“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).
There were members of the early church in James’ day and some in our day who are involved in all church activity. These members appear to be very pious, sanctimonious, self-righteous, and pompous. They seem to have a sincere passion for the things of God, but cannot control their tongue.
We might overlook their out-of-control tongue in light of all their religious fervor, but James says their unruly tongue strikes right through all their religion and makes it null and void and vain or unprofitable.
A person can be so engrossed in religion that their out-of-control tongue is unnoticed as a significant sign of their religious hypocrisy. They have deceived themselves from their actual spiritual state.
Our speech gives us away. The character and quality of our words reflect the character and quality of the heart. Jesus said, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Mt. 12: 37). He also said, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” and, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man” (Mt. 12: 34,15: 18).
That means that the speech of a justified man and a condemned or lost man will be different, and that difference will indicate their standing. I have come in contact with lost people who had a septic tank for a heart and a sewer line for a mouth. I have also come in contact with some who professed to know Christ that weren’t much better.
Words are the medium by which the quality of the heart and mind go forth to other souls. The dominant heart-quality of a person will possess and accompany his words with absolute precision. All words are loaded with the quality of the soul out of which they proceed. The quality of the soul is not only indicated by the words we use but also the use of those words; their intended purpose. What did we say, and for what purpose did we say it?
Words are outsourced from the soul and are the most accurate indicator of the state of the soul than anything else. If a person’s religion hasn’t reached and changed his heart and, in turn, changed his speech, his religion is vain.
It’s a person’s speech that indicate the state of that person, not all the religious jargon and numerous activities they use as a cloak to hide behind.
