Religion, what is it?  Is it something we do regularly and religiously as being a fan of a sport as attending a football teams matches where we religiously buy the season ticket or attend every match.  Or is it something to do with a god where we commonly associate the word religion?  I think it is commonly accepted and I also believe that religion should be something associated with a god, a faith of moral and religious system.  On that basis, we know there a many religions; but what is true religion?  It should be, I would say, the religion of the god you choose, in our case of our bibles or Torah.  James talks about the true religion of our God, Yehovah or Yahweh according to your pronunciation.   So what is that true religion? Do we go to James for it, maybe the apostles or Yahshua the Messiah or do we go to God Himself?  

I think the true religion would be a religion that that god would like us to follow.  So I am going to start with seeing what He would like us to do as His true religion.  He has given us some guidelines in scriptures which I shall cover below.  We should see He wants us to live a life of unity in spirit and truth with each other.  Giving each other assistance and support.  Not by some being idle and expecting the others to feed them; but in sharing according to our blessings and others poverty.  Remember Paul said 2Th 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 

That is what I think a church religion, congregation should be like and hopefully we can achieve here.  Where we are our brothers keeper, we are looking out for each other without expecting in return.  It does not have to be financially but to empathise with each other emotionally, especially those who may feel lonely sometimes.  It is definitely more than attending studies or service together.  At the end of Acts 2 it speaks of such a congregation or community.  Maybe that extent is not achievable; but I do desire we at least achieve the emotional support for each other.

Over a year ago I did a study titled Religion or Relationship which is available on the web site to hear or read.  In it I mentioned the verse Jas 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.

In it I mentioned a defiled religion or relationship with God.  Today I want to include that verse in the study; but from the point of view of the true type of religion God wants of us.  Not so much as the first and greatest commandment of loving God; but on the second of fellow neighbour.  The kind of world that would please God.  I will be covering a few different topics as God’s true religion was made up of many parts.  The commandments, behaviour to each other, clothing and more. 

Many think the relationship He desires is to pray 3 times a day or continually, be engaged in acts of worship i.e. singing songs, fasting and beating our chest or even constant evangelising.  Of course there is no harm in doing those things; but what are they to achieve in you and others?  True religion is not so much in our actions; but our hearts which comes out in our actions rightly and with sincerity. 

Mat 12:35  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Mat 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. Mat 15:19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 1Ti 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 

We cannot do an action without it having a formation in our heads or heart.  I would say even an automatic response.  However, the action can be a deceiving one where it does not reflect what is in the heart i.e. true intentions or motive behind it.  God does not want our actions to be for selfish means now or preparing the way for the future.  Not being nice to someone because you may need something of them in the future.   We may not always be able to detect such people; but God can.  When they nolonger need you, can do without you, or you upset them, they break contact or change behaviour towards you. They are practicing a fake religion, one that is not of YHWH God. 

I have taught on the keeping of the commandments of God being a fundamental part of our faith or religion.  Without them we may not enter the Promised Land.  We should all be familiar with at least these two verses  Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Rev 22:14  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 

Today I want to focus on the other aspect of our religion mentioned by Yahshua our Messiah in Mat 19:16  And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Mat 19:20  The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 

We are called to be perfect Mat 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.   

How can we better achieve that perfection, get away from what any call legalism of keeping the law without your spirit being behind it?  

ISAIAH 58:6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen”:   i.e. the action I want of you.  Isa 58:7  Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?  

Many people’s religion is not inline with Isiah 58; but instead their actions say “look at me I am fasting, how much tithes I pay, how often and long I pray.  Is it not to pray in the secret of your closet, help those of God’s people in need?  Doing things,  including paying tithes and your fasting, in secret where no one can see nor knows about it save God.  Of course unless it is miss used or greedily solicited by the church.   Isaiah 58 opens with person doing things for a reward or observation of God or others.  

Isa 58:3  Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?... 

Their whole participation in church is to be noticed.  Whether by their fashion parade attire and hair style or other claimed spiritual gifts.  Our bible gives us complete directions on true religion including attendance attire  1Ti 2:9  In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;  1Pe 3:3  Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 

That does not mean we disrespect God and come as if we are going to an unholy place i.e. in jeans, T shirt or trainers.  Unless ofcourse that is the only cloths we own.  There is no such phrase as “come as you are” in the bible and definitely not in relation to come dress as you want.  The priest had to wear special holy garments for His service and even, when in the wilderness, the congregation may only have had one change of clothes, it was to be washed Exo 19:10  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes, 

True Religion is not an activity in which we pleasure ourselves, even in fasting, as Isa 58:3 says; but one in which we achieve the society God desires among our fellow brother and sister.  Isa 58:6  Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?  

