What is so desperately needed today is genuine, sincere Christianity. The world is so tired of the phonies, hypocrites, and pretenders who "talk the talk" but can't "walk the walk."

 

James 1:27 tells us - "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." 

 

Matthew 22:36-39 adds - "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." 

 

The one Scripture - James 1:27 - seems to present the Gospel in a nutshell. In fact, it lines up with the two Great Commandments given by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 22:36-39 -

 

#1 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
The Apostle James says - keep yourself unspotted from the world.

 

#2 Love your neighbor as yourself.
The Apostle James says - visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.

 

Jesus called it the "Great Commandment."

James referred to it as "Pure Religion."

 

What is so desperately needed today is genuine, sincere Christianity. The world is so tired of the phonies, hypocrites, and pretenders who "talk the talk" but can't "walk the walk."

 

How can we examine our lives to see if we are on the right track?

 

James gives us two criteria in order to judge ourselves -

 

#1 Do we have compassion and charity for those who are afflicted, oppressed, or less fortunate than we are? Or are we so caught up with our own agenda, families, jobs, or careers to even notice any one else?

 

Apparently, from this verse in the Book of James, God holds us responsible to look after, care for, and provide for those less fortunate in our little world. We can't help everyone, but we can help those whom God brings along our paths. Who is needing our help today?

 

#2 Personal purity in thought, word, and deed is another way true religion expresses itself. So many today are embracing a religion of compromise and mixture - an "Anything Goes" Christianity! Yet James mentioned being - "unspotted from the world."

 

Jesus is coming back for a Church "not having spot"(Ephesians 5:27).  If we expect to be ready for
His Second Coming, then we must prepare ourselves by watching day and night and keeping our wedding garments pure and spotless.

 

How do we do this?

 

For one thing, we avoid at all costs - "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life"(1 John 2:16). The Apostle Peter told us that we are corrupted - "in the world through lust"(2 Peter 1:4). 

 

A bride looks so dazzling in her pure white dress. Jesus expects us to be as dazzling with His glory and holiness when He returns for us. We will never be that way unless we repent of all lust, compromise, worldliness, and sin.

The Apostle James calls this "Pure religion."

It's the only religion that is acceptable before God the Father.

 

May God bless us today as we apply His Word to our lives.