What Is The Difference Between being Religious And Having Faith?

Today I continue with the last entry in Jame’s first chapter.  Where he writes of looking at ourselves in the mirror; but not truly seeing what, and who, we actually are.

22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. ²³For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; ²⁴for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. ²⁵But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

I don’t know about you,but it seems interesting to me that the subject of looking in the mirror is thrown into a conversation about doing — being faithful — to God’s word.  

Whenever I find an unlikely point, being made, in the middle of a passage; it is my clue to ask why.  Why this point is being made. What is the reason? 

It is something like telling a parable in the middle of a conversation.  And no one gets it.

I am tempted to say, without any exegesis, that is James is aiming our misguided opinion of ourselves.  

That is, thinking of ourselves as good, and nice, and a “religious” person.  By patting ourselves on the back for following all the rules and expectations of “the church.” 

            Not following God.  

                                         But he Institutional Church!

26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.(James 1) 

I think we could compare it to the proud Pharisees of Jesus’ day.  Who followed all of the ancient rules and traditions of the Jewish faith; and yet were not very nice/good people according to God's will. 

Jesus told this parable about such things: 

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ¹⁰‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. ¹¹The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. ¹²I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” ¹³But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” ¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’ (Lk. 18)

Maybe James is making the same point, as Jesus, in this conversation about  what we see in the mirror; and then not living faithful to God’s Word.  

That is, we can look good to ourselves and others on the outside.  But its not  who we truly are on the inside where no one else can see.

This is where I put the idea of being “religious” into any discussion about how we live as God’s people in an ungodly world.

Because, being “religious” can be, and often is, quite different from living by, and in, faith.

That is living, doing, speaking and praying to God; for God's will to be done through us.  

God, is our only true north when it comes to walking through our days trying to live as God would have us live. 

Jesus called those who just follow all the rules hypocrites.  

Again, just my humble opinion!