The Pure and Undefiled Religion of Jesus

Resurrection Wisdom in a Perishing World – Part 2

Worthless Religion and Good Religion

(James 1:19-27, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, March 16, 2014)

[19] Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; [20] for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. [21] Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
[22] But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. [23] For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. [24] For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. [25] But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
[26] If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. [27] Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

What does the word “religion” mean to you. Some see it as a necessarily good thing to be religious, others as necessarily evil, or at least worthless. James tells us there is a religion that is “pure and undefiled before God the Father.” That is the religion we want. There is another kind that is worthless. Worthless things need to be thrown away. People who keep worthless things as if they are treasures have a problem. If they do not address that defect with wisdom, they will soon find themselves swimming in junk. That is not a desirable condition for body or soul.

What are some of the symptoms of worthless religion? 1. “The anger of man” that is slow to listen and quick to speak. 2. Hardheartedness regarding the Word of God that leads to moral mess. 3. Self-deception, big in spiritual pretensions and pronouncements of righteousness and small in spiritual actions and accomplishments.

What are the hallmarks of pure and undefiled religion? 1. True and sincere friendship that is quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to get angry or to accuse. 2. Tenderheartedness that receives the Word of God with meekness and eagerly turns away from filthiness and wickedness. 3. Honesty before God that is small in spiritual pretensions and big in secret attainments.

Jesus is the Captain of those who have good religion. He has been a true friend to those in trouble. He looked into the Law with integrity and quietly accomplished all of its precepts for our sake. He visited the lonely and abandoned in their distress and has become a Husband and a Father to us. He was more than a hearer. He was a doer. He calls us to follow Him.

Finally, James tells us to keep ourselves unstained from the world. What does that mean? It cannot go against everything that we have learned plainly from the verses above. Many who practice worthless religion believe that they have achieved a life of holy separation. Judas and Caiaphas surely thought of themselves as godly. So did the priest and the Levite in the parable of the good Samaritan. We sometimes find examples of striking kindness among those like that Samaritan whom all the Jews of his day would have rejected as unclean. Being unstained from the world is only tested when you live in the world. To be unstained from the world is to receive and do the wisdom of Jesus even when the self-righteous are ready to kill you for it.

Put the Word to Work: Receive the wisdom of Jesus with meekness. Throw out worthless stuff.

Teach me to do all that Your Word demands.