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"Pure and undefiled religion..."

Text: James 1:27

A WORKING DEFINITION

James offered a working definition of what religion should be.

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this:
to visit orphans and widows in their trouble,
and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
James 1:27

1. “Pure and undefiled religion”

a) “Pure” literally means “clean”.

b) “Undefiled” means “not stained”.

c) James underscores what true religion means when he combined these two words together.

2. “Before God and the Father”

a) Another factor was brought in.

b) “Pure and undefiled religion” must be brought under the scrutiny of God the Father Himself.

c) Man’s approval is not in mind; God’s approval is!

3. Practical and Personal ramifications must be given due consideration

a) To visit those in trouble

i) Orphans

ii) Widows

iii) They obviously need help in their time of trouble.

iv) True religion will see the truly religious reach out to those in need.

b) Orphans and widows are cited as examples; help is not to be limited to these two categories of people.

4. “To keep oneself unspotted from the world”

a) “The world” was used symbolically.

i) This is not a reference to the physical world that God made.

ii) This is a reference to the wicked world system that draws many people away from God.

b) “Unspotted”

i) The truly religious will seek to live a holy life that would please God.

ii) He will keep himself from becoming worldly.

iii) He will work at being untainted by an ungodly world system.