A Pure Religion, Undefiled before God: according to the Epistle of James.

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. 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).

What are your thoughts on this passage of scripture?

Why do we teach religion is bad if the scripture declares a pure religion?

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Carey Jr. on July 6, 2011 at 2:55am

I agree. I was just pointing out that people don't teach of a true and pure religion, which ix actually contrary to the word of God. Nevertheless, present day organized religion and denominationalism is a problem and it produces false religion and dcotrine causing division and pointing to sources outside of the Word of God.

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Gill on July 7, 2011 at 3:42pm

Religion is sacred duty. It should not be taught that religion in itself is bad, but it is always important to stress that corrupt religion is a major hindrance, and even pure religion cannot in itself save us.

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Gill on July 8, 2011 at 5:53am

I would assert that Christianity is not a religion per se. Christianity is a relationship with Jesus the Christ. Religion is the sacred duty--the practices, rituals, and rites--by which a deity is worshipped. When we speak of Christian religion we are really speaking of Christian worship.

Some forms of Christian worship, sadly, are corrupt. And then there is what James called "pure religion."

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Gill on July 9, 2011 at 5:27am

...one does not need the label of Christianity to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Remember that Jesus was not a Christian, He was a Jew. All of the Apostles were Jews, Paul was a Jew, as well as James.

The contemporaries of Jesus were able to have a relationship with him without being "Christians" (there was no Christians at the time). But can anyone today have a relationship with Jesus Christ without being a Christian? I trust you--like I--would say this is sine qua non.

I don't think that James 1:27 is a definition of religion, but a statement of what is better than external acts of worship. This crucial point is often missed when trying to interpret this passage.

Well, you and I don't disagree so much about our understanding of James 1:27, but we do have different definitions of the word "religion." However it may be used in common parlance, speaking biblically the best definition is "the service to and worship of a deity." Religion = sacred duty.

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Gill on July 10, 2011 at 5:43am

If you're asking whether I think there were people of faith who were saved before Christ sojourned on the earth, I would say there certainly were. Since the Church was not born yet (it appears on the scene with the Day of Pentecost), I would not call them Christians, but I believe they were saved by a measure of faith in the coming Messiah. Another way to say it is that they rejoiced to see Jesus' day [John 8:56].

Brother Watson, I wrote a little about this in another post. Would appreciate any feedback you have.