James 1
March 16, 2022
“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.” (v27)
When James, the half-brother of Jesus, boils down the kind of religion God is looking for, He describes it in terms of:
Care for the Poor
Personal Purity
So often the church divides into factions that emphasize one of these values over and against the other. Some churches pride themselves on being concerned about issues of justice and serving the needy. Other churches pride themselves on living a life of personal holiness. Biblical Christianity, though, is marked by both.
Father, I praise You because You are both compassionate and righteous - full of love and absolutely holy. Forgive me for falling short of both. Forgive me for (at times) elevating one of these values over and against the other. And thank You for Jesus, who not only atones for my sin and shortcomings, but who now lives in me - to empower me to both care for the needy and pursue a life of purity. Make my life a reflection of this “true religion” (v27).
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
