God's 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."  James 1:27.  Our religion must be pure in the sight of God.  Pure religion before God is religion that God accepts.  If we would have this religion, we must visit the orphans and widows and keep ourselves unspotted from the world.  The concept is simple.  We must be in the world for there is where we serve, but we must not be of the world.  We must serve others, and yet, we must keep ourselves from the evil of the world.  We must separate, and not isolate.   Those who are in affliction need our care and concern.  We must help those who are in any need.  We are to serve others as we keep ourselves pure and clean in the sight of God.  God wants purity in our lives.  The world about us is an evil environment.  The sin of a society must not stain the character of God's chosen.   The careful and constant endeavor of God's people is to relieve the afflictions that assault the lives of others, and yet, not allow ourselves to be spotted with the blemishes of an evil world.  Let us serve in holiness.