There are certain questions that we come across during our lifetime that can impact and alter the way that we live. The majority of the time these questions relate to our habits, beliefs, and some times even our personal opinions regarding people or certain practices. Yet, there is one question that all of mankind must ask because it is the most important one any man will ever encounter. It is an inquiry that deserves a very honest response because from it depends the destination of man’s soul when it departs from this world. It’s purpose is to obligate man to thoroughly examine himself introspectively and see himself as he truly is, flaws and virtues. That question that all of mankind must one day answer is the following: Does God accept the worship you are presenting Him? It is without a doubt a question that will immediately prompt your inner voice to begin to replay the acts of worship you enacted during your most recent visit to the edifice where you attended. Perhaps, you begin to justify your worship by telling yourself that you fulfilled your godly duty in attending with a genuine heart and even recall the sermon the preacher presented on that day. Although, if that is your case, it is really good that you are able to do all those things, however it is unwise to forget the true intent of our question. Let us recall that this question is asked with the purpose of prompting us to self-examine our interior man. This question is very important not to ignore, because our God warns us of the threat of presenting Him with a sacrifice that He does not approve. Inspired by the Holy Ghost, James implies this question to his readers by stating, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless” (James 1:26). The author does not make a suggestion nor does he give an opinion; he states a bold fact that there is a such thing as a useless religion. It is not difficult to understand what constitutes a “religion” as useless, since our heavenly Father has already established this truth from the very beginning. However, to have a better understanding of this danger, it is wise to understand the original word used by James. In the King James (both old and new) translation the word religion is used for the Greek word thréskeia. This word is defined as a ceremonial observance (Strong, G2356). However, the word James uses for “religious” is thréskos and it means a demonstration of piety by being ceremonious in worship (Strong, G2357). Undoubtedly, both of these words are linked together in their original form, but observe how the writer separates the two. James makes the distinction between what God has established as His worship and what man wants to present to God as worship. In other words, the author clarifies that they are not always the same thing. He began to make his statement by saying that a person may “think” to be religious, but that does not confirm that he or she truly is. The apostle Paul also spoke of this cruel deceit when writing to Titus: “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work” (Titus 1:16). The apostle contributes to the words that James has revealed to his readers explaining to Titus how to be able to determine if a person is truly pious or not. Once more, when speaking about a person’s “religion,” the Greek word translated to our language is a ceremonial observance. Therefore, both James and Paul are saying that God’s worship is much more than just the ceremonial practice on Sunday. In fact, subjecting God’s worship exclusively to Sundays is foolishly limiting His praise. Although it is true that He is to be worshiped every first day of the week, what James is teaching his readers is that God is not solely worshiped by the acts of worship performed on Sundays. He instead expands our knowledge by explaining that “pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). One must agree that visiting the orphans and widows does not necessarily take place only on Sundays, nor is remaining spotless from the world’s sinful influence only to be done during worship service. These actions must be done always in our everyday lives! Hence, the lesson James is presenting in his advice against vain worship. It is also foolish to believe that James is condensing God’s worship to these specific actions exclusively. Let us meditate briefly on the actions he has presented as evidence of a useful and approved religion. First, he states that a man who “does not bridle his tongue” quickly proves himself to be in vain worship. James teaches that a person who does not know how to control his words cannot believe that God accepts his worship because “no spring yields both salt water and fresh” (James 3:9-12). To continue proving his point, James exposes the hypocrisy of a person who seeks to please God with words only. His thought process is the same as the apostle John’s in counseling those who seek to be children of God that we “not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1st John 3:16). It is indisputable that God is a God of action and not words only. Since this is a proven fact, then it is only logical that His children be of action and not solely words as well. This is why the Master taught His disciples that “you will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). The worship that God accepts is clearly visible in the actions we take. The act of visiting those less fortunate than us and comforting them exhibits our godliness because He is “a father of the fatherless, a defender of widows” (Psalm 68:5-6). Therefore, James proves that God is not solely glorified on one exclusive day nor through the ritualistic practice of set ordinances only. Rather, the Father is to always be worshiped in obedience and holiness. Let us recall that the people of Israel forgot this important lesson and their ceremonial sacrifices were rejected by God. They ignored that “to do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Proverbs 21:3). James fully understood that loving our fellow man is also loving God. It is impossible to say we love God, if we are indifferent to the needs of our neighbor. To do so, is to deceive ourselves and present God with a worthless worship, that He will despise.
