The word “religion,” as used in the Bible, means the outward practice of our service to God. This particular word is only used five times in the New Testament. In Acts 26:5 and Colossians 2:18, it is translated as worshiping. James brings to our attention that we can seem pious and devout in the practice of our faith, but that does not mean we have truly worshiped God. In this passage, we are told of two kinds of religion, vain and pure.
James 1:26-27 “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceive his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
A person practicing vain religion will seemingly have all the right actions. He will attend church, smile, and go through all the expected motions on Sunday morning. But his religion will not change his behavior in other areas of his life. The word “seem” indicates that this religion is false. This person is deceived. They have gone through the motions so long that they have convinced themselves everything is ok. Oh, they may feel a twinge of guilt now and then, but they are looking at their life through a set of rules. Rules they determined a religious person should keep. They have a head knowledge of God, but not heart knowledge. A head knowledge gives you rules, but heart knowledge goes far deeper. A heart knowledge sifts through rules, refines them, and applies them. These two, heart and head, must join forces for us to have pure religion.
Romans 10:10 “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
James gives us an example of how a person with a vain religion acts. He does not control his tongue. When the Holy Spirit is in control of our lives, we will not allow our wrong thoughts to be expressed about others. We may have the thought, but we will seek forgiveness for it, and not allow our sin of wrongful thinking to hurt others. A person who is a gossip has vain religion. They justify their spreading negative information about others by saying “It is not gossip, it is the truth.” My friend, it is still gossip! Vain religion says, “I’m just stating the facts,” but true religion keeps the negative information to themselves and allows the law of love to rule.
True religion will bridle the tongue. Our speech reveals what is in the heart. If the heart is right the speech will be right. This is the hardest member to control, but the easiest way to pick out those of true religion.
True religion will see the needs of others. Words are never a substitute for action. Notice that pure religion uses the word “visit” to describe a person with true religion. This word is an action verb! There will be service to others when we have true religion. In Luke, we are told we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. That takes action. When we follow the progression in this verse, we will have true religion. Vain religion will tell a hungry man he prays God will help him to have his needs met, while he heads home to a full table. Pure religion sees the hungry man and provides a meal.
Luke 10:27 “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”
The last action mentioned to have pure religion is to keep oneself unspotted from the world. We are to be in the world, but not of the world. We are left here to represent Christ and win others to him. When we love others like ourselves, we will not be able to fathom an eternity for them in hell. Satan’s goal is to take as many with him as possible. Once you are saved, he is no longer your master. However, he will do all he can to make your witness ineffective. He wants to “spot” you, making you ineffective in your ministering to others. Our example is Jesus. In I Peter 1:19, he was a friend to the publicans and sinners, yet he remained unspotted by them. Is this a hard thing? Yes, in the beginning, but as you yield more and more to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the study of God’s word, it will become easier. Allow Jesus to be your example, the Word to be your guide, and prayer to be your connection. This is true religion.
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