Pure and Undefiled Religion

Today’s reading is James 1.

James has already told us we must be quick to hear and slow to speak. In context, we know he isn’t simply talking about interpersonal relationships. He is talking about how we relate to God’s Word. Therefore, it doesn’t surprise us to find out if we don’t bridle our tongues, whatever religion we have is useless. If we speak more than we listen, our worship, our piety, our religion, and our religious actions aren’t doing either us or God any good.

However, James goes farther. We are not only to be hearers of the Word but doers. He defines some of the doing. Pure religion, undefiled religion is not walking through religious rituals mouthing the proper words, dressed in the right clothes, wearing the appropriate facial expressions. Pure and undefiled religion before God has two components. One, caring for others in their afflictions. Two, remaining unstained from the world.

Is this anything less than, more than, or different than the two greatest commands? We are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and might (remain unstained from the world) and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (care for others in their afflictions). Don’t read these instructions in a vacuum. These statements James is writing to Jewish Christians are anchored in what they should have learned from the Law and the Prophets. In the Law, the Jews were to care for the widows and orphans among them as well as the poor and needy. Recall Isaiah 58. There, the Israelites couldn’t understand why God didn’t notice their fasting, their religious observance. God’s response was their fasting was nothing more than ritual. The purpose of fasting was not to wear sackcloth or bow the head. The purpose was to grow compassion for those in need among them. James will come back to this as he discusses faith in chapter 2. If we are the kind of people who tell our brothers and sisters in need to go be warmed and filled (even if we do this in prayer) instead of the kind of people who give them what they need, our faith is useless. So is our religion.

Further, we are to be unstained by the world. We must not let the world, its temptations, its ways distract us from God. We must not be defiled by bringing their gods, their ways of worship, their values, their perspectives into our hearts and minds. We must love God and not be friends with the world. James will come back to this in chapter 4 as he points out friendship with the world is enmity with God.

Yes, of course, we are to gather as churches and worship God. Yes, we are to go into our prayer closets and worship God. But if the rest of our day and week is spent pursuing our own pleasures instead of loving God and our neighbor, let us not think our times of worship are doing us a bit of good. May our times of devotion and worship be the beginning of a life in devotion to God and His people.

Next week’s reading is James 2.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. In what ways must we bridle our tongues for our religion to be worthwhile?
3. How can we visit orphans, widows, and others in affliction in order to have pure and undefiled religion?
4. How do we remain unstained by the world in order to have pure and undefiled religion?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?

Holy, Innocent, Unstained, Separate, and Exalted

Today’s reading is Hebrews 7.

Is there any greater litany of descriptors provided for us regarding our Lord, Savior, King, and High Priest than we find in Hebrews 7:26. Jesus, our high priest, is holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

Perhaps what is surprising for us in this passage is the phrase “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest…” If we read that too quickly, we might think our author is saying we deserve such a high priest. We might want to read it as saying we are of such high character and quality it suits us to have such a high quality and character high priest. Nothing is further from the truth.

Our author is not describing the kind of high priest we deserve, but the kind of high priest we need. In fact, the only kind of high priest who will do us any good whatsoever. Jesus did become like flesh and blood. He did leave the heavenly throne and come live among us. He partook of flesh like we do with all its ailments including death. He partook of temptation like we do. Though He faced it without sin. He was like us in every way necessary to be our high priest. Yet, He was also unlike us in every way necessary to be our effective high priest. Aaron and his sons were sinful, guilty, defiled (and defiling), in the midst of sinners, debased before God and man because Aaron and his sons were just like us. Yes, God allowed that priesthood to continue so long as it pointed toward and foreshadowed something of true substance. But what we need and what actually works is the substance, not the shadow. If a priest just like us was all we needed, we wouldn’t really need a priest at all, would we? We could do it ourselves. We need a unique priest. Jesus is the one who fits the bill.

It is fitting that God would give us such a high priest, not because we deserve it. It is fitting, because God in His love and mercy provides for us the only high priest we need, the only high priest who will do us any good. Praise the Lord! He didn’t do what was appropriate, pertaining to, fitting what we deserve, He did what was appropriate, pertaining to, fitting to our need.

And what a great high priest He gave. Let us cling to Him always.

Next week’s reading is Hebrews 8.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. Why do we need such a holy, exalted high priest?
3. Why wouldn’t the Aaronic and Levitical priests be good enough for us?
4. How do we practically cling to Jesus as our high priest?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?