The Source: A.W. Tozer

A. W. Tozer was Aiden Wilson Tozer (1897–1963), an American Christian pastor, preacher, author, and devotional writer. He served for many years in the Christian and Missionary Alliance and became especially known for emphasizing the holiness of God, genuine conversion, prayer, worship, and a deep personal walk with God.

James 2:19 exposes a solemn distinction between knowing truth about God and possessing saving faith in God.

The statement attributed to A. W. Tozer—“The devil is a better theologian than any of us and is a devil still” captures the warning of the verse well, though the Scripture itself remains the authority. A person may possess an impressive amount of correct doctrine and yet remain spiritually lost.

The Devils Possess Correct Theology

James does not say that the devils are atheists. Quite the opposite: they know that God exists.

They recognized Christ during His earthly ministry:

“I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” Mark 1:24

Again:

“And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God.” Luke 4:41

They understood truths that many men refused to acknowledge. They knew who Jesus was. They knew His authority. They knew judgment was coming.

In Matthew 8:29 they cried:

“What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?”

Notice how much doctrine is contained in that confession.

They understood:

• Jesus is the Son of God.
• He possesses authority over them.
• Future judgment and torment are certain.
• There is an appointed time for that judgment.

Yet none of this knowledge saved them.

Mere Intellectual Belief Is NOT Saving Faith

James says:

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well.”

Orthodoxy is good. Believing the truth about God is necessary. James is not ridiculing correct doctrine.

But correct doctrine by itself is insufficient.

The devils themselves have correct beliefs concerning God, yet they remain devils.

This is the point James is making in the surrounding passage:

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” James 2:17

And:

“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:20

James is describing a profession of faith that produces no evidence of spiritual life. Such “faith” consists merely of acknowledgment.

A man may say:

• “I believe God exists.”
• “I believe Jesus is the Son of God.”
• “I believe the Bible is true.”
• “I believe there is a heaven and hell.”
• Yet the devils believe comparable truths.

The question is not merely, What facts do you believe? The deeper question is whether the heart has truly trusted Christ.

The Devils Believe & Tremble

The last words are particularly striking:

“the devils also believe, and tremble.”

• Their knowledge produces fear because they know the God against whom they rebel.
• They know His power.
• They know His holiness.
• They know His judgment.
• They know their sentence is certain.

Revelation 20:10 declares their ultimate end:

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

Thus demons possess both knowledge and fear, but neither amounts to repentance or saving faith.

A person therefore should never confuse religious fear, theological knowledge, or doctrinal agreement with regeneration.

Saving Faith Involves Receiving Christ

The Gospel does not merely command a sinner to recognize theological propositions. It calls the sinner to Christ.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31

John states:

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” John 1:12

And Paul writes:

“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:10

There is therefore an enormous difference between saying, “I believe that Jesus exists.” and truly trusting:

• “I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• The devils believe about Christ.
• The saved sinner believes on Christ.

Knowledge Can Exist Without Obedience

This is where the Tozer quotation is especially piercing.

Satan is not ignorant of Scripture.

During the temptation of Christ, the devil himself quoted Scripture:

“And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone” Matthew 4:6

Yet knowing Scripture did not make Satan righteous.

Likewise, a man may know doctrine, memorize verses, discuss prophecy, defend creation, understand dispensations, debate theology, and accurately explain biblical terminology—and still not know Christ savingly.

Jesus warned:

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 7:21

And some will even say:

“Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?” Matthew 7:22

Yet Christ replies:

“I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23

That is one of Scripture's most terrifying warnings against confusing religious activity with salvation.

True Faith Produces Fruit

James is not teaching that works purchase salvation. Scripture plainly declares:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8–9

But the very next verse says:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” Ephesians 2:10

Works are therefore not the root of salvation; they are its fruit.

James' point is that living faith does not remain barren.

As James concludes:

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:26

Abraham's works demonstrated the reality of his faith. Rahab's actions demonstrated the reality of hers. Their works did not create their faith; they revealed that their faith was alive.

The Great Warning of James 2:19

James destroys the idea that salvation consists merely of agreeing with Christian doctrine.

The devils possess:

• belief without love,
• knowledge without submission,
• orthodoxy without obedience,
• fear without repentance,
• and theology without salvation.

That is why James 2:19 is such a searching verse.

A person can know much about God without knowing God.

He can acknowledge Christ without receiving Christ.

He can fear judgment without fleeing to the Saviour.

He can possess an orthodox creed while possessing an unconverted heart.

The decisive issue is not merely whether a man can say, “I believe there is one God.” The devils can say that.

The biblical question is whether he has personally placed his confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ:

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” — John 3:36

Thus the Tozer statement expresses a powerful truth illustrated by James 2:19: theology, however accurate, cannot substitute for regeneration. Knowledge of divine truth must lead the sinner to Christ, or it will only increase his accountability before God.

Also see:

• Once Saved Always Saved
• Ye Must Be Born Again
• Salvation Versus Discipleship