Dead Faith Versus Demonic Faith Someone may well say, You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? (James 2:18- 20). In recent years there has been an alarming rise in the number of professing Christians who believe that theres no necessary relationship between what they believe and what they do. They say you cant judge a persons spiritual condition by what he or she does because salvation is a matter of faith alone—as if requiring works violates the principle of faith. It was that kind of reasoning that prompted James to issue this challenge: You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works (James 2:18). The Greek word translated show means to exhibit, demonstrate, or put on display. His point is simple: its impossible to verify true faith apart from holy living because doctrine and deed are inseparable. Can you know if someone is a Christian by watching his behavior? According to James, thats the only way to know! In verse 19 he says, You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. In other words, affirming orthodox doctrine isnt necessarily proof of saving faith. Demons believe in the oneness of God, and its implications fill them with fear, but they arent saved. The phrase you do well is intentionally sarcastic. The implication is that demonic faith is better than non-responsive faith because at least the demons shudder, which is better than no response at all. You cant be a Christian in creed only—you must be one in conduct as well! James makes that very clear. Dont be confused or deceived by those who teach otherwise. Continually aim your life at bringing glory to God through obedient application of biblical truth. Suggestions for Prayer: Reaffirm to the Lord your commitment to abide by His Word. For Further Study: Read John 8:12-47. Make a list of doctrines and deeds that characterize dead faith and a corresponding list of those that characterize true faith. From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, crossway.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 09:50:59 +0000
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