While exhorting
the people who belonged to the “twelve tribes scattered abroad”,
James, “the servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”
told them to “look into the perfect law of liberty”
continue in it, not become a “forgetful hearer, but a doer of
the work”. His promise was that “this man shall be blessed
in his deed”. In chapter one and verse twenty-six of his
letter, James made a declaration concerning “vain religion”
where we read:
If any man
among you seem to be religious, and bridled not his tongue,
The
verse begins, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and
bridled not his tongue,...” James began with the word, “If
any man” or “whether any person” “among you” which
refers to the people within the “twelve tribes scattered abroad”
“seem to be” or “supposes, thinks or is accounted as”
“religious” which means “fearing or worshiping God with
pious trembling” “and bridled not” or “does not hold
in check and restrain” “his tongue” which refers to
“member of the body which is used as and organ of speech, language
and dialect”. James referred to those who appear to be “piously
worshiping God” and do not “hold and restrain” their
“speaking”.
The verse goes on to say, “...but
deceives his own heart, this man's religion is
vain.” James added, “but”
which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be
written takes precedence over what was just stated, “deceives”
or “cheats, beguiles and deludes” “his
own heart” which refers to “his center of
all physical and spiritual life, the soul and mind”, “this
man's religion” or “this person's pious
worship” “is vain”
which means “devoid of force, truth, success and result which is
useless and of no purpose”. The “religious”
person who is not able to “keep in check” his talking and speech
is “beguiled and deluded” and practices an “empty” “religion”
that has no meaning or purpose.
When
we think through these words of James, we realize the gravity of the
words we speak. If we claim to be “believers” in Jesus Christ and
are not able to keep our “tongues” in check, we are
“deceived” about our “faith in Him”. We should be
inspired to have a “valuable” “religion” which is
based upon the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ and is demonstrated
and shared through our words. Let us examine our language and speech
and see if it is in keeping with our Christian profession and repent
if we find disparaging words that makes our“religion” unequal
and worthless.
Next
time James shares about “pure
religion”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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