The other day in responding and defending the truth about saving faith I had said, "It is not that anyone is saying that demons are saved it is that when a lordshiper says mentions the demons to those who say that we are saved by belief alone without works they (the lorshiper) insist that demons believe and are not saved. But question, is belief in monotheism even salvific? No. Even muslims believe that their deity is monotheistic. What is saving faith? Saving faith is belief in the gospel of Christ and this is what the demons do not believe, and they certian cannot believe it because Christ did not die for them."
In response to this someone had replied and said this:
Actually, this misses what the "God is one" phrase is -- a reference to the shema. As Jews, one of the central statements of orthodoxy (then and today) is that "God is one" and so it's a way for James to say "you're orthodox", and as such is much more than a simple affirmation of monotheism.
Secondly, a bare affirmation of monotheism makes no sense because of whom James is comparing to the demons -- professing Christians. If these people in the churches to whom James was writing were only making an affirmation of monotheism and nothing else, then James wouldn't be saying "you do well", he'd be saying "repent and believe in Jesus". It only makes sense if these people were saying "we're completely orthodox in the beliefs we affirm, but we do not need to have works accompanying that faith". There's a parallel being made between the "faith" of the work-less Christians and the state of the demons, which is destroyed by the notion that James is simply referring to monotheism, because James would recognize that bare monotheism alone doesn't save, only a true saving faith in Jesus saves. Instead, James' point is that true faith is accompanied by works, something that sets it apart from whatever level of apprehension of truth the demons have (whatever that level of apprehension may be)."
I would like to respond to this here since I cannot actually respond to it directly.
First, "Actually, this misses what the "God is one" phrase is -- a reference to the shema. As Jews, one of the central statements of orthodoxy (then and today) is that "God is one" and so it's a way for James to say "you're orthodox", and as such is much more than a simple affirmation of monotheism."
How does this miss the point? Of course God is one is in reference to the shema. I do not think I said it was not. The shema is one if not the central statements of their orthodoxy. However, the Jews do not believe that God is one is essence and three in person. And since James is perhaps writing to a predominately Jewish Believing people. Like the Jews these people probably believed in other things and likewise with the demons (certainly they believed in wrong things). But let us take James at his word and not read into the text what James could have written merely believing that God is one does not save anyone.
Second, "a bare affirmation of monotheism makes no sense because of whom James is comparing to the demons -- professing Christians. If these people in the churches to whom James was writing were only making an affirmation of monotheism and nothing else, then James wouldn't be saying "you do well", he'd be saying "repent and believe in Jesus". It only makes sense if these people were saying "we're completely orthodox in the beliefs we affirm, but we do not need to have works accompanying that faith". There's a parallel being made between the "faith" of the work-less Christians and the state of the demons, which is destroyed by the notion that James is simply referring to monotheism, because James would recognize that bare monotheism alone doesn't save, only a true saving faith in Jesus saves. Instead, James' point is that true faith is accompanied by works, something that sets it apart from whatever level of apprehension of truth the demons have (whatever that level of apprehension may be)."
First of all I need to ask a question to this person. What else is there to do besides believing in the Gospel that will save someone? Obviously this writer has taken up issue with the corpus of the Bible which says believe (nothing else is added here) on the (Propositional truths) Jesus and you will be saved.
Second just to be clear James is writing to Christians. And he is writing on the subject of Christian living. However, that said none of what you have written has any baring on whether James should have written on Monotheism or not. James is writing against someone who professes to believe.
Third you also need to understand the objectors ideas in verses 18-19 "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
The objector says that James has faith and the objector has works. Then ask James to show the objector his (James) faith without works, and the objector will show James his faith by works. The objector says that James believes that there is one God (This is not a gospel proposition) even the devils believe this and mock.
The point is that James is not denying that faith is intellectual and assent. Merely professing belief does not save. However, by faith does one do good works.
apprehension of truth does not save however assenting to the truth does.
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