Now you may not have a servant or “oppressed” to let go free; but many are under burdens beyond the financial or physical.  A yoke of loneliness, a companionship or other which you can relieve.  It could be as simple as you assist them in their gardening and they in yours.  Gardening gets done and both have social meeting or share a cup of tea without the cake for those watching their weigh.  Or de-clutter  your house and loft of some of the things you have and passing them onto a young mother without money to buy toys for her children’s entertainment. 

God adds through Isaiah 58:8 Isa 58:8  Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Isa 58:9  Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; Isa 58:10  And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: Isa 58:11  And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 

The teachings and reward of true religion in Isaiah 58 is echoed in the New Testament.

Mat 25:31  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: Mat 25:32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: Mat 25:33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: Mat 25:35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Mat 25:36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Mat 25:37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  

Mat 25:38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Mat 25:39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 

Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: Mat 25:42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: Mat 25:43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.  

I started by saying I was focusing on our hearts more than the keeping of commandments in this study.  I hope you are aware, the right heart is part of God commandments  Lev 19:18  Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. Zec 8:17  And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD. 

I want for a moment to mention some of the traditions of men that take us away from God’s true religion.  There is a custom of blessing babies, marriages or even our food.  We do not see these in the bible.  Firstly, we do not bless food; but give God thanks for it as in Mat 15:36  And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. Mat 26:26  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 

Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; Mar 8:6  And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.  [see also Mark 14:23, Luke 22:17, 19, John 6:11, 23].

Though Mat 26:26 has “blessed” other Greek translations says “thanks” as a note in KJV also says. We see v27 has “thanks”. 

As far as a new born baby is concerned, we may see circumcision for the male child or dedication of the baby to God as with Samuel; but not the type of blessings adopted today.  Baby christening is another creation of man via the Catholic church in order to replace circumcision.  The danger is that many people do not go on to get baptised as adults as the bible says they should Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  

Even Yahshua got baptised, why?  Mat 3:15  And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. 

As for weddings being done in churches or officiated over by a pastor or priest, again not in the bible; but an act of man’s governments.  If neither the parents nor newlyweds live a Godly life, no blessing of a pastor can compel God to bless them.  Conversely, if the parents or newlyweds live a life pleasing to God, whether or not a pastor blesses them, God would as He promised.  The keeping of the criteria to get His blessings is the method not a priest or pastors words.  Remember John the Baptist was blessed even from within his mother’s womb without the blessing of a priest Luk 1:15  For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. Luk 1:16  And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.  

Of his parents it is said Luk 1:5  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. Luk 1:6  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.  Gentiles who were not born into the congregation of Israel; but maybe under a pagan Roman belief system could also have achieved God’s blessings without the intervention of a priest.  Cornelius of Acts 10 is such a person.  Again he achieved his blessing by Act 10:1  There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, Act 10:2  A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.  

There are other roman persons who obtained blessings or for their servants due to their faith as the centurion for his servant.  So true religion is to put your faith and expectations in Yahweh God not a priest, pastor, government or third person for blessings or healings.  Through Cornelius’ faith and fear of God he can be said to be the equivalent of Abraham; but to the gentiles.  Abraham is the first Hebrew we are told on and through whom God brought His blessings to Israel.  Cornelius is the first gentile we are told on and through whom God brought salvation to the gentiles.

You think they are harmless additions.  The devil and his acting agents do not impose traditions that are harmless.  What would be the point of deceiving people if in the end it did not matter to God?  By participating in these traditions of men, we are putting their word over God’s.    The danger or harm is, with baby baptism or christening children do not get circumcised nor think they need to be adult baptised.  When adult baptism takes place it is done in the words, father and son rather than names of the Father and Son.  With blessing marriages we believe the piece of paper or priest makes a marriage not what God says.  With blessing food, we think we can eat what God says is unclean providing we make it clean with a blessing. 

Their traditions are spoiling you and may make you non acceptable to God.  Let us nolonger do that.

Mar 7:9  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. Mar 7:13  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 

TITHING:  Another area of true religion where rudiments of the world has crept in with vain deceits of men is Tithing. God had a system where the community would contribute into a pot or store house so that the Levite priests can spend their full time in His ministry.  Reading and learning His word and passing it onto the citizens who spent their days working for financial equivalent.  It was a division of duties rather than duplication by everyone.  Similar to a family where David looked after the flock, Rachael watered them at the well, the virtuous woman kept the home and made the garments for the family and the Job the father guided them in God’s word.  

