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I.
V. 26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not
bridle his tongue but deceives his {own} heart, this man's religion
is worthless.
a.
If anyone thinks himself to be religious - ei tis {i tis} humin
{hoo-min'} dokeo {dok-eh'-o} threskos {thrace'-kos} - If whoever
of you thinks or supposes himself to be fearing or worshipping God
i.
James calls for self-examination.
In this case this man has actually convinced himself that
he is religious! He thinks he is a Christian but he is mistaken.
(Hess)
ii.
In a vain religion there is much of show, and affecting to seem
religious in the eyes of others. When men are more concerned to
seem religious than really to be so, it is a sign that their religion
is but vain. It is possible for people to make their religion a
vain thing, if they have only a form of godliness, and not the power.
(Henry)
iii.
By his preaching, or praying, and hearing, and other external duties
of religion, he is constant in the observance of; and who, upon
the account of these things, "thinks himself to be a religious
man", or is thought to be so by others: (Gill)
b.
and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his {own} heart
- chalinagogeo {khal-in-ag-ogue-eh'-o} me {may} glossa {gloce-sah'}
apatao {ap-at-ah'-o} autos {ow-tos'} kardia {kar-dee'-ah} - does
not bridle or hold in check his tongue cheats or deceives his heart
(fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites,
affections, purposes, endeavors)
i.
He boasts of his works, and speaks ill of his brethren; backbites
them, and hurts their names and characters, by private insinuations,
and public charges without any foundation; who takes no care of
what he says, but gives his tongue a liberty of speaking anything,
to the injury of others, and the dishonor of God, and his ways (Gill)
ii.
Discretion in speech is better than fluency of speech (Commentary
Critical)
iii.
Psalm 39:1 - I said, "I will guard my ways that I may not sin
with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle while the
wicked are in my presence."
iv.
When we hear people ready to speak of the faults of others, or to
censure them as holding scandalous errors, this is a sign that they
have but a vain religion. The man who has a detracting tongue cannot
have a truly humble gracious heart. (Henry)
v.
The man James describes was sincere. He really thought he had God's
endorsement. He was sincerely deceived. (Hess)
c.
this man's religion is worthless - toutou {too'-too} threskeia {thrace-ki'-ah}
mataios {mat'-ah-yos} - this
man's religious discipline of external ceremonies is useless or
of no purpose
i.
useless, and unprofitable to himself and others; all his preaching,
praying, hearing, and attendance on the ordinances will be of no
avail to him; and he, notwithstanding these, by his evil tongue,
brings a scandal and reproach upon the ways of God, and doctrines
of Christ (Gill)
ii.
In a vain religion a man deceives his own heart; he goes on in such
a course of detracting from others, and making himself seem somebody,
that at last the vanity of his religion is consummated by the deceiving
of his own soul (Henry)
II.
V. 27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of {our} God and
Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, {and}
to keep oneself unstained by the world.
a.
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of {our} God and Father
is this - katharos {kath-ar-os'} threskeia {thrace-ki'-ah} amiantos
{am-ee'-an-tos} theos {theh'-os} pater {pat-ayr'} houtos {hoo'-tos}
- clean or pure (free from corrupt desire, from sin and guilt) and
not defiled or unsoiled religious discipline of external ceremonies
in front of God and the Father is this
i.
Man-made religion does not count. Only that which is pure in God's
sight does (Hess)
ii.
It is the glory of religion to be pure and undefiled; not mixed
with the inventions of men or with the corruption of the world.
(Henry)
iii.
Pure is that love which has in it no foreign admixture, as self-deceit
and hypocrisy. "Undefiled" is the means of its being "pure".
"Pure" expresses the positive, "undefiled" the
negative side of religious service (Commentary Critical)
b.
to visit orphans and widows in their distress - episkeptomai {ep-ee-skep'-tom-ahee}
orphanos {or-fan-os'} chera {khay'-rah} thlipsis {thlip'-sis} -
to look after, have care for or provide for those bereft [without]
(of a father, of parents) or widowed in their oppression, affliction
or tribulation
i.
An orphan is one bereft of parent or guardian. If a person splits
hairs on how to identify an orphan in order to limit his benevolence
and get by as cheaply as possible, he reminds me of the one who
asked, "And who is my neighbor?" (Lu 10:29). The Lord
is pleased with broadening the extent of our compassion, not constricting
it. (Hess)
ii.
The reason many people are depressed is that instead of looking
after the needs of others, they are constantly focused upon themselves. When a person is depressed because of an inordinate focus on
self, he is not honoring his Creator. (Cleveland)
iii.
Visiting is here put for all manner of relief which we are capable
of giving to others; and fatherless and widows are here particularly
mentioned, because they are generally most apt to be neglected or
oppressed: but by them we are to understand all who are proper objects
of charity, all who are in affliction. It is very remarkable that
if the sum of religion be drawn up to two articles this is one-to
be charitable and relieve the afflicted. (Henry)
c.
to keep oneself unstained by the world - tereo {tay-reh'-o} heautou
{heh-ow-too'} aspilos {as'-pee-los} apo {apo'} kosmos {kos'-mos}
- to guard or keep himself spotless from that which although hollow
and frail and fleeting, stirs desire, seduces from God and are obstacles
to the cause of Christ
i.
Christians may be in the world but must not be of it (John 17:14-16).
They are leaven that permeates all around them. They enrich lives
and inspire others to obey the gospel and to glorify God (Mt 5:16;
13:33). They must not be tainted by the sinful ways of the world.
(Hess)
ii.
John comprises all that is in the world, which we are not to love,
under three heads: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life; and to keep ourselves unspotted from all
these is to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. (Henry)
iii.
The men of the world, who defile by their evil communications; need
to separate from the rest of the world, and to deny ungodliness
and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly.
(Gill)
iv.
Jealous watchfulness, at the same time praying and depending on
God as alone able to keep us (Commentary Critical)
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