James was Jesus' brother and likely didn't become a believer until after the resurrection. He wasn't one of the disciples who'd followed Jesus for 3 years and he hadn't had the benefit of Jesus' words like the apostles. After he was saved, he quickly rose to become the leader of the Jerusalem church. The book of James was written to saved Jews, not gentiles, and it states that in the 1st sentence. It seems to contradict other passages of the Bible but it was written to those under the fulfilled law. The gentiles have never been under the law at all, fulfilled or not. It's one of the earlier books written and it's generally believed that the church was still mostly Jews at the time. He said that faith without works is dead. That's often misused to say that works are necessary for salvation. However, James was writing to those already saved. He wasn't telling them how to be saved but rather how to live with the salvation they already had. That distinction is very important.
Didn't he also say in that context that even the devils believe?
Yeah, here it is: "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
The implication is that faith alone won't save a devil, so neither will it save you. One must also be bound to Christ, and aligned with him, in his acts and intentions.
There you go. Satan has belief and faith in Jesus. But has not repented. And apparently will not or cannot.
God's purpose in allowing him to continue I do not understand. But Satan definitely would know exactly who Jesus is and who sent him.
It is a complicated business.
A Methodist preacher from our Parish (county) seat wrote a newspaper article saying it was his belief that Satan was no more than the evil nature that exists in every human and not a real entity. And that God allowed that evil nature to exist to test the human race. As in to test who could overcome the evil when presented with the choice.
Patriotism (and religion) is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Jesus: "Take heed that no man deceive you." Hebrew Roots Judaizer
