Isaiah 1:1-20, James 1:27
A frequent danger of mankind is the tendency that we have to become preoccupied with “doing” and we neglect “being”.
As a result, we drift into mediocrity and complacency, this leads to tolerance and slothfulness, our hearts become hardened, our compassion becomes calloused and holiness becomes merely an outward expression.
Ultimately: We end up playing church.
According to James true religion is reflected in 2 ways:
- True religion is evidenced by helping the helpless
- True religion is evidenced by remaining undefiled by the world
Isaiah identifies 3 things one must do to break this cycle in our lives:
1st: Look at your present condition
- A. We must remember our roots
- B. We must acknowledge our condition
- C. We must diagnose our disease
- D. We must admit our desolation
2nd: Listen to the Word of the Lord
God’s message:
- Your Religious acts are worthless!
- I don’t need them, I don’t want them, I don’t delight in them
3rd: Learn to Make the Appropriate Changes
We must look to the remedy: “be not a hearer only but be a doer…”
The Lesson: Help the helpless and remain undefiled by the world!
Why is this the ultimate result?
- it addresses injustice
- it offers help and hope to the helpless and hopeless
- it meets very real needs in very practical ways. There is something much bigger, grander, greater that is going on:
- it reflects the heart of God!