You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! James 2:19
I’ve often heard it said, by television evangelist, people in the church and even people who don’t know much about the Lord, that if you believe that Jesus is the son of God and that God raised him from the dead you are saved.
Early on in my walk with the Lord, I had a hard time reconciling that and the fact that Satan and his demons believe that Jesus is the Christ – the risen Savior. And, we find proof of it in verses like Mark 1:23-24 “And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” and Matthew 8:28-29 “And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
Not only do Satan’s minion refer to Jesus as the Holy One of God and the Son of God, but they recognize that there is a set time when they will suffer eternal torment, at His hand (Matthew 8:29 “Have you come here to torment us before the time?”).
So, based on the analogy that “if you believe that Jesus is the son of God and that God raised him from the dead you are saved” and Satan and His minion (demons) believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ, then why would they be destined for eternal damnation and we who believed the same, were not? That was a struggle for me to understand. And, it caused me to wonder about my own salvation.
Then I realized that this analogy is based in verses like Romans 10:9 “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. But we really need to go a verse further. Romans 10:10 “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
When we examine Romans 10:9-10 we find that it says if we believe….in our heart. We see through out scripture the importance of the heart in our faith (For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21), (And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30.).
Satan and His minion know in their minds who Jesus is and what He is about. The scripture says that they believe and tremble. But, their hearts are wicked and they do not love the Lord at all, let alone with all their hearts. Their knowledge of Him is simply who He is and what His purpose is, and they hate Him.
In John 14:23, “Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” we see the importance of the love of Jesus, for our salvation. Satan and his minion hardly love Jesus nor do they keep His commands.
On the surface this may not seem like very important information and it probably isn’t a new revelation. Yeah, we all knew that Satan was destined for Hell.
But, did we understand that it was a head knowledge and not a heart knowledge by which Satan and his demons knew Jesus?
Did we realize that if we speak to those we love and care for, about the Gospel, and we leave out the heart aspect, that they will believe the way that Satan and his minions do and they too will be destined for Hell?
We have to preach the Gospel from a heart aspect and not just introduce them to who our Savior is, so they come away believing what Satan believes and lacking a relationship with Jesus.
1 Peter 3:15 says “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect”. If we are going to be obedient to God and share our Savior with those we love and those around us, we need to be prepared. We need to be in the word. We need to know what the Gospel says.
The Gospel is about the heart, not simply believing what Satan believes (You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13).
I pray that today we would search the scriptures for God’s voice. I pray that we would familiarize ourselves with His word and hide it in our hearts, the way that He has asked to. I pray that sharing the Gospel and the Gospel itself would become as much a part of us as our hands are a part of us.
The world (those we love, friends, neighbors, co-workers) needs a heart knowledge of Jesus, to be rescued from eternal damnation. Are you going to share it with them or step aside as they pass by on their way to Hell, believing what Satan believes?
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, but desire a relationship with Him and to know Him personally, I pray that you would go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/) and pray the prayer that is outlined there. God loves you and longs to forgive you and call you son/daughter. Please pray that prayer and once you, do reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com and let me know so that I can be in prayer for you.
Luv ya!
