Religion?

The word ‘Religion’ like many words is being redefined today. It has become a bad word which even many believers say with a sneer, but what they really mean when they say it that way is ‘stale, dead churchianity.’ It is too bad that religion has come to have such a reputation. When I seek to define a word that has to do with faith and practice I invariably look to the word of God, the Bible. Religion can be good or bad, Paul talks a little about the religion of the Jews, not very favorably. James gives an example of vain religion, that would be bad, then declares an example of pure religion, that would be good.

There are evil spirits and there are good spirits. But would we characterize everything spirit as bad or use the word with a sneer? Obviously not! So why do we do it with the word religion?