Adopted

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress... Without the doctrine of God’s adoption, this verse makes no sense. It would look like a random verse on social justice. We could assume that caring for the vulnerable or marginalized is 'just the right thing to do’. But when we realize that we were once spiritual orphans, and God moved heaven and earth to adopt us, and bring us into His family, we should feel the significance and importance of this verse. Adoption is the act of God's grace through Jesus by which He welcomes us into His family. It is an act of love which then compels & empowers us to extend His grace by welcoming others into our families. The verse makes all the sense in the world now. When we welcome others into our families, we display to the world exactly what the love of God looks like.