How can a person know which religion is right? (1) On what are its teachings based? Are they from God, or are they largely from men? (2 Tim. 3:16; Mark 7:7 ) Ask, for example: Where does the Bible teach that God is a Trinity? Where does it say that the human soul is immortal? (2) Consider whether it is making known the name of God. Jesus said in prayer to God: “I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world.” (John 17:6 ) He declared: “It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.” (Matt. 4:10 ) Has your religion taught you that ‘it is Jehovah you must worship’? Have you come to know the Person identified by that name—his purposes, his activities, his qualities—so that you feel you can confidently draw close to him? (3) Is true faith in Jesus Christ being demonstrated? This involves appreciation of the value of the sacrifice of Jesus’ human life and of his position today as heavenly King. (John 3:36; Ps. 2:6-8 ) Such appreciation is shown by obeying Jesus— sharing personally and zealously in the work that he assigned to his followers. True religion has such faith that is accompanied by works.— Jas. 2:26 . (4) Is it largely ritualistic, a formality, or is it a way of life? God strongly disapproves of religion that is merely a formalism. (Isa. 1:15-17 ) True religion upholds the Bible’s standard of morality and clean speech instead of weakly going along with popular trends. (1 Cor. 5:9-13; Eph. 5:3-5 ) Its members reflect the fruits of God’s spirit in their lives. (Gal. 5:22, 23 ) So, those who adhere to true worship can be identified because they sincerely endeavor to apply Bible standards in their lives not only at their places of meeting but in their family life, at their secular work, in school, and in recreation. (5) Do its members truly love one another? Jesus said: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35 ) Such love reaches across racial, social, and national boundaries, drawing people together in genuine brotherhood. So strong is this love that it sets them apart as being truly different. When the nations go to war, who have enough love for their Christian brothers in other lands that they refuse to take up arms and kill them? That is what early Christians did. (6) Is it truly separate from the world? Jesus said that his true followers would be “no part of the world.” (John 15:19 ) To worship God in a manner that he approves requires that we keep ourselves “without spot from the world.” (Jas. 1:27 ) Can that be said of those whose clergy and other members are involved in politics, or whose lives are largely built around materialistic and fleshly desires?— 1 John 2:15-17 . (7) Are its members active witnesses concerning God’s Kingdom? Jesus foretold: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24:14 ) What religion is really proclaiming God’s Kingdom as the hope of mankind instead of encouraging people to look to human rulership to solve their problems? Has your religion equipped you to share in this activity, and to do it from house to house as Jesus taught his apostles to do?— Matt. 10:7, 11-13; Acts 5:42; 20:20 . *What The Bible Teaches
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 16:02:30 +0000
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