Share the Word (James 1:26–27)

Now we come to the third and final responsibility we have toward God's word.

Share the Word (1:26–27)
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The word that is translated as "religion" means "the outward practice, the service of a god." In the whole New Testament, it only appears five times (James 1:26–27; Acts 26:5; and Col. 2:18, where it is translated as "worshipping"). Ceremonies, temples, or special days have nothing to do with pure religion. To have a pure religion, you must live by God's Word and share it with others through speech, service, and staying away from the world.

Speech (v. 26). There are many references to speech in this letter, which makes it seem like the tongue was a big problem in the assembly (see James 1:19; 2:12; 3:1–3, 14–18; 4:11–12). The tongue shows what is in the heart. (Matt. 12:34–35). If a person's heart is right, then their speech will also be right. If you can control your tongue, you can control your body (James 3:1ff.).

Service (v. 27a). We must see others and their needs after we have seen ourselves and Christ in the Word. Isaiah first saw the Lord, then he saw himself, and then he saw the people he would serve. (Isa 6:1–8). Words can't take the place of actions of love (James 2:14–18; 1 John 3:11–18). God does not want us to pay other people to do our work for us!

Separate from the world (v. 27b). James used the word "the world" to mean "society without God." Satan rules this world (John 14:30), and the people who are lost are the children of this world (Luke 16:8). We are physically in the world but not spiritually in it because we are God's children (John 17:11–16). We are sent into the world to bring people to Christ (John 17:18). We can only help others if we stay separate from the world.

As believers, we are to stay "unspotted from the world." The world wants to "spot" the Christian and start to hurt him. The first thing is "friendship of the world" (James 4:4), which can turn into a love for the world (1 John 2:15–17). If we are not careful, we will become conformed to this world (Rom. 12:1–2), and the result is being condemned with the world (1 Cor. 11:32). This act doesn't mean we lose our salvation, but that we give up everything we lived for. In the Old Testament, Lot is an example of this idea. First, he set up his tent facing Sodom, and then he moved into Sodom. Sodom soon took over him, and even his family stopped believing in him. Lot lost everything when Sodom was judged. Abraham, the separated believer and friend of God, had a bigger ministry to the people than Lot, the friend of the world. A Christian does not need to be involved with the world to have a ministry there. Jesus was "unspotted" (1 Peter 1:19), but He still hung out with sinners and publicans. Being pure from the world's filth is the best way to minister to the needs of the world.