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called sermon on the mount quoted above. Neither Christ nor James were speaking to idol worshippers. James was speaking to those who professed the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ (James 2:1). James also addresses his hearers as “my brethren” in chapter 1 verse 2. Maybe some were not genuine. Christ’s address on the mount was to his disciples and no doubt many had accepted John’s baptism and / or had accepted Christ’s word to repent and believe in the glad tidings (Mark 1:15). Christ does not call on the people to repent and believe when on the mount; rather he teaches (Matthew 5:1/2; 7:28/29). What he taught was really what we get in summary form in Titus 2:12 “live soberly, and justly, and piously in the present course of things”.

What we need to see is that Scripture nowhere gives us the idea that when we have believed in Christ we should sit back and simply wait for the coming of the Lord. The apostles were to make disciples and then teach them; not leave them. They were to teach them to observe all things whatsoever things Christ had enjoined them (Matthew 28:19/20)

Going back to James chapter 2 it is worthwhile noting that “faith without works is dead” in verse 20 could be read “fruitless and inoperative” instead of dead. In any case the thought is the same. What James wants is fruit for God. Fruit is mentioned four times in the epistle. It is what God was seeking as we learn from the parable of the husbandmen (Luke 20:9-16) and many other passages.

James speaks strongly to those who simply believe that God is one. This is good so far, but as he points out: “The demons even believe, and tremble” (verses 19/20) The statement that the demons tremble is perhaps a reference to Job 26:5 where it is said: “The shades tremble beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof”. True faith is believing a person and not simply believing a proposition, such as God is one. “Abraham believed God” (verse 23). (The word daimonion used by James can mean daimon, demon or shade, according to Young’s concordance, which would justify making a connection between the passage in James and that in Job, though one wouldn’t be dogmatic)

December 2004