If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD that I am giving you this day for your own good?
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself.
So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
. . .
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test?
As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love.
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
. . .
Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?