ARE YOU RELGIOUS (part three)
Recap: Last week we looked at the beginning of James 1:27, "Religion as God the Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." We looked at why orphans and widows and it's because these are among the most vulnerable, needy people.
Also, in helping them we are help those who are not able to pay us back. Thus, we are helping with the purest of motives.
James finishes it with 'in their distress'. We are to help but not just blindly help. We are to determine the legitimacy of the need. We looked at 1st Tim. 5:3-16 where Paul instructs Timothy to use discretion regarding what widows to help. Helping the poor and needy is a wonderful thing but the desire needs to be coupled with wisdom and discernment.
We need to try to make a determination as to the legitimacy and severity of the need lest we spend our resources on illegitimate needs and then we don't have it for when there is a legitimate need. Also, we don't want to enable someone to continue to make poor choices or enable them to be dependent when they have the ability and the tools to be more independent but are choosing not to.
James 1:27b, "...and to keep oneself from becoming polluted by the world."
1) What does it mean to be polluted by the world?
Polluted means dirty, grimy, infected. Becoming polluted means to become impure. We were surrounded and engrossed in the world before we came to Christ. Whether it was sinful activities or simply having an unbiblical worldview, we were living in the only world we knew; the unspiritual one.
Then we learned about the spiritual realm and the hereafter. We learned what God had to say about what was good and what wasn't; what was acceptable and what wasn't. We began learning about the new life as a new creation. We learned what we should not be doing and what we should be doing instead.
When we became born again we began to see things in a different light. We saw through a spiritual lens; and that includes the world we live in. The ideals that were promoted, the behaviors of people, the teachings, practices and views that were held all took on a new shape and we gained a new understanding-a new perspective about it all. And where before the things we believed; the activities we were involved in were simply life as we lived it and were the acceptable practices and principles we lived by; now, through seeing things more clearly through the spiritual lens of truth, things began to take on a whole new shape; a whole new meaning.
The things that were once acceptable are now unacceptable. The things that I was once oblivious to are now exposed for what they are. What was once clean is now polluted; what was once aromatic is now pungent. However, just because I have seen the light doesn't mean Satan's not going to try to snuff it out. His purpose is to get me polluted by the world all over again. And I have to be ready for him. I need to know what factors are involved and how I can prevent it from happening.
2) How do I become polluted by the world?
Being polluted by the world is choosing to be conformed to the world-Romans 12:2a, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world."
Paul is saying that we need to stop conforming to the way the world thinks, the way the world does things. When the ideals and philosophies of the world go against what we find in God's word we have a choice to make-will we subscribe to the world's ways or to God's ways. Will we subscribe to the worldly way of-you don't have to become a Christian in order to go to heaven you just need to be a good person or will we subscribe to God's way that there are none that are good and only through Jesus can you be saved?
Will we subscribe to the worldly ways that says it's okay to have sex outside of marriage and it's okay to live together or will we subscribe to God's way that speaks out against fornication? Will we continue to be okay with homosexuality and abortion or will we stand with God who says these things are wrong?
The world's way is that it's okay to get drunk but God's word commands against it. The world says it's just a little white lie but God says 'do not lie' period. I could go on and on but I think you get the point. There are things that are acceptable in society but they're not acceptable with God. Being polluted by the world is conforming to the world's way of looking at things instead of God's way.
We become polluted by the world when we love the world. 1st John 2:15-16, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.”
When John says, 'the world' he isn't saying we shouldn't admire God's creation and he isn't saying don't love the people of the world. What he is saying is don't love what is worldly; of the sinful nature. Don't love what God hates. Sinful cravings and desires, lustful thoughts, bragging and boasting, these don't come from God.
We notice John using the word 'love'. So we might be able to like certain things in the world but if we love them then we're not in a good place. We can like money but we shouldn't love money because 1st Tim. 6:10 says the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. I can like and enjoy material things but it's when my like turns to love I'm in trouble. When the things of the world take precedence over the things of God I'm loving the things of the world.
When my pursuit of things in the world supersedes my pursuit of God then I'm loving the world over God. When the things of the world are my priority then I'm giving them first place and Jesus said in Matt. 6:24 that I cannot serve two masters because I will hate the one and love the other. Therefore, if I love the world then I'm not loving God because I can't love both. If I'm conforming to the pattern of the world or if I love the world then I'm polluted by it.
3) How do I become unpolluted?
*Hate the pollution. Rom. 12:9, "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."
I shouldn't love that which is impure. I shouldn't be devoted to something that's polluted. If I'm going to resist being polluted by the world then I can't love the world. But I first have to recognize that it's pollution. I can be deceived into thinking it's not pollution; it's okay. Why? Because it's pleasurable so therefore it must be good. I'm not hurting anybody or everybody else is doing it. Again, if the world accepts it then it must be okay. So we can be duped into believing that something of the world is acceptable to God when it's not.
But if we have eyes to see God will show us what's pure and what's pollution. We can be drawn to satisfy our fleshly cravings. Although such things are pollution to us they are pleasurable too (at least for a moment). Being polluted is clinging to that which is evil and shunning that which is good. But If I'm going to be unpolluted, if I'm going to be truly religious, if my love for God is going to be sincere, then I'm committed to hate what is evil and cling to what is good.
If I only dislike pollution then I'm apt to rekindle my affection for it and I will find myself loving it all over again. If I hate it I don't entertain it; I don't engage in it, I despise it, I don't want to be near it. I want to see it annihilated; destroyed. In order to be unpolluted I have to recognize pollution for what it is and then I need to hate it.
