ACC ~ James 1 v17a

GIFTS WITHOUT DEFECT. DIDYMUS: James calls God the Father of intelligent lights, that is to say, the illuminator of all rational beings, from whom, as the giver of these things, the divine gifts come to human beings. These gifts, James says, are the very best, complete and without defect, undoubtedly perfect. But as there are some people who argue from this that only the good things in life come from God, and not things which are regarded as bad or harmful, we have to recall such passages as “he brought evil on them,”“Evil came down from God onto the gates of Jerusalem” and so on. From these and other similar examples it is clear that bad things as well as good may come about through God’s judgment. COMMENTARY ON JAMES.

A WORK OF GOD. AUGUSTINE: If doing something ourselves means that it is not also a work of God, then casting mountains into the sea would not be a work of God, since Matthew [17:20] and Luke [17:6] both say that this can be done by the power of faith. ON THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER 63.

ASKING FOR PERSEVERANCE. AUGUSTINE: You should hope for this perseverance in obedience to the Father of lights, from whom descends every good and perfect gift, and ask for it every day in your prayers, and in so doing have confidence that you are not strangers to the predestination of God’s people, for he allows you to do even this. ON THE GIFT OF PERSEVERANCE 22.62.

UNDESERVED GIFT. AUGUSTINE: Man’s merit is a free gift, and no one deserves to receive anything from the Father of lights, from whom every good gift comes down, except by receiving what he does not deserve. LETTERS 186.

Jas