As James, the
“servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”, continued
to share with his readers from the “twelve tribes scattered
abroad”, he exhorted them concerning “respect of persons”
and having “faith without works”. He told them he
would “show” his “faith by” his “works”
and challenged them to “show” their “faith without”
their “works”. In chapter two and verse nineteen of his
letter, James used the example of how “the devils believe”
in God “and tremble” to show their error of having “faith”
alone where we read:
You
believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe,
and tremble.
The
verse begins, “You believe that there is one God; you do
well:” James began with the
words, “You believe”
or “James' readers think to be true, are persuaded of, give credit
to, place confidence in and trust” “there is one God”
which means “only one single
and individual Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God
the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”; “you
do well” which means “James'
people are doing beautifully, finely, excellently, nobly,
commendable, honorably and right”. James began this example by
referring to the way the people “trust in” “one God”,
and he commends them for this.
The
verse goes on to say, “the devils also believe, and
tremble.” James continued,
“the devils” which refers to
“evil spirits or the messengers and ministers of the devil” “also
believe” which means “think
to be true, are persuaded of, give credit to, place confidence in and
trust”, “and tremble”
or “to bristle, stiffen, stand up, shudder, be struck with extreme
fear and horrified”. James added how “ministers of Satan” also
“trust” there is “one God”,
and he told them how these “devils”
are in “extreme fear” of Him.
When
we meditate upon these words of James, we understand how having
“faith” that there
is “one God” is
not ample to save a person. “Devils”
believe there is only “one God”,
and they “fear” Him in “horrified terror”. Many people today
profess their “belief” in God, however they have not received His
gift of Salvation for their sins through Jesus Christ God's Son.
James wanted it clear – Having “faith”
in God alone is not enough to make one righteous before Him. Those
who declare their “belief” in “God”
or the “existence of God” have no more salvation than the
“devils” who fear
Him. Jesus came to “seek and to save that which was
lost”, and whosoever will
“believe and trust in Him shall be saved”. All others will have
the same fate as the “devils”
who “believe”.
Next
time James asks his readers again if they realize that “faith
without works is dead”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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