How are we the firstfruits of His creatures (James 1:18)?

Response

In a remarkable demonstration of God’s consistent, unchanging goodness, James declares, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created” (James 1:17-18).

James contrasts the new birth that Christians experience with what is “given birth” in the previous verses. Desire gives birth to sin, and sin gives birth to death “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”, (James 1:15). In contrast, God gives birth to us—His redeemed, sanctified children. Sin leads to death, but God brings forth life. And we are the “firstfruits of his creatures” “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”, (James 1:18, KJV).

Being referred to as “firstfruits” may sound unfamiliar to us, but to the original readers of James’ letter—Jewish believers—it held significant meaning. James’ audience was acquainted with the Feast of Firstfruits (see Leviticus 23:9-14). On the third day after Passover, the people presented a sheaf of grain to the priest, who would wave it before the Lord. A burnt offering, a meal offering, and a drink offering were also required at that time. The firstfruits were an expression of gratitude, acknowledging that the initial portion of the harvest belonged to God.

How are believers regarded as “firstfruits”? In a couple of ways:

Firstfruits of salvationThe believers of the first century were the initial results of a spiritual harvest—they were the first to be saved and to be part of the New Testament church. By referring to these early believers as the “firstfruits,” James suggests that many more would follow! Over the centuries, the gospel has spread worldwide, leading to the continuous salvation of people. One historian approximates that by the end of the first century, there were not even ten thousand Christians globally (Wilken, R., The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity, Yale University Press, 2012, p. 65). In 2015, as per the Pew Research Center, there were 2.3 billion individuals worldwide who identified as Christians (www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/05/christians-remain-worlds-largest-religious-group-but-they-are-declining-in-europe, accessed 6/7/22). The harvest continues to expand.

Firstfruits of the new creation. Believers are new creations in Christ, “and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). When God saves us and grants us eternal life, He eradicates the curse of sin in our lives. This transformation in the believer signifies a more significant change on the horizon, as God will one day eliminate the curse of sin from all of creation, restoring nature to its former glory:

“The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship.”

, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:19-23).

In summary, the Father, who bestows a continuous flow of good gifts, initiated something entirely novel and marvelous through His Son and His Spirit. Specifically, He brought forth the church. The early church, though modest in size and scorned by the world, foreshadowed something grander: a global “harvest” of individuals who adhere to the Lord and the commencement of God’s complete restoration of the cosmos. In Revelation 21:5, Jesus declares, “I am making everything new!” And He commenced with the firstfruits of the church.