Religious Words

If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. - James 1:26

This is a pre-runner to the more extended descriptions of the dangers of an uncontrolled tongue by James in chapter 3.  I get the idea that James was hurt by someone who had uncontrolled words since he really addresses this topic!

I feel as though I need to clarify that James is obviously talking about an uncontrolled tongue that spews things that are not a part of the fruits of the Spirit or reflective of God's character.  If any of us had an uncontrolled tongue that erupted in encouragement, poured words of peace, and lavished lovingly on all those around us whenever we spoke, I don't think these verses about controlling what come out of us would be necessary. 

An uncontrolled tongue reflects a few things including a lack of self-discipline and what is really inside the heart.  These are reflected better in chapter 3, but here I believe there is a purposeful tie to religion in this application of an uncontrolled tongue and it is these concepts that drive people away from Christianity.  The pious religious who judge others harshly, who censure what must and must not be said, who speak downwardly on those who don't meet their standard, who are quick to speak of the faults in other people, who point out the errors in others so they might be lifted up, who pray so that others might hear them, who give so others might see them. 

John called such religious people the "sons of vipers" or as a Hebrew would hear it, "the sons of Satan".  Such attitudes only serve to lift up the person and not Jesus Christ or the Lord.  It is a religion of themselves and is a reflection of the very reason that Satan was ejected from God's presence - he wanted to be God.  People who tear down others do not have a humble heart. They do not have a heart who recognizes that "I am the worst [sinner] of them all" and that God had mercy on them.  They do not cling to the old rugged cross for their very life and cry to the words of Amazing Grace.  They do not wake in the morning desperate for Jesus to be in all of their day or their day is lost.

I pray that I am very careful in observance of my attitude and my thoughts of everyone around me as I am a follower of Christ.  May I not be religious as defined here and may my words be used for "the edification and equipping of the saints."