Introduction.
The topic, which is brought before us in the closing
verses of chapter 1, is Religion. Religion, for many,
conjures up the idea of boredom, a monotonous and dreary
routine.
J.B.Phillips-
defined religion as Rites, Robes, Bells and Smells,
which are irrelevant to the issues of daily life. Religion—is
man trying to make his way up to God—Christianity-is
God making His way down to man with blessing.
One of the most exciting
advances in modern technology is what is known as, Virtual
Reality, which makes it possible for you to feel
as if you are there in a particular set of circumstances
or situation.
They can put you in an
aeroplane cockpit and simulate a flight, and you can
get all the sensations, all the feelings and all the
emotions, as though you were actually flying the plane.
It is not real but you feel like it is real, it is not
actual it is Virtual but it seems like it is the real
thing.
In the realm of the Spiritual,
there are many dear folks and all that they have is
a Virtual Religion, a counterfeit Christianity that
they consider to be the real thing. It feels like the
real thing but it is Virtual and not Actual.
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.
There are those who consider
themselves to be Religious but theirs is not Biblical
Christianity. Jesus said--
Matt 7:21-23
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.
22
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast
out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?
23
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
John put it like this;
1John 2:19 "they went out from us, but they
did not really belong to us, for if they had belonged
to us, they would have remained with us.
They were counterfeits.
How are genuine Christians different?
True Christianity is
not expressed in terms of dead formality but a living
faith, which is woven into every aspect of life.
True believers not only
know Christ, they live Christ. They sow consistency
and they also show character, which is displayed by
conversation, by concern, and by conduct.
False religion deceives
many, while True religion delights God.
A
Religion that is Condemned.
Verse 26---
A survey might reveal
a religious person as one who, believes in God, attends
church services, reads the Bible and gives money for
the Lord's work.
James gives a different
definition. Practicality is where James is at . . .
not show!
James, in this first
chapter, was concerned about certain dangers.
- The danger of Blaming God when one
is tempted. Verse 13.
2.
The danger of being a hearer of the Word of God and
not a doer. Verse 23.
3.
The danger of having Religion without Reality.
Realism
is Missing
The words Religious and
Religion are seldom found in the Bible. In fact, they
are not found at all in the Old Testament, and only
five times in the New Testament. The word Religion carries
the idea of outward religious service or ceremony.
There are those, who
hear the word of God and they seem to respond in a positive
way. They move in Christian circles, attend a good church,
carry a Bible and wear the right kind of label, but
in fact they are deceiving themselves, because they
are still in an unregenerate state –they are not
saved.
Many so-called Religions
in the world can claim to have earnest, zealous followers,
who are sincere in all that they are doing. But neither
the movement nor its followers can be called Christian,
just because they conform to certain outward forms of
ritual. The fact of the matter is that they deceive
themselves.
Secondly,
we must keep in mind that James is writing to professing
Christians, and he is deeply aware that, among the genuine
believers, tares are to be found, for this is the work
of Satan. Satan sows Tares among the wheat, and he mixes
goats among the sheep.
Therefore, among the
people of God, there are those who have a form of Godliness
but deny the power thereof.
Rev
3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write;
These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of
God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou
hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
The form was there, the
name was there, the reputation was there; but there
was no life, no reality. The Pharisees were scrupulous
in observing religious rites and ceremonies. They were
into praying and fasting in a big way, but often their
religion was a vain delusion.
Illustration.
A man was being shown around St Paul’s Cathedral.
During the tour he asked his guide if he enjoyed his
work?
"Yes" the man
replied", but there is only one drawback, I never
get to a place of worship". This man spent his
whole life within the four walls of this beautiful shrine,
yet he never got to a place of worship.
How often do we get to
the place of worship where we worship the Lord with
reality? Where we love the Lord our God with all our
heart, and with all our soul, mind, and strength and
worship Him in spirit and in truth.
