Msg #1519 Practice Pure Religion Religiously

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

To reiterate, there is NO religion which can put one in a right relationship with the LORD God their Creator. The ONLY way to make that relationship right is through accepting, out loud, the substitutionary death of Christ in your stead (Rom10:9-10,13). Once you have that relationship right, once you are born again, there are some things that should be done 'religiouly.' “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” (James1:27). The new commandment given to the believer is to have a renewed selflessness, to have a renewed love for others, to envelope the compassion of Christ into our very being. That will heighten a new awareness of the fatherless and widows in their affliction; they are all around us. Bev and I sought out 'buskids' for fifteen years while I was a youth pastor here and there in our military career. Today there are an innumerable host of fatherless in our society. Sometimes there's a “father” in the house, and sometimes he is the “husband” of the mom. Just the same our society is overrun with the practically fatherless. They need to see the compassion of Christ in you. Buskids are not as common as they used to be in our Baptist Churches. Shame on us. Single moms rearing children are everywhere. Pure religion is ministering to the afflicted, and keeping yourself unspotted from the world. “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God” (Le20:7 ), and again ”But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1Pe1:15-16). Practice pure religion religiously.

An Essay for week #19 May 10, 15

Msg in audio at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/audio/gs150510.mp3

In blog http://www.theology.gsbaptistchurch.com

In paperback at www.lulu.com/spotlight/GSBaptistChurch