True Religion

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). One wonders how James could narrow down the fundamentals of true religion with such economy! Is this really the essence of good religion? What about the apostle’s creed? What about Sabbath-keeping and tithe-paying?

Well, you’ll notice that James isn’t addressing true doctrine, but true religion. Religion has to do with what one DOES more than with what one BELIEVES. Religion is active more than it is reflective.

Here at the Tierrasanta Church we place a premium on good religion—or at least on emphasizing good religion, as opposed to emphasizing good doctrine. This is not to minimize good doctrine. But because every person is at a different level in their spiritual journey, doctrinal differences will naturally exist, so we refrain from too much dogmatism on these matters.