"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." - James 1:27 (NASB)
BY reading the above passage and its previous verses, we can readily understand why James called out anyone who labels oneself as "religious", yet unable to control the littlest part of his member which is the "tongue" (v.26). James noted that such people are lying to themselves.
What this means is that participation in any religious services and rituals, keeping a few of "do's and dont's" doesn't make one religious. James pointed out that these are all for nothing if our obedience to God does not move us to follow it through the level of every word we speak. He then proceeded to differentiate the wrong concept of religion most people know to that of pure and true.
"Pure and undefiled religion" to God says James is simple yet not easy to do: help out the orphans and the suffering widows, and keep oneself "unstained" from the corruption of this world.
It is interesting to note that James lived at a time where religious piety was a common order too. In fact, he was born into a political-religious system instituted by God Himself. It had been corrupted over time, leading to great misunderstanding about what God wants for His people.
In addition, the culture of that era was a "hodge podge" of religious syncretism that included the worship of all kinds of idols, its emperors, and false gods. All of them had specific rules and practices that gave people a sense of devotion and security, yet none of them was really pure or good!
To be "unstained" by the world means that we refuse to be influenced and driven by the "world system" and its own appetite for power, of selfish ambition and desires. It means not compromising with a system that hates God. Just as James pointed out in James 1:5–8, the world's wisdom is not like God's.
For apostle James, the true test of true religion is the caring of the unwanted, the helpless, and powerless. This is the same Messianic work that Jesus came to deliver and save people from. This is the kind of religion Christ came to do, and nothing has really changed (Luke 4:17-21)!
So the practice of "pure" religion is defined as caring and helping for those who are in need, and avoiding the trappings and ensnares of the world to sin. Unless we see some deep and serious changes inside of us, propelling us to actions, our merely following the right set of religious rituals and associations is not enough.
"If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?" (James 2:15-16)
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