What does James1:27 mean?

[SharonF]

I have non catholic friends that claim that this
verse show us what religion should look like in it’s purest way.
They are against " organized religion" They claim that Jesus was not
about religion(Catholic,Protestant,lutheran etc.").
My friend claims that all he has to do is follow Jesus and that everything else
is man made.
He also believes that the use of the word"Christian" is not biblical.
He said that if Jesus wanted us to call ourselves Christian he and the apostles
Would off used it in the bible.
I hope this makes sense??
Help…,.thanks!
Sharon

 

[ziapueblo]

I have non catholic friends that claim that this
verse show us what religion should look like in it’s purest way.
They are against " organized religion" They claim that Jesus was not
about religion(Catholic,Protestant,lutheran etc.").
My friend claims that all he has to do is follow Jesus and that everything else
is man made.
He also believes that the use of the word"Christian" is not biblical.
He said that if Jesus wanted us to call ourselves Christian he and the apostles
Would off used it in the bible.
I hope this makes sense??
Help…,.thanks!
Sharon

Well, the term Christian is Biblical and was coined for those in Antioch who were followers of Christ (Acts 11:26).

As for James 1:27, this is what the Haydock’s Catholic Commentary has to say:

Ver. 27. Religion pure and unspotted, &c. St. James may use the word pure, as a proper admonition to the Jews, who were generally mostly solicitous to avoid legal uncleanness, such as were incurred by eating meats forbidden in their law as unclean, by touching a dead body, &c. He therefore tells them that the Christian religion is known by acts of charity, by visiting and assisting widows, the fatherless, and such as are under afflictions, and in general by keeping our consciences interiorly clean, unspotted, and undefiled from this world, from the corrupt maxims and sinful practices so common in this wicked world. (Witham)

I have also had discussions with non-Catholic Christian friends of mine who do not like the word religion.

 

[SharonF]

Thanks for responding.
I mentioned that verse and two others but he claims that it was
Used In a derogatory form. He said:“why didn’t Jesus call them Christians
or refer to this new religion. Neither Peter,Paul or any of the apostles use the
word to identify themselves or the body.”
Thanks.
Sharon

 

[DebChris]

Thanks for responding.
I mentioned that verse and two others but he claims that it was
Used In a derogatory form. He said:“why didn’t Jesus call them Christians
or refer to this new religion. Neither Peter,Paul or any of the apostles use the
word to identify themselves or the body.”
Thanks.
Sharon

The first followers of Jesus Christ were called Followers of The Way, meaning followers of the way of Christ. This was further shortened to the Way.
You will find Nero in Lives of the Romans blaming Christians, followers of The Way for burning Rome.
Another way of looking at this is to look at the command Jesus gave to each of HIs apostles. “Come follow me.” Does your friend accept that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the chosen one of God? Christian by definition means “follower of Christ,” those who followed Jesus. Jesus uses the words “if you would follow me…” So no, Jesus would not have used the word Christian. Outsiders would have.

It is easy to become caught in quibbling which the Bible itself warns against. Is our life locked into a book? Did Jesus come bound by leather, or did he come incarnate as a man whose life and works could not ever be contained between a single book cover?

How do I read James 1:27. Remain undefiled by sin through the grace of God. Through that grace reach out to those in need, specifically widows and orphans. Verse 26 calls a person to “bridle his, tongue” to not gossip or bear false witness against another. These verses do not negate religion, but rather negate false asceticism and a faith that is merely for show. We are called to put our faith into action. This is true religion.

 

[ziapueblo]

Thanks for responding.
I mentioned that verse and two others but he claims that it was
Used In a derogatory form. He said:“why didn’t Jesus call them Christians
or refer to this new religion. Neither Peter,Paul or any of the apostles use the
word to identify themselves or the body.”
Thanks.
Sharon

True, Scripture does not record Saint’s Peter and Paul using the word Christian. However, St. Luke, author of the Gospel according to Luke and Acts of the Apostles, was a follower of St. Paul. I would ask why St. Luke, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote down the word Christian in Acts? I would also ask him if he believes in the Trinity. Jesus or the Apostles never used that word. The word Trinity is not even found in the Bible.

