Keeping Religion from Being Vain!

James 1:26 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. 

The Bible never ceases to amaze me.  Today’s passage is dealing with what can make a man’s religion vain. 

First, let’s make sure we understand the word “vain”.   Vain simply means:  “worthless, having NO value”.  So James is telling us that something that we can do can make our attempt at drawing near to God have not value to either us or God!

If we were to take a poll of people, unfamiliar with this verse, and ask them how a man might make his religion in vain, I would imagine that know one would give the answer that James does.  In today’s crazy world we might hear things like...”by not taking good care of the environment”.  Or by not loving one another.  By not accepting everyone despite their choices or lifestyles.

Even religious people might give the wrong answer like...by losing faith....or by failing to attend worship services regularly.  But none of these are the correct answer.

So James, what can we do that can make our religion in vain?  Failing to control our tongues.  Our speech, what we say, what we choose not to say, the jokes that we tell, the descriptions that we make, all tell others about who we are.  If we use foul language on a regular basis, then James says that our religion is worthless!  If we cannot refrain from telling jokes then our religion has no value.  If you are mean spirited and regularly belittle people with your speech, then your religion is in vain.

I think that Jesus has insight for why this is so significant...

Matthew 15:18-20 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. (19) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (20) These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. 

Jesus says that what comes out of the mouth (speech) comes from the heart.  And ultimately, what is in the heart defiles a man.  If we continually lie, use foul language, tell dirty jokes, or demean people with our speech, it is much larger indicator of who we really are....a defiled person.

If you regularly use foul language in any form, but do not like the idea that you are defiled, then it is not too late to change.  You can control your speech.  You can think before you speak and become the kind of person that you want to be.