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 NIV]
In the previous verse, James has condemned what he describes as 'worthless religion.' He now goes on to define the exact opposite which he labels as 'pure religion.' In fact, James uses two words to describe this sort of religion and they seem almost identical. Why bother to have two words when one would do? I believe that James use of these two words is intentional and deliberate. He describes the sort of religion which he is promoting as pure and undefiled. The word pure is katharos which means clean or clear or pure. There is an English word 'cathartic' which comes from this same word. The dictionary definition is having the power of cleansing or purgative. Psychologists speak of a process of catharsis when a person is able to purge themselves of pent up emotions and repressed thoughts. So this religion is clean - there is no bitterness or nastiness. The Bible uses the Greek word several times in the New Testament: e.g. it speaks of the 'pure in heart' (Matthew 5:8) a 'pure heart' (1 Timothy 1:5) and a 'pure conscience' (1 Timothy 3:9) But James also uses a negative word to emphasise point - the word is translated as 'undefiled' and the Greek word is amiantos which is also used to describe our great High Priest (Hebrews 7:26), the marriage bed (Hebrews 13:4) and our future inheritance (1 Peter 1:4). It is interesting that we tend to avoid using the word religion in evangelical Christian circles, because it has unwelcome connotations but here is an example of a pure undefiled religion.
And James focuses on two key features of this 'pure' religion. I am amazed that James is able to dilate this to only two key elements. I am sure that we would have wanted a much longer statement of the key ingredients. But it is important to take note of what these two ingredients are. There is one positive (and I suggest that it links with the word 'pure') and one negative and it links with the word 'undefiled'). The first feature is compassionate love. James singles out two groups who were vulnerable in the first century and he says to his readers / listeners, your religion must encompass compassion for these people in need. If you have been born again, you will demonstrate a genuine love for those in need. Those two groups are most likely to be poor because the husband, the breadwinner, has died or the father has died. My family history features a widow who lost her husband when he was only 32 to Spanish flu in 1918 and she left four orphaned children and two were buried in the grave beside her husband in Camelon cemetery.
This is not the only occasion in the Bible when orphans and widows are mentioned as being in need of help (See Deuteronomy 14:28 - 29; Psalm 68:5; Jeremiah 7:6 - 7; Acts 6:1-6). This is fulfilling the new command which Jesus gave to his disciples:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” [John 13:34-35 NIV]
This great command will manifest itself in practical action to help those of our church who are in need.
The second feature of this pure religion James is promoting is separation from the evil world system. James warns us that the world will defile us and he wants us to maintain ourselves as undefiled from the pollution of this world. Of course, this does not refer to the created world - the cosmos which is a clear evidence of the hand of God its creator. I thank God for the beauty of the hills and the valley, the lochs (Scottish lakes) and the rivers, the mountains, the trees etc. And John's Gospel tells us that God so loved the world (of people) that He gave His own Son to die on the cross (John 3:16). But the world is governed by Satan and his principles are evident every day in our society. This is opposed to God and we have to hate this system.
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. [1 John 2:15-17 NIV]
There is a real danger that our minds will become influenced by the values of this world system with its celebration of everything that is contrary to the mind of God. We have to live in the world - Jesus spells this out in his prayer for his disciples in John 17. He does not want us to isolate ourselves from the people around us but he wants us to garrison our minds so that the world's values of pride, selfishness, indulgence, materialism, godlessness, greed, rebellion etc. etc. do not infiltrate our minds and hearts. James talks about us being polluted by the world. When I was a young man in my teens and working as a labourer among ungodly men who spent their lives in abusing alcohol, gambling, and dishonesty, I used to think that when I became a teacher I would not be exposed to the same level of pollution. I had heard so many filthy stories each working day and heard so many swear words that when I tried to sleep at night these words were crowding my brain. I soon discovered that the middle class professionals were more subtle but equally ungodly in their attitudes and values. They were more subtle and sophisticated but equally opposed to God in their lives.
