Joel McCarty | True and pure religion is this: to engage and love the afflicted and broken around us while remaining unaffected by the false idols of this age. We are challenged by James to look at our actions and spend some time in evaluation of our hearts, checking to see if we have truly been transformed by the gospel. The actions we are called to in this letter cannot be done apart from a truly changed heart, but when we grasp the power of the gospel, we are unable to remain the same. Though hard, we are encouraged to receive with humility the implanted true and living Word, Jesus Christ, who alone is able to transform us into His image.