Wednesday 9/1/13

James 2:19-20, 23 ESV

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"—and he was called a friend of God.

The demons believe in God, and they believe enough to shudder in fear. Abraham believed in God. He believed enough to go to the land God showed him, and lived there as a foreigner all his life, and even offered Isaac as God commanded, believing all will be well. For both Abraham and the devils, their belief produced some corresponding works.

The Bible praised Abraham not for his works, but for his faith. And God also  counted Abraham as righteous for his belief, not his works. So we are saved by faith, not by works. But we must act out our belief in our decisions and actions, and avoid doing the contradictions.