Religion

We get three religions spoken of in Scripture; the Jew’s religion (Gal. 1:13,1413For 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: 14And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. (Galatians 1:13‑14); Acts 26:55Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. (Acts 26:5) synonymous in Paul’s time, alas, with formality and hypocrisy; vain religion, consisting in a mere profession with an unbridled tongue; and pare religion, which consists in visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and keeping oneself unspotted from the world. We fear that the first two of these religions are still common, while the last is exceedingly rare, especially in the latter of its two qualities.