JAMES DAY 18 - Do Beliefs Matter?

DAY 18
DO BELIEFS MATTER?
James 2:18-19

Do beliefs matter?

“You do you” is a popular way of navigating differences in how we see the world. It means, “You believe what you want and I’ll do the same.” Minimizing the importance of beliefs is an easy way of temporarily diffusing uncomfortable differences. This philosophy implies that beliefs don’t matter enough to get in the way of what really matters.

James might sound like this to some readers. He’s said that “faith without deeds is dead.” He builds on that in today’s passage when he says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (Jam. 2:19).

“There is one God” was the thing every Jew of every denomination and every Christian believed. Demons believe most of what mainstream Christians believe about God, but it brings them no closer to God. It certainly doesn’t help any of us! 

James is not saying, “Beliefs don’t matter.” He’s challenging a narrow understanding of faith. Faith has several shades of meaning. The New Testament authors used the same Greek word (pistis) that we translate into several English words. 

Faith can mean “belief,” believing something is true.

Faith can also mean the truth itself that we believe. We talk about the Christian faith.

Faith can mean “trust,” as in, “I have faith in you to pick me up on time.”

Faith can also mean “faithfulness” or “loyalty.” 1 Peter 5:12 says, “I regard Silas as a faithful brother.”

James challenges the idea that we can believe something that we don’t trust enough to act on. A large percentage of Americans profess belief in God, but that often doesn’t translate into actively following and obeying Jesus. Beliefs absolutely matter because they shape our actions. Our actions reveal what we really believe is true.

James gives us two questions that challenge our faith in a potentially helpful way. First, what beliefs do our present actions reveal about us? Second, what actions should follow after our faith in Jesus Christ?

REFLECT
What beliefs do our present actions reveal about us? What actions should follow after our faith in Jesus Christ?

PRAY
Lord, give me faith enough in you to act. Jesus, I believe you are true, so help me to trust you and to be loyal to you. Make my actions consistent with my beliefs. Amen.