By Lisa Wilmore
Scripture to ponder: 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. (James 1:27).
My Christian Friends,
Jesus walked this earth who never committed sin. He was perfect in all His ways. In fact, unlike us, He was born with no sin. Paul declares, God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). Jesus Christ’s moral standard is beyond what you and I will ever be able to master. He was the embodiment of perfection. No one will ever be able to walk perfectly as our Savior did. Scripture reminds us that “All have sin and come short of the glory of God.” (Roman 3:23). The standard is high; but we must commit to striving for perfection by living according to His Word.
What is Jesus moral standard or moral system of living? And, Why is it essential that Christians commit to it? Well, James says it best, as highlighted in our noted text. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this,…., and to keep himself unspotted from the world. In other words, keeping ourselves unpolluted (Unspotted) from the world exemplifies pure religion.
Because others are watching and observing our conduct and behavior, it is essential that we commit to Jesus’ standard of living. In fact, we must hold to His moral standard and not the world’s moral standard which separates the individual from God. The standard such as selfish gain; hunger for power, prestige and position; sinful pleasure; love for money, etc., are the world’s way to happiness. Jesus’ moral standard is totally opposite. He requires us to commit to a lifestyle that yields to serving Him and Him only which harvests joy in our hearts.
As we commit to Jesus’ standard of living, others will notice and desire to know who you know. In fact, men, women, boys and girls will see the Light of Jesus Christ and glorify the Father in heaven. Therefore, committing oneself to Jesus’ moral system is essential to bringing others to Jesus Christ.
In addition, James points out in our text that our walk for God is not only to be unspotted form the world but to help the orphans and widows in their trouble. In other words, pure religion or the religion of Christ takes care of the needy. Spurgeon comments that “charity and purity are the two great garments of Christianity”- that is, helping the poor and committing oneself to Christ’s moral standard.
