What does James mean when He says there is no "shadow of turning" with the Father?
James 1:17
ESV - 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
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Asked October 31 2018
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Gregory Jones
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Tim Maas
In my opinion, James in this verse is contrasting God the Father with the movement of heavenly bodies (including the sun and moon) that exhibit differing levels of illumination, or changes in the shadows that they cast, as they "turn" (that is, as their position or appearance in relation to the earth changes). The Father does not possess this variability. He is the "Father of lights", and is the same from eternity past to eternity future. As such, He is a continuing source of gifts, even to the unjust (as Jesus noted in Matthew 5:45), but especially to those who seek Him and His will through Christ, and to whom He is faithful in keeping His promises.
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