Some people think the system started with Israel and the Levites so that now the Levites and the temple are no more that tithing has ceased.  Wrong.  Tithing, the ways and commandments of God existed before Israel and the Levites.  They were done on a smaller family scale.  The animals that Noah sacrificed in Genesis 8:20, Abraham and others subsequently before the nation of Israel was a family owned and raised sacrifice.  They all contributed to its raising and thus sacrificing.  When the father of the Prodigal son killed the fatted calf in Luke 15:31 parable, it was raised by the communal participation of the whole household, with the father acting as the Levite priest.  The only difference between the Levites of the nation of Israel and the family is the size. The small family that went into Egypt had, over the 430 years multiplied into a huge extended family called a nation. Thus God extended His system to a chosen group of men, Levites, acting as intercessors to Him.  The duties were too much for one or a few men.  The sacrifices were to Him, not the priests.  He was the receiver at via the hands of the priests.  He got the sweet smelling savour and the priests ate the sacrifice on His behalf.  Remember i.e. in Judges 17:13 priests acted as family intercessors with God outside the national sacrifice system.  Just like when the first tabernacle was built, God in the book of Exodus instructing everyone to contribute to it.  When the Jews were scattered to other regions they contributed together to build a place of worship for the community.   Today we know that when contributions cease roofs do not get repaired and the church closes. 

My point is we are to look at the bigger picture of the reason for God’s tithing system and not cast it aside because of its abuse by the prosperity wolves acting as pastors.  God still wants a working ministry and ministers supported by the congregation.  The building rents, costs and livelihood of the minister if they are full time, do their job and spread His gospel.  It is not to make them rich.  Remember it is your and God’s building not the pastor’s.  Without its upkeep and minister they would be nowhere to keep the commandment of holding holy convocations and teaching others.  Think of your congregation as your other family, of God. 

ATTITUDE:  I have talked about what the world has done to God’s true religion.  Now how individually we may have contributed. Some people do not come to faith to serve God; but to be served or respected.  Instead of becoming humble they become boastful.   Look at me I am a prophet, I can speak in tongues, I have the Holy Spirit, I can heal, I can pray for you.  I am going to tell you something.  Remember I told you and when I told you, then keep watch so you can see I was right and be my witness.  If you do not believe me ask so and so they were there when I said I said it.  LOOK, LOOK, LOOK I can do this, I can do that. I, I, I. 

We are not to claim gifts nor be boastful .  So what if you got something right.  What benefit is that to God?  Did Yahshua and 2 Peter not say the end will come while the world is going about its business unawares like in the days of Noah?  Also like a thief in the night i.e. when not expected?  Many have in the past thought the world would end or the Messiah would return and were wrong.  Before year 2000 many prophesied that these events would happen.  We are 17 years pass 2000.  The best preparation for a thief is a good insurance system as they can bypass alarm systems and overpower guards.  Make Yahshua your insurer by the keeping of His Father’s commandments.  Those who do are children of the light and have a chance of knowing the signs of the time of the Messiah as said 1 Thes 5:5.  True children of the light follow Pro 6:23  For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:   Isa 8:20  To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 

Peter puts it this way 2Pe 3:14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 

We have an example, also given above, of a couple who God himself said were blameless and how they achieved it Luk 1:5  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. Luk 1:6  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.   They made the promise of God their insurance as contained in the covenant He gave.   To my knowledge there is no scripture saying the ability to predict events or speak in tongues assist anyone in being saved. 

What is the attraction about speaking in pagan spiritual tongues?  When in the bible did God ever need tongues and an interpreter to speak to someone? None in Acts 2.  When did He ever speak to anyone about their personal life etc without it having something to do with Israel?  Even the Cornelius event had something to do with Israel, so there is no biblical precedent for these personal tongues speaking or praying.  No one did it except pagan Corinthians.  Being zealous for a spiritual gift is not a good thing except for that of eternal salvation and guidance.  Those who got spiritual gifts in the bible NEVER desired nor sought it and it was temporal for the making of things for the tabernacle or the 3 in the New Testament. 

Can you not tell people about God without drawing attention to yourself?  Was that the attitude of the apostles or even Yahshua who told others not to promote Him or publicise what He had done for them?  True prophets must follow the true religion which includes keeping the commandments and holy days of God as did all His prophets and apostles.   Do these claimed prophecy and last day event speakers, interpreters and healers meet those fundamental criteria? 

Pro 25:14  Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.  Pro 27:1  Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Act 5:36  For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.  

