What’s the difference between my belief and the demons belief?
Yesterday
We finished LOOKING at Dead Faith.
How would you explain dead faith?
Today
We want to LOOK at Demonic Faith in verses 19-20.
Open GODcha to the Book of James.
NOTE:
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Or, you can use your hardbound Bibles and follow along.
You can print off this post and put in a Notebook!
Let’s Pray and Ask for Help
Lord, as we come to Your Word today, prepare our hearts to hear You. May we be attentive. May we shut out all other voices, and all noise. Help us to lean in and drink in every Word You speak. Grant us understanding. Thank you!
LOOK at What God Says
Now, let GODcha guide you in your discovery.
How will you get under way?
READ God’s Word
Read James 2:14-20, asking the 5W’s and H.
Slow down, hear God speak!
Now, zoom in on James 2:19-20.
These verses are jammed, so take your time. Remember there is no hurry. Take a small bite today, and come back tomorrow.
Unlock the Meaning of the Text
What words do you want to unlock that are 
Key to these 2 verses?
Let’s LOOK at each one separately checking out their meaning and then do some Cross Referencing.
Understand God’s Words
Check Out the Meaning
Dictionary Tutorial >Do you remember learning about ‘believe‘ when we looked at faith?
Believe, pisteúō; to have faith. To believe is to have faith.
What are the 3 vital elements of faith? The 3 C’s?
Trials: Test Our Faith Part 3 >
Faith and believe come from the same root word.
Faith is the noun and believe is the verb.
Faith is NOT just saying, ‘I believe that.’
No, faith is surrendering to God’s truth and living accordingly!
In verse 19, what does James say these converts from the 12 Jewish tribes know and believe?
They believe that God is one. (Jam 2:19)
Let’s Understand What He Means.
Truth Explains Truth
CR-Cross References-Word Search Tutorial >
Fine Tune Your Ears!
First, Take a LOOK at Deut 6:4-5.
To believe God is one is the well known “Shema“.
“Hear (shema), O Israel! The LORD (Jehovah) is our God (Elohim), the LORD (Jehovah) is one!” (Jehovah our Elohim is one Jehovah.)
“Love the LORD your God with all your heart…”
We see: God is the one true God, therefore, we are to love Him with all our heart...
Put This In CONTEXT
See: Deuteronomy’s Overview.
Deuteronomy was the 2nd giving of the Law to a new generation so they would:
Know their God, and
Know how to live in the land God was giving them.
In Deut 6, what would prove their love for God?
What did the Lord require of the people?
What would be the result?
1. As the people were about to go in to possess the land the Lord gave commandments for them to do,
so they would fear the Lord and keep all His statutes,
so their days would be prolonged. (Deut 6:1-2)
TIP: Check out the meaning of ‘fear’ and ‘keep’.
2. They were to diligently keep the commandments the Lord God commanded them.
They were to DO what is right and good in the sight of the Lord…
that it may be well with them and
that they may go in and possess the good land which the Lord swore to give your fathers (Deut 6:17-18)
Understand: God didn’t give His commands to rob His people of freedom or fun; to restrict His people of a good life, but rather to lead the way to a safe, good life that brings freedom and joy.
They were, “to fear the LORD our God for our good always and for survival, as it is today.” (Deut 6:24)
THINK: A wise parent does not leave the child to his or her own devices to discover what is right and/or wrong. The parent graciously teaches the child the way that leads to life.
We see: Fearing the Lord is closely tied to keeping His commands.
We see: Doing – keeping – obeying the Word of God, God’s commands is how they showed their love for God.
LISTEN…
How do I show, prove my love for God?
Am I obeying His Word?
Respond to God. . .LIVE it out!
To make this point, James brings up demons who believe.
Let’s check out demons and shudder that are Key.
Understand God’s Words
Check Out the Meaning
Demons, daimónion; Generally, a god, deity; an evil spirit, devil, subject to Satan (Matt. 9:34), implying him to be a fallen angel. The authors of moral evil to mankind.
Shudder, phríssō; In the NT, to shudder or quake from fear or aversion (James 2:19, by the demons.
TIP: Remember to take the definitions back to the text.
19 “You believe [have faith] that God is one. You do well; the demons [devils, evil spirits] also believe [have faith], and and shudder [fear].”
Let’s LOOK at some Cross References.
What can we learn about the demons believe and shudder?
Truth Explains Truth
CR-Cross References-Word Search Tutorial >
Fine Tune Your Ears!
Let’s LOOK at man 1st.
1. What did Paul say in Romans about all, Jews and Greeks, who are under sin?
There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Rom 3:18)
THINK: Back in Deuteronomy we saw:
Men/women were to obey and fear God, (Deut 6:2)
yet, in Romans
Men/women DON’T fear God.
LISTEN…
Do I fear God? If not, why not?
Do I struggle with obedience to Him?
Or, how does my fear of God draw me closer to Him and cause me to obey Him?
Respond to God. . .LIVE it out!
2. In contrast to man, what does James say the demons do?
The Demons believe, and shudder — fear God. (Jam 2:19)
THINK: Does their belief save them?
