[bobthecockroach]

I just find it interesting that there is a theme (one I take to be about the Lord's requirements for true religion) that is repeated almost a dozen times in the OT. In fact, it is often said with nearly identical words. As you must have heard, when something is repeated (as in, "Holy, holy, holy") it is done for emphasis. If that is the case, then I can think of no stronger theme in the OT (at least the prophets) than this: (all verses NKJV)

Jeremiah 22:3
Thus says the LORD: "Execute judgment and righteousness, and
deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no
wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or
the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place."

Zechariah 7:9-10
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
"Execute true justice,
Show mercy and compassion
Everyone to his brother.
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless,
The alien or the poor.
Let none of you plan evil in his heart
Against his brother."

Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

Deuteronomy 10:12-13
And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you,
but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and
to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart
and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the
LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?

Isaiah 58:6-7
Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Jeremiah 7:5-7
For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings,
if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and
his neighbor, if you do not oppress the stranger, the
fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent
blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your
hurt, then I will cause you to dwell in this place,
in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.

Jeremiah 21:12
O house of David! Thus says the LORD:
"Execute judgment in the morning;
And deliver him who is plundered
Out of the hand of the oppressor,
Lest My fury go forth like fire
And burn so that no one can quench it,
Because of the evil of your doings.

Zechariah 8:16-17
"These are the things you shall do:
Speak each man the truth to his neighbor;
Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor;
And do not love a false oath.
For all these are things that I hate,"
Says the LORD.

Isaiah 1:16-17
Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil,
Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.

---

May God bless the reading of His Word.

[Nate]

The NT expression of the same theme is also remarkably similar:

James 1:19-27

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

[Nate]

No one else has thoughts?

[thud]

Originally Posted by Nate

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction

Nate, I think you have shown what is the truth and what is the problem. I think American Christianity emphasizes all of the text you posted to the exclusion of the piece I quoted. We are so brow-beaten about keeping ourselves "unstained" that we are little help to those in need. In fact we unconsciously impose the high standards we set for ourselves on everybody else and show them no mercy, which is Bob's point.

The grace of God for "unstained" living comes only from God, but we are always trying to work it up anyway. I think Bob makes a really good point. Maybe if we focus more energy on being merciful and helpful to a lost world we'll find that God gives the grace to remove our stains like He said he would.