The bible is against boasting.  Part of the true religion is a humble, meek, secretive nature not drawing attention to yourself.  Let your actions be between you and God like the man in Luke 18:13 who felt he was not even worthy to lift up his eyes toward heaven when praying.  Today many make a name or wish to make a name for themselves as healers, prophesiers etc.  Whole ministries are built on it.  It is part of their advertisement or promotion.  None of the biblical prophets, Yahshua nor apostles ever advertised nor recruited through such claims or adverts.  None of the apostles had a ministry neither based on last day events nor made it part of their preaching.  The nearest we get is Yahshua warning his disciples about the destruction of Jerusalem to come. 

Today numerous persons are saying I declare this and I decree that as if they can even add one hair to their head,  inch to their stature or hour to their life.  Whether drawing attention to self is via mouth or private jets none is of God’s true religion.  So attitude, or state of one’s heart as God puts it, could be the biggest thing after failure to keep God’s commandments that keep most out of the new heaven and earth. 

God instructed that evil and sin was put away from the congregation.  He did not want the chance of one person corrupting others like a little leaven corrupts the whole loaf.  So it may be that anyone who cannot get on with their fellow believer, distances themselves from them etc in any way in this life would be allowed entry to carry the same personality in the next.   Mat 5:24  Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.  Similar sentiments are found throughout the bible’s teachings. 

People say Yahshua mixed with sinners.  They look at His non judgemental side rather His attitude.  He did judge.  That was part of His duties, though He did not make it obvious.  Many times He said go and sin no more.  So obviously He judged the person to be a sinner.  Someone that went against His Father’s commandments and by their action of not keeping His Father’s commandments did not love Him. 

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.  2Jn 1:6  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 

Yet He did not allow that lack of love to affect His attitude of separation from them.  It was a sign they needed His help, guidance, more training.  Paul and Barnabus exhibited the same attitude.  Paul did not let his difference of opinion separate him from Peter in Galatians 2.  Gal 2:11  But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 

He emphasised “to the face” meaning he did not send a letter; but made the effort to go and argue or discuss it out.  Today either no contact or explanation is given for breakups, differences etc or at best a tex message is sent.    Paul also had a big disagreement with Barnabas Act 15:36  And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. Act 15:37  And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. Act 15:38  But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. Act 15:39  And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; Act 15:40  And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. Act 15:41  And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. 

Yet, because they had a Christ like attitude, they were able to reconcile their differences. 

Are preachers’ ministries bringing people to God and His ways i.e. on the 10^th day of the 7^th month having a whole day of confessing their sins and seeking atonement as God commanded?  If not then it may not be God’s true religion being promoted. There are two religions of which I know that keep this practice.  The Jews and another to which I do not wish to draw attention or promote.  So preachers who are not bringing people to God’s way are part of the problem rather than the solution.   Because if people were not listening to their error, they may have a better chance of finding those preaching the truth.  

Each narrator of the Bible tries to get the gospel message across in different wording; but leading to the same destination.  Peter in his second epistle has this explanation:  

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 2Pe 1:11  For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  

Paul has a similar message to what I am advocating.  Many claim gifts of healing, prophecy or speaking in tongues yet lack  keeping some of God’s commandments and holy days plus the correct attitude to others.  I have time so bear with me while I read the whole of this short; but important chapter of Paul’s words regarding attitude. 

1Co 13:1  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 1Co 13:2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 1Co 13:3  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 1Co 13:4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 1Co 13:5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 1Co 13:6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 1Co 13:7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1Co 13:8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 1Co 13:9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 1Co 13:10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 1Co 13:11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1Co 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

 Paul did not give his body to be burnt, so he was speaking hypothetically as if to say even if I could do all the above and had all these gifts.  He was NOT SAYING he can speak in tongues of men and angels. 

To achieve the true religion God and Yahshua requires, James advocates and the bible in its totality teaches we have to draw on all its teachings.  Come out of Egypt or the world which has gone against YHWH’s laws.  Become a separated peculiar person with a new spirit as portrayed by His son.  Where in essence we achieve the whole law on which Yahshua said hang on two summarised commandments, loving God and our fellow neighbour.  He was not giving a new commandment nor way of living; but reciting His Father’s which said.

Lev 19:2 ... Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy. Deu 6:5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Lev 19:18 ... thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.  

LET US NOT BE FOUND LACKING WHEN WE COME TO BE JUDGED. No malice, not talking to our brethren in Messiah or treating them different to how He would.  Do not use the excuse you are not perfect.  Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.