Belief: Devilish or Authenticated

Introduction

In my life I have had the opportunity to meet many different types of people. There is this one type of person that is memorable. They are always talking about something that can do or will do. However, you never actually see them do it.

On the basketball court, there are guys that talk about all the things they can do, but there is always a reason why they cannot do it that day.

In work, I have talked with people who have amazing giftedness in some area that would allow them to make a better living, but they are working at a job that is below that claim.

In religion, there are those who talk about all they know, but what they know does not show.

Today, James continues his teaching concerning saving faith as it relates to works.

James 2:18–19 ESV

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Next Week - Verses 20-26

Two Weeks (Likely) - James and Paul

PRAY

Faith and Works - The Doubter

But someone will say, - James made an emphatic statement concerning those who SAYS they have faith, but do not have works, deeds or actions to demonstrate their supposed faith.

This type of faith is dead. It is lifeless. It does not possess the internal necessities required of true faith. This fact is made clear by the lack of external activities corresponding to genuine faith.

In this portion of our text, James presents the words of a challenger. “But someone will say” implies opposition to James’ teaching concerning faith and works. We do not know if he is referring to an actual person or if he is presenting a possible objection in order to correct this mistaken belief.

This person says, “You have faith and I have works.” - This is a difficult phrase for interpretation, because of the wording.

You might expect something like this: Faith is enough. We do not need works to be saved. It is by faith only. However, the statement is a bit different. The response is “You have faith and I have works.’ You can think of it this way. James says, “You have faith” and “I have works”. One translation says, “Here is one who claims to have faith and another who points to his deeds.”

What point is the objector trying to make? There are a couple of options worth mentioning. First, the opponent is making a charge against James because he is claiming to have a better faith than others (He is). Second, the opponent means to communicate that James is making useless controversy. This argument about faith and works is not necessary. It is just matter of opinion as to which is important.

John Blanchard writes concerning this, “We’re both Christians, but we have different emphases”.

Faith and Works: The Demonstration

Show me your faith apart from your works - James begins the corrective. Why does James press the issue? I think James knew the eternal consequences of dead faith and genuine faith. Therefore, he expresses his love for the scattered ones by challenging damning beliefs.

Show me your faith - This comes back to James’ aim. He wants to see the church demonstrate a living faith, not just claim to have it. He challenges his adversaries to show their faith. He is asking them to point it out, make it visible, and let him see it.

He dares them to do it “apart from your works.” Demonstrate your faith in God by not doing anything, not responding in any way, not acting differently because of it. Do it by simply faith-ing. James has demanding them to perform the impossible. Why? First, humans are creatures of action. When we believe in or trust in something, it will be shown in what we do. It is impossible to be otherwise. Second, James knows that genuine faith in God always produces a response, which he argues in the next phrase.

And I will show you my faith by my works. - When we trust in God, it is expressed in what we do. It is express in how we live. It is impossible to be otherwise.

Galatians 5:6 ESV

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Faith and Works: The Devilish

You believe that God is one; you do well. - James confronts his objector by describing the opponents faith. This one believes there is one God. They are an orthodox, monotheist. More than that, most believe there is a reference to the Shema.

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

I believe, based upon context, there is a bit of sarcasm here. So, you have orthodox faith, you do well. Good for you. That is commendable. However, James has more to say on this issue. The issue being one who SAYS he believes God is one, but does not have works corresponding. James follows the pattern of his old brother in the following.

John 8:34–47 ESV

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” 39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

Jesus and James were truthful about faith. Here’s James following Jesus.

Even the demons believe - Instead of comparing their faith to great ones in Israel’s history, James identifies their faith demonic. The point is clear. Demons recognize God for who he is. However, they do not possess saving faith. For example, during Jesus’ time on earth as the God-Man, the demons were often some of the first to recognize who he was. Let’s look at some examples.

Mark 1:21–24 ESV

21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

Matthew 8:28–29 ESV

28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

There are other examples of demons possessing right understanding of God’s character.

Acts 16:16–17 ESV

16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”

Acts 19:11–16 ESV

11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Not only do demons have a right knowledge of God, the way of salvation and the Lordship of Jesus, they respond to it.

And shudder! - Literally they “bristle up” like a frightened cat (Hughes). They tremble or shake in fear. The knowledge of God causes them to convulse. The are noticeably afraid. There are two observations here. First, at least the demons respond to God in some tangible manner. Second, the demons know there is a judgment coming and it causing this type of response.

One writer comments, “The man with dead faith was touched only in his intellect; but the demons are touched also in their emotions. They believe and tremble.”

James argues that demons have a form of faith, but it is not the right type of faith. It is a faith without works. The demons do not have works toward God and are not redeemed.

2 Peter 2:4 ESV

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;

In the same manner, the person who has faith without works is also not redeemed.

Practical Application

Do you understand the importance of this argument? Do you put the right energy to understand the relationship between faith and works as not to be imbalanced either way?

A Biblical Theology of the New Testament Works in Relationship to Faith

The significant point to note about these works, however, is that James viewed them as the expression or outworking of true faith and of new life in Christ, not the means of gaining these blessings. They demonstrate faith (2:18), are the completion and fulfillment of faith (2:22–23), and constitute living out the Word that was already implanted by God when He gave spiritual birth to the Christian (1:18–21).

Devilish faith? Warren Wiersbe writes, “It comes as a shock to people that demons have faith! What do they believe? For one thing, they believe in the existence of God; they are neither atheists nor agnostics. They also believe in the deity of Christ. Whenever they met Christ when He was on earth, they bore witness to His sonship (Mark 3:11–12). They believe in the existence of a place of punishment (Luke 8:31); and they also recognize Jesus Christ as the Judge (Mark 5:1–13). They submit to the power of His Word.”

R. Kent Hughes words on this are insightful and convicting: “Tragically Hell will have its share of people who are monotheistic, Trinitarian, orthodox and lost.”

What about you? You have information about God. However, have you trusted him alone to rescue you? Have you rested everything on him as Savior and Lord?

John 6:28–29 ESV

28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

What are the expressions of you faith? If you were to stand trial today to see if you could be convicted of being a Christian in the first degree, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Beware of dead works.

Hebrews 9:13–14 ESV

13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Test for true works.

Is there a trust in the true Christ, not some false view of him?

Is there a true love of God expressed in growing obedience to his commands?

Is there a love of the people of God through communion with the visible, local church?