In worship, we meet the
power of God and stand in it’s strengthening.
Fellowship with a holy God will produce holy
living. Beware of the danger of slipping into the routine
of outward religion, which is devoid of Realism.
Realism
is Missing
Restraint
is Missing.
V26 "and
bridleth not his tongue
With bluntness James
exposes the unreality of a mere religious profession.
Let no man boast of his religion, if he cannot control
his tongue.
Try as he may, a man
will eventually betray himself with his mouth.
Matt
12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil,
speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart
the mouth speaketh
Jesus gives us a working
practical principle to apply to our lives. "The
tongue will inevitably reveal what is on the inside."
True religion in the heart controls every part of life
and body, even the tongue/speech.
Matt
12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good;
or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt:
for the tree is known by his fruit.
35
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth
forth-good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure
bringeth forth-evil things.
36
But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall
speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of
Judgment.
For
by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words
thou shalt be condemned.
Few things give a clearer
indication as to the state of a person’s heart
than the words, which they speak. We may not be able
to discern the condition of a tree by its roots, but
we can draw our conclusions when we examine its fruit.
James makes it very clear
in this epistle that the true test of a person’s
religion—is not that he is unable to speak his
mind but has the ability to hold his tongue.
The
ability to hold the tongue is one form of self-control.
James
3:2 for in many things we offend all. If any man offend
not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also
to bridle the whole body.
James sees the tongue
as something that needs to be restrained.
The
Psalmist said.
Ps
39:1 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin
not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle,
while the wicked is before me. (KJV)
An uncontrolled tongue
is the evidence of a heart that is not under the control
of the Saviour.
Illustration.
--Once while John Wesley was preaching, he noticed
a lady in the congregation who was known for her critical
attitude. All through the service she sat and stared
at his new tie.
When the meeting ended,
she came up to him and said very sharply, "Mr.
Wesley, the strings on your bow tie are much
too long. It's an offence to me!" Wesley asked
if any of the ladies present happened to have a pair
of scissors in their purse.
When
the scissors were handed to him, he gave them to his
critic and asked her to trim the strings to her liking.
After she clipped them off near the collar, he said,
"Are you sure they're
all right now?" "Yes, that's much better."
she replied.
"Then, let me have
those scissors a moment," said Wesley. "I'm
sure you wouldn't mind if I also gave you a bit of correction.
I must tell you, madam that your tongue is an offence
to me - it's too long! Please stick it out . . .
I'd like to take some off it"
The wrong use of the
tongue can be so hurtful. How often God’s work
is hindered and His people hurt by the use of a carnal
and uncontrolled tongue?.
How we need to pray with
David
Ps 141:Set a watch,
O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Two things happen when
a person fails to control their tongue, he deceives
himself; and his religion is worthless.
1. A Religion
that is Condemned.
A Virtual Religion
-
Realism
is Missing
Restraint
is Missing.
Result
is Missing
To the God, who searches
the heart, superficial religious observance is utterly
worthless. A worthless religion is futile and fruitless.
Words and actions that do not spring from faith are
worthless. One day they shall be consumed in the fire
of God’s judgement.
1 Cor 3:13-15 Every
man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall
declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and
the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it
is.
14
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon,
he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall
be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall
be saved; yet so as by fire.
2.
A Religion That is Commended
Actual Religion.
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.
James now turns from
the negative exercise of condemning false Virtual religion to the positive exercise of commending
true religion Actual Christianity.
He gives us the marks
of the real thing and what God accepts.
When Christianity is
genuine, certain things will be displayed to show that
there is reality.
1. Personified Cleanliness. V27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father. Undefiled
before God means to be unsoiled, to be pure. This is
the language of Salvation, the language of Justification.
A person can only be
pure before God when they are Saved and washed in the
Blood of Jesus who cleanses us from all our sin.
2. Practical Concern V27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this---To
visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.
