James 1:26-27
Real Religion
February 24, 2008
Introduction
We often talk about the term ‘religion’ as if it is bad. “As Christians, we don’t have
a religion…we have faith.” And this is true, if you limit the term ‘religion’ to the merely
outward, false religions in the world (Acts 26:5, Col. 2:18). But James uses the term
‘religion’ in both a good sense and a bad sense. We can use it in a good sense too. We
could translate the term as God-fearing (in the true sense), or pious (in either a good or
bad sense), or one preoccupied with religious observances or cultic rites (in a bad sense).
Perhaps “pious” would be the best since it can be used in both good and bad senses.
Let’s keep this working definition in mind: religion is the outward or visible expressions of worship and service to God. James’ contrast is between good and bad religion—
religion that is useless and religion that is pure and undefiled.
1. Useless Religion, v. 26
The phrase “If anyone among you” makes this an inclusive statement. James is specifically thinking about believers here, though it is true that an unbeliever may fancy
themselves to be religious and need to be corrected. James illustrates using someone who
has formed a mental opinion about himself, which consists of his thinking that he is religious. He thinks that “doing” is good enough, and he concludes that he is fine.
But the reality is that his tongue is out of step with God’s word. His tongue goes off
unbridled, steeped in sin. He talks out of turn; says things he should not say; passes on
gossip; slanders others; holds conversation on useless subjects; talks about risqué things;
says bad jokes; uses foul language, lies, criticizes others, etc. He is probably not following the “slow to speak” advice of v. 19 when it comes to his talking about God’s word.
There is an assumption here, that the tongue needs to be kept under strict control—
“bridled” like a horse (see James 3:2-3). If it is not, serious problems arise. But even
more importantly, an unbridled tongue shows a heart problem. The person’s heart is
deceived, so that while at once pouring out bad speech and at the same time thinking he
is religious, he is wrong about that conclusion—the facts do not support that his religion
is working! If he would listen to his own speech in light of the Scripture, he could trace
that back to his heart, and see a disconnect between what he thinks and what is reality.
Holding the tongue in check is a key in real Christianity. We’ll see this more in
chapter 3, but suffice it to say that James uses it as a real barometer or thermometer of
the heart. What we say gives away who we are. The tongue functions like a spiritual
endoscope that looks down into our heart and sees what is there. See Matt. 12:34-35,
15:18-20 etc. It shows whether our heart is operating in obedience to God or not.
This unbridled speaker may really “have” religion or he may not. The solution if
you are a believer is to really obey God’s Word from the heart. If you are not a believer,
it is to allow the Word to take root by believing the gospel of Christ’s salvation.
‘Useless’ means empty, vain, or foolish. A religion that does not affect one’s speech
is not worth the paper it is printed on. The Greek/Roman pantheon of gods are said to be
worthless in this sense (Acts 14:12-15). The thoughts of so-called wise people are really
empty when they dismiss God (1 Cor. 3:20). Our Christian faith would be useless if
Christ were not risen from the dead (1 Cor. 15:17). Disputes are often worthless (Titus
3:9). Our lifestyle before salvation was futile in this sense (1 Pet. 1:18).
We ought to move religion off the printed page into our own lives and see how we
are thinking about ourselves. Do our thoughts match up with reality, or are we deceived?
2. Real Religion, v. 27
The contrast between empty and real religion is made very stark at the transition
from verse 26 to 27. Three elements of real religion are made plain: speech that is controlled, service for others, and separation from the world. All indicate that the person has
moved beyond mere hearing, beyond mere doing, and he has been truly transformed into
a new person. Controlled speech demonstrates a changed heart. Concern for others
demonstrates a changed heart. Separation from the world demonstrates a changed heart.
Real religion is called “pure.” This is used literally of clean as in the opposite of
dirty (as in the kind of clothing in James 2:2) or as not having a mixture of bad and good,
like pure gold (Rev. 21:18). Figuratively, it is used for ritual cleanliness (the opposite of
common or defiled) or moral/spiritual purity, as in free from sin.
Real religion is also said to be “undefiled.” It is used of Christ (Heb. 7:26), of marriage (Heb. 13:4), and of the Christian’s inheritance (1 Peter 1:4).We are talking about
religion that is good, not a mixture of only outward works with inner defilement (Matt.
23:25-26). Here’s what it looks like:
A. Speech that is Controlled
This point is really an implication of what we have already noted above and we
need not develop it further now, at least until we arrive at chapter 3.
B. Service for Others
Real religion cares for orphans and widows, because God cares for them. Orphans
(fatherless) and widows are mentioned together in about 30 passages of the OT. They are
sometimes oppressed but God has a special place in His heart for them (Exodus 22:2224, Deut. 10:18, Ps. 68:5, Lam. 5:3, Mal. 3:5). The Church has duty to widows who really need help (1 Tim. 5:3-6, 9-16).
To visit is more than just stop by to say hello, or even stop by and read the Bible
and pray. Yes, we ought to do at least that (Acts 15:36)! In other passages, we learn that
it means to look after, to care for, and the like. God “visited” the Jews with salvation
(Luke 1:68, 78); God “visited” his people by sending the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 7:16);
God “visited” the Gentiles with salvation (Acts 15:14); God cares for mankind (Heb.
2:6); and we are to visit the sick (Matt. 25:36, 43).
