Active Faith (Part Eight): Religion Reexamined (James 1:26-27)

In this final section of chapter 1 of his letter, James instructs his audience that the faithful follower of Christ is not only a “mere hearer” of the Word, he’s also not a “mere doer.” In this sermon, “Religion Reexamined,” an exposition of James 1:26-27, Pastor Jesse Randolph explains that the Christian’s doing is not to be done for doing’s sake, but instead must be marked by certain traits, including: purity of heart (which is marked by the ability to bridle one’s tongue), practical concerns (which is marked by a concern for the least in our midst, namely, “widows and orphans”) and personal piety (which is marked by a commitment to “keep oneself unstained by the world”).