Are you religious?

“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:26-27 NIV)

At different times I have been asked the question, "Are you religious?" It is not a phrase with which I am particularly comfortable. Usually, the person asking the question is making some comment about my involvement in church, or my faith in Christ. Let me ask you to think for a moment about what comes to mind when you hear the word "religious"? The kinds of images that usually emerge relate to someone who goes to church all the time, prays a lot etc.

James defines the word "religious" in a very different way. He describes being religious not so much in terms of how we relate to God but how we relate to the people around us. The way that we speak to others is his first benchmark for a truly "religious" person. Keeping only "tight rein on his tongue" is the first test of someone who is really following God. We can't claim to follow God and yet abuse our friends and neighbours. James will have more to say about this later on in his letter.

The second test of true religion according to James is how we treat the weakest members of our society. "Orphans and widows" were among the most helpless people in his day. There was no social security or any system of government benefits to look after people. Being an orphan was to be dependent on one's extended family or to starve. To be a widow was also to be vulnerable and at risk.

One of the characteristics of the early Christian church was its concern for the poor and destitute. Following Jesus was not simply about going to church or saying prayers. It was and is about living out our faith on a daily basis. This is not to suggest that there is anything wrong with going to church or saying prayers. But the God who is worshipped in these ways also says, "love your neighbour as yourself".

Are you religious? Does your life demonstrate the love and compassion of God?

Just Do it!

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a person who looks at his face in a mirror :24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:22-25 NIV)

“Listen to me when I’m speaking to you!” is something that most of us have heard our parents say to us at one time or another. It may be followed up with, “Did you hear a word that I said?” when our behaviour suggests that we haven’t. James tells us that we can be like this in relating to God. It is possible to listen to God’s word but not act on it. The danger of such an approach is that we “deceive” or trick ourselves. We assume that it is enough to have “heard” the word.

Imagine getting up in the morning and heading for the bathroom. After looking in the mirror we realize that our hair is a mess. We also notice that some of last night’s dinner is stuck between our teeth. Then we get dressed and leave the house without doing anything about it. This is a picture of the person who hears God’s word but fails to act on it.

In contrast, hearing and obeying is the pathway to freedom. God’s word is described as “the perfect law that gives freedom”. To our modern minds this may seem to be a contradiction. We assume that “law” brings restrictions and takes away our freedom. We usually think that true freedom comes when we can do what we like.

Interestingly, a study of playground behaviour among young children found that they felt safer and freer to play in a fenced area. When there were no boundaries in place they moved towards the centre of the playground. When there were boundaries in place they used the whole play area.

Do you know the freedom that comes from hearing and obeying God's word?