Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.  (James 1:27)

The word translated ‘religion’, is θρησκεία (thréskeia) and while the underlying sense is reverence, its usage conveys worship as expressed in ritual acts.  And it is in the context of action that James exhorts his brethren to be ‘doers of the word’, adding, ‘a doer who acts…will be blessed in his doing’.

Famously Martin Luther, and many since, have thought James to be speaking of ‘works-righteousness’, in contradiction to Paul who espoused and taught justification was through faith alone, using the example of Abraham as his ‘proof’:

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.  And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness… (Romans 4:2-5)

But there is no contradiction as James is merely saying that faith inspires, and is evidenced by, good work; adding, ‘faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead’ (ibid 2:17).  James also cites the example of Abraham:

 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’ – and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone…(ibid 2:21-24)

The critical point is that religion is human effort, but without faith in God such effort is futile, spiritually speaking.

The author of Hebrews also cites Abraham, saying that it was ‘by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance’ (Hebrews 11:8), establishes this rule:

… without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ibid 11:6)

‘Doing’ what God wants then is rewarded; therefore, to seek reward, which is by definition acting in one’s self interest, is not anathema to God; however, religious action, though thought as ‘good’ in human terms, may fail to ‘please’ Him.

The earliest example could not be earlier as it concerns the first children born of woman, Cain and Abel. Both made offerings of their produce to God.

Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground,and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. (Genesis 4:2-5)

Thus, God defines what is acceptable religious activity, and the sacrifice of animals was what he required of Cain; and, of course, animal sacrifice was the central spiritual activity in the Law given to Moses as a framework of religion for the nation of Israel. 

By the time of Jesus, religiosity – that is the tendency to overdo religious acts – was prevalent; and this does not please God either, as Jesus warns:

Beware of practising your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.  (Matthew 6:1)

So even when the right activity is undertaken, it cannot be a gloss against unholy motivation; God can and will reject such insincerity:

What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
    says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
    and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
    or of lambs, or of goats.  (Isaiah 1:11)

Of course, religious activity can be observed in all cultures, so a definition of religion can be made without knowledge of the Bible.  Broadly speaking, it is conduct and deeds that are undertaken to influence in your favour whoever, or whatever, you believe rules over your destiny.  Fundamental to this is the realisation that over every essential circumstance from (and including) birth to death, humans exercise no control.  While in the present time with greater knowledge than our forebears of the natural world there is a tendency to imagine greater agency, in reality it is minimal.  Take modern healthcare as an example, a man might be cured of cancer yet immediately die in a car accident on the way home, despite the attention of paramedics and trauma surgery. 

In the past, all religious activity arose from the recognition of the fragility of life and sought to influence and appease the gods that be. While today many think we are ‘advanced’, in this we have regressed!  Only since the European Enlightenment, can any dare to think that scientific knowledge makes religious activity redundant. Such knowledge does not address the great existential question, ‘why?’; nor will it create life from nothing, let alone do away with mortality.

Through paganism and idolatry, men and women seek to seize control, just as Cain did, by defining worship; however, they go further than Cain, in denying the one true God – something he did not do.  

For when it comes to it, even without the Bible, Paul says that ‘what can be known about God is plain’ to all (Romans 1:19).

For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things…(ibid 1:21-23)

But in denying God, comes a gamble that there is a better deity or power – better, that is, in that it can be bent to human will.  The logic is poor, any god with sufficient power, would hardly be subject but ruler.

In the end, religion is rooted in delusion, and many prefer delusion to truth; because just as in Eden, humans with free will wish to exercise it and make their own rules.  Pride is thus the author of religion.  And there are ‘gods’ who take advantage, other powers in the spiritual realm, ones that pander to human pride and promote delusions, as Jesus explains to those trying to discredit him:

‘You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.’ (John 8:44)

Later in Revelation, John identifies this devil, who was found in Eden working his wiles upon Adam and Eve, as…

that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world (Revelation 12:9).

As Jesus makes clear, if you do not seek God and his desires, your religious petition is addressed to other spiritual beings, all of whom as creatures themselves only have powers by strict license from God himself, as Satan in regard of Job:

And the Lord said to Satan, ‘behold, all that (Job) has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.’  (Job 1:12)

Paul even warns that Satan’s influence has put a veil over the gospel, hiding it from all those outside God’s revelation:

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  (2 Corinthians 4:4)

The ‘god of this world’ is not the true God but the one ready to receive the petitions of any who would be religious.  This god shape-shifts; for example, the new religion on earth is of the earth itself; yet the earth’s destiny is decided upon:

… the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgement… (2 Peter 3:7)

If saving the planet is not in God’s plan, saving souls before all must be judged is; there is a difference between responsible stewardship of earthly resources and believing any can circumvent God’s true purposes.

Ultimately, the only solution is to seek and recognise the truth.  Human beings are not in control of their circumstances, only their decision to recognise and submit to God, the one who gives and takes away life.  No amount of religious activity or any alternative belief system can change the truth.  

All die.  And even if it were possible for a person to control the circumstances of their lives, what then comes at death?  Solomon, who was gifted wisdom by God, says this:

(God) has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.  (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

So, through the gospel of Christ, all have the prospect of glorious eternity with God though faith and obedience to God, as opposed to a terrifying existence apart from him. In the starkest terms, Jesus warns everyone an eternity to be desired cannot be gained on your own terms, that is by means of one’s own religious observance: 

‘Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’  (Matthew 7:21-23)

The Bible asserts that there is one God and that He alone defines the rules. Transgressors are neither recognised nor rewarded.  If this is to be believed, then the only decision left to anyone is whether they cohere to this reality and seek God on His terms or reject Him.