30th August 2024
A balanced view of Christianity
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27 (NIVUK)
It won’t take long for any observer of Christianity to realise that there is a more liberal wing and a more conservative wing. The liberal perspective is concerned with social morality and responsibility, while the conservative approach focuses on personal morality and responsibility.
A typical liberal approach emphasises that Christians should aim to spend their money and use their power to ensure that there is social justice for all. Your personal life is just that, personal, and so no one should criticise your ethics as long as they don’t hurt anyone else. On the other hand, a typical conservative approach emphasises that Christians should live a pure and moral life. However, your money is yours to spend how you want to, after all, you have earned it. One side says that social morality is what’s important, while personal morality depends on you, and you can do what you want. The other side says that personal morality is what’s important, while social morality is not your responsibility but a societal issue.
Yet, in our header scripture, James debunks these either/or approaches. He shows that a religion that is acceptable to God is one where a person is morally upright and wants justice for those in need. Therefore a balanced approach for the Christian is to be concerned about both social justice: the widows and orphans, and personal morality: the keeping of ourselves from being polluted by the world.
James is not just giving us a definition of religion but a practical application. It was Martin Luther who once said, ‘The world does not need a definition of religion as much as it needs a demonstration.’ 1 This is the idea here, and the context of the whole book of James – a call to put our faith into action.
The perfect demonstration of what James is talking about is the Lord Jesus Christ. He cared deeply about the poor and the downtrodden, demonstrating his compassion in tangible ways: giving sight to the blind, touching the leper, and healing the sick, while at the same time was without sin.
As Jesus lives in and through us may our union with him demonstrate his compassion and holiness to a needy and hurting world.
Prayer
Loving Father, help us to live out our Christian faith in practical ways that honour you, as we care for the vulnerable, and remain steadfast in holiness. May we be conduits of your love and grace in the world. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Study by Barry Robinson
1 Christianity Is Not A Noun | John Barrett Blog
About the writer:
Barry Robinson is a minister in Grace Communion International and Regional Pastor for Southern England, the Midlands, and Wales
Local congregation:
Grace Communion West Hampstead
Sidings Community Centre
150 Brassey Road
West Hampstead
London
NW6 2BA
Meeting time:
Sunday 12.30 pm
Local congregational contact:
Gordon Brown
gordon.brown@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church