And so, James's summary of pure and undefiled religion is a good starter for us today in our 21st century world. Am I demonstrating Christ's compassion to those in need? Am I practising holy living in a corrupt and sinful world? 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 NIV]
In the previous verse, James has condemned what he describes as 'worthless religion.' He now goes on to define the exact opposite which he labels as 'pure religion.' In fact, James uses two words to describe this sort of religion and they seem almost identical. Why bother to have two words when one would do? I believe that James use of these two words is intentional and deliberate. He describes the sort of religion which he is promoting as pure and undefiled. The word pure is katharos which means clean or clear or pure. There is an English word 'cathartic' which comes from this same word. The dictionary definition is having the power of cleansing or purgative. Psychologists speak of a process of catharsis when a person is able to purge themselves of pent up emotions and repressed thoughts. So this religion is clean - there is no bitterness or nastiness. The Bible uses the Greek word several times in the New Testament: e.g. it speaks of the 'pure in heart' (Matthew 5:8) a 'pure heart' (1 Timothy 1:5) and a 'pure conscience' (1 Timothy 3:9) But James also uses a negative word to emphasise point - the word is translated as 'undefiled' and the Greek word is amiantos which is also used to describe our great High Priest (Hebrews 7:26), the marriage bed (Hebrews 13:4) and our future inheritance (1 Peter 1:4). It is interesting that we tend to avoid using the word religion in evangelical Christian circles, because it has unwelcome connotations but here is an example of a pure undefiled religion.
And James focuses on two key features of this 'pure' religion. I am amazed that James is able to dilate this to only two key elements. I am sure that we would have wanted a much longer statement of the key ingredients. But it is important to take note of what these two ingredients are. There is one positive (and I suggest that it links with the word 'pure') and one negative and it links with the word 'undefiled'). The first feature is compassionate love. James singles out two groups who were vulnerable in the first century and he says to his readers / listeners, your religion must encompass compassion for these people in need. If you have been born again, you will demonstrate a genuine love for those in need. Those two groups are most likely to be poor because the husband, the breadwinner, has died or the father has died. My family history features a widow who lost her husband when he was only 32 to Spanish flu in 1918 and she left four orphaned children and two were buried in the grave beside her husband in Camelon cemetery.
This is not the only occasion in the Bible when orphans and widows are mentioned as being in need of help (See Deuteronomy 14:28 - 29; Psalm 68:5; Jeremiah 7:6 - 7; Acts 6:1-6). This is fulfilling the new command which Jesus gave to his disciples:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” [John 13:34-35 NIV]
This great command will manifest itself in practical action to help those of our church who are in need.
The second feature of this pure religion James is promoting is separation from the evil world system. James warns us that the world will defile us and he wants us to maintain ourselves as undefiled from the pollution of this world. Of course, this does not refer to the created world - the cosmos which is a clear evidence of the hand of God its creator. I thank God for the beauty of the hills and the valley, the lochs (Scottish lakes) and the rivers, the mountains, the trees etc. And John's Gospel tells us that God so loved the world (of people) that He gave His own Son to die on the cross (John 3:16). But the world is governed by Satan and his principles are evident every day in our society. This is opposed to God and we have to hate this system.
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. [1 John 2:15-17 NIV]
There is a real danger that our minds will become influenced by the values of this world system with its celebration of everything that is contrary to the mind of God. We have to live in the world - Jesus spells this out in his prayer for his disciples in John 17. He does not want us to isolate ourselves from the people around us but he wants us to garrison our minds so that the world's values of pride, selfishness, indulgence, materialism, godlessness, greed, rebellion etc. etc. do not infiltrate our minds and hearts. James talks about us being polluted by the world. When I was a young man in my teens and working as a labourer among ungodly men who spent their lives in abusing alcohol, gambling, and dishonesty, I used to think that when I became a teacher I would not be exposed to the same level of pollution. I had heard so many filthy stories each working day and heard so many swear words that when I tried to sleep at night these words were crowding my brain. I soon discovered that the middle class professionals were more subtle but equally ungodly in their attitudes and values. They were more subtle and sophisticated but equally opposed to God in their lives.
And so, James's summary of pure and undefiled religion is a good starter for us today in our 21st century world. Am I demonstrating Christ's compassion to those in need? Am I practising holy living in a corrupt and sinful world?
Here is a video of Anne Smith playing a favourite hymn of mine - a very challenging one, however
Photo by Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash
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