Spoken only in a favorable way in James which indicates an outworking of faith, not ritualistic church service. 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. Too much emphasis in the American Evangelical Churches has been placed on religion and not enough on godliness. Religion emphasizes leadership. Godliness emphasizes servanthood.
Religion stresses building funds over the support of our pastors and missionaries.
Religion emphasizes unscriptural traditions of men. Godliness emphasizes the exaltation of Jesus Christ, the Word of God, and growth in holiness. God will anoint his ministers to speak His Word from the power of His Holy Spirit. This does not happen through the man of God who who is lazy, slack or afraid to deliver the whole counsel of God. This kind of unscriptural rhetoric occurs within the Body of Christ when church buildings and building programs are given prominence over the Gospel and God's people.