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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJabez Burns Sermons: 866. Jam 1:27. Pure Religion
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Jam_1:27. Pure Religion
"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."—Jam_1:27.
Man was evidently destined for religious purposes—by which we mean—for the belief of religious mysteries—the worship of the supreme God—the discharge of religious duties—and the cherishing of religious emotions. A careful examination of human beings, and the records of all nations, will confirm this declaration.
But it is not enough to be religious; but to have the right religion, which in the text is called "pure religion." It must be of the greatest moment to have truth instead of error—to know and serve the true God, instead of an imaginary deity—to yield the worship that is intelligent and dignifying, and not the blind ceremonials of ignorance and superstition—to live in the exercise of those duties that must please a Holy Being, and not be the victims of practices alike dishonorable to God and degrading to ourselves. No subject, then, can be more momentous than that of pure religion. The word religion signifies virtue, as arising from reverence for God. But in its more extensive and understood meaning, it may comprehend the faith, experience, and practice of the soul, as to sacred things.
Then let us proceed,
I. To define pure religion.
And here observe it is not to be confounded with,
1. The religion of superstition.
The Athenians had this; and hence their countless idols and altars. So that Paul said—"I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious." Such is paganism. Now, whether in the refined and subtle forms of Hindooism, or the rude aspect it presents in the South Sea Islander or North American Indian, all these are composed of gross and ridiculous marvels—essentially the religions of terror, of deprecations, fancies, dreams, and fabulous narratives.
Pure religion dwells in the region of heaven's sunlight and divine truth. Its intellectuality is one of its essential elements of purity. It recognizes nothing grovelling, puerile, and vain. However it may rise above human reason, it never insults it, or degrades it.
Nor must it be confounded,
2. With a religion of ceremonies.
Here Mahometanism, Popery, and the Greek Church must be present to our minds. Perhaps with Popery we are most acquainted. With its gorgeous priesthood, and attractive rites; with its penance, and absolution, and masses. So that the little Christian truth Rome has, she does with it as Herod did with Christ—array it in mock apparel, and clothe it in the garb of buffoonery. Her rites merely gratify the eye and the imagination; and these are amused at the expense of conscience and sound sense.
Pure religion is adorned with simple drapery. Her institutes and ordinances are clear, and spiritual, and significant—while Romanism and the Greek Church have a patchwork external system of paganism and Judaism, with some few indistinct traits of Christianity.
Nor must we confound it,
3. With the religion of mere rationalism.
A religion without mysteries. Of cheerless speculations—abstract reasonings. That refuses to go beyond the region of the senses. That ridicules all it cannot understand. That brings every thing down to its own stunted capacity, and tests every thing by it. That explains away inspiration, miracles, Christ's divinity, the personality of the Spirit, Satan's existence; and rejects all that we call experimental piety.
This system of religion, or, rather, of non-religion, is the extremely opposite of that of superstition. That is the prolific region of all imaginative luxuriance; this the northern pole of cold, and ice, and sterility, and perpetual winter, where no lovely flower grows, no genial sunbeams play, no spiritual life is put forth.
But we must equally avoid confounding it,
4. With the religion of fanaticism.
A religion without intelligence, without moral evidence. A religion of entire excitement, impulse, fancies, and feeling. Sometimes of almost avowed predictions and miracles. A religion of presumptuous familiarity with God—of irreverent use of the divine name—and ignorant application of the Holy Scriptures.
In all ages there have been outbursts of this sort, alike degrading to man and in direct hostility to the Holy Word of God. Germany has been fruitful in both extremes of fanaticism and rationalism; so Russia; so the United States of America—especially in that most foul and polluted system of extravagance and immorality, called Mormonism.
It is essential that we do not confound it,
5. With a religion of self righteousness. Of human works, as the merits and ground of our salvation; of comfort, derived from our own doings, and which is incessantly boasting of self-reliance, self-satisfaction. Such as the Pharisees of old had, and such as myriads of our mere formalists have now. A religion in which there is no room for the cross of Christ—the fountain opened—or the riches of divine grace—or where these have only a secondary place—or are so mixed up with human merit, as to lose their virtue and value.
