James 2:19-24 — Knowing God ISN'T Faith???

READ THIS: James 2:19-24

19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.  20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?
 
James makes a pretty big argument here: knowing who God is and having faith are very different things. Knowing God is SUPER important, but there are plenty of examples of people and things that know who God is, but don't live for Jesus (like demons... not great guys). So what does faith look like if it isn't simply knowing who God is?

Let's talk about Abraham, because he is a perfect example of faith in God plus love in action (remember yesterday's devo?). Abraham had faith in God and His promises, but his faith was also put to the test. In Genesis 22, God asks Abraham to take his son Isaac, the one he waited his whole life for, and sacrifice him. Abraham trusts God and follows exactly what God tells him to do, but just before he sacrifices Isaac, God spares him. Abraham showed that he didn't just believe in God, he put God above everything else in His life. Faith isn't just knowing who Jesus is... it is putting Him above everything else in your life and living it out!


THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Is there someone or something in your life that you sometimes put above God? What would it look like for you to make sure Jesus comes first instead?
 
2. While faith may be more of an action than we think, it is still super important to know who God is, too! What is one thing that you KNOW to be true about God, and how does that help you believe in Him?

 
TRY THIS:
 
Faith, like love, is an ACTION... think of one way to display your faith to Jesus today. You could spend some time worshiping God, praying to Him, reading His Word, or talking to someone about Him!





Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 26, 2023 at 6:02 AM

    I KNOW God is with me, even though I don’t deserve it. He’s there pulling me to the TRUTH of who He is. My job is to tell others about His love.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJanuary 26, 2023 at 6:24 AM

      I had a similar thought!! I was thinking about how I know God is here and that helps me believe He will do something amazing!

      Delete

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