Even the Demons Believe.

I remember this one occasion sitting at a bible study debating faith and believers. One side quoted James 2:17 “Faith without works is dead.” The other side going with Romans 10:9 “Confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart.” I was somewhere in the middle. I wasn’t really sure what to think, or even be able to pick a side. Both sides had strong arguments.

But, when you debate faith, you debate God.

When you debate God you create religion. You create rules. You create regulations. You create a church where the people are worshipped. When we’re worshipped we then create christianity into an emotion, event, or feeling. If our emotions aren’t fulfilled we move on. That’s what is happening in our instant gratification of a society, where every thing is a Google search away.

This debate though is ironic. Neither side of the argument can exist without the other. Not in the sense that their opposing views, but in the sense that they’re actually one in the same.

Let’s start with Romans 10. Remember “if then” statements from middle school or high school math? That’s basically what Romans 10:9 is. IF you CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH that Jesus is Lord and BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART that God raised him from the dead, [THEN] you will be saved. It’s that simple. Let’s break it down.

Step 1, CONFESS. Definition to admit, state, disclose, declare, profess, acknowledge, tell the truth, tell all, come clean, spill the beans, let the cat out of the bag. AND WHAT YOU ARE CONFESSING IS THAT Jesus is Lord. 

*Fun fact* “LORD” vs “Lord” vs “lord.” Same word, 3 different ways, and yes there is a difference. If it is written as “LORD,” they are referring to the translated name of God aka Yahweh or YHWH. This is typically found in the old testament. If it is written as “Lord,” it is because it is either at the front of the sentence or they are talking about one of the 3 persons of the Godhead (father, spirit, son), or to the entire Godhead. Finally if it is written as “lord,” then they are talking about a human ruler. Like lord Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones.

Step 2, BELIEVE. Definition to accept something as true, be convinced by, have confidence in, consider honest, swallow, buy, go for, take it, understand. AND WHAT YOU ARE BELIEVING IS THAT God raised him (Jesus) from the dead. 

“What does that have to do with anything?”
I”m glad you asked. Back in old testament times in order for the people to be “right” with God they had to follow rules known as The Ten Commandments and if they broke one of the rules then they had to make a sacrifice. Since man a.k.a. us a.k.a. you and me will always screw up, God sent his Son, that was absolutely perfect, to die as our sacrifice. But not only did he die, he rose again to prove that death could not hold him

That’s it.

On to the next point, James 2. Some think that the author is referring to “showing off their good deeds” will make them right with God, and that’s not the what the author means. In verse 14 the author asks “what good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions.” While reading this chapter it helps me to understand it better by replacing the word faith with the word love. Christ had shown love to everyone he met. That was his faith of God. That’s what Christ called us to do. In Matthew 22:38 Jesus said to love God, and to love others. No other requirements.

If I told my wife I loved her but never showed her, she wouldn’t believe…well maybe a couple of times…but after that she’d be asking me to show her that I love her. This is what the author meant in James 2. When we truly believe, when we’re chasing after what Christ wants for us, we help our fellow brothers and sisters.

Anyone can say that they believe in God. Even the demons believe.

Can I Trust?

I wonder what it would have been like to see Jesus face to face. Way back in those days. What kind of person would I have been? Would I have been selected as the few, as a disciple? Would I have been at the wedding where wine came from water? Or, would I have been one of the many that received a free fish filet sandwich?

What would I have done if I seen Lazarus, risen from the dead? Would I have completely stopped whatever it is I was doing and anoint Jesus’ feet like Mary? Or, would I have been one of the many that heard him talking about eating flesh and drinking blood and been like “Eh…maybe next time Jesus,”? I am completely amazed at whenever I read a scripture and these people just couldn’t trust Jesus, AFTER he performed crazy mind bending miracles.

But, then again…I can’t trust Jesus after seeing crazy mind bending miracles.

I’ve seen friends healed from sickness. Myself, provided with a well paying job within a month of moving 19 hours away from home. And on top of it all… my wife’s car. To understand, she had a 95′ Honda, Nelly Bell, that was near the end of its time. That car was ratchet. Back in January 2012 they told her that the car had 1 month left on it. Everyday, my wife prayed. Everyday, her family prayed. Everyday I prayed (we were engaged at the time and living 1200+ miles away from each other). Only by God’s power did that car last all the way to December of that same year.

*sidenote* We got her a new car in December and when I dropped off Nelly Bell at the dealership I’m pretty sure it spurted and died when I got out of it. Crazy right?

While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light. These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. (NASB)

john 12: 36-37. Can I trust? We live in such a dark world, but it’s been dark since the original sin, this isn’t anything new. Believe in the light, while we still have it. Light is good. I use the light from the screen of my cellphone before bed so I don’t stub my toe. Light is good. Light helps me guide my family and keep us safe while driving at night. Light is good.

This light? Light of Christ…even better.