I think the most common passage used to try to refute Grace Theology is James 2. Verses in the chapter are constantly quoted to teach that a “true” believer must do good works. We need to look at our lives to see if we are doing them. If not, we are not saved. We didn’t “really” believe if we live in an unholy way. Faith without works is dead. If it is dead, then it never existed.
I will not bore you with a refutation of such teachings. GES has plenty of material showing that such a theology is bankrupt. If James could hear from the grave what many Bible teachers say about James 2, I have no doubt that he would be rolling over, pulling his hair out, and screaming, “What is wrong with you people?!” Anybody interested in understanding why can look up some of the excellent articles and blogs written by Grace writers on this website.
Recently, however, an aspect of James 2—one that I haven’t heard discussed—popped into my head. I’m sure it has been discussed, but I’m not aware of it. It’s a simple point, but one that supports the Biblical understanding of James 2.
In Jas 2:19, James famously writes: “…even the demons believe—and tremble.” I have heard this verse used thousands of times to say that a believer who does not live godly did not really believe. He is like a demon. He claims to believe, but his bad works give him away.
Many have pointed out that James does not say these words. Rather, somebody who disagrees with James—an “objector”—does. But let’s set that aside and take the position of those who say this verse points out that people who claim to believe but do bad works don’t really believe. They are acting like demons.
The obvious problem with this view is that the demons do believe. In the verse, the objector (not James!) says that demons do believe there is one God. They really do believe it. The verse is not saying that demons act the way they do because they do not really believe there is one God.
But that is how this verse is used. If a person claims to believe in Jesus Christ but is sexually immoral, many Bible teachers will say they do not really believe in Jesus Christ. If they really believed, they wouldn’t sleep around. They are acting like demons who sin all the time. After all, even demons believe, but do bad things. Demons are not saved, even though they claim to believe.
But demons don’t only claim to believe. They actually believe!
I know this is a simple point, but it seems to me that Lordship Salvation and Calvinist teachers should quit using Jas 1:19 (and thus James 2:14-26) to support their theology, given what is obvious in this verse. We shouldn’t use demons to argue that if a professed Christian sins and acts like a demon, then he does not really believe. The demons do, in fact, believe.
