Everyone should all want to have a “pure” religion. There is only One Way to Heaven and that is through Jesus, our Lord. Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” There is only one true religion, and this is Christianity. Let us be sure to not corrupt Christianity into that which it is not. There is just one lawgiver, so we should never seek to change the Gospel of Christ. James 4:12 says, “There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?” Galatians 1:6-9 says, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
There are those who would pervert our old-time religion, and I call it old-time, because it has been around for almost 2,000 years. We must not allow them to change the church of Christ into a denomination. The way to keep the religion of Christ pure is revealed in James 1:27. This verse says, “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.”
My friends, this is the way. It is right for individuals to help orphans, but it is also right for congregations to assist the work of children’s homes that are doing God’s service. This allows us to help the fatherless. Many congregations, including the one with whom I labor in preaching the Gospel, has a pantry. Pantry items are brought in week by week to help the worthy cause of assisting orphans. This is a good work.
Likewise, we must not forget the widows. They may have relied on their husbands to do some of the work that cannot be done by them. Be sure to lend a “helping hand” to help them out as you can.
Keeping ourselves unspotted from the world. Sin has a way of staining us, but Christ, our Lord, can remove all stains. He removes them by His blood through our obedience. Each day that we live, we should strive to live faithfully unto Him, Who gave His Life for us that we can have the forgiveness of our sins (Revelation 2:10).
If you have not yet obeyed the Gospel of Christ, do so! You must hear (Romans 10:17), believe (Mark 16:16), repent (Acts 2:38), confess (Matthew 10:32), and be baptized (Acts 2:38), then you must live faithfully unto death (Revelation 2:10). If you are a Christian, who has gone astray, then repent (Acts 8:22), confess your sins (I John 1:9), and through prayer, forgiveness will be extended. Let us keep our religion pure!
-Jason Gann
