“You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

 - James 2:19 ESV

According to a 2012 Gallup poll, 77% of US citizens identify themselves as Christians. Strictly going by the numbers that’s not so bad. A little over three-fourths of our country believes in Jesus Christ and his teachings. However, this or any poll cannot take into account whether that belief in Christ or their identity as a Christian goes very deep.

There have been many articles and books written in the last year by various leaders of denominations pointing to a problem with the millennial generation leaving their churches. There is a deep concern over this trend, and rightfully so because when a nation forgets God it is doomed to go further and further into sin. This concern over lost members should of course not be about numbers, but about souls, which is what brought me to this verse in James. James puts forward a question about faith that we all need to spend some time considering, do I truly believe there is a God, and that He will do what He has said He will do?

When you ask people from that 77% of US citizens I am sure that 100% of them will tell you, “Yes, I believe there is a God.” How deep does that belief go? Consider the example James used when he wrote his letter: Even the demons believe—and shudder! Satan and the demons believe in God. They know who God is, and they know His power. However, their knowledge of God did not translate into obedience to Him. Satan and the demons know that there is punishment waiting for them, and they still don’t obey. (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6)

That punishment is waiting for each of us as well. God has revealed Himself to us (Romans 1:18-23) and given us everything we need to know to be saved. (1 Timothy 3:16-17) It is dependent on us whether we go on to punishment or to glory. It isn’t enough to just believe that God is, we need to act on that belief. Faith is the cause and obedience is the effect. James’ point is this, doing good works is proof of our faith in God. Our obedience to God’s will and submission to Him is what will prove our faith to be genuine when we stand before the Father on the last day. If we want to influence others with the gospel and save souls then we need to be certain of our own faith.

“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’” (Job 28:28)

In vivid terms Job describes (see Job 28:3) the way of those who mine precious metals. Man will hazard his life in search of precious ore. But, where is man’s success in pursuit of wisdom? He can dig and blast away, but true wisdom is beyond his reach. True wisdom is of incomparable value. Man cannot estimate its worth. Its price is far above gold and rubies. It cannot be discovered by man’s intuition. It is the property of God alone. (Job 28:12) It had to be revealed!

The wisdom from God contains two key elements is the 1) “fear of the Lord” and 2) “abstaining from evil”. True wisdom reminds us that it is man’s obligation to live in the fear of God. Man’s life on earth is fragile and quickly moving toward eternity. We were created for a higher purpose than to pursue the temporary. Solomon said, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

True wisdom protects us from destructive behavior – “to depart from evil is understanding.” Sin will not only destroy the soul eternally, but can disrupt relationships in this life – families, churches, communities, and even your own sense of worth. God’s wisdom points to abundant living, because it is in harmony with our design and purpose.

True wisdom is founded upon a recognition of God’s sovereignty. It gives us a true basis for faith and hope and promises special blessings to those who pursue it. Thankfully, God revealed his mind to us so that that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” (1 Corinthians 1:31)