James 2:18-19‏

18. "But someone will say [to you then], You [say you] have faith, and I have [good] works. Now you show me your [alleged] faith apart from any [good] works [if you can], and I by [good] works [of obedience] will show you my faith."

From my own walk with the Lord, as well as from many testimonies of Christian colleagues over a number of years, I believe that, arguments such as James reveals here, come up often in our mind. It is the battle between the Spirit Of God and the flesh. This one is a well justified argument, also. Our (still resistant) flesh, (knowing that we have been saved) says, "yes, I have faith"... and the Holy Spirit says, "why are you still standing in the boat?"... or, in James' thought here, "why won't you follow my leading, to take that person in need, under your temporary care?"

James presents the imaginary "someone will say...", not because someone really will. You see, friends, we don't need to be concerned that another Christian believes we are saved, or not... answering to the call and leading of the Holy Spirit is the greater issue. How can you be saved and continually deny the Holy Spirit? We have not been saved to stay our same old unloving selves and move into God's presence like this. For the Holy Spirit requires life changing action. Just believing in God is no different that a demon does. Listen...

19. "You believe that God is one; you do well. So do the demons believe and shudder [in terror and horror such as [a] make a man's hair stand on end and contract the surface of his skin]!"

James is still replying to the imaginary objector of verse 18, and now with a "direct frontal assault" on orthodox faith. Remember also that James is addressing the "twelve tribes" (James 1:1) so he is speaking directly to the well known "Shema" from Deuteronomy.

"Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord [the only Lord]." Deuteronomy 6:4

This verse known as the (Shema) was very significant for Israel's faith, which sets them apart from their polytheistic, idol worshiping neighbors. Both Jews and Christians treasured their monotheistic faith as distinguishing them from polytheistic heathenism. The Jewish Christians, whom James wrote to, used the "Shema" regularly in their worship. James is saying that an intellectual belief is not enough. The irony of this is that the Hebrew verb for "hear" carries with it the idea of heeding or obeying what is heard. The point of course is that faith may be belief that there is a God, but satan has seen God and knows very well He exists... it believes in God, but in no way is it's belief going to spare it from eternal damnation. Well, nor will simple believing God exists save you or I. Trusting in and relying upon God is what saves us... and that means trusting in and relying upon everything He has said about Himself, the work of Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. That, of course means the whole Bible.

So, if I believe I am saved... and James is writing to Christians... why is he saying this to me... to us?

Let's pick up with James verse 2:20 next time.

I love you