Distress is pressure of some sort, suffering, affliction, trouble. There are many in
this sin-cursed world who are distressed in one way or another—whether financially or
physically or whatever. There is no shortage of work to be done in this area. By way of
application, the bottom line here is that we must care about people.
C. Separation from the World
The action word is to “keep” or “guard” yourself from becoming defiled by the
world. How do you do this? Basically you have to maintain separation from the world—
a certain “distance” because defilement “travels” (Hag. 2:13).
The word “without spot” is used of the lamb without blemish and spot in 1 Peter
1:19. We are to make every effort to be found spotless when Christ comes, because we
look forward to the new heavens and earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:14).
Because of that, we want to move toward righteousness as much as possible now.
Worldliness is considered further in James 4:4, but the point is that it takes energy—physical and spiritual—to maintain one’s purity and moral cleanliness. Are you
willing to expend that energy to guard yourself? The goal is righteousness because that
brings honor and glory to God. The implanted word (1:18) can produce that, as long as
you hear it (1:19-21) and obey what it says (1:22-25) from the heart.
Conclusion
Real religion causes us to do something. It does not just cause us to sit. We have
God-given responsibilities to each other and to the unsaved world around us. But some
folks think that the doing of religious service is the sum total of religion. And the kind of
service that they perform maybe includes visiting orphans and widows, or doing hospital
work, or feeding the homeless or many other such things. But when religion is not first
transformative of one’s inner being, his heart, it is useless. The lack of bridling the
tongue gives proof that the heart has not been changed. The lack of caring about others
and keeping oneself unspotted from the world does likewise.
We need a real religion that comes from hearing and obeying the word of God from
the heart!
MAP
Don’t forget that we are finishing the section in James regarding the response of a
living faith to the Word of God (1:19-27). The previous context tells us that a living faith
must humbly hear the word because it is God’s means of salvation and sanctification
which leads ultimately to glorification (18, 19-21). But there is a danger that we might
conclude that hearing the Word is enough. We cannot stop at just hearing the word! We
must also obey the word (22-25). That in turn, presents yet another danger, and that is the
danger of merely obeying the Word in an external way only. Verses 26-27 exhort that
there has to be a connection between doing and the heart/inner man.
McGee: Christians ought to be in contact with the troubled in the world. Religion of
the sanctuary but not the street. But not implicated in the world.
This gave me the thought that we should have religion on the street, but not the language of the street.
26
27
If anyone among you thinks he is pious, and does not bridle his
tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s piety is useless.
Pure and undefiled piety before God and the Father is this: to visit
orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Outline
1. Supplemental notes for James 1:19-25.
2. Hearing…but not enough, must be doing…but not enough, must be heart change.
3. James speaks of this in terms of the word “religion.”
4. There are false ones (Acts 26:5, Col. 2:18). Good and bad sense. Piety.
5. Working defn: outward or visible expressions of worship and service to God.
6. James contrasts religion with an inner reality to mere external forms.
7. Outline: useless vs. real religion.
8. “If anyone among you” inclusive; believers mainly
9. Explain here concern with believers or possibly unbelievers in whole passage.
10. Subjective mental opinion; not based on fact but he concludes he is doing fine.
11. Reality: tongue out of step with God’s word. Give examples.
12. Assumption: tongue needs to be kept controlled like a wild horse.
13. Based on truth that the tongue reveals the condition of a person’s heart.
14. It is a thermometer of the heart (Matt. 12:34-35, 15:18-20).
15. If speaker would evaluate his words in light of THE Word, the disconnect in his
thinking would become evident.
16. Follow speech back to the source and then evaluate whether that source is thinking
right.
17. Such religion is worthless. See eg. Acts 14:12-15, 1 Cor. 3:20, 1 Cor. 15:17, Titus
3:9, 1 Peter 1:18.
18. Apply to ourselves. Does our speech match? Does our talk match our talk? (Not
our walk our talk—that is another important issue!)
19. Now real religion is contrasted with this worthless stuff.
20. Three elements of real religion: speech, service, and separation.
21. Pure – clean vs. dirty (James 2:2); unmixed with bad (Rev. 21:18—gold), ritual
cleanliness and moral/spiritual purity (free from sin).
22. Undefiled (Heb. 7:26, 13:4, 1 Peter 1:4). Not like Pharisees of Matt. 23:25-26.
23. Controlled speech point already developed.
24. Service: God cares about orphans and widows. 30 OT passages. See Exodus 22:2224, Deut 10:18, Ps. 68:5, Lam. 5:3, Mal. 3:5, 1 Tim. 5:3-6, 9-16.
25. Defn of visit—more than just stop by (Luke 1:68, 78; 7:16, Acts 15:14, Heb. 2:6,
Matt. 25:36).
26. Defn of distress—trouble of whatever sort.
27. Apply to ourselves. Many are in distress. We have to care about people.
28. Separation: keep or guard from defilement. How? Maintain separation, distance,
Hab. 2:13.
29. Without spot = 1 Peter 1:19, 2 Peter 3:14
30. Apply: takes energy to maintain purity. Are you willing to expend that?
31. Conclusion: real religion is action motivated from a heart of love for God, with
speech, service, and separation. Hear, obey, demonstrate transformed heart.
32. Your religion should include helping orphans and widows, and many other such
things, both in and outside of the local assembly. It should include maintaining purity.