A STATEMENT
 ABOUT “PURE RELIGON”

    “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).

      JAMES 1:27 is one of the great verses of Scripture that stands out and grabs our attention as we read it. Here we have a statement about “pure religion” expressed in very clear and concise terms. To narrow it down even further, we could say that “pure religion” is about benevolence and holiness. Let us spend a little time with this verse. It deserves our attention.

      From our study, we find that the word translated “religion” basically means worship as publicly displayed in ritual and ceremony. James, in keeping with the Old Testament prophets (Micah 6:6-8; Isaiah 1:11-17), points his readers (who have a Jewish background, 1:1) away from this concept to a more spiritual and genuine meaning of the word. In saying “pure” and “undefiled,” he is saying the same thing from a positive and a negative viewpoint for sake of emphasis. “Before God” tells us that God sees, and that this is the way He looks upon it. God is spoken of as “the God and Father” (one article, “the,” and the order of these words in the original language). “Father” is added to define the character of God. He is “Father” in reference to the fatherless and widows (Psalms 68:5) who are mentioned next.

      Now the essence of “pure religion” is laid out before us: “To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself [oneself] unspotted from the world.” The word for “fatherless” is found one other place in the New Testament where it is translated “comfortless” (John 14:18, KJV). We get our word orphan from this word. It means to be deprived of one or both parents. The word “widows” indicates a gap, a deficiency or the lack or loss of one’s husband. Not cushioned by government sponsored social security as in our modern world, to be fatherless and widows in ancient times, indeed, for the most part, was to be in “affliction.” Being vulnerable, they became the objects of mistreatment and abuse. The Old Testament was ever mindful of their lot (Deuteronomy 10:18; 14:28, 29; 24:17; Psalms 82:3), and the New Testament was careful to continue this legacy (Acts 6:1; 1 Timothy 5:3-16). To “visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction” meant not only to personally visit them, but, as the word “visit” in the original language implies, to look over their situation with the view to helping them and actually doing it. “And to keep himself [oneself] unspotted from the world” rounds out the two pronged emphasis of “pure religion.” The word “keep” means to guard by keeping an eye on. “Unspotted” means unstained, not blemished Consider 2 Corinthians 7:1. The “world” means the present order of things, as controlled and motivated by the flesh. John gives us a little more information on this (John 2:15-17). Other Scriptures further instruct us about this (Romans 12:1,2; James 4:4; etc.). Yes, we must be holy, for God is holy (1 Peter 1:14-17). This is a struggle in the kind of world in which we live today.

      So, as we said, “pure religion” is about benevolence and holiness. The lot of the “fatherless and widows” represents a more acute need of the practice of benevolence, but such deeds are not to be limited to them. Galatians 6:10 reads, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Jesus “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), and this should characterize our lives as Christians. (Consider Matthew 25:31-46). And in a world that is increasingly becoming more ungodly every day, the world needs to see a difference in the way we live, the way that we talk, and even in the way that we dress (modestly). Let us be “unspotted from the world.” Such is the practice of “pure and undefiled religion.” So be it. Amen.

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