One of the most annoying misuses of Scripture I keep seeing is the twisting of the book of James to justify, of all things, "social justice." Seriously, it’s like people have forgotten how to read and understand the context.
Particularly, they come to James 1:26-27, which talks about religion that’s "pure and undefiled," and suddenly—boom—it’s all about political activism, redistribution of wealth, and advocating for some utopian version of “equity.” How they get from "visit orphans and widows" to "let's build a government-run welfare state" is beyond me. I guess when you’re desperate to slap a biblical sticker on your pet cause, anything goes, right?
Let’s break this down.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 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.
First, James is talking about personal behavior. You know, the kind that involves taking responsibility for your own actions. He begins with a stab at people who can’t control their own mouths—"bridling the tongue." And no, he’s not talking about silencing the "oppressors" or going on Twitter tirades about the latest anti-abortion legislation that supposedly “killed” a woman who was murdering her twin babies.
This passage is about personal holiness, not getting in everyone else’s business. You can almost hear the collective sigh from the virtue signalers—sorry, but no, James doesn’t care about your social media activism or hashtags.
Orphans and widows? Here’s where the commies-gone-wild. "See?" they shout, "We’re supposed to help the marginalized!" And sure, yes, that’s true—helping the vulnerable is a Christian duty. But guess what? James is talking about you doing it, not the government. He’s calling for personal charity, not systemic reform.
The word "visit" in the Greek (for those who love to nerd out over biblical languages) isn’t a casual "drop by when you feel like it" kind of thing, either. It means to take active, personal care. That means you—yes, you—are supposed to get involved in helping people, not passing the buck to some bureaucracy.
Think about it, though. Do you really think James was laying out some grand blueprint for social change in the Roman Empire? The same Roman Empire, by the way, that was oppressive and corrupt in ways modern governments can only dream of. No, the early church wasn’t about trying to reform Caesar’s political machine.
These early believers were busy living out their faith—taking care of people in their own communities and local bodies, out of their own pockets, not lobbying for new laws or redistributing wealth like some first-century Robin Hood. Christians, back then, were known for personal sacrifice, not throwing fits because the emperor wasn’t doing enough for the lazy sluggard who refuses to work.