James 1:26

"If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then
his religion is useless and he deceives himself."

'Religion' has fallen on hard times. Even Christians say we don't need
'religion' which is man trying to get to God, but we need
'relationship' which is God coming down to man. Certainly outside the
Church religion is almost universally rejected (in the West).

But James provides the cure to anti-religious sentiment: pure and
undefiled religion (27). James gives us 3 qualities of such religion:
religion that brings us closer to God and man (1 Peter 2:11-11).
1. An undeceived heart: when our toungs are 'unbridled' we are
deceiving ourseleves 'where words are many, sin is not
absent' (Prov 10:19). We become enchanted with our own
eloquence and are decieved; I have a theory that at least some of the
liberal garbage we endure comes because professors must 'publish or
perish'.

2. Serving those who are most in need: who could argue with this?! And
what Bible familiar Christian can not know that this is his/her duty?
So why aren't 'we' DOING it? The answer is that we are; the answer is
that it is still the Church is doing the most GOOD: but the answer is
that we can do better. Let's believe Christ's many promises and act on
them to change our world! (Do yourself the favor of reading The Whole
in Our Gospel.)

3. Keep oneself unstained from the world: this is a double-edged
sword. The Church has the same divorce rate as the world, is that
because people who get divorced realize they need Christ or is that
because people who act like Christians but are really 'just playing
Church' tire of their spouses like the rest of the world (of course
the Church is not above sin!)? Perhaps all these and even more. But
when God's people begin to take responsibility for ourselves and our
actions (that is the definition of being a man or a woman) people in
and out of the Body of Christ will see it and give glory to our Father
in Heaven (Matt 5:13-16).

Father in Heaven, praise You for making a rescue plan for Your lost
children; Son beside the Father, praise You for putting that plan into
action; Spirit in the midst of the Trinity, praise You for making that
plan known then applied to us. Give us grace to be faithful messangers
of Your reconciliation (2 Cor 5:16-21).

How does your daily life reflect 'pure and undefiled religion'?

Can others see the difference in your life that Christ makes? Is there
enough difference for them to want Christ in their life?

Striving with Jesus with you,
Pastor Greg