![]() In the “worthless” religion, it doesn’t seem to matter what rituals or pious acts the worshiper engages in-it is all negated by an out-of-control tongue. By “ religion,” James means the external evidence of inward piety that is, worship as expressed in ritual acts. Here it would be good to define the word religion. Verse 26 says, “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” So, in these final two verses of James 1, we have a contrast between what makes religion “worthless” and what makes religion “acceptable” to God. ![]() In this case, we can look at what comes immediately before James 1:27 and get some idea of what is going on in this particular passage. ![]() When interpreting any verse in the Bible, including James 1:27, we should always look at its context to get an idea of what the verse means within the surrounding verses. The word for “undefiled” is translated “faultless” in the NIV. ![]() In James 1:27, the apostle James gives us insight into what pleases God: “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” (NASB). ![]()
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