When you think of religious people what comes to mind? Would you consider yourself religious? How can someone be religious without being righteous? Is it possible to be both religious and righteous? Study this passage and discover for yourself.

1. James 1:26-27

2. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers
only, deceiving yourselves.
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious,
and does not bridle his tongue but deceives
his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

5. Anglo-French: religiun (11c.) = "piety, devotion;
religious community”
Latin: religare (re – “again” + ligare "to bind fast”)
= “rely” via notion of "place an obligation
on" or "bond between humans and
gods."
Greek: θρησκὸς (thrēskos) [transl. religiosus in
Vulgate] = reverencing and worshipping
of a god (or gods)

6. Matthew 9:16–17
No one puts a piece
of unshrunk cloth on
an old garment; for
the patch pulls away
from the garment,
and the tear is made
made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old
wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is
spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put
new wine into new wineskins, and both are
preserved.” (cf. Mark 2:21-22; Luke 5:36-39)

7. Descriptive of Pharisaism ~ Acts 26:5 They knew
me from the first, if they were willing to testify,
that according to the strictest sect of our religion
(thrēskos) I lived a Pharisee.
Worship of angels ~ Colossians 2:18 Let no one
cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false
humility and worship (thrēskos) of angels,
intruding into those things which he has not seen,
vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

8. 26 If anyone among you thinks he is
religious, and does not bridle his
tongue but deceives his own heart,
this one’s religion is useless. 27
Pure and undefiled religion before
God and the Father is this: to visit
orphans and widows in their trouble,
and to keep oneself unspotted from
the world.

9. REAL RELIGION
is characterized by:
A TAMED TONGUE
An Inward Mark (26)
CHARITY
An Outward Mark (27a)
PURITY
An Upward Mark (27b)

11. Deuteronomy 4:35 To you it was shown, that
you might know that the LORD Himself is God;
there is none other besides Him.
Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD is the true God;
He is the living God and the everlasting King. At
His wrath the earth will tremble, And the
nations will not be able to endure His
indignation.
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may
know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ
whom You have sent.

12. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the
truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through Me.
John 18:37–38 Pilate therefore said to Him,
“Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You
say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was
born, and for this cause I have come into the
world, that I should bear witness to the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38
Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

13. Psalm 119:160 The entirety of Your word is
truth, And every one of Your righteous
judgments endures forever.
John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your
word is truth.

14. James 1:18–25 Of His own will He brought us
forth by the word of truth, that we might be a
kind of firstfruits of His creatures. 19 So then, my
beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear,
slow to speak, slow to wrath;
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers
only, deceiving yourselves.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty
and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer
but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in
what he does.

15. Jeremiah 31:31, 33
31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I
will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and
with the house of Judah— 33 But this is the covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,
says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write
it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall
be My people.
Luke 22:20 Likewise He also
took the cup after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in
My blood, which is shed for you.

16. A TAMED TONGUE – an Inward Mark
James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is
religious, and does not bridle his tongue but
deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is
useless.
REAL RELIGION
is characterized by:

17. James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is
religious, and does not bridle his tongue but
deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is
useless.
δοκέω (dokeō) = thinks,
considers, regards,
form an opinion,
esteems
ἀπατάω (apataō) = deceives,
deludes
REAL RELIGION is characterized by:
a Tamed Tongue

18. REAL RELIGION is characterized by:
a Tamed Tongue
"Preach Jesus,
and if necessary,
use words.”
Francis of Assisi

19. James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is
religious, and does not bridle his tongue but
deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is
useless.
μάταιος (mataios) = futile, worthless, useless
REAL RELIGION is characterized by:
a Tamed Tongue

20. REAL RELIGION
is characterized by:
CHARITY – An Outward MaRK
James 1:27a Pure and undefiled religion
before God and the Father is this: to visit
orphans and widows in their trouble…

21. James 1:27a Pure and undefiled religion
before God and the Father is this: to visit
orphans and widows in their trouble…
ἐπισκέπτομαι (episkeptomai) = select carefully, based
on careful investigation; visit, go to see, with friendly
intent; take care of, look after
Hosea 14:3 …in You the fatherless finds mercy.”
REAL RELIGION is characterized by:
Charity

22. REAL RELIGION
is characterized by:
James 1:27b Pure and undefiled religion
before God and the Father is this: to visit
orphans and widows in their trouble, and to
keep oneself unspotted from the world.
PURITY – An Upward Mark

23. REAL RELIGION is characterized by:
Purity
James 1:27b Pure and undefiled religion
before God and the Father is this: to visit
orphans and widows in their trouble, and to
keep oneself unspotted from the world.
τηρέω (tēreō) = guard,
maintain watch over

24. REAL RELIGION is characterized by:
Purity
James 1:27b Pure and undefiled religion
before God and the Father is this: to visit
orphans and widows in their trouble, and to
keep oneself unspotted from the world.
ἄσπιλος (aspilos) = spotless, without defect,
without blemish

25. REAL RELIGION is characterized by:
Purity
1 Peter 1:18–19 redeemed …with the precious
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot (aspilos).

26. James 2:1-7

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