Posted by
T.A. on Saturday, November 22, 2008 9:20:28 AM
Pure Religion
"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." James 1:27 (KJV).
Mankind can be a selfish lot of people, and at times be the most generous. In times of tragedy, and catastrophic events we see the best and the worst in people. There are some that will risk life and limb to help others, then, there are those who see opportunity for personal gain, and will do whatever to take what they want from already devastated people’s homes and lives.
There are some who will jump in and help others, their neighbors, and others, because they believe and think in their hearts and minds, "I will help them, then, when something similar happens in my life others will be there for me". I don’t know who thinks that way, but I have a suspicion that many do. Some of these are folks who are church going, good neighbors, helpful at any time to others type of people, who practice their faith, and some are not.
We wrote of religion in the previous verse and we see that religious people are not always pleasant people. They go to "worship" God on their days of worship, but when it comes to practicing their faith; well, let’s just say it is a bit absent. Their words are more into complaining, bitterness, anger, envy, and may even curse from time to time, or all the time. They are selfish with their money, time, and talents. Christians must know and realize that Christianity is about our cross; you know, the one we are to take up, and follow Jesus. That cross says, "I don’t have a life of my own. It died with Christ, and rose with Him to live eternally with Him and for Him", and that means in the now.
Pure religion would be the worship of God that leads to caring for those who find themselves without a mother or father, and without a husband. These are people who have found themselves, through no fault of their own; without anyone to care for their earthly needs. They cannot return anything to us. We can expect nothing in return. What kind of love is it anyway, that does something for others with expectations of payment of some kind? That is not any act of love. It is the act of a laborer.
Pure religion that is undefiled before our Lord Jesus and His Father is the putting of our faith to work by helping those who cannot help themselves. The widow of Jesus’s day had no means of support, because the woman was always dependent upon their husbands. The orphan had no parent to tend their needs, and in those days there was no orphanages. In both of these situations the orphan had no family to care for them; no aunts, uncles, cousins; no other family at all. This widow would have had no children to help her, and no other family; she would be what Paul called a "widow indeed" (1 Timothy 5:3-5).
Pure religion will also have self examination concerning what is pure and holy. As Christians we will be convicted by sin in our lives, and will seek to be rid of it as quickly as possible. When we realize we have sin we confess it immediately, rather than arguing with God about it. Keeping oneself unspotted from the world is not an easy task. It requires daily cleansing from God’s Word and His Spirit. We must commit ourselves to prayer and devotion to walk with God. When we are committed to the Lord He will lead us to those who are in need.
Jesus Christ alone.
-Tim A. Blankenship