“Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.” –James 1:27 (New Living)
This caught my eye. Lasting Religion huh? To care for orphans and refuse corruption. The dictionaries basic description of “Religion” is –a set of beliefs. Well, it seems to me that a set of beliefs isn’t getting people to far. Religion is a touchy subject. One usually avoided at first meetings, informal acquaintances, and of course – family re-unions. We talk about the separation of Church and state, and “what religion are you?”
“Oh,” we commonly respond, “I am not religious.” Or “I don’t like religion, I like relationship.” Or…
I myself am caught saying these things, being harsh towards a word that is harsh, that people play up, and play down, towards and action that has been wrongly accused and wrongly portrayed. But I will not stick my head up to what it is – to the pureness of God.
The NIV begins it this way, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:…”
I love what Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary “True religion teaches us to do everything as in the presence of God.”
Hmm… so I am to reach out for those who don’t have what they need, this is not a good idea, it is a necessity, it is and absolute. Not a choice, a command. I like this command. I like knowing what lasts.
Pure, Lasting, Faultless
3 comments:
i like this post cuz...especially the Matthew Henry piece...thanks for your heart.
um. you do see that it has been a month since you have written on here? =) =)
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