This post is Day 9 in a series of studies about “James”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).

James – Day 9

For many of us religion means having faith, going to church, saying regular prayers. But this verse is very clear. Real Christianity is action. Showing love to others. Helping the poor. Giving to charities that relieve the distress of the orphan and the oppressed, or even doing these things ourselves.

James 1:26-27

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
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.

The Thought

Some more straight forward challenges from James today!

First “Religion”! For many of us “religion” means having faith, going to church, saying regular prayers. But this verse is very clear. Real Christianity is action. Showing love to others. Helping the poor. Giving to charities that relieve the distress of the orphan and the oppressed, or even doing these things ourselves.

Second “the tongue”! It’s a scary thought that what we say in conversation can affect our spiritual life.

The book of Proverbs has many things to say about our comments and conversations, and most of its chapters contain a warning about the effects of words. A brief look into the chapters of Proverbs tells us that watching what we say has a powerful effect on our lives as well as the lives of those we speak about. It keeps us from calamity and death! (Proverbs 21:23 & 18:21)

It is easier than ever today to be “polluted by the world” and follow what “they” say! We all have access to internet and all that that makes available to us. Much of which is not good for our spiritual growth, but good Christian things can be found there too. The choice is ours!

Action

Read any chapter in the middle of Proverbs and pray for practical ways to fulfill what you read there.

Pray that you will be tuned in to God’s voice and ask Him to give you wisdom that helps you to not be “polluted by the world”.