Pure And Undefiled Religion

-January 11, 2022-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

(James 1:27).

James was very practical and convicting in what he wrote in his epistle. He made the statement in the preceding verse, “If anyone of you thinks is he religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” We normally we think of religion as following a particular dogma in a very strict and outward way. Christianity is not a mere religion but a personal relationship with Christ.

Jesus came down heavy upon the Pharisees for their wrong emphasis on the outward and not the inward. They washed their hands in a ceremonial way, washed cups, bowls, and other outward things but their hearts were far from God. They told others how to live but didn’t live that way themselves — they were hypocrites. If one is going to be religious in a good way, one must obey God, love Him and others, and follow Christ.

The Pharisees actually took advance of widows. Jesus condemned them in Matthew 23:14, “Woe you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.” James tells us that to have pure and undefiled religion, we must visit orphans and widows in their trouble, rather than making trouble for them. Both orphans and widows often have little in this world. God has a special love and care for them.

Christianity is practical not theoretical; we can’t say we love God if we don’t love our brothers and sisters. John wrote in 1 John 3:17, “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” God is generous and He wants us to be also!

It is interesting that James links up visiting orphans and widows with keeping oneself unspotted from the world. If we are going to live for Christ in this world, we must live as Jesus did. He was fully obedient to the Father, and He kept Him unspotted from the world. If we aren’t careful the world can rub off on us; instead we should rub off on the world. Our Lord desires that we be separated from the world and set apart for the Lord.

May the Lord help us to have a pure and undefiled religion, that is godly and practical in the way we live and treat others. If our doctrine is right, it will follow that our practical lives will be right also. We can’t just be Christians in name only, we must show it and live it.

Have a blessed day seeing needs and fulfilling them with pure and undefiled religion. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace and goodness,

Dean