Posted by
T.A. on Saturday, November 15, 2008 7:06:41 AM
The Religious Tongue
"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain." James 1:26 (KJV).
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.
An unbridled tongue is a mockery to the name of Christ. There are Christians going around calling one another names, attacking the character of good and godly brothers and sisters in Christ. We must attack liberalism, but we can do that without assasinating the character of brothers and sisters. Attack heresy, and apostasy, and even if it is an unbeliever we should never attack a persons character, by calling them inappropriate names. May God forgive us for doing so.
-Tim A. Blankenship