The Book Of James Pt. 19 True Religion Or False Religion. Which One Will You Choose?

False religion is pretentious and self promoting. 

James 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 

The word "religion" or "religious" refers to the outward practice of an inward faith in Jesus Christ. 

James is helping us understand that if we say we are believers in Christ, but we do not live any differently than the culture around us lives, this is false religion. 

An unbridled tongue is not slow to speak, as God wants us to be. An unbridled tongue is like a horse running wild, with no certain direction or purpose. 

Fools have unbridled tongues and blurt out whatever comes into their minds. Again, this is why so much of social media is filled with worthless words.

But, James is speaking to Christians. If a person professes to be a Christian but they have an unbridled tongue, James says they are self deceived and their religion is false.

Those with unbridled tongues spread rumors, tell half truths, share gossip, grumble and complain. James tells us this is the clearest evidence of a false profession of faith in Christ.  

Good trees and corrupt trees. 

Matthew 7:16-17  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 

Jesus said that we will be known by the fruits in our lives. A good tree will always produce good fruit but a corrupt tree can only produce evil fruit. 

This is a vivid picture of a child of God (good tree) and a child of the Devil (corrupt tree). Our fruits attest to our true nature and character. We are either a good tree or a corrupt one. 

The standard God established for believers, is trusting and obeying Him. Those who consistently obey God are His children, but those who uniformly disobey God, are not. 

Matthew 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

False religion is one that is built upon externals. Jesus said that a religious hypocrite is someone who pretends to be righteous, but is in reality, corrupt. 

Jesus gave us a clear test of genuine Christian faith. Those who do the Father's will are those who are truly born again, and part of the family of God.

Pharisees were hypocrites who loved to pray standing on a busy corner, so that other men might see them praying in public (Matthew 6:5). 

Pharisees loved for a trumpet to sound as they put an offering in the box, because they wanted others to know that they were giving an offering (Matthew 6:1-4). 

Pharisees loved to distort their faces in order to show other men when they were fasting to God (Matthew 6:16).

Everything the Pharisees did was so that they could receive praise from men, because they loved the accolades. They were unconcerned about receiving praise from God (See John 12:43). 

True religion manifests evidence of a new heart and a new spirit within. 

Micah 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? 

The Greek word translated "religion" refers to our external service for God, practical Christian living, motivated by a love for God and man. 

True service for God is facilitated in us by the indwelling Spirit of God, and our growing knowledge of God's Word. 

Micah summarizes man's duty toward God. We are to study the scriptures because God has showed us what is right and good. It is required of believer to do justly, by doing the right thing in all our dealings. 

We are to love the mercy that God extends to us, so that we become merciful to those who wrong us or who are mired in sin. We are to walk humbly with our God, because He first loved us while we were still His enemies. 

Pure religion pictures the gospel of Jesus Christ taking root in our soul and bearing fruit for God through our lives. 

The best definition of the word "religion" that I found is in the Webster's 1828 dictionary. Please read this quote carefully since it defines what true religion should encompass. 

"Religion, in its most comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of His will to man, in man's obligation to obey His commands, in a state of reward and punishment, and in man's accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties. It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety." 

Here is a clear understanding of this great word. In essence, true religion consists of beliefs from God's Word that shapes our thoughts, words and behaviors. 

True religion is beautiful doctrine from God that spells out our duties to God and man. Thus, our faith in Jesus Christ is meant to change how we think what we say and how we act. 

True or pure religion is best considered when we connect it with being a doer of the word (James 1:22). If we are doers of the word then we have found true religion. 

Pure religion is manifested in a life devoted to God. 

James 1:27  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. 

True religion is when the Spirit of God regenerates our soul and gives us new life in Christ, and indwells our heart. 

A new believer in Christ with God's Spirit within, will experience a transformation of how he thinks, speaks and acts. 

Christian's should desire to keep themselves free from the culture's contamination, and free from men's foolish speculations. 

James mentioned specific good works that are found in the holy law of God. Visiting, or helping widows and orphans. These are special to the heart of God and should be to us, as well.  

The idea is pursuing a life marked by purity and love for others, in contrast to boasting about externals like the Pharisees did. 

Pure religion is seeking to please God in all that we do. It is living our lives as if we were standing in the presence of God. 

Notice the order that James stresses with regard to pure religion. It goes without saying that our highest priority is loving and serving God. 

John 13:34-35  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35)  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 

The Lord, through the apostle James tells us that Christian love and service for others is the priority. Why? Jesus said that all men shall know that we are disciples of Jesus Christ by our love for others. 

Our first duty is loving others, and James is going to give us some very practical examples in the coming chapters. 

After this duty, then we are to keep ourselves unpolluted, by separating ourselves from the moral depravity found in the culture we live in. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

James is so practical in his teachings.

There are two religions. One is true and pure and can be known by the fruit it produces in the transformed lives of believers in Christ.

The others are false, and are known by evil fruits like self righteousness, self absorption, self promoting and pretentiousness. 

Jesus taught that there are two gates, two paths in life to travel and two distinct destinations. 

He taught that there are good trees producing good fruit and corrupt trees producing evil fruit. 

My question is, do you have true, pure religion as described by James?

My prayer is that you do and that you are living for the glory of God.

May the Lord challenge us if we are failing in these areas and may He encourage us so that we do not become weary in well doing.

Bob