I’ll start with some ideas from scripture about those who “just believe” and see where we go from there …
And this one goes for the jugular right off … so …
There’s this scripture that haunts me. The more I meditate on it, the more I realize the extreme statement that James meant it to be.
In James’ letter to the Church, he makes an argument that “faith alone” – or “just believing” – isn’t life at all. It is dead. He says the very popular but controversial “faith without works is dead”, a term I’ve heard taught well but also explained away many times. To prove that he means plainly what he says, James makes this point:
“You say believe. Well done! The demons believe … and tremble!”
Much is made of right doctrine, and I do not want to minimize the importance of good teaching. I strongly believe in good teaching and sound doctrine. They are important, especially because what we believe directly affects what we do and who we are. James even deals with the greater judgment teachers will have. We are changed into different people because of the “renewing” of our mind. And different people do different things.
But the test of true faith is not perfect doctrine. Nowhere does the Bible say that we will stand before God and be judged for our theology or doctrine, despite how important and lofty some people treat it. But plenty of times it says we will be judged for “the deeds done while in the body.”
Just so you don’t misunderstand James, he purposefully exposes the most extreme reality to make his point. He is dealing with those who might say they have faith because they “just believe” but have no works. His example is demons.
Demons.
In other words, demons have great theology. Possibly perfect theology. They recognized Jesus for who He was and even reacted in the proper way when faced with the Son of God in the flesh. They declared who Jesus almost as much as He did in the scripture … maybe more.
Demons have better theology than you do. But what defines them is not what they believe but what they DO. They seek to “kill and destroy.”
James is saying that obedience completes true faith. True faith is responding to the revelation of who Christ is by doing good. You can believe all day, but without the response of obedience to do good, your faith means nothing. It is dead. It has no life. You are the same as a demon, except the demon probably has better theology than you.
And of course a demon would. Our enemy’s main weapon is deception. And the enemy of God isn’t really that creative. They just twist the truth that already exists. “Did God really say …?” Placing doubt and pride and rebellion and making it look like truth. In order to twist the truth, they have to know it pretty well.
James gives another example, one not quite as harsh, maybe, but even more practical. Suppose a brother comes to you with a need, a need that you have the ability to meet that need, but instead say, “Go and be warm and filled.” What does it profit? In other words, faith does not just wish the good, but faith actually does the good.
James also says, “Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so is faith without works.”
I really don’t know how much clearer he needs to make it, but there it is.
Don’t fret … more to come!
Peace.