Jas 1:18     He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.

      

James has just been saying that every good gift actually comes from God. Now he speaks about the gift of new birth that God gives those who turn to Him through Jesus Christ. Notice, first of all, that He gives it. It is not earned and it is not deserved. We don't get this gift of a new life because we did something to warrant it. The only thing we did was surrender to God and ask for His forgiveness and His direction for the rest of our lives.

It is on that basis that God then gives His Holy Spirit who energises us and gives us a new life as children of God (Jn 1:12,13). This giving is indeed a gift; God doesn't have to do it, there is no compunction upon Him to do it. He does it because He wants to and for no other reason. But note the other side of 'giving' which is 'receiving'. We have to consciously receive the filling of the Holy Spirit if we are to fully enter in to all that he has for us. 'Consciously receive' means thirst for, yearn for, ask for, and be open to.

 

But note, secondly, that it is new birth that comes through “the word of truth”. The Gospel was spoken to us and it was that which prompted us to surrender to God. It was God's word that was spoken to us that brought our response and once we made that response, God moved and imparted His Holy Spirit and we were ‘born again' (Jn 3:3-7).

But now look at the description of us: “a kind of first fruits of all he created.” The first fruits of any plant are simply the fruit that comes from that plant, the first to be seen. We, as children of God, are the first of the new creation that God will eventually make (we start now and are completed in heaven). When He makes a new heaven and earth for us to enjoy (Rev 21:1) we will be the first fruits that He has already created – us, yes us! Hallelujah!