God bless,
ZP

 

[SharonF]

This was great, thanks!
My friend says the he is “a follower of Jesus Christ” but
that he does not need to be classified as a Christian because Christianity has become
a man made religion and not what Jesus intended.
It makes no sense to me.
Thanks for your help.
Sharon

 

[DebChris]

This was great, thanks!
My friend says the he is “a follower of Jesus Christ” but
that he does not need to be classified as a Christian because Christianity has become
a man made religion and not what Jesus intended.
It makes no sense to me.
Thanks for your help.
Sharon

At Mass today, Father talked about how the danger in any religion is that people do get caught up in the dogmas. It doesn’t matter what the religion is.
He admonished the congregation to use the power each of us has by virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation. What makes Christianity different than other religions is that we are baptized into Christ. By the efficacious signs of the Sacraments, He dwells within each of us giving us of His power.
The question becomes, less what we are called, and more how willing we are to live the faith in which we believe. How willing are we to allow Christ to live through us?
In other words, we may be able to recite the doctrines of our faith. As St. James says unless we put that faith into action it is dead. That does not mean that Christianity is dead. What it means is that individual members who choose not to live according to the faith that has been handed on to us have yet to find life in Christ.

 

[ricko]

This was great, thanks!
My friend says the he is “a follower of Jesus Christ” but
that he does not need to be classified as a Christian because Christianity has become
a man made religion and not what Jesus intended.
It makes no sense to me.
Thanks for your help.
Sharon

So HE then is to determine what Jesus intended? I think that exceeds the definition of a “man made” religion.

He alone will determine what Jesus wants and ignore the Church that Jesus established 2,000 years ago? He was already proved wrong when he said that the word Christian wasn’t in the bible. Shows how much he knows about the bible!

 

[Todd_Easton]

yet if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but under that name let him glorify God. (1 Peter 4:16)

 

[steve_b]

I have non catholic friends that claim that this
verse show us what religion should look like in it’s purest way.
They are against " organized religion" They claim that Jesus was not
about religion(Catholic,Protestant,lutheran etc.").
My friend claims that all he has to do is follow Jesus and that everything else
is man made.
He also believes that the use of the word"Christian" is not biblical.
He said that if Jesus wanted us to call ourselves Christian he and the apostles
Would off used it in the bible.
I hope this makes sense??
Help…,.thanks!
Sharon

The passage reads

Jas 1:
27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

And your friends come to their conclusions by absolutizing this passage to the the exclusion of the rest of scripture ? :doh2:

 

[SimonArizona]

I don’t think Jesus wants us to have “disorganized religion.” haha

Scattering, splintering, no solid authority, confusion on doctrines with endless opinions, no way to know who is surely right. That is exactly what protestantism is.

Did not St. Paul say everything should be done with proper order?

 

[Junebug999]

Your friend wants to do his own thing, follow his own way. It is an obstinancy as old as Adam and Eve, and every story in Scripture shows a heart that follows God and does God’s Will, or a heart that does their own will. We are made with a very willful nature. Some repudiate religion, because then they can fashion their own religion (even a Christ centered religion). But it is a religion that only edifies their own person, and it is an excuse to not get involved with a system that at times seems corrupt to them. It’s like “the game isn’t perfect so I’ll pick up my marbles and go home.”

Anyone who loves our Lord should roll up their sleeves and find their nearest parish and PRAYERfully get to work. We should through the system of the Lord’s wonderful Church get in and get busy DOING. When we take a breath from DOING and WORSHIPing, then we should get on the Parish counsel and be involved to voice our PRAYERful concerns. This would fortify the Church against the gates of hell that are constantly fighting against the Church (but the Church will prevail, Christ himself said so)! AMEN!!

 

[tm30]

I have non catholic friends that claim that this
verse show us what religion should look like in it’s purest way.
They are against " organized religion" They claim that Jesus was not
about religion(Catholic,Protestant,lutheran etc.").
My friend claims that all he has to do is follow Jesus and that everything else
is man made.
He also believes that the use of the word"Christian" is not biblical.
He said that if Jesus wanted us to call ourselves Christian he and the apostles
Would off used it in the bible.
I hope this makes sense??
Help…,.thanks!
Sharon

Jesus designated the Apostles and gave them a misison. That’s organized religion.

 

[Canardmom85]

It is easy to become caught in quibbling which the Bible itself warns against. Is our life locked into a book? Did Jesus come bound by leather, or did he come incarnate as a man whose life and works could not ever be contained between a single book cover?
.

Exactly, He is a living God.

 

[SharonF]

Thanks everyone!