James 1:22-27

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” vs. 27

Many people have come to faith in congregations that put a huge premium on matters of theology and dogma. Generally the pastors and teachers who lead those congregations have learned in seminary that pure doctrine is of the utmost importance. They’ve spent years honing arguments that use logic and scripture to define and refine the Truth of the Gospel, and they rigidly maintain those standards in their preaching and teaching. James was likely familiar with such teachers and he presented to his readers a different blueprint for purity and holiness in the Church.  He doesn’t seem to have cared much for closely defined theological principles. Instead he put forward what some have disdainfully dismissed as the “social gospel.” Everything, James says, rests on how well a congregation cares for orphans and widows in their distress–we can assume he would be okay with expanding that caring to include refugees, asylum seekers, the homeless, and any needy folks. Oh, and then he adjures the congregants to keep themselves unstained by the world. Ethics and morality are key ingredients of a God-pleasing life. As we care for others, our own behavior matters! What we do and what we say are likely even more important than what we believe!

Thought for the Day: How important is doctrinal purity in my congregation?