James 2:18-20
What a Fool Believes
The structure of the passage is built around four pictures
A hungry person 15-17
Demons believing and shuddering 18-20
Abraham 21-24
Rahab 25-26
Notice two are negative – what faith is not and two are positive – what true faith is.
And each picture ends with a powerful punch line (17, 20, 24, 26).
A few definitions and quotations that may help –
Reformed theology describes 3 essential elements of saving faith –
Notitia, Assensus, Fiducia
“Faith is personal confidence of God’s goodness toward me in Jesus Christ. This is revealed to my mind and sealed to my heart by the Holy Spirit of God.”
“Faith is not mere knowledge of the stories about Jesus but a true and saving faith is the gift of God through which we lay hold of Jesus Christ as Savior and rest ourselves in that righteousness of Christ which always prevails before God.”