Thursday, October 26, 2006
James 1:27 reads, “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.”
I don’t think its hip to say you’re religious today. The word religion is “so five minutes ago”. If one wants to be up to date it’s more chic to say, “I’m a spiritual person”. So maybe we could substitute the word spiritual for religion in James 1:27. Should we? Dare we? When I was a youngster, we used to sing “Gimme that old time religion”. Maybe if we were cutting edge we should have sung, “Gimme that old time spirituality”. I tried to sing it that way but it threw my timing off and it was very difficult to clap to.
I thought it was compelling that in a culture that shuns the word religion; James uses it as a gauge of spirituality. Like in verse 26 he writes, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” Perhaps today James would say, “If you think you’re spiritual and you have a big mouth or loose lips, think again!”
Now I know its not religion that makes one right with God. I just can’t be religious enough to please a holy God. That was accomplished for me through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. However, I think James is saying if you have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, then show it by your spiritual activity or religion.
Religion that God accepts is helping people who cannot help themselves and who cannot pay you back for helping them. Usually when one serves orphans or widows there is no way for them to pay you back. Serving widows and orphans really purifies my motives for serving. This type of serving is based on love – love for God and people. Religion that God accepts is keeping myself from being culturally minded by being transformed and renewed in my thinking. It's God's word and God's Holy Spirit that accomplish that. Religion that God accepts is developing the mind of Christ through a process of hearing, reading and practicing the word of God. Religion that God accepts is practical compassion and personal purity.
Gimme that old time religion – or should I say spirituality? Whether I’m up to date or out of date, God remains the same. What God accepted from the beginning, He still accepts today.
Pastor Tim
I don’t think its hip to say you’re religious today. The word religion is “so five minutes ago”. If one wants to be up to date it’s more chic to say, “I’m a spiritual person”. So maybe we could substitute the word spiritual for religion in James 1:27. Should we? Dare we? When I was a youngster, we used to sing “Gimme that old time religion”. Maybe if we were cutting edge we should have sung, “Gimme that old time spirituality”. I tried to sing it that way but it threw my timing off and it was very difficult to clap to.
I thought it was compelling that in a culture that shuns the word religion; James uses it as a gauge of spirituality. Like in verse 26 he writes, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” Perhaps today James would say, “If you think you’re spiritual and you have a big mouth or loose lips, think again!”
Now I know its not religion that makes one right with God. I just can’t be religious enough to please a holy God. That was accomplished for me through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. However, I think James is saying if you have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, then show it by your spiritual activity or religion.
Religion that God accepts is helping people who cannot help themselves and who cannot pay you back for helping them. Usually when one serves orphans or widows there is no way for them to pay you back. Serving widows and orphans really purifies my motives for serving. This type of serving is based on love – love for God and people. Religion that God accepts is keeping myself from being culturally minded by being transformed and renewed in my thinking. It's God's word and God's Holy Spirit that accomplish that. Religion that God accepts is developing the mind of Christ through a process of hearing, reading and practicing the word of God. Religion that God accepts is practical compassion and personal purity.
Gimme that old time religion – or should I say spirituality? Whether I’m up to date or out of date, God remains the same. What God accepted from the beginning, He still accepts today.
Pastor Tim
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