Friday 8 September 2006

Tests of true religion

“Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” - Isaiah 1v16-17

In the previous verses God had condemned Israel for their false worship. He let them know in no uncertain terms that He was sick and tired of them acting like they were religious but having nothing in their hearts.

Here He gave them some things that would mark their lives in they were truly worshipping Him:

Wash yourselves
Make yourselves clean
Put evil away
Stop doing evil
Learn to do what’s right
Seek justice
Help the oppressed
Do right to the fatherless
Pray for widows

That’s quite a list! Worshipping God is more than just going to the Temple or going to church. Anyone can do that no matter what their heart is like. The question becomes “Is my worship seen in my actions?” True worship will ALWAYS be reflected in a changed life. It will always spur us on to action. Purity and service are the words that can be used to describe all the words above. James put it this way, “Pure religion and undefiled before God is this; to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
How do we do with that standard of worship?

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