He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
18 Of his own will. He now brings forward a special proof of the goodness of God which he had mentioned, even that he has regenerated us unto eternal life. This invaluable benefit every one of the faithful feels in himself. Then the goodness of God, when known by experience, ought to remove from them all a contrary opinion respecting him.
God cannot be the source of sin, whether in your afflictions or in the rod's stroke upon you. The fault is entirely yours, not His. There is nothing in God's nature, no lack of wisdom, power, or holiness, that could tempt Him to evil, and therefore He cannot tempt any man. The carnal mind loves to shift blame onto God, but that is hereditary dishonesty from Adam onward.
AI summary
Commenting on James 1:13-18
Of his own will begat he us,.... The apostle instances in one of those good and perfect gifts, regeneration; and he pitches upon a very proper and pertinent one, since this is the first gift of grace God bestows upon his people openly, and in their own persons; and is what involves other gifts, and prepares and makes meet for the gift of eternal life...