Who Should Determine True Religion?

JESUS made it clear that some forms of worship are not acceptable to God. He spoke of "false prophets," comparing them to a tree that produces worthless fruit and "gets cut down and thrown into the fire." He also said: "Not everyone saying to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens." -Matthew 7:15-22.

Jesus in fact, said regarding some who would claim to follow him: "I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness." (Matthew 7:23) Further, when speaking to the religious leaders of his day, Jesus applied to them God's words to apostate Israel: "It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach as doctrines of men." -Mark 7:6, 7.

Clearly, not all worship is approved by God or his Son. Thus, not all worship is true worship. Does this mean that only one religion teaches the truth? Could not God be working through a number of religions, while rejecting certain others? Or, for that matter, might God be accepting and rejecting the worship of individuals scattered about in a number of religions despite what their organizations teach?

The apostle Paul wrote under Divine inspiration: "Now I exhort you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you, should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be division among you, but that you may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought." ( 1 Corinthians 1:10) The Bible also exhorts Christians to be "of the same mind and have the same love being joined together in soul, holding the one thought in mind." -Philippians 2:2.

Where such unity exists, the result is, in fact, one religion. Accordingly, the Bible says that there is "ONE LORD, one faith, one baptism." -Ephesians 4:4, 5.

Next time: Who Should Determine True Religion? -What The Bible Shows

Awake! 2008