Religion—found seven times in six verses
Variations: religion, religious
First usage: Acts 13:43 (religious)
Last usage: James 1:27 (religion)
Defined: devotion or piety
Interesting fact: Paul’s religious beliefs led him to persecute “the church of God” (Galatians 1:13). The Lord Jesus warned of a future time when “whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service” (John 16:2). This prophetic persecution is what caused John to wonder “with great admiration” (Revelation 17:6) when he saw a religious institution cruelly ruling the world.
Bible study tip: An adjective is a word or phrase declaring an attribute. It is generally provided to modify or describe a noun. To a great extent, the presence of an adjective not only describes a noun, but the inclusion of the adjective indicates the neutrality of the noun when appearing by itself. For example, the phrase “pure religion” suggests several varying points: (1) religion can be pure, (2) religion can be impure, and (3) the word religion is not inherently good or evil.
Sunday, Day 232—Church Day (no devotional)
Monday, Day 233—Religious But Lost
Tuesday, Day 234—Zealous for Religion
Wednesday, Day 235—Church Night (no devotional)
Thursday, Day 236—The Appearance of Religion
Friday, Day 237—Vain Religion
Saturday, Day 238—Pure Religion
Day 232: Church Day
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.