In these last two verses of the first chapter, James gave some
clues on what a genuine Christian would look like. A pious person, he said,
would not merely attend worship service, but would also have consideration for
others in three aspects. So in two verses, the three aspects that would mark a
person out to be a true believer of God were given.
Firstly, a genuine Christian has a bridled tongue. In verse 26, James
said, if a so-called believer does not keep his tongue in check, such a
person’s religion is worthless. It renders his religion of no avail. An
unchecked tongue would violate the law of love. It would be prone to lying,
slandering, malicious talk etc. For such a person, James even went so far as to
say that he would be deceiving himself. In malicious talk, a person only
betrays himself and shows that he is not in alignment with God.
Secondly, a genuine Christian would
also have a caring heart. In verse 27, James addressed God as Father. This
immediately gives hint that James had a family image in mind. In a family,
members would respect the father but also show honor and care for one another.
What is pure and undefiled in God’s sight would be for members to have caring
hearts that demonstrate themselves in acts of kindness. Here, we see that a caring
heart would exhibit itself in social actions. Such a person would demonstrate
care of the less fortunate - the orphans and the widows, not just in words but
also in deeds.
Thirdly, a genuine Christian would live a consecrated life. In verse 27,
James also called for a lifestyle that is not influenced by the world. A true
believer would not imitate the standards of the world. He seeks to live a life
that is above reproach and blameless.
Let us seek to be genuine believers and be careful with our
tongues, be caring towards the needy and be circumspect in our lifestyle. May
God be glorified by our actions in life!
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