James 1:27

Introduction

Grammatical Study

Here is our word study for this evening concerning James 1:27.

James 1:27 KJV 1900

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.

Verbs

is - to be; to have the quality of being

to visit - to check on; to visit someone in order to determine his/her condition

to keep - to maintain; to keep in a certain state, position, or activity

Nouns

religion - worship; the activity of showing love and devotion to a deity; also involves the necessary knowledge concerning beliefs and practice to be able to participate in worship

God

Father

affliction - state of distress; an oppressive state of physical, mental, social, and/or economic adversity

world - the overall world system; the people who constitute the world whose values, beliefs, and morals are in distinction and rebellion to God’s system

Adverbs

n/a

Adjectives

pure - guiltless; in a state of ritual cleanliness or free of guilt and sin

undefiled - ritually untainted; free from stain or blemish according to religious regulations; especially understood as necessary to be religiously untainted in the eyes of God

fatherless - orphan; a child who has lost both parents

widows - a woman whose husband has passed in death

unspotted - unblemished; free from physical or moral defects

Summary

“Pure [guiltless; in a state of ritual cleanliness or free of guilt and sin] religion [worship; the activity of showing love and devotions to a deity; also involves the necessary knowledge concerning beliefs and practice to be able to participate in worship] and undefiled [ritually untainted; free from stain or blemish according to cultic regulations and requirements; especially understood as necessary to be cultically untainted in the eyes of God] before God and the Father is [to be; to have the quality of being] this, To visit [to check on; to visit someone in order to determine his/her condition] the fatherless [orphan; a child who has lost both parents] and widows [widow; a woman whose husband is dead] in their affliction [state of distress; an oppressive state of physical, mental, social, and/or economic adversity], and to keep [to keep/maintain; to keep in a certain state, position, or activity] himself unspotted [unblemished; free from physical or moral defects] from the world [world system; the people constituting the world whose values, beliefs, and morals are in distinction and rebellion to God’s].” (James 1:27, KJV 1900)

Application

What is the Holy Spirit talking about?

Without a doubt, the Holy Spirit is talking about true religion.

What is the Holy Spirit saying about ????

He is giving us some distinction between the false religious person and their religion in the preceding verse.

James 1:26 KJV 1900

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

We must first start with a Scriptural understanding of the word “religion.” As we already noted in our word study, religion is defined as the activity by which one shows his/her love and devotion to a deity. In our text, we are talking about showing our love and devotion to God whose the one and only living God. However, to be truly religious a person must have a certain amount of knowledge concerning what the beliefs and practices of the one they are worshipping. Again, for us, this relates to us having the proper amount of knowledge of what God expects of us. Such knowledge can only come by hearing the Word of God and doing the Word of God.

James 1:27 KJV 1900

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.

The Holy Spirit, however, adds two modifiers which describe true religion.

First, it is to be PURE.

Note again, He states “Pure religion....” Thus, it is activity based on our knowledge of God’s expectations so that we in a state of cleanliness and free from the guilt and sin. There is only one way that happens according to Scripture.

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 KJV 1900

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Christ told Nicodemus that he needed to be born again. Nicodemus was confused. So Christ said...

John 3:5–6 KJV 1900

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:14–15 KJV 1900

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

It is only through Jesus Christ that you can be truly washed and truly cleansed. It is only through Jesus Christ that you be placed in a position to truly worship God. True religion begins with a personal relationship with Christ. Those who have the relationship are then enabled through the Holy Spirit to truly worship God. They can stand before Him with a pure conscience.

Hebrews 10:22 KJV 1900

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Thus, a true believer of the Lord Jesus Christ can practice PURE religion.

The second modifier is UNDEFILED.

We are to stand before God with pure and undefiled religion. The word “undefiled” means “untainted; free from stain or blemish according to religious regulations and requirement in order to stand before God untainted.” Again, this is the Holy Spirit once again reinforcing the point that there is only one way to stand before God untainted or undefiled. In fact, the Holy Spirit in the book of Hebrews tells us...

Hebrews 7:22–27 KJV 1900

By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

In a nutshell, Christ, as our High Priest, was One who was holy, harmless, UNDEFILED (untainted by sin), seperate from sinners, and higher than the heavens became our sacrifice. And, He did this just once. Why? He is the One who continueth forever and is unchangeable in His holiness. He is the One who is completely UNDEFILED thus making Him the Perfect Lamb sacrifice for our sins. And, by His atonement, we who have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior stand UNDEFILED before God.

