#22 - Faith That Shows Up | James 1:27

James just dismantled fake religion. Now he defines real religion.

Not loud worship. Not spiritual branding. Not church attendance alone.

He gives us two clear marks: Compassion. Separation.

Move toward the vulnerable. Stay unstained from the world.

This is faith that shows up.

In this episode, we unpack three truths:

1. Real faith moves toward need — Pure religion personally engages those who cannot repay you.
2. You can create orphans without abandoning home — You can be physically present and still emotionally absent.
3. Holiness and compassion must coexist — Move toward the broken while resisting the brokenness.

Because redeemed rebels don’t perform compassion. They practice it.

Transcript

James 1:27

What Real Religion Looks Like

Compassion/Seperation

Why Orphans and Widows: Faith moves toward those who cannot repay.

The Three Points

#1 - Real Faith Moves Toward Need

#2 - You Can Create Orphans Without Abandoning Home

The danger of emotional absence.

#3 - Holiness and Compassion Must Coexist

The Rebel Close: Is your faith showing up where it matters most?

Outro

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This podcast is for the ones to know that we're rescued, but also know that we're resent, saved by grace, sent to live differently. We're not rebelling against God, we're rebelling against everything that keeps us from Him. We'll talk faith, identity, purpose, leadership, and what it really looks like to follow Jesus in a loud and noisy world. We'll dissect scripture, we'll exposit it, we'll grow, and we'll stretch our faith. Welcome to the Daily Rebel. What up, fam? Welcome back, Daily Rebel, day two of this week, episode 22 of the show. Let's get into it. First, uh, this is James chapter 1, verse 27. Here we go. Pure and undefiled religion. Don't let that word scare you. Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world. So, real quick, James just dismantled fake religion. And now he defines real religion. We we we kind of look at that word religion and we kind of get iffy about it. Like Christianity is not a religion, all the other things, other places, other things, other gods, those are religions. Christianity is not a religion, but James just calls tells us what true religion is. And religion doesn't have to be a scary word, man. It's anything that we give our lives to, man. Travel sports, uh, man, watching your favorite Netflix show. Every single one of us have a religion of some kind because we have a religion or a ritual that we submit to, that we look at, that we keep sacred. And so he's gonna define it in this way it's not loud worship, it's not spiritual branding, it's not church attendance alone. Some of y'all need to hear that. Um, he gives us these two clear marks. He says, compassion, or it's really two things compassion and separation. Move toward the vulnerable, stay unstained from the world. Move toward the vulnerable and stay unstained from the world. This is faith that shows up. So why orphans and widows? Well, in the first century, orphans and widows were the most vulnerable people in society. No legal protection, no economic stability, no social leverage. Um, they were invisible to power structures. And James says if your faith is real, it will move toward those who cannot repay you. That's the key. Pure religion is not transactional, it's sacrificial, it's it's unconditional. So, based on that, let me get all three points. Number one, real faith moves toward need. Real faith moves towards need. Pure religion looks after. That phrase means to visit, to care for, to personally engage, not outsource, not post about, not sympathize from distance. Uh, I know that over the years, man, when people ain't posting, people get mad and say, if you're not posting about this, if you're a leader, you're a pastor, and you're not saying anything about this, how can you call yourself? Man, that that's not what he says. You can you can actually be very uh religious and spiritual and not ever post anything. Like social media uh status is not the measuring goal of your spiritual maturity. He says, engage. Redeemed rebels don't just feel compassion, they act on it. And so who around you is overlooked? Who in your church or community feels unseen? Is there a single parent who needs support? Is there a child who needs mentoring? Because faith without movement, it's very, very hollow. So, number one, real faith moves towards need. Here's number two. You can, this is gonna hurt, but number two is this you can create orphans without abandoning home. Gentlemen who are listening to this, listen, let me say something very carefully. It's my my good friend Carrie Simon, the president of Keep Pointing Up. He once said this that some of you dads have unknowingly created orphans and widows by being physically present but emotionally absent. That he has done it. Because you can live in the house and still not be engaged, you can provide financially and still withhold affection, you can show up physically and disappear emotionally. James says, look after those in distress. Distress isn't only economic, it's relational. And some kids aren't fatherless legally, they're fatherless, fatherless emotionally. Some wives aren't widows legally, they're widowed by disengagement. Listen, redeemed rebels, we don't just provide, we pursue. And for any of you theological um man, uh smarties or nerds out there that think that say that that's not what he's talking about in that text. Well, listen to me, ask yourself, man, how are you with your family? Because listen, it it practically applies and spiritually can mess us up if we actually ask ourselves, are our own family being betrayed by us emotionally, spiritually, and not just physically? And for some it might be physically. But listen, dads, put your phone down tonight. Ask your kids a follow-up question. Lead, hey husbands, lead spiritually, not just financially. Be emotionally available, not just physically present. So even though number two is really for the dads out there, listen, compassion starts at the home. Number three. So we got number one is is basically real faith moves toward the need. Number two, you can create orphans without abandoning home. And number three is this holiness and compassion must coexist. James doesn't stop at mercy. He adds, keep yourself unstained from the world. Because compassion without holiness becomes compromise. And holiness without compassion becomes cold religion. Pure faith holds both. Move toward the broken, resist um the brokenness. You cannot absorb the world's values while claiming Christ's name. Redeem rebels, listen, we love boldly, we live distinctly. We want to resist going broke by our own sin. We want to move toward the broken and love people. When we love boldly and live distinctly, man, we make a difference in this world. And that's what James is getting at. So listen, audit your influence. Guard what shapes your thinking and serve others without adopting culture standards. You want to know if your religion is real? Look at your calendar. Look at your speech. Look at your home. Look at who you move toward. Pure religion is not loud, y'all. It's present. It cares for the vulnerable, it guards its integrity, and it shows up where it matters most. Because Redeemed Rebels, we don't perform compassion, we practice it. And sometimes the most powerful ministry you'll have is actually in your own house. See you tomorrow back on The Daily Rebel. Thank you for listening to today's episode. Before you go, if you want to help other people be equipped to be redeemed rebels, give us a follow and share it around with your friends. We'll see you next time.