James 2 19 devils believe & tremble, so ??

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

PeterAndroz

Well-Known Member
May 15, 2026
1,055
285
83
42
Mt Compass Adelaide
Faith
Christian
Country
Australia
Gender
Male
James 2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

...
Ok, so what are legalists trying to prove with this verse ?
What does it matter to us today what devils believe ?
Are devils saved by believing ? NO
Can devils be saved by anything else ? NO
Are we saved by believing ? YES
Can we be saved by anything else ? NO
Who says believing saves us today ?
1 Cor 15:1-4, Eph 1:13, Eph 4:30 says Christ through Paul.
 

Lambano

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2021
10,432
13,127
113
Island of Misfit Toys
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Ok, so what are legalists trying to prove with this verse ?
A better set of questions would be, "What is James trying to say in chapter 2 verses 14-25? How does verse 19 serve the author's purpose? Why does God consider this important for us to know?"

Should James even be in the Bible? Luther called it an "epistle of straw" and thought it should be removed from the Scripture. The heretic Marcion back in the second century also thought so and did not include it in the first canon. His canon consisted only of a subset of the Pauline letters and redacted versions of the Gospel of Luke plus Acts. Paul and his companion Luke only. The early Church rejected Marcion's limited canon and anathematized Marcion. Was that a mistake?

2e38bba4334fa9c45aa433270ea3fc7d.jpg
 
Last edited:

PeterAndroz

Well-Known Member
May 15, 2026
1,055
285
83
42
Mt Compass Adelaide
Faith
Christian
Country
Australia
Gender
Male
A better set of questions would be, "What is James trying to say in chapter 2 verses 14-25? How does verse 19 serve the author's purpose? Why does God consider this important for us to know?"

Should James even be in the Bible? Luther called it an "epistle of straw" and thought it should be removed from the Scripture. The heretic Marcion back in the second century also thought so and did not include it in the first canon. His canon consisted only of a subset of the Pauline letters and redacted versions of the Gospel of Luke plus Acts. Paul and his companion Luke only. The early Church rejected Marcion's limited canon and anathematized Marcion. Was that a mistake?

2e38bba4334fa9c45aa433270ea3fc7d.jpg
I believe that James is in the Bible we have today because GOD through His holy men chose for it to be there.
...
Paul is my Acts 9:15 Christ selected Rom 11:13 Apostle & Rom 15:16 Minister to teach me salvation
Christ through Paul teaches how we are saved today and not James.
James/the12 agreed to that Gal 2:7-9
 

Lambano

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2021
10,432
13,127
113
Island of Misfit Toys
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Male
I believe that James is in the Bible we have today because GOD through His holy men chose for it to be there.
Good. You do well. So, what is GOD through His holy man James trying to say to you in James 2:14-25? How does verse 19 fit that purpose?
 
Last edited:

ShineTheLight

Well-Known Member
May 7, 2021
658
714
93
39
Beaverton
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Male
James 2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

...
Ok, so what are legalists trying to prove with this verse ?
What does it matter to us today what devils believe ?
Are devils saved by believing ? NO
Can devils be saved by anything else ? NO
Are we saved by believing ? YES
Can we be saved by anything else ? NO
Who says believing saves us today ?
1 Cor 15:1-4, Eph 1:13, Eph 4:30 says Christ through Paul.

What are you trying to prove with all of those questions? Are you going to hold to your position? Are you open to changing your mind if you're wrong about something? Anyone can say they believe in God. A lost person can say they believe in God.

The bible says in 1 John 3:8 that he that commits sin is of the devil. The bible says many times to repent. God told and commanded everyone everywhere to repent. Repentance isn't a one time thing. Judas Iscariot had discipleship with Jesus, but was given over to the devil. Peter had the devil use him. King Solomon was following God, but then he went the opposite direction and followed the devil, until God reconciled him. The bible says to don't give place to the devil or be conformed to the pattern of this world. God gives discipline. He doesn't care how long someone was in it with him. He wants his followers to set a good example to others. If someone is being wicked and stays in their wickedness, he'll have to do something about that person. There's going to be a separation between the real and the fake.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lambano

PeterAndroz

Well-Known Member
May 15, 2026
1,055
285
83
42
Mt Compass Adelaide
Faith
Christian
Country
Australia
Gender
Male
What are you trying to prove with all of those questions? Are you going to hold to your position? Are you open to changing your mind if you're wrong about something? Anyone can say they believe in God. A lost person can say they believe in God.

