James Expounds on Faith Volume 16

 Be Doers of the Word of God Part 4

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. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

Next the Apostle John zeros in on our speech as an indicator of our faithfulness or faithlessness to our Lord Jesus Christ. The 😝 tongue of any of 👥 us who are walking with our Lord Jesus Christ should not be filled continously with the venom, viciousness, and volatility that was so common in our daily language when we were absent from and apart from Christ Jesus our Lord. This does not mean that we do not slip into some of our old ways of speaking, especially when we become 😡 angry, however, we must immediately recognize the rising tide within us and pray the Word of God hidden in our inner 👨 man or inner 👩 woman, such as this Word from the Word of God that I often 🙏 pray over me and my 😝 tongue, "Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips." (Psalms 141:3) (NKJV). This for me is of vital necessity because before coming to Christ, my everyday manner of speaking to anyone was to use profanity as my normal language and it was never-ending for me and the way I spoke at all ⌚ times, but when I was saved and born again by my Lord Jesus, I began to desire to eliminate that language from my vocabulary by the grace of God working within me. When I do not keep myself joined and connected to the Word of God as my spiritual lifeline, I find myself slipping back to allowing some of these words to come up from the well of my 'old man' or 'old nature', so we now read these words from the Apostle James to rebuke us who do not guard the words that we speak, as it is written, "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." (James 1:26) (KJV). The English word 'seem' is translated by the Greek word dokeō which is a prolong form of a primary verb meaning to think; by implication to seem (truthfully or uncertainly): - be accounted, be of reputation, seem (good), suppose, or think. The English word 'religious' used here by the Apostle James is translated by the Greek word thrēskos (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning ceremonious in worship (as demonstrative), that is, pious: - religious. The English word 'bridleth' is translated by the Greek word chalinagōgeō meaning to be a bit leader, that is, to curb (figuratively): - bridle. In other words, the Apostle James is telling us that we must be responsible for checking, controlling, and conquering our tongue 😝 if we are to be true worshippers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and not be vain or empty pretenders, for no one can make us say the things we do (not even the devil) because what we say and what we do not say is a product of our closeness or lack there of with Christ and His Word, therefore, we should listen to and heed this wisdom from Proverbs, "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom." (Proverbs 10:19-21) (NKJV). Let us also take heed and remember what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church @ Ephesus when he said, "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them." (Ephesians 5:1-7) (NKJV). The Apostle James declares that it is our responsibility to control our 😝 tongue and keep our inner 👨 man or inner woman 👩 true to our Lord Jesus Christ with not only what we do and do not do, but also what we say and do not say, as it is written by the Psalmist here, "Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit."  (Psalms 34:13) (NKJV) Amen!

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 1:26, "Pious, or devout. That is, if he does not restrain his tongue, his other evidences of religion are worthless. A man may undoubtedly have many things in his character which seem to be evidences of the existence of religion in his heart, and yet there may be some one thing that shall show that all those evidences are false. Religion is designed to produce an effect on our whole conduct; and if there is any one thing in reference to which it does not bring us under its control, that one thing may show that all other appearances of piety are worthless. Restrains or curbs it not, as a horse is restrained with a bridle. There may have been some reason why the Apostle referred to this particular sin which is now unknown to us; or he may perhaps have intended to select this as a specimen to illustrate this idea, that if there is any one evil propensity which religion does not control, or if there is any one thing in respect to which its influence is not felt, whatever other evidences of piety there may be, this will demonstrate that all those appearances of religion are vain. For religion is designed to bring the whole man under control, and to subdue every faculty of the body and mind to its demands. If the tongue is not restrained, or if there is any unsubdued propensity to sin whatever, it proves that there is no true religion. Implying that he does deceive his heart by supposing that any evidence can prove that he is under the influence of religion if his tongue is unrestrained. Whatever love, or zeal, or orthodoxy, or gift in preaching or in prayer he may have, this one evil propensity will neutralize it all, and show that there is no true religion at heart. As all religion must be which does not control all the faculties of the body and the mind. The truths, then, which are taught in this verse are: (1) That there may be evidences of piety which seem to be very plausible or clear, but which in themselves do not prove that there is any true religion. There may be much zeal, as in the case of the Pharisees; there may be much apparent love of Christians, or much outward benevolence; there may be an uncommon gift in prayer; there may be much self-denial, as among those who withdraw from the world in monasteries or nunneries; or there may have been deep conviction for sin, and much joy at the time of the supposed conversion, and still there be no true religion. Each and all of these things may exist in the heart where there is no true religion. (2) A single unsubdued sinful propensity neutralizes all these things, and shows that there is no true religion. If the tongue is not subdued; if any sin is indulged, it will show that the seat of the evil has not been reached, and that the soul, as such, has never been brought into subjection to the law of God. For the very essence of all the sin that there was in the soul may have been concentrated on that one propensity. Everything else which may be manifested may be accounted for on the supposition that there is no religion; this cannot be accounted for on the supposition that there is any."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…