James 1:16-27 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created. My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Religion is presently teaching the world to sing a new song. Religion is wooing the world into a trancelike state with a seductive song that says spiritual is the consistency of the human heart. This song is an old song given resounding resonance in this present day. The melody and beguiling words flow in harmony with the desires of the human heart. What many have forgotten, if they ever knew, is that religion is an invention of the human heart and the Bible says that the human heart is continually wicked. Religion was never of God but fully human in origin. Religion promises to lift humankind and humankind loves to be lifted for the human heart is above all things very proud. Ironically, the new song that religion is teaching is Anti-religion Religion.
The lives of men and women are but a vapor but human beings are proud and men and women imagine themselves to be much greater than they really are. All of these fanciful imaginings are present in each and every religion born of humankind. There is pure and true religion, that which is to live a life of purity as described in the Spiritual Law of God and to tend to widows and orphans. True religion is practiced by those who have been reborn in Christ Jesus as through them the Will of God is accomplished upon the earth through acts of mercy not sacrifice, as in tending to those who are helpless and needy. This pure religion exalts God and humbles man. When people have been humbled by the Spirit and reborn spiritually in Christ, the Law is not burdensom for the Law is natural to the spiritual person. The Law is heavy to the carnal person. The Law is always heavy when we seek to fulfill it by carnal means. However, the Law is not evil as is currently being touted by many. The Law is what is good for human beings to live by but persons who are yet carnal resist the Law for it is unnatural to them.
Though traditional religion has become unpopular, few know the true alternative. Many are abandoning tradition and seeking their own way and in seeking their own way, the way of their heart, they form their own religion which is as dead as the one they left behind. In the clamor of the day, the Truth is being drowned out as people follow their own desires and seek acceptance of one another. This is the spirit that binds those that seek not after God but after their own way as they gravitate to those who share their same desire. There is strength in numbers and many are those who are gathering under the spiritual banner of, My Own Way.
Jesus, Whom God sent into the world as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and in Whom all women and men are made equal before God, is denegraded and scoffed at as too exclusive. Many new fables about Jesus are being invented and old ones given new life in the guise of ancient writings, false science, and even in open fiction. Fiction that is embraced as possible truth by many who desire anything but, Jesus.
Many gods and many philosophies are included in this new song that religion is teaching the world to sing. Old gods, new gods, and no god at all is the all inclusive song of the new world religion that is rising. What will never be included in that song is, Christ Alone. Not long now and those who cling to Jesus will not be tolerated either. Neither will the Jews be tolerated, for as history teaches us, when religion grips the world, the people of God suffer. As the cloud of religious intolerance in the guise of tolerance darkens the world, the Truth that is Jesus will shine brightly to those who are being called out of the world. Then as those of us who are in Christ are lifted from the earth, the fullness of evil will settle fully over the earth as religion's final attempt to lift mankind to be like the Most High is given its full season.
These are deceptive times. Yes, abandon religion; but cling to Jesus. Cling to the Bible, the words that God has given us as spiritual food. Food that is truly spiritual for it is of the Spirit and it is through His Word that He speaks to us. The Bible is our guide and protector in these times when deception is so seductive that if it were possible, even the elect would be deceived. It is in Jesus that we have true spirituality for it is in Jesus that we have continual communion with the Father. Pray without ceasing, do what the Bible says, and do not fear the shifting shadows.
Let all evil that remains evil unrepented, be punished equally to evils deeds. ~ God [Letters from God and His Christ - Volume 2 ~ God is Sovereign]