JAMES 1:26, 27, C. H. Cayce 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. Pure religion and undeflled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep him- self unspotted from the world.—James i. 26, 27.
Two things we learn from the above text, at least, are that there is a vain religion and also what the pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is. They are not at all alike—and yet they are what people do. So, another thing we learn from this text is that religion is not something people “get,” but it is some- thing they do. Religion is what we do, not something we “get.”
We have heard much said by the world since our early recollection about people “getting religion.” Worldly “rehgionists” have told us for years and years that we must “get religion” in order to be saved in heaven; that we will remain unsaved unless we “get religion.” But we see from this text that religion is not something people “get.” It is what they do. They may be doing the kind that is vain; and they may be doing the kind that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father. However, we are rather of the opinion that not many are doing the right kind.
There is also another religion mentioned in the Bible. Paul said:
For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: and profited in the Jews’ religion above many my [pg 306] equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.—Gal. i. 13, 14.
We learn here that Paul practiced the Jews’ religion before he was made a child of God by regeneration— before he was born from above. That religion was to persecute the saints and to destroy the church of God. This is another bad kind of religion to practice. We do not think it has all disappeared from the world yet. Sometimes persecutors even get in the church, and cause trouble and distress there. It is worse for a persecutor to be in the church, or to be identified as a member of the church, than it is for them to be in the world. Better things are expected of the members of the church.
It is a bad state of affairs when a member of the church does not bridle his tongue, and thereby practices a vain religion.
Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: but the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poi- son. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.—James iii. 3-10.
This shows something of the vain religion, and what [pg 307] the practice results in. It is deplorable, indeed. The wrong use of the tongue—not having the tongue bridled —defiles the whole body; it is a.little fire, but kindles a great conflagration; it brings destruction, sorrow, distress, divisions and misery. It is a fire; it burns deep in the hearts of the Lord’s little children, and makes scars in their poor bleeding hearts which they will carry with them to their graves. The scars can never be erased, for the burns were made too deep for the scars to ever be removed while they live in this world of sorrows and troubles. It is a world of iniquity. The unbridled tongue can fill the world with its unholy work! It sets on fire the course of nature. How quickly it can, and sometimes does, set the whole being on fire with madness, venom, and a spirit of destruction and revenge! “It is set on fire of hell.”
But there is a pure religion—a better kind, which the Lord’s little children should be careful to practice. They should be careful to bridle the tongue, first. Say nothing about a person which you would not be willing to say to his face. Be careful, then, even, as to what you say. “Let your words be seasoned with grace.” Be sure that you do not exaggerate in your use of words.
Then, remember that the pure religion is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction. That is a part of the pure religion. This does not mean to go to see them and “sponge” on them—to try to get all you can from them. To visit them in their affliction is to minister to them; administer to their necessities. A person that never does anything to help a poor widow along, or never does anything to help the poor fatherless children to fight the battles of life, never visits them in their affliction, no matter how many times he [pg 308] may go to their homes. He may go to their homes and eat some of the provisions they have obtained by their hard labors and toils, but he is not thereby visiting them in their affliction.
If you want to enjoy the practice of some of this right kind of religion, try going to see some poor widow or orphan children in your section and administer to their needs; say a few words by way of encouragement to them that will help them to bear their troubles, and that will assure them that they have a true friend who is ready to lend a helping hand. Try this just once, and see how good it will make you feel. We are just as sure it will make you feel good as we are sure God lives and reigns in glory.
Another part of this pure and undefiled religion is to keep himself unspotted from the world. No man can keep himself unspotted from the world and at the same time have his garments spotted with the institutions of men. He cannot belong to the institutions of the world and keep himself unspotted from the world. Neither can he keep himself unspotted from the world and have his breath smelling like a rotten whisky jug. He cannot keep himself unspotted from the world and engage in such revelry and wickedness as the world engages in. He cannot keep himself unspotted from the world and use profane language., He cannot keep himself unspotted from the world and visit houses of ill fame, the speakeasies, the grog shops, the picture shows, theaters, and such places as are the gathering places for the wicked and profane. “Birds of a feather flock together.” The dance hall is no place to practice the pure and undefiled religion. There are so many ways one may have the spots of the world that we cannot [pg 309] here enumerate them all. How careful we should be as to how we live. Those who have professed the name of Christ should endeavor to live above reproach, so as to have none of the spots of the world, and so as to not bring shame and disgrace and reproach on the cause of the Master. May the good Lord help us to so live. The Primitive Baptist, September 4, 1930.