeed a grievous error to ascribe to God the evil and not the good we receive from Him. No sin, but every good gift — Of every kind: whatever is beautiful, excellent, and good in any creature in the universe; all the members and senses of our bodies, and all our progressive blessings; and every perfect gift — Every gift of truth and grace, whatever is holiness and happiness here or hereafter; is from above — From heaven, not from earth, much less from hell; “and cometh down from the Father of lights” (v.17).

Why does the author give the warning, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” This is said as if there were great danger of deception in the point under consideration. The point on which he would shield them seems to have been in respect to the opinion that God was the author of sin and that the evils in the world are to be traced to Him. There was great danger that they would embrace that opinion, for experience has shown that it is a danger into which men are always prone to fall. Some of the dangerous sources have already been described in the notes given for James 1:13. To meet the danger, he cautions that blaming God is far from being true -- it is the charge that God is the author of all the evil in the world.

God’s absolute goodness had been presented so far on its negative side by excluding all origination of evil. But the writer feels that that is only a partial view. It has a brighter aspect, more full of hope and blessing, and the error against which he protests is chiefly hurtful, that is, excluding that unfortunate aspect from its due influence on faith and conduct.

Dear reader, the writer of James described the course taken by those who do not love God, “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not make the mistake of attributing your sins to God, that is, the temptation to do evil; No! (as he proceeds to show), “every good,” all that is good on earth, comes from God.

Attributing your sins to God and saying you are tempted by Him when the temptation originates with you is wrong and you have sinned.

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