Ministries
Resources
26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
People tend to think that if only they can persuade a representative of God (for example, a pastor) that they are religious, then they are OK with God. God, however, makes it crystal clear that he doesn't see things that way. Our Lord Jesus said to some in his day, "You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me...'" (Matt. 15:7–8). God isn't fooled. And he warns us not to fool ourselves.
Just as economists look for "leading economic indicators," God specifies three leading spiritual indicators in James 1:26–27. What are three signs of a genuine relationship with God? We'll reflect on them one day at a time.
The first is truly searching—do you control your tongue? "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless," (v. 26). You may be able to deceive others into thinking that you are religious, but if you cannot keep a tight rein on your tongue, you may at the same time be deceiving yourself! "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, [he] deceives his heart…" (v. 26). The telltale sign is, do you bridle your tongue?
On the one hand, do you constrain your tongue? Obviously, this includes turning away from words that are blasphemous or vile. But it includes much more. God also forbids backbiting (complaining about others behind their backs), slandering others (saying stuff that is not true and is harmful), and gossiping about others (saying stuff that might be true but is no one else's business). John Calvin comments:
"When people shed their grosser sins, they are extremely vulnerable to contract this complaint. A man will steer clear of adultery, of stealing, of drunkenness, in fact he will be a shining light of outward religious observance—and yet will revel in destroying the character of others; under the pretext of zeal, naturally, but it is a lust for vilification."†
Indeed, God warns, "when words are many, transgression is not lacking…" (Prov. 10:19). Do you constrain your tongue?
† John Calvin, Calvin's New Testament Commentaries, Vol. III, tr. A.W. Morrison (Eerdmans, 1972), p. 274
Click here for background on the author of Are You For Real?: Meditations in the Epistle of James for Secret or Family Worship.
© 2024 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
