James continues his theme of how to be a doer of the Word by focusing upon the subject of authentic religion. As we might suspect, he begins by telling us what pure and faultless religion is not and then proceeds to tell us what it is. Actually, his teaching is an expansion of that which he just presented. 1. What pure and faultless religion is not (v. 26). Religion (threskei´a) has been defined as the outward expression of worship in ritual, liturgy, and ceremony. James believes that all of that religious expression is worthless if someone is not able to bridle his own tongue. This teaching must be taken within the balance of the previous teaching along with that which follows. However, in short, James is saying that authentic religion is much more than outward expressions of worship. As Jesus said, all of that can take place but our hearts can still be far from Him (Matt. 15:8–9). We can simply be deceiving our own hearts if we think we are religious when we are not. Again, James warns against the life of deception. Our own estimation of ourselves is usually wrong. We need more than a glance in the mirror of our lives; we need to peer into the perfect law of liberty. We need to see ourselves as God sees us. The goal of our lives needs to be to become more and more like Christ, measured by nothing less than His full stature (Eph. 4:13). Pure and faultless religion is not based upon deception, mere outward form, nor a tongue which is out of control. 2. What pure and faultless religion is (v. 27). James presents a very concise definition of pure and faultless religion. This definition is not based upon human standards. He states clearly that this is pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father (v. 27). First, it is a religion marked by a personal ministry. An excellent definition of ministry in the biblical sense is as follows: Ministry is responding to the authentic needs of others with the love of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. That definition describes the basic concern of James. He shares a specific ministry need of his society. The church has been neglecting her widows and orphans. James is calling the church to accountability. He is teaching us that pure and faultless religion must be carried out in action. It is not enough to be “knowers.” We must be “doers.” The apostle John teaches this same truth in his first letter, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:16–18). Authentic religion shows itself in appropriate action. We need to minister to the specific needs of widows and orphans as well as other authentic human needs. We must love in action! Then, we need to exhibit a personal purity. Again, the teaching of James is clear. In order to have a religion which is pure and faultless, we need to keep ourselves unspotted from the world (v. 27). The word unspotted is áspilos, which literally means “without spot.” The implication is clear. James is not suggesting that one be totally involved in the world or immersed by it. Rather he is calling us to the highest of godly lifestyles in which we would not have a single spot of the world visible to others. This teaching is in concert with his concern stated earlier in the chapter when he warns us about being drawn away by our own lusts and enticed to sin (v. 14). Once again, we find John supporting the teaching of James when he writes, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). The Christian life is always a delicate balance between the positive and the negative. In this passage, James is instructing us to positively carry on personal ministry by responding to the authentic needs of widows and orphans. And, in the negative sense, we are to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. http://vremeadeva.blogspot.com
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