James 2:19 states: “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe — and shudder!” Wait a minute. What is he getting at here? What James is highlighting in this verse is perhaps one of the clearest examples of the dramatic difference of knowing about God versus having a true faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ. They’re not the same, and as Christians, we need to be able to discern why.
Knowledge of God means nothing if it’s incorrect, twisted, or watered-down. Knowledge of God does not make someone a Christian. Satan has knowledge of God. Satan has knowledge of Scripture. Satan is also the original “bad guy” — the one who rebelled against God, gathered his own army of demons, and helped plunge the world into sin. Satan’s enticements are at the heart of all misery, grief, bitterness, and death. In Scripture, it’s remarkably clear that Satan uses any connection he has to God and His word for one purpose: to deceive. He tempted Jesus in the wilderness using distortions of the Bible (Matthew 4:1-11). In the Garden of Eden, he planted doubt in Eve when he asked, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1). The examples don’t end there.
Outside the pages of Scripture, all we have to do is look at the way Satan and his minions work tirelessly in our society. They make every effort to convince unbelievers that they can be their own god. They want people to chase after every vain pleasure and perceived form of autonomy. Likely, the devil is delighted when a transgender activist says that “God loves everyone” to justify mutilating their bodies and denying creation order. Surely, Satan snickers when abortion activists claim Jesus, being loving and kind, would have supported women wanting to murder their babies in the womb — regardless of the fact that the Bible is clear that all are made in the image of God, bearing inherent dignity and value. Just consider some of the most secular, anti-biblical movements in our culture today, and you’ll see how they promote whatever warped perception of God fits their narrative.
Satan doesn’t deny that God exists. The demons don’t shy away from promoting false knowledge of our Lord. And, in many cases, secular society falls right in line behind the great enemy himself in worshiping at the foot of no true god, but an idol that takes the shape of that which pleases the flesh. And yet, we can’t be surprised by any of this, can we? In Romans 1, Paul emphatically writes of the nature of the one who is deaf, blind, and walking about with a heart of stone. The apostle said of the unregenerate: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (v. 18).
He continued: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (v. 19-21).
You caught that, right?
“What can be known of God is plain to them.” The “invisible attributes” of God “have been clearly perceived.” Church, the knowledge of what has been made clear to every person on earth was never meant to be what defined us. Satan, the demons, and the very people who have dedicated their lives to distorting Christianity all use “knowledge” to try and minimize God and magnify man. But Scripture, dear reader, already said what must be the case: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
So, what separates us from the world when it comes to having knowledge of God? Well, put simply, it is faith. Faith is what separates us, and true faith entails knowledge of God, but it is unequivocally inseparable from having trust in God. And when we have a genuine trust in Christ, then we seek to obey His commandments and love Him for who He says He is.
Author Lysa TerKeurst once said: “Seeking God — really seeking — is more than just reading a few verses from the Bible in the morning and trying to be a good person that day. Seeking requires me to sacrifice the things I feel compelled to chase so I can be available to notice God’s clear direction. Whatever we chase, like it or not, gains our full attention.”
What are you chasing? I’m talking to professing people of faith — Christians, believers, followers of the Way. Are you seeking to grow through a better understanding of God’s word, which is the only source that gives you the complete truth of who God really is? Or rather, are you chasing after a god that allows you to do whatever you want to do? Are you okay with subpar knowledge, or do you crave the real deal?
Dear Christian, we can’t allow ourselves to wear the title of “Christ follower” only to wander on whatever path we want. Scripture is abundantly clear: there is only one way to God — one way to heaven — and it is in Jesus Christ. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
If we are going to enter the narrow gate and one day be reunited with our Lord and Savior, face-to-face in eternal paradise, then we must ensure that our earthly lives are first and foremost marked by a genuine faith found only through Christ. We must understand what He did on the cross, why He needed to do it, and how hope can be found in nothing else. If our faith is to be accompanied by a knowledge of God, as it should be, then it must be based solely on the truth found in Scripture. It must be deeply intertwined with a deep love and an unwavering trust in our heavenly Father. Otherwise, who is to say that we have any faith at all?
As we wage this earthly endeavor, may our faith be found undisputable, accompanied by the life-giving knowledge of the one true God. And may we encourage one another to never get tired of running this race of faith as we hold fast to the good, the true, and the beautiful as our God defined it to be.
This article appeared originally here.
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