This is down to earth
practical Christianity, which is completely in tune
with his description of God as our father. It is also
in tune with the Biblical teaching that shows God to
be the Father of the Fatherless.
Psa
68:5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the
widows, is God in his holy habitation.
Isa
1:17 learn to do well seek judgment, relieve the oppressed,
judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
What amazing unity there
is in the scriptures. How clearly the word of God insists,
that we show the reality of our faith by the quality
of our lives, by showing loving kindness and concern
to those in need.
Actual
Christianity will manifest itself in caring deeds.
Alec
Motyer rightly said, " Caring love for the
helpless is not accidental or an optional manifestation
of the new nature, but it is part of its very essence.
There must be a practical
demonstration of the Love of God in our hearts and of
the Love of God that we preach.
1
John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth
his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God
in him? My little children let us not love in word,
neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
James is saying that
Actual Christianity will express itself in practical
concern
James is not saying that
good works save us. Being saved never results from good
works, but being saved does result in good works.
The Apostle Paul reminds
us Eph 2:10 for we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them.
Actual
religion will show practical concern. James uses
two examples of the most obvious recipients of Christian
concern—orphans and widows.
The Greek word for visit
espiskeptomai -- means to see, to inspect, and to
look after. In fact it’s the root of our word "Bishop",
which means overseer
Someone
has said, "A generous heart feels others' ill as
if it were responsible for them.
James is saying that
we are to be concerned about those, who are suffering
and sorrowful, and concerned about those, who are going
through hard times and for those who need to be protected
and cared for.
No amount of Church attendance
will absolve Christians from the responsibility of proving
the reality of their faith by demonstrating Practical
Concern.
Said
a wise man to one in deep sorrow, "I did not come
to comfort you;
God
only can do that; but I did come to say how deeply and
tenderly I feel for you in your affliction." Tryon
Edwards
Actual
Religion---
1.
Personified Cleanliness.
2.
Practical Concern
3
Personal Control
V
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.
(KJV)
This final exhortation
completes the picture James has been painting. Those
who are practising Actual Christianity keep themselves
unspotted-unpolluted.
They keep themselves
Holy in the midst of a corrupt and polluted world, by
controlling their Personal holiness and staying away
from compromising situations.
James is not saying that
we are to stay out of the world, and live in isolation.
He is talking about insulation.
Virtual Religion—thinks and acts
in accordance with the values of this world’s systems
Actual Christianity—thinks and acts
in accordance to the "Word of God". We are
the Salt and light to a dark and corrupt world. Are
we a credible witness?
Is
Yours Virtual or Actual Christianity?
To be spotted by the
world and its system does not mean we lose our salvation,
but we loose all that we have lived for. Lot, the nephew
of Abraham, is a prime example of how sin can move in
on us.
- Lot pitched his tent towards Sodom
2. Lot was living in Sodom 3. Lot was sitting in the
gate socializing 4. Lot lost his testimony
We might say he lost
everything though he was saved.
The
sign in the drapers shop window read.
Slightly
soiled goods—greatly reduced in price.
How many Christians have
those words written on their lives? Christians whose
lives are spotted and stained by sin loose much of the
value of the Christian life. True religion resembles
the life of Abraham who separated himself from a society
without God.
Rom
12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what
is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
1A Religion that
is Condemned.
A Virtual Religion
where-
1.
Realism is Missing
2.
Restraint is Missing.
3.
Result is Missing
2.
A Religion That is Commended
Actual Religion.
1. Personified Cleanliness.
2.
Practical Concern
3
Personal Control
Holiness
has love for its essence, humility for its clothing,
the good of others as its employment, and the honor
of God as its end.
Nathaniel
Emmons (1745-1840)
Set
your affections on things above and not on the things
of earth—then your life will not be one of
Virtual
Reality—but of Actuality.
Henceforth may
no profane delight
Divide this consecrated
soul
Possess it Thou
who hast the Right
As Lord and Master
of the whole.
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