Pure Religion

James 1:27 – 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.

The word religion above is translated from the Greek as religious worship; especially external, that which consists of ceremonies (religious discipline).¹ When the word ‘religion’ comes up in much of our society today, it comes of thoughts of a rules-based life that does not lead one closer to God. At first glance, we would feel our initial thoughts were confirmed, but when we look at James’ writing, we discover something different.

A pure religion…AND undefiled before God and the Father.

There is a religious expression that is acceptable (undefiled) before God. The word undefiled is translated from the Greek as not defiled, unsoiled; free from that by which the nature of a thing is deformed and debased, or its force and vigour impaired.² That sounds a lot like pure and acceptable…

What is a pure religion that is undefiled before God and the Father?

1. To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction. Who are they that are fatherless? Orphans. Widows are without husbands. Each are often unable to care for themselves (or provide a self-sustaining lifestyle). The father and husband may represent the love, care, and means of provision for those that may be considered least within any culture – especially the one written during James’ writing.

What did the Lord say about the fatherless and widows throughout the Bible? Hover over the scriptures below:

Exodus 22:22-24; Deuteronomy 24:19; Deuteronomy 27:19; Psalm 68:5; Psalm 146:8-10; Zechariah 7:9-10; 1 Timothy 5:3-4

God loves and cares for the fatherless and the widow and He wanted to ensure He people did the same.

How will it matter if we care for the fatherless and widow?

Matthew 25:31-46 – When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

2. Keep himself unspotted from the world.

James 4:4 – Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

How can someone become a friend of the world?

1 John 2:15-17 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Do not love the world or the things in it. What is in the world?

• Lust of the flesh. Lust is translated from the Greek as a desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden.³ The flesh desires a lot of things that are forbidden (sinful). It longs to have it and craves things that are not only connected to the physical body (i.e. taste, touch, smell, hearing, and speaking), but the nature of fleshly living (in rebellion to the Lord).
• Lust of the eyes. Solomon stated that the eyes were never satisfied (Proverbs 27:20). They want all they see and can continue to look at. This can represent other people, possession, and positions.
• Pride of life. This represents the boasting of what a person has and their position or status among others. Pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).

These are the things James speaks of remaining unspotted from. Many times when we think about being a friend of the world, we think about those that are fully immersed in the world and sin. However, James says to remain unspotted from the world. A spot does not take up a lot of space, but that spot alone can ruin any clothing we have. Just as it would ruin our clothing, it would also ruin our lives before God. We must be without spot or blemish (Ephesians 5:25-27).

John wrote that those that love he world, the love of the Father is not in them. You cannot love the world and the Father at the same time. Remain unspotted by the world. Be cleansed by the Word of God (Psalm 119:9; Ephesians 5:25-27).

^{1 – http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G2356&t=KJV}

2 – http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G283&t=KJV

3 – http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1939&t=KJV

^{Photo courtesy of Stock.XCHNG.com/bentedder}