James 1:27

Verse 27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this.

The word "religion" occurs but four times in the New Testament, as follows: "That after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee" (Acts 26:5). This was used by the apostle Paul in his defense before King Agrippa. "For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion,... and profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals" (Galatians 1:13-14). The only other occurrence is now before us for consideration and study. The word "religious" occurs but twice; once it occurs in Acts 13:43, and once in James 1:26. Neither of these words occur in the Peshito. Syriac.

Pure religion and undefiled.

That is, clean and without any admixture or adulteration, and therefore pure and holy.

Before God and the Father.

That is, in the esteem of God our Father that which he regards or which comes up to his estimation, or is acceptable to him.

To visit the fatherless and the widow in their affliction.

The term "visit" carries with it the idea of administering to their necessities, relieving their wants. This as contradistinguished from the observance of forms which are essentially Pharisaic. External duties may be all right, but hypocrites could observe these to whom the thought of a kind action never occurs. Doing good for good's sake, doing good from a loving heart, is what God requires.

Keep himself unspotted from the world.

Not tainted or touched by the vices of the world, abstaining from the evil, committing nothing prohibited by the gospel of the Lord. Macknight says of pure religion: "Tillotson thinks the apostle likens religion to a gem whose perfection consists in being clear; that is, without flaw or cloud. And Doddridge observes that no gem is so ornamental as the temper here described."

In short, religion consists in something to do in the divine life, as we learn from God's revealed will in the Bible, and not something to get, as is claimed by many devout souls. Religion is faith in action, faith in operation, Christ-like work, Christ-like deeds, and nothing else.