DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE?

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (James 2:19, NASB)

How terrible these words sound to most false professors. To those who pay lip service about their faith in Christ. Those who just speak words of faith and not have faith. How terrible it is to those who have a form of religion without the Spirit of God. How are these words terrifying to some?

We know that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. It's not of works and gives no chance for the pride of man to exult themselves above the little minds the great God has given to them. Faith is not the end in itself. We don't have faith in faith. We have faith in the works of God wrought through His Son Jesus.

This means there's an expectation on the part of the sinner to believe. They are to believe in the perfect work of Christ for their salvation. Shouldn't this be a good news that we need only faith to claim it? It should be but the twisting of scripture by the devil has made it a problem.

The devil has made faith seem to be anergic. Belief in Christ has been substituted with some few short prayers that's comfortably repeated before the church. Faith is now boiled down to some 5 minutes prayer that seems to usher men into eternity with God. How then can we know what it truly means to believe?

Every churchmen or women talk about faith and salvation in Christ. But where are the true believers who have a heart of flesh? Where are the Christians who have a changed affection? Are there still Christians who have a hatred for sin and a love for God and his word? Of course, there is. But the misinterpretation of the word * belief* has reduced it to something powerless. It seems that nowadays people can believe without being transformed.

It seems we have a salvation that's not regeneration. A born again experience without a new man. This makes it pathetic. The text says 'Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble'. Remember here James is not denying the importance and the place of faith in the Christian life. He's rather commending us who have faith in Jesus Christ the Lord. But remember that the devil also believes.

This makes it a bit confusing. How does the devil believe and still be in opposition to God? How does he believe in God and his heaven and still try to win souls into eternal fire? How does he believe in the righteousness of God and still deceive people to approach God with their self-righteousness? These are some of the questions that come to mind when we think about such a verse like this. If the devil also believes, then there must be a contrast between Satan's type of faith and the one of God's followers.

There's a faith that leads to salvation. It's this type of faith that I want to draw your attention to. This faith is the one that does something in the lives of people. By possessing it and applying it makes the heart of stone be changed into a heart of flesh. This faith doesn't just believe but also believes unto salvation. The devil believes everything about God. Everything that Jesus did was understood by him perfectly. He believed that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, he believed that Jesus was sinless. He also believed that Jesus came to save his people from sin.

The devil was sure of everything that Jesus would do against him. He tried several means to stop him from going to the cross. By presenting the world to him for trade (Matthew 4) and by using Peter to prevent him (Mark 8:33). In a nutshell, Satan believes. Not just that, he trembles too. The word devils are used and it's synonymous to any creature that works for Satan. So we can say that Satan trembles.

This is a higher form of belief in God. For someone to tremble before God is to really fear him. To fear him to an extent that his presence alone causes them to shake. It is the idea to have a reverent fear in his sight. Like Moses removing his sandal in the presence of God. It can also be shadowed in the angelic visitations when people must first be greeted with peace from heaven.

What type of faith do you have in God? Is it the type that just believes without it doing any work in the inner man? Is it anergic and dead? That shouldn't be your story. Let's truly believe in Him and we shall be changed for God's Glory in Jesus name. Amen.
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