About Us 
Quarterly Magazine Meditation: Pure and Undefiled?
Quarterly Magazine Meditation: Pure and Undefiled?
Magazines:
Articles:
| Meditation: Pure and Undefiled? |
 |
 |
| Thursday, 25 August 2011 01:49 |
|
By Rev. Arthur Miskin, referenced in Summer 2011
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction. (James 1:27)
Why do Christians do mission work, especially when volunteering in foreign fields of labor? To build up a good résumé? To take an exciting field trip abroad? To visit foreign countries and meet other people?
James tells us why Christians should ever consider doing any form of volunteer work: In so doing we bear resemblance to our heavenly Father. There is a saying that goes, “Like father, like son.” This means that we bear a strong resemblance to those who are of our own family. As we bear likeness to our parents, in whatever good or bad we receive from them, so too God’s children, those who have been reborn into His family, are to resemble Him in their behavior. In a spiritual sense then, like Father, like son. If He is truly our Father, then we will seek out to do only those things that are pleasing to Him.
True religion that most clearly demonstrates our resemblance to our Heavenly Father is this: Caring for the poor and defenseless members of our society, whom James groups together as widows and orphans.
As the children of God, we are called to care for the downtrodden and vulnerable for several reasons:
First, kindness shown to them is pure and undefiled, because it expects nothing in return. We freely give of our time, expertise and money, knowing we will not be repaid. How could an orphan or widow ever repay us? As Christians we are to lend and not expect repayment, because we know that God has given us the priceless gift of His Son. What more could He give? How then can we ever repay God? Hear what Jesus says on the matter: “…do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Lk.6:35, ESV). Do you see the family connection? Selfless help of this kind doesn't even expect a word of thanks, because our kind and merciful God is daily faced with the base ingratitude of mankind.
Second, in caring for the poor and needy, we show the character of God to others: “[A] father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation…”(Ps. 68:5). If this is God’s attitude towards the outcasts of this world, should it not also be the attitude of His family members?
Last, we care for orphans because we recognize that we once were and still are poor. Jesus found us when we were spiritually bankrupt and adopted us into His family. Daily, we confess and realize our spiritual emptiness and poverty before Him: “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” So, as poor and needy people, we seek out the orphans and widows, to adopt them into the true and caring family of God.
Whatever missionary endeavour you may be planning, please make sure that your first motive is one of pure and undefiled religion, stepping out in obedience to your heavenly Father, because this is what He would have you, as His child, to do.
Dr. Arthur Miskin is a missionary minister of the Heritage Reformed Congregations of North America serving in South Africa. He is a theological instructor at the Mukhanyo Theological College, a minister in a reformed church plant in Pretoria and with his wife, Sonja, is involved in ministry to terminal HIV/AIDS patients.
|