Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1913: Religion: The outward act or form by which men indicate their recognition of the existence of a god or of gods having power over their destiny, to whom obedience, service, and honor are due; the feeling or expression of human love, fear, or awe of some superhuman and overruling power, whether by profession of belief, by observance of rites and ceremonies, or by the conduct of life; a system of faith and worship; a manifestation of piety. RELIGION Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers VINE B-1 Noun Strong's Number: 2454 Greek: ioudaismos Jew(-S) (Live as Do The), Jewess, Jewish, Jewry, Jews' Religion: "Judaism," denotes "the Jews' religion," Gal 1:13,14, and stands, not for their religious beliefs, but for their religious practices, not as instituted by God, but as developed and extended from these by the traditions of the Pharisees and scribes. In the Apocrypha it denotes comprehensively "the Government, laws, institutions and religion of the Jews." Act 26:5Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. ---------------------------- Phl 3:4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Phl 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Phl 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Phl 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ Phl 3:8Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ, Jam 1:27Pure 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. VINE 1 Strong's Number: 2356 Greek: threseia Signifies "religion" in its external aspect (akin to threskos, see below), "religious worship," especially the ceremonial service of "religion;" it is used of the "religion" of the Jews, Act 26:5; of the "worshiping" of angels, Col 2:18, which they themselves repudiate ( Rev 22:8,9); "there was an officious parade of humility in selecting these lower beings as intercessors rather than appealing directly to the Throne of Grace" (Lightfoot); in Jam 1:26,27 the writer purposely uses the word to set in contrast that which is unreal and deceptive, and the "pure religion" which consists in visiting "the fatherless and widows in their affliction," and in keeping oneself "unspotted from the world." He is "not herein affirming. ... these offices to be the sum total, nor yet the great essentials, of true religion, but declares them to be the body, the threskeia, of which godliness, or the love of God, is the informing soul" (Trench). ----------------------- How you know why I hate all religion and religious tradition, for they are of the flesh and therefore cannot please God- Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord that I have peace with God my father purely on the grounds of the substitutery atonement of Christ Rom 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Rom 6:11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: David Gillespie nelgill@gmail.com