*Transform. Rom. 12:1-2, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
I will be able to keep myself from being polluted by the world when I am willing to present myself to God as a living sacrifice. When I have chosen to honor God by devoting my life to his service then I'm committed to getting rid of the evil and moral filth. And when I'm committed to have my mind renewed I will keep myself from being polluted. If we're committed to the renewing of our minds we will begin to see the things of the world as pollution; something to reject not embrace.
When my mind is polluted I will see God's will as bad, unpleasant and warped. But, when I have a renewed mind, an unpolluted mind I am able to see God's will as good, pleasing and perfect. And when I see God's will as such then I will be much more apt to subscribe and fulfill it in my daily walk.
Renewing the mind means I am replacing one mindset with another. I am replacing a mind that once was in agreement with worldly philosophies and ideals. And once it was exposed as being against God's mindset I chose to adopt his mindset. So, I'm exchanging values, ideology, my sense of right and wrong, my view of what is impure; all that. When my mind is being transformed I'll be focused on things that are positive and spiritual. Then, my thoughts won't be polluted, they will be pure.
Phil. 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Being unpolluted means being transformed; being transformed means thinking about spiritual things and meditating on what is involved in this list. Think of the antonym for each of these things and you see pollution. Whatever is untrue, ignoble, wrong, impure, ugly, unworthy, deplorable or reproachable. You could add: whatever is dishonorable or cringe worthy; if it's rotten or rancid, meditate on such things. If you want to be polluted, follow this list; if you want to be unpolluted subscribe to the Phil. 4:8 list.
*Do the word. James 1:21-25, "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does."
'Moral filth'. I think we can categorize that as pollution. 'Evil that is so prevalent'. That tells me that the pollution is widespread; it's all over the place.
So how do we get rid of all the filth and evil? First, by humbly accepting the word that's been planted in us. So often we're looking for answers on how to get rid of the pollution inside of us when the answers are already there. We've heard the word so we have the answers but that's not enough; to get rid of the pollution we need to be a doer.
I deceive myself if I think just knowing the bible will be enough to unpollute me. I don't care how well you know the bible if you're not living it then you're not going to be clean. Learning what I need to do is good but it's not good enough; I need to put it in action. Doing the word brings the blessing. There is a blessing in knowing what to do but to get rid of the pollution I need to do what I know.
After Jesus washed his disciple's feet he said that they should do likewise. He finished by saying now that you know these things you'll be blessed if you do them. The blessing was in the doing not the knowing. There is a blessing in knowing but the real blessing is found when we do what have learned. Being unpolluted involves doing the word.
*Overcome. 1st John 5:3-5, "This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."
We are not to love the world; we are to hate evil. Loving the world and loving sin is being polluted. If I want to become unpolluted then I need to love God. What is loving God? Obeying his commands. Loving God means I'm presenting myself as a living sacrifice to him.
'His commands are not burdensome'. Part of the polluted mindset is seeing God's commands as a burden. But the renewed, unpolluted mindset sees God's commands as a blessing; not a burden. That doesn't mean they're easy but they're certainly not a burden.
If I overcome the world I won't become polluted by it. If I'm committed to do it God's way then I'm committed to my personal well being and spiritual growth. Think about it-if I pollute my body I will feel its negative effects; I will have physical complications. If I breathe in pollution I will cough and gag. If I drink or eat something rotten I will have an upset stomach. If I get the pollutants out of my body then I will feel much better.
Getting the pollution of the world out of my system and replacing it with the healthy, clean and pure things of God will be a blessing and an eternal benefit to me. If this is my commitment then I will not be polluted by the world, I will overcome the world's pollution and live a full and vibrant spiritual life in Christ Jesus.
4) It's about relationship; not religion.
Acts 17:16, "While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols."
While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy he took a stroll around the city and was very troubled to see all their objects of worship, probably in an attempt to cover every known god or deity. And then he came across an alter to an 'unknown' god. They obviously wanted to make sure all their bases were covered when it came to objects of worship. When he was taken to meet with the Areopagus (judicial council) they asked to hear what Paul had to say. Paul used it as an opportunity to introduce them to the one, true God.
Vs. 22-25, "Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else."
The people of Athens were very religious but they didn't know God. Their religion really was worthless because their worship was not true worship. Their religion was not true religion. They didn't have a relationship with the one, true God. There are many people like that today. They are religious but don't have a relationship with the one, true God, the God of the bible.
And there are those who say they are worshipping the one true God but their worship is based on mere ritual rather than relationship. They might know who God is but they don't really know God. They might come to church and they pray and perhaps even read their bible from time to time but they don't have a relationship with Jesus. It's pretty much about them; worshipping and serving God on their terms instead of his.
They aren't trying to change their speech. They aren't looking to serve the ones who can't pay them back. They aren't focused on not being polluted by the world. They're religious but they're not truly religious. Rituals without relationship is not what God the father accepts.
CONCLUSION: People have varying ideas as to what it means to be religious. Erroneously they conclude that if someone goes to church, reads their bible, prays, sings, and goes through all these motions then they are truly religious. Although those things are good, they don’t necessarily render someone to be truly religious. Religion that God accepts from his followers is to have controlled speech, compassion for the orphans and widows and to keep ourselves from becoming stained by the world’s filth. In determining whether or not we're truly religious James pretty much boils it down to two things: how is your talk and how is your walk? So, as we move forward let's make sure our religion is pure and faultless.