REASON: James is showing us to believe and fear God is not proof of saving faith.
Let’s do some more Cross Referencing.
1. What exactly do the demons believe?
a. The demons bore witness to Christ’s deity, the Son of God. (Mat 8:29-31)
b. Demons believe there is an appointed time for their judgment. (Mat 8:29-31)
c. Demons believe in the existence of the abyss, the place of punishment. (Luk 8:31)
2. What does their belief cause them to do?
Demons submit to the power of Christ’s Word. (Mar 5:1-13)
3. THINK and REASON
What do you see if you compare the demons belief to the definition of faith.
a. Demons have a thorough Conviction of who God and Jesus are.
But
b. Demons have NOT surrendered, NOT Committed, themselves to the Lord.
Understand: Their leader is Satan.
Understand: They hate God, the Lord and the Spirit.
c. Demons do NOT have a Conduct that gives evidence to a conviction and commitment to the Lord.
They have not changed.
They are not righteous, holy, godly, or heavenly.
Of course the Cross References are not exhaustive.
If you feel like digging, perhaps search out ‘demons’ by doing a Word Search. It’s all just a tap away!
Video CR-Cross Reference/Word Search >
CR-Cross Reference/Word Search Tutorial >
READ God’s Word
How does James conclude, (Jam 2:20)?
James says this fellow is foolish [empty, hollow] to think one can have a faith without works.
What does foolish mean?
Foolish, kenós; empty, hollow. When used not of things but of persons, it predicates not merely an absence of good, but also, since a vacuum does not exist in man’s moral nature, the presence of evil (James 2:20).
Useless, argós; barren, idle, slow. Insincere, false, unprofitable (Mt 12:36, cf. 2Pe 1:8).
20 “But are you willing to recognize, you foolish [empty, hollow] fellow, that faith without works is useless [unprofitable]?”
Such faith is useless!
Why is it useless?
Because it cannot save!
Do you hear my hands clapping, applauding your diligence?
What Did We LEARN
Sum It Up!
We LEARN:
The 12 tribes, the Converted Jews, believe.
And
The Demons believe.
We LEARN:
The Demons belief involves conviction, but NO commitment or conduct.
The Demons also shudder, fear God.
Man is foolish to think one can have a faith without works.
WOW!
Understand: James is telling us that intellectual assent, mental assent, does NOT save us.
Understand: Saving faith is a surrender to Jesus!
Understand: Then the Lord gives us a new heart and His Spirit (Eze 36:25-26), that becomes an active force in our lives, where we demonstrate a changed life.
Could We Have a Better Offer?
To be brought into an incredible relationship with the LIVING God,
with His presence within us through His Spirit,
made alive,
making us new,
given new promises,
a new hope and
a new future!
Listen and Respond!
LISTEN…
What’s the difference between my belief and the demons belief?
Is my faith transforming my life, right now?
Do I fear God?
Have I thought I could have a faith without works?
Why would I think Jesus left heaven to confine Himself to the womb of a woman He created, to become flesh purposely to die for me, was
Resurrected, now sitting at the right hand of God the Father, so I could just say a prayer, and walk away unchanged?
Am I willing to recognize that I am foolish, empty, hollow, lulled into a false confidence?
What am I willing to do?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
Our Day Has Come to an End!
You have heard God speak!
Were you quick to hear?
How has God moved you? Stirred you?
Contemplate all that He is teaching you.
Oh, talk to the Loving Father!
Journal Your Notes
I can’t encourage you enough to put your discovery in your Notes.
Record the personal things God has touched you with.
Video Tutorial> Notes Tutorial >
Turn What We LEARNED Into Prayer
Perhaps…
FATHER GOD, more vital Truths to thank you for. Oh, I pray You have touched hearts today! May Your Word to us burn down to our souls! For You tell us Your Word is like fire and like a hammer which shatters a rock, (Jer 23:29). Your Word is the Sword of the Spirit, (Eph 6:17) and sharper than a two-edged sword, (Heb 4:12). Oh Father, again I ask that we would examine our hearts, our lives, our faith! What is the difference between our faith and the demons faith? Oh, to think that they believe and fear You is quite a shock! But even though they are thoroughly convinced about You, and You, Lord Jesus, and You, Holy Spirit, they hate these Truths and they hate You. Their belief has not saved or changed them. Oh Father, may we recognize and admit if we have been foolish, thinking such faith, without a change, can save us. Help us to pull everything we have seen in Your Word together and understand when You raise a dead sinner to new life, You give us a living faith with a new heart, and YOU, the Almighty God, come to dwell within us through Your Spirit, (Eze 36:26-27)! In fact, in Christ, we have the whole Godhead in us, (Col 2:9). May we not be foolish, but know that we know, that a definite, radical change takes place. We by no means are perfect, and have much that needs to be refined, but may we stand firm on Truth, knowing that faith without works is DEAD! And Dead faith is not a saving faith! Thank You for Your Words to us that are pure, perfect and have the power to renew our minds and transform us, (Rom 12:2)!
Thank you for being faithful to drink from the Fountain of Living Water!
Next: We will LOOK @ Living Dynamic Faith, verses 21-26.
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