Even the Demons Believe

Probably one of the most misinterpreted verses in the bible is in James where it is said that faith without works is dead. This has led many to think that it is good deeds that get you to heaven; but the bible is clear that the only way to heaven is through Jesus, which requires faith alone, a belief and acknowledgement that He came to earth as the Son of God and died on the cross for our sins. In our church, we call it “the blood plus nothin.’” But James goes on to tell us that belief is good, but even the demons believe.

Demons, fallen angels who follow and serve Satan, believe in God’s deity, they call Him by name, they shudder at the truth of who He is and they live in fear of their impending eternal doom. The book of Luke tells of a demon-possessed man who fell at the feet of Jesus. Jesus ordered the demons to come out of the man and they begged for Jesus not send them to the abyss, their eternal doom, but instead send them into a herd of pigs nearby. He did as the demons asked and once the demons had entered the pigs, the herd went and jumped off the cliff, into the lake and drowned.

So, what separates us from the demons, who also believe in Jesus? Our works…our good deeds. Our belief must include good deeds, which the demons are incapable of doing. Faith directs our works, giving them purpose to fulfill the will of God. There’s a saying, “talk is cheap.” Without action to back it up, saying you “believe in God,” isn’t saying much, when even the demons believe.