"BELIEVED GOD!"

James 2:18-26                             (ESV)
"18 But someone will say, "You have FAITH and I have works." Show me your FAITH apart from your works, and I will show you my FAITH by my works.
19 You believe that GOD is one; you do well. Even the demons believe-and shudder!
20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that FAITH apart from works is useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
22 You see that FAITH was active along with his works, and FAITH was completed by his works;
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham "BELIEVED GOD," and it was counted to him as righteousness"-and he was called a friend of GOD.
24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by FAITH ALONE.
25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also FAITH apart from works is dead."



Abraham was a "friend of GOD", not because he was a good Jew, but because he "BELIEVED GOD"!!!  The Spiritual descendants of that FAITH, the ones who had the same Spiritual characteristics, are the true descendants of Abraham.  The Jewish race are the physical descendants of Abraham.  We Believers are a new race, or nation.  1 Peter 2:9 says "But you are a CHOSEN RACE, a royal priesthood, a HOLY NATION, a people for HIS own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of HIM who CALLED YOU out of DARKNESS into HIS marvelous light."

While it is true that the Jewish race was selected to provide an earthly temple for JESUS to become flesh, being a Jew will not get you into Heaven.  The Roman Centurion who was guarding JESUS on the cross saw the effects that HIS death had on creation, he is quoted as saying "Truly this was the SON of GOD"!  It is not enough to just believe, for even the demons believe-and shudder (James 2:19)!  We have to place our demonstrate  FAITH in HIM by our actions and obedience and TRUSTING in HIM for our every need, including our next breath!

Hebrews 11:6 says "And without FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE to please HIM, for whoever would draw near to GOD "MUST" believe that HE exists and that HE rewards those who seek HIM."   We don't have any other choice than BELIEVE that GOD exists and HE has provided a way to fellowship with HIM.  JESUS didn't just come to reveal GOD to us, although HE did that splendidly.  HE came to provide a PERFECT sacrifice required for my wretched soul!

In verse 26 above James writes "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also FAITH apart from works is dead."  Being Spiritually "alive" without displaying evidence of HIS transformation in our lives cannot be done.  Just like our bodies MUST breath oxygen to exhibit life, we must produce Godly evidence of HIM in our lives.  We must show we have "BELIEVED GOD", but doing so should come as as easily as breathing our next breath!  Living a Christian life should not be any more of a problem than breathing our next breath.  So go out today and breathe deeply!!!