1. THE DEMANDS OF PURE RELIGION
James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

2. PURE
Greek word – Thayer - “free from corrupt desire, from sin and guilt; free from every admixture of what is false, sincere, genuine; blameless, innocent, unstained with the guilt of anything
30 times in NT – translated – pure, clean, clear
John 15:3 – You are clean through the Word I spoke to you.
WE MUST BE CLEAN, PURE, WITHOUT ANY CORRUPT THING IN OUR LIFE.

3. RELIGION
Greek word – Thayer – religious worship, especially external, that which consists of ceremonies
4 times in NT – translated – religion, worshiping
Colossians 2:18 – Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
Religion is more than external ceremonies of worship
WE MUST LIVE OUR RELIGION, NOT JUST GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS.

4. VISIT
Greek word – Thayer – to look upon or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes, to see how he is, to look upon in order to help or benefit
11 times in NT – translated – visit, see
From the same word as bishop, overseer
Acts 7:23 – Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel
WE MUST VISIT, MORE THAN SOCIALIZE.

5. ORPHANS
Greek word – Thayer – those bereft of a teacher, guide, guardian
2 times in NT – translated – fatherless, comfortless (KJV), orphans (NKJV)
There are many orphans with a living parent.
John 14:18 – I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
THERE ARE MORE ORPHANS THAN WE REALIZE.

6. UNSPOTTED
Greek word – Thayer – spotless, metaphorically; free from censure, irreproachable; free from vice, unsullied
8 times in NT – translated – without, spot, unspotted
Ivory soap – 99.44% pure.
We must be better than 99.44%. We must be 100% pure.

7. UNSPOTTED
Ephesians 5: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
WE MUST BE UNSPOTTED AND FREE FROM STAIN.

8. FROM THE WORLD
Greek word – Thayer – the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments, riches, advantages, pleasures, etc., which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ.
188 times in NT – translated – world, adorning
The root word = orderly, arranged, planned, designed

9. FROM THE WORLD
1 Peter 3:3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel--
1 John 2: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

10. FROM THE WORLD It is clear – there must be a separation from the world
2 Corinthians 6: Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." 18 "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty."
WE MUST SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD.

11. Summary WE MUST BE CLEAN, PURE, WITHOUT ANY CORRUPT THING IN OUR LIFE.
WE MUST LIVE OUR RELIGION, NOT JUST GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS.
WE MUST VISIT, MORE THAN SOCIALIZE.
THERE ARE MORE ORPHANS THAN WE REALIZE.
WE MUST BE UNSPOTTED AND FREE FROM STAIN.
WE MUST SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD.

12. CONCLUSION
James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.