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. 

                                                                                                                     James 1:26 

Many of the themes in which James discusses connect to one another in that they are the standards by which believers in Jesus Christ are to live. Today’s passage reveals that we deceive ourselves if we think that we are “religious” yet possess no ability to control our speech. In other words, what we say and the manner in which we speak reveals what is truly in our hearts. Below are three examples of misusing our tongues and proving our religion to be worthless.

1. Blessing God through worship and then cursing others as we leave the church

With it (the tongue) we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 

                                                                                                                   James 3:9-10 

Worshiping God is an important part of enjoying the God who created us. But when we fail to see the value in others, we push our worship into the category of hypocrisy. Valuing God yet failing to value His creative work is a double-minded approach to living. Everyone is important and James tells us why…”mankind has been made in the likeness of God.” We have all transgressed the entire Law of God (James 2:10) making us all equally in need of a Savior. God, in His grace, has given us Jesus as a means by which He can reconcile to Himself even the vilest of sinners (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). We should give our worship to God for His marvelous character and nature but we should always remember to value others as well, placing their needs above our own and considering them as more important than ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4). This also is an act of worship.

2. Malicious slander and gossip of another person

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

                                                                                                           Ephesians 4:31-32 

Gossip is one of the most disgusting, repugnant, and vile things that we could do to another. Yet this moral failure exists not only in our culture but in the church as well. Often this practice goes unchecked, making it one of the most destructive things in which believers could engage (Galatians 5:15). Biblical instruction could not be any clearer. This type of behavior has no place in the life of a believer. We must put away all forms of malice including gossip. Forgiveness, refusing to keep records of wrongs, and a merciful spirit towards one another is God-honoring and promotes unity and strength in the church. All forms of destructive rhetoric should be called out in the body of Christ.

3. All forms of lying and dishonesty

But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices… 

                                                                                                            Colossians 3:8-9 

Finally, believers should be honest and trustworthy. Christians are not to lie to one another or to the unbelieving world. Honest business practices should be a given for someone operating their business as a kingdom-honoring enterprise. Dishonesty for the sake of sordid gain will not be blessed by God and will lead to others questioning the authenticity of our integrity and character. Also, abusive speech and outbursts of anger only serve to show a lack of spiritual immaturity and self-control. Paul tells us that putting away this type of behavior is an essential practice since we have “laid aside the old self” and “put on the new man.” Anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech are all correctly identified by Paul as being “evil practices.” The tongue has the power to place us in the middle of these distorted and harmful actions.

“If anyone thinks himself to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, his religion is worthless and he deceives his own heart.” Let’s be a people who can stand by what we say and restrain ourselves from speaking worthless and harmful words!