What Is Religion?

James 1: 26-27

(26) If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. 

The word for religion is threskeia, which means a "ceremonial observance," an outward display with scripted actions. This word comes from the word threo, which is "to wail, clamor, as to frighten--trouble." Religion is the demonstration of doing some ceremony to attract God's attention and favor. 

James says that someone who doesn't try to control what he says, yet thinks he's religious, then he's only lying to himself. 

We don't have to do anything to get God's attention--He already sees us and sent His Son to save us, and has already done everything for us that we need. 

Now our response is to love Him back and to love others with His love. 

(27) Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. 

So, James says that to demonstrate our love, then we should take care of those who don't have anyone to take care of them, and to do our best to not walk through too much filth as we live in this world of dirt. 

That's why we need to "wash in the water of the word" regularly to clean our feet. When Jesus washed Peter's feet at the Last Supper, He told him, He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean. 

Jesus "bathed" us completely and permanently clean in the blood of Calvary that splashed on the sides of the Cross. Now we only need to "wash our feet" in the water of the word regularly, to remove whatever dirt we may have picked up from living in this fallen world. That's how we keep [ourselves] unstained by the world. 

James will teach us some more about the tongue in Chapter 3. 

O my Father, thank You that we don't need to do anything to get Your attention! Thank You that You see me, You know me, You love me, and You have me on Your mind all the time. You loved me before I was even born; before I ever did anything good or bad, You already planned out my life for me. 

Now strengthen me, Father, to be able to do the things that will demonstrate Your sterling character, as we see in Your Son Jesus. Continue to mold me into the moral image of my Lord, that the world will see how much You love them through me. 

O Father, send out all Your children to bring Your message of Love to every creature, every person alive. Let Your Word cover the Earth, and let every human in every nation, tribe, language, and family hear Your good news of how You have already met all their needs, so that all Your children will be drawn into Your family, and no one else will have any excuse for not turning to You. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!