Even the demons believe. . . .

On my way home yesterday, I listened to part of a radio sermon. The pastor asked his listeners to imagine Satan being interviewed by a Christian church board. He was asked if he believed in God. As the Bible says: “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19) so Satan said, “Of course.”

He also gave the right answers to other questions, even that he would attend and serve in the church, but one question he refused to say yes to: “Will you yield to the lordship of Jesus Christ?” His ‘faith’ was not genuine. It was based on true concepts but without a change of heart toward who would be the boss in his life.

Today’s devotional lists the elements of true faith. I’m not certain how Satan would answer the questions suggested here, but my answers are vital for they determine the reality of what I believe.

True faith produces a heart truly before God that hates sin. When the Spirit of God changed my heart, my attitude toward sin changed. Yes, sometimes a temptation appeals to my old nature, but since faith came in, I often cry out ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’ In at attitude of  repentance. Christ in my heart changes my heart concerning sin.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. (Psalm 51:1–4)

True faith causes the heart to bow willingly to Christ’s Lordship in all things. While doing things that God says does not make anyone a Christian, Jesus did say, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) The entire book of James makes it clear that faith changes us to be obedient to the voice of the Lord.

Truth faith looks to Christ alone for all things. Faith not only strips away my attempts to a ‘do it yourself’ religion, but also teaches me to trust Christ for all things. I trust Him to save me but also to help me get through all challenges in life, to supply needs, to give me wisdom and discernment. When I neglect to do this, I’ve fallen into a walk in the flesh and things do not go well at that point. Lack of trust is incompatible with the abundant life of faith.

True faith will persevere and continue to believe regardless of circumstances. Faith even goes beyond perseverance to the rare condition of rejoicing in trials. In fact, trials help me become more steadfast:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

True faith produces a heart of sincere love for the people of God. False faith strives to produce love and pretends to love. But love is natural to true faith. Love for the brethren flows as naturally from the believing heart as water flows from a spring. If I struggle to care for others, then I know that I’m not trusting God in some way and need to repent. Real faith wants to be like Jesus, and Jesus died for sinners — totally the opposite of any lack of care.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. (1 John 5:1)

PRAY: Any time I falter in the qualities of true faith, it suggests I’ve been listening to the liar — and that is repulsive. Jesus, keep my heart alert to Your voice and grant me discernment to always recognized when I’ve strayed away from true faith to some facsimile that not only leads me into sin but dishonors You. I’m so thankful for Your saving grace and power!

Masks that hide true identity . . .

Numbers 35; Psalm 79; Isaiah 27; 1 John 5

When I was a child, one of our neighbors was walking a street of a nearby city and someone stopped him and offered to buy him new shoes. What that generous person did not know is that man he stopped was a millionaire. We chuckle at the story yet wonder why anyone would hide his true wealth and dress like a homeless person.

The same question could be asked about Christians, about me. God has given me new life in Christ. I am adopted into His family, a child of God and a friend of the King of kings. However, my behavior and outward appearance do not always match my true nature.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. (1 John 5:1)

My commentary explains that an unsaved person can display his true nature through sin but a child of God cannot. If I sin, I am concealing who I really am rather than manifesting who I am. Obeying God is a product of new birth and if I am living righteously, others can be certain that I am God’s child (1 John 2:29), but only because Jesus lives in me.

John describes many times that Christians are to love one another and pray for one another, especially if we see a brother or sister in Christ struggling with sin. Sometimes we are not sure who is a Christian if their behavior is masking their identity. However, again John says:

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. (1 John 5:1)

For that reason, we are to love one another. This love is not to be only for believers who exhibit an admirable life. It is to be like the love of God who loves us not because we are lovable, but because His nature is to love. As His child, it is also my nature to love and lack of love hides my true nature. If I love my Father, I also ought to love His children, not because of sentiment or verbal expression but because this love for God is inseparable from obeying His commands.

John makes it clear that obedience is the core of loving God and other Christians, even those who are masking their true nature with sin. He also makes it clear that this is impossible in our old nature’s sinful flesh. If I am not filled with the Spirit of God, I am thinking only of things that benefit and glorify me. The secret of a victorious, obedient life is mine only as I believe and live according to what God says is true.

I have overcome the world (see 1 John 4:4). This is made possible by faith in Christ. He has put His truth into my heart, His very self! Thus faith in Christ not only gives me new life but victory over the world’s system which is satanically blinded to the gospel, even to the point that anyone who disbelieves God is making Him out to be a liar. There is no middle ground; I either believe or I do not. The Bible is clear that those who have Christ have life and those who do not have Christ do not have life. To say otherwise is to call God a liar.

Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:10–12)

APPLY: My prayer is like the psalmist, only made present tense by the power and presence of Jesus Christ. “Help me today, O God of my salvation, for the glory of Your name. You have atoned me from my sin so deliver me from masking who I am in You. Keep my life pure and obedient in loving You and others — for your name’s sake!” (Psalm 79:9, personalized)

An amazing gift . . .

This past Christmas brought a surprise. I’ve learned much about computers and use one every day. However, I am the target of my children’s teasing for hanging on to my old flip phone. They also give me a bad time for hardly ever having it turned on. Maybe my husband took pity on me, but for whatever reason, he gave me a smart phone.

I must admit that my first thought was I don’t want a smart phone, but I received it with a smile and learned the basics (it is still smarter than I am). I even leave it on all day.

Like that phone, taking a gift into our possession is vital toward making that gift ours. If I refused to receive it and leave it with the giver, it would not be mine.

(Jesus) came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:11–13)

In today’s devotional, Tozer expresses concern for religious activity that causes us to think that people are turning to God. He says, as does the above passage, that this activity is not an indication of genuine spirituality. I agree, for I know several people who talk the talk and are actively involved in a church, but they have no personal relationship with Christ. They have never received Him and do not have that life that He gives by grace through faith.

John also wrote other criteria for being a genuine Christian. Besides believing in Him, he includes the need for having new life: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.” (1 John 5:1)

Receiving Jesus is equivalent to receiving new life. It is His life, given freely to all who will accept it. This is also equivalent to being born again. One of my ‘religious’ friends equates this new life with eternal life in heaven. In other words, new life will be a gift from God after she dies. However, Jesus said otherwise:

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) and “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5) The Bible affirms that the kingdom of God begins here. While it is complete in eternity, only those who have it now can enjoy it then!

That is, new life, redeemed life, eternal life, come at the beginning of faith when Jesus is received. He is that life. Unless we have it, we cannot perceive God’s kingdom nor enter it. Tozer says, “A sanctified life is a life conformed to the Scriptures in every particular. It commences with our hearts; it next reaches to our ears, and then it is accomplished in our feet.”

The idea of receiving a gift is simple: it is presented with outstretched arms and humbly taken with gratitude. Why then the idea that it needs to be earned, deserved, or left untouched? No one can earn it or deserve it, and unless we reach out and take it, it cannot be ours.

^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I change the pronouns to make this personal. I have received You and life. What an amazing gift. Yet You offer to me opportunities every day to rely on the gift of Your grace and power. Humility and receptivity are just as important for those daily tasks and challenges as they were that day when I first received You. Your Word tells me that in the same way, I need to continually receive what You offer and walk with You in that newness of life.

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6–7)