Tuesday, October 10, 2017

True Christianity

Submitted by Tommy Galik
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
This last verse in chapter 1 closes out the section on hearing the word of God and then doing what the word of God tells us to do. It is easy to hear the word but not practice its teachings. It is easy for us to worship the Lord on Sunday, hear an excellent message, and quietly tuck the sermon’s application in a safe place. Sermons and biblical teaching are not to be stored and ignored but to remembered and practiced.
Christianity is not an ecclesiastical organization with structure or rituals. Neither is it a passive faith but an action oriented one. It calls for urgency and action. It calls for us to act as quickly as we can so that we can meet the needs of members and the community. Jesus didn’t waste any time. He had a plan. Everything he did had a purpose.
God cares about all people but he especially cares for the orphans and widows. Why? Because families are not always around or willing to help care for them.
In John chapter 14, we have the account of Jesus promising the disciples that he will ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide them in their ministry when he returns to heaven. In verse 8, Jesus says, “I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.” ESV. The KJV say “I will not leave you comfortless.” The word for “orphans” in this verse is the same word in James 1:27. In both places it refers to children who are fatherless. Jesus told his disciples that he didn’t want to leave them helpless as orphans. The disciples would not be ministering to others without the presence of God.
Both God and Jesus realized that the disciple would be vulnerable to attacks from without and from within themselves. He would send the Holy Spirit to provide the protection they needed in the absence of Jesus who was with them each day.
God gave the church to care for the orphans and the widows as he cared for Jesus’ disciples. The church has been called by God to care for the orphans. They are helpless and at the mercy of caregivers to provide adequate care. There are times when they don’t have an advocate to speak for them. Our church and members sponsor orphans in Honduras which provides for their care and protection.
James also called on the church to care for the widows of the church. These are the faithful women servants of God who don’t have a husband or family to care for them. They are more vulnerable to unscrupulous people trying to take advantage of them. They are lonely and some barely get by on their limited income. The word for “visit” or “to look after” means a personal visit not just financial support.
James makes it very clear that it is our responsibility to care for these two groups. To assume this responsibility shows the Father and the world that our faith is genuine and real not just talk. It is pure and undefiled. Again, our faith takes action when it sees a need. The second part of this verse calls for us to keep on living our lives in the world without being polluted by sin. To serve in the name of Jesus includes living a life that reflects the character and teachings of Jesus. To serve others in the name of Jesus without living according to his teachings indicates that we don’t understand the meaning of what genuine faith is.

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

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