Good morning! How are you faithing?
Jas 1:26 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.
Jas 1:27 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.
We have touched before on the subject of vain religion and how doing church and wearing the right clothes, speaking christianese is vain and useless. Verse 26 is straight to the point about those who seem religious but the attributes of Jesus' love seem to be absent. Jesus said you will know people by their fruit as to who and where they are. The lost cannot be expected to act as Jesus followers but salvation is evident by said fruit. Our compassion is evidence of the love of God living in us. In verse 27, examples are given for pure religion i.e. faith. It is easy for us to fall into disdain for people who act the fool but we again must remember where those people are coming from. Are they coming from a place of worldly influence? Of course they are. Just the examples in the political arena as of late proves that out. Egads man, it's hard to hate the sin and not the sinner when some are so evil acting but our savior served the lost. Our savior reached out to those in need of his grace so if we want to follow him we must do likewise.
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Jas 1:26 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.
Jas 1:27 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.
We have touched before on the subject of vain religion and how doing church and wearing the right clothes, speaking christianese is vain and useless. Verse 26 is straight to the point about those who seem religious but the attributes of Jesus' love seem to be absent. Jesus said you will know people by their fruit as to who and where they are. The lost cannot be expected to act as Jesus followers but salvation is evident by said fruit. Our compassion is evidence of the love of God living in us. In verse 27, examples are given for pure religion i.e. faith. It is easy for us to fall into disdain for people who act the fool but we again must remember where those people are coming from. Are they coming from a place of worldly influence? Of course they are. Just the examples in the political arena as of late proves that out. Egads man, it's hard to hate the sin and not the sinner when some are so evil acting but our savior served the lost. Our savior reached out to those in need of his grace so if we want to follow him we must do likewise.
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Word. Thank you for a pure love that sees past the world and sees the heart. Help us to always hate the sin and not the sinner. We pray for the lost and those who stumble. We lift this world to you and know from scripture what awaits. Help us reach more today. In Jesus name, amen
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