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. 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 1:26-27)
This is why I am not a fan of pop-sayings theology and phrases, like “There is a difference between religion and relationship.” I get the intended sentiment. But such phases are often at the expense of what the Bible actually says. Somewhere in translation they become a substitute for scripture. People know the pop-phrases better than they know the Bible. Many times the saying is defended over the Bible.
Let me start by saying, I don’t demonize what scripture does not demonize. There is obviously, according to James, both “useful religion” vs. “vain religion” (v26) and “pure religion” vs. “impure religion” (v27) IN REALITY. I know it is popular to despise the term “religion” and speak of it in the pejorative. I simply don’t, because the Bible does not. Furthermore, when James says to “keep one’s self unspotted from the world” that is a loaded phrase that encompasses all of the biblical Christian practices. I’m not sure what “religion” means in the pop-phrase... but I know what is meant when the Bible uses the term. The biblical understanding and definition of true/pure religion is a biblical response to God in obedience (a relationship as it were.) The terms religion, service and worship are synonyms in the Bible. Staying biblical is staying on safe ground. James is making the very point, religion without integrity is NOT religion at all. It is a misrepresentation of God. Pure and undefiled religion is a relationship with God, manifest in the practices of 1) guarding the tongue, 2) having compassion on the poor, and 3) avoiding worldliness.
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