You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.Mere “belief in” doesn’t meet the call. The demons do that much. They know who God is and shake in the realization or the reality of that. It’s more than mere belief. It’s actively believing on God, fully persuaded, fully relying on Him. Trust.
Think of Abram. We are not told how the conversation went. All that we know is that somehow God communicates to him that he is to leave Ur and go somewhere.
“Where?”
“That doesn’t matter, just go.”
“Okay.”
“Next, Go south.”
“Hmmm, okay. Then, what.”
“Don’t worry about it, just go.”
“Okay, but I don’t understand.”
“That’s okay, just go.”
After some time of this kind of leadership, God promises Abraham not only the land but a whole nation proceeding from him. I think I would laugh, too.
“Are you kidding? I’m old. Sarah is old. I’m not even sure I want a child now. I certainly couldn’t keep up with him. We’re going to be parents? We have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.”
“Trust me.”
“AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.
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