Our Position (Pure and Undefiled) is Proven by Proper Actions to Those in Need.

In James 1:26, the person who claimed to be religious proved they were not truly so by their words and their actions. They were unable to bridle their tongue resulting in a vain religion. However, the true believer stands pure and undefiled before the Lord. That position should result in completely selfless acts. Note the Holy Spirit emphasizes visiting two kinds of people. They are...

Orphans - kids who have lost both parents and need someone’s help.

Widows - wives who have lost their husbands to death

They are to be visited in their “affliction.” The word “affliction” referring to their state of distress. Losing parents and losing a close spouse is can be trying physically, mentally, socially, and even economically. Thus, the person who claims Christ as their Lord and Savior demonstrated their love for Him by loving those who are going through very difficult circumstances such as orphans and widows. Helping them is not easy. Visiting them and assisting them is not glamorous. Yet, in doing so, the truly religious person is demonstrating what Christ did for us. We were in an impossible situation before God. We were without hope. We were lost and destined for an eternity in Hell - a place of great torment. Yet, God demonstrated His love toward us. He sent His Son to die for us. He provided us a means of escape. Had it now been for His love, His mercy, and His grace all of us here tonight would still be destined for everlasting torment. Thus, a pure and undefiled religious person will prove their love for the Lord by their actions of reaching out and helping those in need.

However, there is one last thing. Pure and undefiled religion also demands that a person “keep himself unspotted from the world.”

Our Position Demands Personal Separation from the World

The word “keep” is a word of action. It conveys the idea of keeping watch or guard in order to maintain a certain state, position, or activity. Thus, our position as pure and undefiled demands we keep watch over our own spiritual condition. We must be proactively doing what is necessary in accordance with God’s Word so that we stay in a state of spiritual growth and service to the Lord.

We are to “keep” ourselves “unspotted” or we might say “spotless.” Here we have the idea once again of being unblemished or without fault. To maintain such a position before God means we must be submitting to Him daily. We must be reading His Word and seeking to obey it in every area of our life.

And, then, the Holy Spirit specifically mentions “the world.” The world speaks to the all the human race at large. This world, present day Earth, is filled with sinful men and women. We just read a few moments ago 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 which mentions all the evil and wickedness of men. Without a doubt, all are born sinners.

Romans 3:23 KJV 1900

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 3:10–12 KJV 1900

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

I say that to remind us that the world around us filled with men and women tainted by sin. Everything they touch is tainted with the same sin and wickedness. The evidence is all around us. From the Hollywood to the White House, we are confronted more and more immorality each day. And, we must also realize that as we approach the Lord’s return is only going to get worse.

2 Timothy 3:1–5 KJV 1900

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

For this reason, we must “keep ourselves unspotted from this world.”

How does this help me in my relationship to the Lord?

First, to be truly religions in the Biblical sense of the word, we must have Christ as our Lord and Savior. Each of us must start with our salvation. Each of us must have a time in our life when we realize our sin, repent of our sin, accept Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as truth, and call out to Him confessing our sin with our mouth and believing in our heart. When we do, we are cleansed. We then stand before God pure and undefiled.

Second, we are to commit to Him and not to this world. Christ said it this way...

Matthew 6:19–24 KJV 1900

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

You cannot live a divide life. Living with your eyes upon this world will cause you to drift towards the world. The more you drift toward the things of this world, the more you become contaminated by this world. A great example of this in the Old Testament is Abraham’s nephew, Lot. The Bible talks about how he pitched his tent towards the sin centers of Sodom and Gomorrah. Later, we find him sitting in the gates of those cities. The more he looked and gazed the more he desired. It is the same thing for us even today. The more we focus on this world and what it offers the more we drift in its direction. Soon, we find ourselves sitting in the gates of this world enjoying the pleasures it has to offer. Pleasures that are filled with all kinds of sin and wickedness. Pleasures that last only for a moment.

Thus, the warning is clear. Keep your eyes upon the Savior. Do not look away. Stay focused on Him. He is the One Who can help us be “unspotted” by this world.

How does this help me love others more as well?

First, it helps us represent true Christianity before our family, our friends, and our fellow countrymen. They see people who are truly religious as they are pure and undefiled. In turn, it affords us opportunities to start conversations with them leading them to Christ as well.

Second, we demonstrate that our love for Christ drives us to love others as well especially those in need such as orphans and widows. At the heart of our service is our love for the Lord. And, just He often helped those in need, we are to exhibit that same desire as we help those in need also.