Until two days ago, the only people thinking about being a “believer” were people sitting in church pews; but when Davy Jones, one of “The Monkeys”, died, the words and tune started resonating in the mind of all senior citizens who were alive in the mid-sixties. It was later revealed that they often were not really playing the instruments on the TV show. They may have been believers, but were they real musicians, or created manipulated caricatures?
That brings me to my point today. Last Sunday, three days before anyone was thinking about the song, "I’m a Believer", our pastor asked the congregation if we were just believers. At first thought, that was a little startling. I thought that’s what we are supposed to be! Believers. Then he reminded us of what the apostle, James, said:
“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
That is not the company that I want to be in. Being “just a believer”, does not seem quite so impressive or satisfying after hearing that.
What separates the Christian believer from the demon believer? James answers that question in the next verse:
“faith without works is dead”
Demons have “dead faith”, a faith that leads to death.
The Message paraphrase of those verses helps to understand the point and drive it home.
“19Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them?
20Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?”
In America today, to be a believer is easy; in fact, it is popular. The majority of the people believe in “god”; but’ do they believe in “GOD”? If you are not an atheist, then you are a “believer”. The majority of voters in the last presidential election, using mental gymnastics, voted against “GOD”, willing to sacrifice the thousands of innocent unborn babies, while at the same time, willing to tolerate homosexuality, no encourage homosexuality to be taught in our schools. All for the HOPE of a more prosperous tomorrow where trust in government has replaced “faith in GOD”.
After all, there is separation of church and state! NOT! That is what the paraphrase in The Message is saying:
“Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?”
Jesus warned in Matthew 7:
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” KJV
”I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ 23And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.” The Message
Are you a believer or a BELIEVER? Are you “just a believer”?
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