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"Where does the Bible say anything about 'getting religion'?"

As far back as I can remember I have heard people talk about getting religion; I have read reports in religious papers of numbers who "got religion." And I have heard preachers talk about it from the pulpit, over the radio, and otherwise.
I suppose my experience along this line has been the experience of many of my listeners. Since so much is said about it, I am sure it is a subject of interest among religious people. Why not, then, go to your preacher, if you have heard him talk of "getting religion," and ask him to tell you where you can find anything about it in the Bible.

Oh yes, the word religion occurs in the Bible. However, it is not mentioned many times. In the Old Testament the word does not occur, and it is found only five times in the King James translation of the New Testament.

But in all these passages it is evident that religion is something that men DO, not something they GET. Paul referred to his early religion as his manner of life: "My manner of life from my youth, which was at first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee." Acts 26:4,5.

His religion at that time was not something he received in answer to prayer but it was his manner of life: it referred to what he did. In Gal.1:14, he said: "For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jew's religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: and profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers."

The religion mentioned here was his conversation, or his conduct, his manner of life, instead of something he received in some way, James says in Jas. 1:26, 27: "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 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."

Two kinds of religions are here mentioned - vain religion and pure and undefiled religion. But even the vain religion refers to something the man does - bridles not his tongue but deceives his own heart.

Also the pure and undefiled religion is not something one gets but something he does, for James says it is "to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." This refers to deeds we do. Also to "keep himself unspotted from the world." Surely this refers to the manner of living. But James says that is religion. Where, then, can we read any thing about "getting religion?"

As much as I have heard it talked about, I am frank to confess to you today that I do not know where to find anything about it in the Bible. If your preacher knows, he has learned more than I have; and I will be delighted to have you to ask him for the information.

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