(13-14)      The same word is use for “trials” and “temptation” in the Greek.  Here it is speaking of temptation because of the references to “evil” and “evil desires” and “sin.”  Temptation does not and can not come from God.  God cannot be tempted by evil because of His holy, omnipotent nature and make up, so therefore He cannot and will not tempt anyone because it goes against who He is.  He is perfection and has no moral depravity whatsoever.  Temptation, therefore, comes from the evil within a person or the natural tendencies to satisfy self by fulfilling our own desires.  We are dragged away and enticed by our own evil desires.  These desires first attract our attention and then persuade us to approach the forbidden thing and finally, by luring us in with bait, we yield to the temptation.

 (15)     James then switches his figure to the birth process in relation to yielding to sin.  The process begins with temptation and ranges for three generations.  The temptation comes, then the desire conceives and gives birth to sin.  Sin continues and matures until it then conceives and brings forth its own offspring, death.  The penalty of sin of any kind is spiritual death (Rom. 6:23). 

 (16)     “Don’t be deceived” – (1Cor. 6:9; 15:33; Gal. 6:7; 1Jn. 3:7) – a warning not to even think that God is the author of  temptation – He is not!  It eludes that they have already been thinking along these lines.  James would be saying, “Stop being deceived.”

 (17)     Instead of sending temptation, God is the giver of “every good and perfect gift.”  The concept of God’s goodness rules out the capacity for Him to send an influence as destructive as temptation.  His gifts are perfect and excludes any possibility of moral evil coming from God.   He is the “Father of heavenly lights” – the creator of these lights and the source.  The sun and moon and all other lights cause fleeting shadows but God’s light is steadfast and He is sovereign over all.  With Him there is no variation at all.  He never changes and is always the giver of good gifts. He would never allow His creatures destroy themselves in sin.

(18)      Another affirmation that God is not the tempter – He acts constructively rather than destructively. “He chose to give us birth” – and this birth is “through the Word of truth”  (The Gospel).  It is a spiritual birth rather than a natural one.   God chose to give us this life; how could He then tempt us which would cause death and a loss of that life.  No, this early church was just the beginning; the first fruits of a multitude of Christians yet to come by the same means, His good and perfect gift.