Mankind can be a selfish lot of people, and at times be the most generous. In times of tragedy, and catastrophic events we see the best and the worst in people. There are some that will risk life and limb to help others, then, there are those who see opportunity for personal gain, and will do whatever to take what they want from already devastated people’s homes and lives.

There are some who will jump in and help others, their neighbors, and others, because they believe and think in their hearts and minds, "I will help them, then, when something similar happens in my life others will be there for me". I don’t know who thinks that way, but I have a suspicion that many do. Some of these are folks who are church going, good neighbors, helpful at any time to others type of people, who practice their faith, and some are not.

We wrote of religion in the previous verse and we see that religious people are not always pleasant people. They go to "worship" God on their days of worship, but when it comes to practicing their faith; well, let’s just say it is a bit absent. Their words are more into complaining, bitterness, anger, envy, and may even curse from time to time, or all the time. They are selfish with their money, time, and talents. Christians must know and realize that Christianity is about our cross; you know, the one we are to take up, and follow Jesus. That cross says, "I don’t have a life of my own. It died with Christ, and rose with Him to live eternally with Him and for Him", and that means in the now.

Pure religion would be the worship of God that leads to caring for those who find themselves without a mother or father, and without a husband. These are people who have found themselves, through no fault of their own; without anyone to care for their earthly needs. They cannot return anything to us. We can expect nothing in return. What kind of love is it anyway, that does something for others with expectations of payment of some kind? That is not any act of love. It is the act of a laborer.

Pure religion that is undefiled before our Lord Jesus and His Father is the putting of our faith to work by helping those who cannot help themselves. The widow of Jesus’s day had no means of support, because the woman was always dependent upon their husbands. The orphan had no parent to tend their needs, and in those days there was no orphanages. In both of these situations the orphan had no family to care for them; no aunts, uncles, cousins; no other family at all. This widow would have had no children to help her, and no other family; she would be what Paul called a "widow indeed" (1 Timothy 5:3-5).

Please understand that when we see the Bible; which in this case is the KJV; using the word "man" it is speaking in a generic sense. Mankind is meant here and could be worded "If anyone…" So ladies don’t think that this does not apply to you.

Religion hated Jesus when He walked among men and women on this earth. We see them constantly trying to trap Him in His words, and in His life. We see the religious leaders trying to kill Him before it was His time.

What is usually meant by religion. The MIRRIAM/WEBSTER DICTIONARY defines it this way: "The service and worship of God or the supernatural. 2: devotion to a religious faith…. 4: A cause, principle, or belief held to with faith and ardor –" The religion James speaks of is ceremonial observance or worshipping. A worship that does not practice righteous living is vain.

One of the things James is reminding the Christian is to bridle the tongue. Sometimes I hear people just blurt out what they think. There is a preacher I know who don’t mind using a curse word, if that comes to his mind. He says, "I think it, so I just as well say it." That is foolish thinking and foolish theology. That would be similar to taking what Jesus said about a man looking at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart, and saying, "I thought it, so I just as well do it". That would be a foolish religion. It is foolish thinking.

James will deal more with the tongue a little later in his letter, but right now he is telling us that if our religion or practice of worshipping God does not affect the use of our tongue then, we might need to reevaluate our religion. Jesus should mean more to us than any religious practice. He should be our Lord and Savior, not just Savior. When He is Lord He will change our vile and evil tongue into a tongue which glorifies His name.

The Word of God is the bread and meat of the believer, the child of God. We recently looked at the casual observer of the mirror of God’s Word. It does him/her absolutely no good.

James now brings the reader to realize that the "perfect law of liberty" is that book which we can hold in our hands and hide in our hearts that we might not sin against God. The natural man looking into the mirror and goes away without fixing the smudgy face, his misplaced hair, the sleep in his eyes, has taken no action on what he has seen. When the believer opens the Scriptures we look into a mirror with greater reflection than any mirror ever made by man. It is clear and without imperfections.

The writer of Hebrews tells us, "For the word of God is quick [living] and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing assunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 (KJV). The child of God cannot read it without having the Spirit of God move in and work the work of God.

The MacArthur Study Bible says of this verse, "perfect law. In both the OT an NT, God’s revealed, inerrant, sufficient, and comprehensive Word is called ‘law’ (cf. Ps. 19:7). The presence of His grace does not mean there is no moral law or code of conduct for believers to obey. Believers are enabled by the Spirit to keep it. liberty. Genuine freedom from sin. As the Holy Spirit applies the principes of Scripture to believers’ hearts, they are freed from sin’s bondage and enabled to obey God (John 8:34-36)." NKJV p.1928. The child of God will be one who continues in the word of God. "Continueth" means "to stay near, to abide in" and is similar to Jesus’s words, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed." John 8:31 (NKJV). The KJV reads, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed…". The thing which we see here is a word and an act of perseverance. When we abide, continue, and stay near the Word of God we will live it, and it will work its way out in our lives where it is visible for the world to see. Jesus Himself will receive the glory, because it is He who has made it all possible.

The Psalmist wrote, "Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law doth he meditate day and night." Psalm 1:1-2 (KJV). The child of God has heart for the Word of God, and the Word of God; the reading, the study of it, and a conscious effort to live for God’s glory will work its way out in our lives.

Doing the Word is the practice of what God teaches. James likens it to a mirror or according to the KJV a "glass". We should understand that the mirrors of that day were not real clear for preparing one’s self for the day ahead. They used polished brass. Maybe in some cases they had a clearer view than others of themselves, and maybe not.

Even in this 21st century if a mirror is cracked or twisted it gives us a distored view of ourselves. Mirrors can be made to make us look thinner, which seems to be the going thing today. Thus, deceiving ourselves.

The individual mentioned in verse 24 of our text today is the one who just takes a casual look into the mirror. The casual look spends no time finding need to groom, or even to clean one’s face. That, sad to say is how many people approach the Word of God; even some Christians approach it that way; if at all.

They may spend a moment reading a chapter, a verse, and maybe even a few chapters, but they do not hear what God has said. They have their mind on the day at work. They have their mind on the problems they may face today, or the problem that was left over from last week. Then, they wonder, "Why do I not see God at work in my life?" The answer to that question or thought is; because you don’t let God work in your life. You are too busy with you.

When it comes to the Christian and the Word of God we cannot be a casual observer. The casual observer of God’s Word would be like sitting down at the table to eat a meal of T-bone steak, baked potato, with your favorite vegetable, and favorite dessert, then getting away from the table and not know what you ate. I use T-bone steak because that is my favorite steak. I know when I have eaten T-bone steak. When we sit to eat our favorite meal we savor it, we taste it, we enjoy it. The same should be said of our reading and study of God’s Word.