And I add, lastly, we must not confound it,
6. With a religion of unrighteousness. Of mere doctrine, without practice; of antinomianism—that perverts all that is evangelical, under the pretence of not needing any thing that is practical. That is afraid of holiness, and makes the gospel and the grace of God minister to unrighteousness. That takes Christ as a priest, but not as a king. That says, Lord, Lord, but does not the things which he commands. That goes for its principles to eternal decrees, unknown purposes, secret councils, arbitrary—miscalled by them—sovereign authority. That makes God partial—Christ the redeemer of a few—the work of the Holy Spirit restrictive to the veriest fragments of the human race; and man from first to last entirely passive, without any power or responsibility, as to repentance, faith, or submission to the gospel of salvation.
Now, pure religion, in contrast with all these,
(1.) Rests on the pure truth of the divine word. It goes here for its doctrines—its principles, ordinances, precepts, motives, hopes. It most sacredly appeals to the law and to the testimony. It takes the Scriptures as its all-sufficient guide. It adds nothing thereto; it evades nothing—alters nothing. It asks, What has God spoken? and to that it bows with profound and unvarying respect. It values every grain of God's pure truth. It deems nothing he has commanded, to be of trivial moment; and it seeks to keep all his precepts. If we go to any other ordeal or test, there must be contradiction and confusion. There will be council against council—synod against synod; great and learned, and even godly men, set up one against the other. But God's word is clear, full, and sufficient for faith, experience, and practice; and pure religion draws all its waters from this divine and living fountain.
(2.) It is essentially pure in its operations. Pure religion brings man into a state of relative purity, or a condition of righteousness, in which justification is enjoyed. A justification which saves us from all charges of guilt and condemnation; in which, by faith in Christ, we are righteous, and accepted of God. To this it superadds the inward renewal of the soul—an entire change of heart and life. It gives a new spirit—a holy nature and emotions—which delight in God, and truth, and obedience. So that when the inward man is thus made holy, the outward life is fruitful in all good works. Especially is love to God supreme; faith in Christ decided, vigorous; and benignity and goodness to men most strikingly manifest.
But observe,
(3.) It is pure in its blessed conformity to the holy example of the Redeemer. Thus we see these invariable characteristics of pure religion—pure principles, purity of state and heart, purity of life; and these ever belong to the evangelical religion of the New Testament. But the text, in illustrating this purity, lays hold of beneficence to man, and non-conformity to the world—"To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." To do so in the spirit of tender sympathy and kindly aid; to do them good, as Christ did in his life of compassion and love. And then to avoid worldly influences and pollution—"to keep himself unspotted from the world." To live in the world, and yet in spirit and life to be separate from it; even as Christ did, who said—"I am not of the world." Not to be spotted with worldly avarice, or ambition, or vanity, or pleasure, or care; but to live above it, and be crucified to it. Such, then, is pure religion.
Now let me,
II. Urge it on your adoption.
And, in doing so, we may remind you,
1. That you need it.
Nothing else will suit your state of guilt and pollution, meet your necessities, or satisfy your desires for permanent and everlasting good. You need religion. You need the religion of the divine word; and this religion is in every sense adapted to your state and exigencies.
But it may be urged because,
2. It will lead to your mental and moral elevation.
It invariably exalts and dignifies its subjects. The pagan, the savage, or the Mahometan, it ennobles and blesses. It refines and purifies the taste and manners; and whether it finds its disciples in palaces, or in the mud-walled cottage, it gives them mental dignity and moral power. It will make you both wiser and better.
But more,
3. It will fit you for a pure and blissful futurity.
God is holy, and without holiness no man can see his face. Heaven is holy, and nothing that defileth can enter therein. Its services, engagements, society, are all pure; so that only pure religion can fit you for that state of existence which stretches into the eternity to come. The pure in heart shall see God. The undefiled shall ascend his holy hill. Those who are meet shall have the inheritance. So that pure religion is essential to future bliss and glory.
Application
We ask,
(1.) Do you possess this pure religion? If so, rejoice in it; cultivate it. Seek daily growth, and increased conformity to the Lord Jesus Christ.
(2.) If you have it not—then reflect on its importance, and seek it by simple faith in Jesus Christ. Come to the fountain opened; come to the physician of souls; come to the gracious Redeemer—cast yourselves on his power and willingness to save you. And so come and seek this pure religion, that it may have a preference and preeminence in your thoughts, desires, and resolutions, over every other object and pursuit.
(3.) The Christian will pray and labor for the spread of this pure religion throughout the world. How blessed and glorious earth will be, when God's will shall be done in it, as it is done in heaven!