This sermon on Pure Religion followed the previous week's sermon entitled Formal Religion and Its Antidote. The two messages should be considered together. I. James 1:27  A. The devil is furious and is working to bring in false ideas. Revelation 12:17  B. Let no one deceive himself. 1 Corinthians 3:18,19-21  C. The wise became fools Romans 1:19-27 II. Then - What Is It? The answer James 1:27  A. Visit

  1. Pastor Roberts related that he had studied with a lady named Mrs. Koch in Nebraska. Although she had completed her studies, she was hesitant to join the church. She said that she had met a young man in Oklahoma some years back that went about visiting others in need. Certainly that man at least had that part of religion correct.
  2. Motivated by love. 1 John 3:14,17,18 Pure religion will demonstrate a love for the brethren.
  3. In Osama near Santa Domingo, Pastor Roberts once visited a child that was very hungry - he had no food. What do you think he should do? Love is demonstrated by action. This child needed food.
  4. Present Condition of Churches. RH - 5/24/1892 - "All through our churches are those who are spiritually paralyzed. They do not manifest spiritual life."
  5. RH - 2/26/1901 - "There are many many professed Christians who are waiting unconcernedly for the coming of the Lord. They have not on the garment of His righteousness. They may profess to be children of God, but they are not cleansed from sin. They are selfish and self-sufficient. Their experience is Christless. They neither love God supremely nor their neighbor as themselves."

 B. Keep oneself unspotted from the world. 1 John 2:15,16
  1. Lust of the flesh. In Greek, the work epithumia means vehement desire, longing. Desires that reside in the heart. It includes appropriation.
  2. Lust of the eyes. It is the same desires and longing as epithumia but it does not include appropriation. Mental and physical pleasure.
   a. Movies
   b. Television
   c. Reading/Internet
Pastor Roberts was watching a news program this week. On the show the newscaster was talking to an editor of a feminine magazine. She stated that what a woman wears does not affect men. The newscaster was astonished and attempted to convince her that she did not understand men.
  2. The pride of life.
   a. Vain glory that belongs to this present life. This is the attitude that I am better than you. Or one race or Christian group is better than some other.
   b. Human wisdom. T5:702. "The men that imagine themselves gifted with mental powers of such a developed order that they can find an explanation of all God's ways and works are trying to exalt human wisdom to equality with divine and to glorify man as God."
   c. The debunkers (iconoclasts) that attempt to disprove God's existence. God is alive.
    1. Selected Messages:293. "There is a personal God, the Father; there is a personal Christ the Son."
    2. SM:307. "And the voice of God is heard; justice is satisfied; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Psalms 85:10. The arms of the Father encircle the Son, and His voice is heard, saying, 'Let all the angles of God worship Him.'" The reason for our existance as a church is to teach people that there is a personal living God and a personal living Savior.
    3. ED:15. "To restore in man the image of His maker, to bring Him back to the perfection in which he was created, to promote the development of body, mind and soul, that the divine purpose in creation might be realized, - this was the work of redemption. This is the object of education, the great object of live."
    4. EW:77. "I have often seen the lovely Jesus, that He is a person. I asked Him if His Father was a person and had a form like Himself. Said Jesus, 'I am in the express image of my Father's person.'"

III. Philippians 2:5 - The Same Mind
All that True Religion is to do is to bring us back into harmony with God.