Thursday, February 8, 2018

The Devils Believe and Tremble James 2:19

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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