Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress
and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27
We’re going to focus on the 1st phrase…
Stop for minute and think about that. Why do you think James say this? It’s such a strong statement, isn’t it? Pure religion before God and the Father is this… In other words, if you’re not doing this, you
may not have “pure” religion. Corrupted.
may not have “pure” religion. Corrupted.
• In fact, in chapter 2 James is going to say that if you don’t do this… if you don’t actively care for the fatherless and the widow then your faith isn’t real.
• So, why? Why is this put up as a test for genuine faith?
Well, 1st, realize this (and it is very important): the point is not trying to develop some artificial, legalistic checklist that says, “Do you have any direct involvement with ‘orphans and widows’? If so, you’re good;
if not, you’re not a real Christian...” Lots of people who are involved in orphan care do so for wrong motives; lots of people who love God aren’t involved directly with that ministry… The Gospel never gives you checklists like that, about anything.
if not, you’re not a real Christian...” Lots of people who are involved in orphan care do so for wrong motives; lots of people who love God aren’t involved directly with that ministry… The Gospel never gives you checklists like that, about anything.
Rather, what this means is that someone who has experienced the transformation of the Gospel naturally gravitates toward loving those who are in need, whoever they are; and, if you don’t do that, if you are not leveraging your life and your talents and your resources to bless others with the Gospel, you might not (for all your religion and your Bible verses and your sanitized behavior…) you might not really
be saved!
Listen:
No religion is genuine, no matter how many verses you know or how intensely you worship, that doesn’t lead you to love and sacrifice for those in need.
No religion is genuine, no matter how many verses you know or how intensely you worship, that doesn’t lead you to love and sacrifice for those in need.
Or, let me say it this way…
You cannot say you are a disciple of Christ if you turn a deaf ear to the poor.
We have a lot of Christians here who think that they are Christians because they prayed a prayer… Lots of people in every religion pray…
Praying a prayer doesn’t make you a disciple of Christ; following Jesus does, and Jesus poured out His life for others. So, the real question James is asking is this… and one some of you really need to consider… “You say you are a Christian… but are you leveraging your life to bring salvation and peace to others in need…?”
• You guys that are in college… What’s your primary goal… Are you in all of this to develop your talents for personal benefit… or is your primary goal leveraging your life for the prosperity of God’s kingdom?
• And you that are older in your career… what are you doing with the ways God has increased you? Are you using your career success just to get nicer and nicer stuff for yourself; or, are you using your increased capacity to give more, to serve more?
• Is your trajectory toward greater service, or nicer and nicer stuff?
• Are you chasing for the American dream or the Gospel dream?
• Caring for the fatherless and widows is not a merit badge for some hyper-motivated super-Christians, but the mark of any and every true disciple…
Pure religion before God and the Father is this…
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