The bible says in 1 John 3:8 that he that commits sin is of the devil. The bible says many times to repent. God told and commanded everyone everywhere to repent. Repentance isn't a one time thing. Judas Iscariot had discipleship with Jesus, but was given over to the devil. Peter had the devil use him. King Solomon was following God, but then he went the opposite direction and followed the devil, until God reconciled him. The bible says to don't give place to the devil or be conformed to the pattern of this world. God gives discipline. He doesn't care how long someone was in it with him. He wants his followers to set a good example to others. If someone is being wicked and stays in their wickedness, he'll have to do something about that person. There's going to be a separation between the real and the fake.
""What are you trying to prove with all of those questions?""
The 'devils' can't be saved even they they believeKNOW who Christ is yet we can and are WHEN we hear, trust and BELIEVE the gospel, they can't.
I assume you can list the SAVING GOSPEL verses that apply today, please list them :)
 

David Lamb

Well-Known Member
Feb 21, 2025
1,100
763
113
77
Paignton
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
James 2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

...
Ok, so what are legalists trying to prove with this verse ?
What does it matter to us today what devils believe ?
Are devils saved by believing ? NO
Can devils be saved by anything else ? NO
Are we saved by believing ? YES
Can we be saved by anything else ? NO
Who says believing saves us today ?
1 Cor 15:1-4, Eph 1:13, Eph 4:30 says Christ through Paul.
I don't not what legalists might try to prove with this verse. I think the point about the devils believing is that merely believing that there is one God does not save anybody. Ephesians 2 tells us that sinners are saved by grace through faith (or belief):

NKJV Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
 
Last edited:

Taken

Well-Known Member
Feb 6, 2018
30,413
15,934
113
United States
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
James 2 19 devils believe & tremble, so ??

So?

Knowing what IS Right, Righteous, Upstanding, is only half of the equation…

Doing what is Right, Righteous, Upstanding, Completes the equation…
That which IS Gods Desires For men and For men to exercise their FREEWILL And Willingly Choose.

Glory to God,
Taken
 

Lambano

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2021
10,432
13,127
113
Island of Misfit Toys
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Male
What IS James trying to say here? When things broke down, I learned that Faith is much more than "belief". So, I ran that statement through Co-Pilot, and it came up with this:

Faith is not just believing—it is trusting, acting, and living in alignment with God’s promises.

Understanding Faith Beyond Belief​

Faith is often misunderstood as merely believing something to be true. While belief is a necessary component, real faith combines belief, trust, and action. The Bible illustrates that even demons believe in God and tremble, yet they do not have faith because they do not act on that belief (James 2:19) True faith requires a personal choice to rely on God and to live according to His guidance.

Components of Living Faith​

  1. Belief: This is the intellectual acknowledgment that God exists and that His promises are true (Hebrews 11:6) Belief alone, however, is not sufficient; it must be accompanied by trust and action.
  2. Trust: Trust involves committing oneself to God’s character and promises. Unlike mere belief, trust is relational and personal, reflecting confidence in God’s faithfulness (David Elton Trueblood: “Faith is not belief without proof but trust without reservation”)
  3. Action: Faith manifests in deeds. Hebrews 11 repeatedly shows that faith is demonstrated through action—obedience, perseverance, and reliance on God in practical ways For example, Peter’s attempt to walk on water required him to act on his belief in Jesus’ power despite natural doubts (Matthew 14:22-31)

Faith in Daily Life​

Faith is a way of living, not just thinking. It is the “daily breath of the righteous” (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38) Just as boarding a plane requires trust in the pilot and the aircraft beyond mere knowledge of aerodynamics, spiritual faith requires acting on God’s promises, not just acknowledging them intellectually This active trust allows believers to experience God’s guidance, protection, and salvation.

Key Takeaway​

Faith is a dynamic, living reality. It begins with belief, grows through trust, and is expressed through action. Without trust and action, belief remains incomplete. True faith transforms understanding into lived experience, connecting the believer with God’s power and promises in tangible ways

Not bad.