James 1:27
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.
Scripture Insights
How do we know a basketball player is a basketball player? How do we know a ballet dancer is a ballet dancer? Well, they play basketball, and they dance ballet. We know them by what they do.
James is not saying we earn our salvation by works. We can’t earn our salvation. It is freely given to anyone who places their faith in Jesus. But if we are truly following Jesus, we will do the things that Jesus does. James is reminding us that true followers of Jesus will care for the needs of others and not follow the selfish ways of the world.
Some have accused James of being heavy on a works theology, as if we could earn our way to heaven by what we do. James is not saying that. James is saying, if we are followers of Jesus, we will do the things that Jesus does.
How do we know if we are truly Christians, genuinely followers of Jesus? We play basketball, and we dance ballet! Errr . . . I mean, we follow the ways of our Master.
Today’s Prayer
Lord, examine our hearts. Help us to see the needy around us. May we not be insulated from the world. Instead, may we follow you into the broken, lonely, isolated, fearful, needy places in the world around us and minister in your name.
—Jim Bond
CotN District Superintendent, Kansas
