“Visit”
is a Personal Command
In James
A. Unfortunately, some have abused this passage in an attempt to
justify the church contributing to human
benevolent organizations.
B. An even greater problem is the attitude that has resulted from
this practice.
1. How many have
dropped a dollar in the collection plate thinking "I have visited those in
need"
2. They have failed
to fulfill the most basic element of "visiting."
C. The translation of James' instruction from the original Greek
to English has lost its full meaning and force.
1. When you say today
"I'm going to visit," you usually mean you are going to see someone and chat awhile.
2. The Greek
word "episkeptomai," translated
"visit" in English, means much more.
a. "visit"
is "to look upon or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes; in order to
see how he is,”……. i.e.
Acts
Acts
b. "visit" is
"to inspect, examine with the idea of relief ……… i.e.
James
Matthew 25:35-36
'For I was hungry, and you gave Me
something to eat; I was
thirsty, and you gave Me something
to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; (36)
naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in
prison, and you came to Me.'
Matthew 25:43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me
in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not
visit Me.'
c. “Visit" in Greek – “to look upon in order to help or benefit;
e.g. to look after, have a care for, provide for" (Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of
the New Testament, p. 242)."
1)is related to
the Greek word "overseer,"
2)so to
"visit" includes "to look upon, care for, exercise
oversight." (W.
E. Vine, Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, p. 1213).
d. There
are three elements required by "episkeptomai,"
"to visit"
1)First,
personal contact—going to the needy in person.
2)Second,
personal examination—seeing to their needs.
3)Third,
personal provision—providing for their needs.
e. The
word "visit" occurs ten times in the New Testament
and every use demands the three elements
of personal contact, examination and provision.
f. Christ's
"visit" was not just to chat awhile or the sending of a
representative angel.
Luke 1:78-79 Because of the tender mercy of our God, With
which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
(79) TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT
IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, To guide our feet into the way of
peace."
Luke 1:68 "Blessed be the Lord God of
Christ's visit to men was
God's personal contact and inspection to oversee our great need for salvation
from sin and He personally provided the redemption price to meet that need.
g. Greek
authority Marvin Vincent writes of "visit" in James 1:27, "James
strikes a downright blow here at ministry
by proxy, or by mere gifts of money.
Pure and undefiled religion demands
personal contact with the world's sorrow: to visit the afflicted, and to visit them in their
affliction." (Vincent's Word Studies, Vol. 1, p. 736).
Those churches which send money to human
benevolent organizations cannot find support for their error in James 1:27, by
the very definition of "visit." James is clearly instructing
individual Christians to assist those in need—he
is teaching pure religion is individual and personal, not institutional and
impersonal. Those who give money
to the church, for the church to give to a human benevolent organization, are
twice removed from truly "visiting"
the fatherless and widows in their affliction! Where is the personal going?
Where is the personal oversight?
Where is the personal assistance?
You cannot visit the sick and needy by
putting money into a collection plate.