If Any Man among You Seem to Be Religious

With James 1:26-27 we come to the fifth paragraph of this epistle. Again we remember that the Holy Spirit inspired purpose for this epistle is to provide pastoral counsel for a spiritually mature walk in the believer’s life. Even so, this fifth paragraph gives counsel concerning an unbridled tongue in relation to a pure religious life. The contextual situation and setting for the paragraph is established through the opening line of the paragraph -- “If any man among you seem to be religious.” Consisting of only two sentences in two verses, this short paragraph presents a clear contrast between a faulty religious life that is lacking in spiritual substance and a faithful religious life that is rooted in spiritual substance. Indeed, verse 26 closes with the statement, “This man’s religious is vain;” whereas verse 27 opens with the statement, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this.” In this context, the words “religious” and “religion” refer specifically to a diligent observance and dedicated performance of religious activities, duties, and services. As such, these words refer to the external, outward conduct of an individual’s service for the Lord; whereas the words “godly” and “godliness” refer to the inward character of an individual’s service to the Lord. In James 1:26-27 there is a contrast established between a religious life that is vain, being spiritually profitless because it is performed without the spiritual substance of godly character, and a religious life that is valuable, being spiritually pure because it is rooted in the spiritual substance of godly character.