“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)
Problem:
Religious hypocrisy “21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (1:21-22)
The Christian life is the doing of the word.
Exegesis:
religion (threskeia) = worship in its outer form/external aspect, what I do to please God.
“pure and undefiled” – “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 17 learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” (Isa 1:16-17)
State of justification cf. “pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Phil 1:10)
“before God the Father” – in the sight of God/judgement of God as an act of worship
Thesis: pure religion = God likeness
“visit orphans and widows in their affliction” – affliction = poverty, oppression, sickness, practical need
“Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home;” (Ps 68:5, 6a) “home” cf. # physical building
cf. Exodus 22:22; Deuteronomy 14:28-29*; 16:11; 26:12*; 27:19; Psalm 146:9 * = full tithe each 3 years to go to the needy.
““When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, which is the year of tithing, giving it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your towns and be filled, 13 then you shall say before the Lord your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion out of my house, and moreover, I have given it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all your commandment that you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, nor have I forgotten them.” (Deut 26:12-13)
“Caring love for the helpless is not an accidental optional manifestation of the new nature, but part of its essence.” (Motyer)
“unstained from the world” – world = kosmos ordered humanity in opposition to God cf. “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19 cf. Rom 12:2)
purity of action flows from purity of heart cf. ““Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”” (Matt 5:8)
Application:
Crisis of fatherlessness e.g. 87% of indigenous households in state housing are single parent
Revelation of God as Holy Father “And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” (John 17:11)
a. Jesus is leaving “the world” i.e. the same polluting world of James 1:27
b. Jesus is “coming to you” cf. 17:13 viz. returning to the fullness of the Father in heaven as his eternal habitation, complete family reunion
c. this “coming” will be through death and glorification i.e. suffering service
d. Jesus’ consciousness of returning to the Father is motivated with a sense of his Holiness i.e. separation from the world as a destroying power
e. only the one family of God has the power and authority to image this restoration