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James 2:19--"THE DEVIL ALSO BELIEVES--"

There are many who believe,that when asked "Do you believe that there is a God"?,and they reply yes to that question. That this is all that is required to "make one a believer",and that such a reply,should satisfy both God and man.

But now,let us examine the following scriptural comment regarding such replies:

James 2:19 "THOU BELIEVEST THAT THERE IS ONE GOD? THOU DOEST WELL. THE DEVIL ALSO BELIEVES,AND TREMBLES".

In other words,just because one (believes about) the biblical existence of God,does not necessarily mean,that one also (accepts) that biblical God as their Personal Saviour.

Satan (believes about) God. Not only that there is "A GOD", but that there is "ONLY ONE GOD". Yet Satan's "head assent" to this scriptural fact,is only given as an admission of The Bible's historical accuracy concerning its "ONE GOD".

After all,Satan knows full well Who created him,and why he has been in active opposition to that "ONE GOD",ever since he chose to actively oppose Him.

But let there be no doubt about it. Satan's "mouth assent" to God's eternal existence,does not "save" Satan. Nor does it,in and of itself,"save" those who would affirm likewise. Whether one does,or does not,make such a verbal statement regarding God's existence,if left to stand alone,has nothing to do with the scriptural requirement to obtain God's eternal salvation. Or as it states in 2 Tim 2:13 "IF WE (BELIEVE),OR (BELIEVE NOT),YET HE ABIDETH FAITHFUL. HE CANNOT DENY HIMSELF".

So,it really doesn't matter,whether we "BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ONE GOD",or not. "HE CANNOT DENY HIMSELF". What really matters,is what we decide to "do about" this "ONE GOD". Or better yet. What The Word of God plainly states we should "do about" this (undeniable) "ONE GOD".

While it is true,that one must acknowledge that "GOD IS",in order to fulfill that required of "the saved". One must also add the following to it:

Rom 10:9,10 "THAT IF THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS,(as the "IMMANUEL,GOD WITH US",of Matt 1:21-23). (AND),SHALT BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD. THOU SHALT BE SAVED.

FOR WITH THE HEART,MAN BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS,(AND) WITH THE MOUTH,CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION".

There it is. One must not only believe that "GOD IS",but must also be willingto "confess Him",as their Creator God,and Personal Saviour.

Satan,could not,and did not deny the first. But Satan irreversably chose to deny Him--as the latter.

There are countless persons,who believe that all one needs to be "saved",is to believe the following:

(1) That The Bible is the verbally inspired,inerrant,word of God.
(2) "THAT ALL HAVE SINNED,AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD".
(3) "THAT THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH,BUT THAT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE,THROUGH CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD".
(4) "THAT THE BLOOD OF CHRIST JESUS,CLEANSETH ONE FROM ALL SIN".
(5) "THAT BY GRACE WE ARE SAVED,THROUGH FAITH. AND THAT NOT OF OURSELVES. THAT IT IS A GIFT OF GOD. NOT OF WORKS. LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST".
(6) "THAT A MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH,WITHOUT THE DEEDS OF THE LAW".
(7) "IF CHRIST BE NOT RISEN,THEN IS OUR PREACHING VAIN,AND OUR FAITH IS VAIN".
(8) "THAT HE MUST (millenially) REIGN,TILL HE HATH PUT ALL ENEMIES UNDER HIS FEET"
(9) "WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP. BUT WE SHALL BE CHANGED. IN A MOMENT. IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE,AT THE LAST TRUMP. FOR THE TRUMPET SHALL SOUND,AND THE DEAD SHALL BE RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE,AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED. FOR THIS CORRUPTIBLE MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION,AND THIS MORTAL,MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY"
(10) "THAT THE LAST ENEMY THAT SHALL BE DESTROYED,IS DEATH".
(11) "AND THE DEVIL THAT DECEIVED THE WORLD SHALL BE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE"
(12) "AND WHOSOEVER WAS NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE WILL BE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE".
(13 "AND THERE WILL BE A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH. FOR THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH WILL PASS AWAY".
(14) "AND GOD SHALL WIPE AWAY ALL TEARS FROM OUR EYES. AND THERE SHALL BE NO MORE (Satan caused) DEATH; NEITHER SORROW,NOR CRYING. NEITHER SHALL THERE BE ANY MORE PAIN. FOR THE FORMER THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY".

The strange thing about all of the foregoing scriptural facts? Satan "believes" every one of them,plus every other scriptural fact contained in Holy Writ. This alone,saves no one.

Satan "believes about them". Its just that long,long ago,Satan chose never to "believe in them". Nor will he ever do so.

There are countless millions,who like Satan,"CONFESS CHRIST JESUS WITH THEIR MOUTH",i.e. admit to all the scriptural facts concerning Him; "BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM HIM". They also admit "THERE IS ONE GOD". But there they let the matter lie. The answer to this may be found in the following verses:

Heb 4:1,2 "LET US THEREFORE FEAR,LEST A PROMISE BEING LEFT US OF ENTERING INTO HIS REST,ANY OF YOU SHOULD SEEM TO COME SHORT OF IT. FOR UNTO US WAS THE GOSPEL PREACHED,AS WELL AS UNTO THEM,BUT THE WORD PREACHED DID NOT PROFIT THEM; NOT BEING MIXED WITH FAITH IN THEM THAT HEARD IT".

Yes,one may receive "THE FULL ENLIGHTENMENT",of that which can lead one to a saving belief in Christ Jesus--but still choose "TO COME SHORT OF IT",by choosing to finally reject "the saving faith",needed to receive it. See Heb 6:4-6,where "knowledgeable belief about",does not necessarily lead to "saving faith in" the biblical Saviour of mankind.

In Luke 4:34 the demon spirits cried out to Jesus,saying: "LET US ALONE. WE KNOW THEE,WHO THOU ART,THE HOLY ONE OF GOD". And in verse 41 it states: "AND DEVILS ALSO CAME OUT OF MANY,CRYING OUT,SAYING: THOU ART CHRIST,THE SON OF GOD. AND HE,REBUKING THEM,SUFFERED NOT TO SPEAK. FOR THEY KNEW,(and thus believed) THAT HE WAS CHRIST".

It was those of the human race,who,at Calvary said to Christ Jesus,in Matt 27:40 "(IF) THOU BE THE SON OF GOD,COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS".

The Jewish High Priest Himself said in Mark 14:61 "ART THOU THE CHRIST,THE SON OF THE BLESSED"? The devils,had no such "unbelief",in the full Diety of Christ Jesus. Yet for them to openly state such "a belief",was never made as a statement of loving veneration,but simply a statement of historical fact. In Matt 7:21-23,Christ Jesus accurately describes those who "profess Him",but do not "possess Him",as follows: "NOT EVERY ONE THAT SAITH UNTO ME,LORD,LORD SHALL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. BUT HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. (MANY) WILL SAY TO ME IN THAT DAY: LORD,LORD,HAVE WE NOT PROPHESIED IN THY NAME? AND IN THY NAME HAVE CAST OUT DEVILS? AND IN THY NAME DONE MANY WONDERFUL WORKS? AND THEN WILL I PROFESS UNTO THEM: DEPART FROM ME,YE THAT WORK INIQUITY. I NEVER KNEW YOU,(nor you,Me).

Wellington

Harry's Web Site: http://www.cybertrails.com/rdivbible/

Harry's Rightly Divided Bible: The Rightly Divided Bible

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Yours, In Christ's One Body

bibled@cybertrails.com

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Harry T Wellington
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