Worship That God Approves

HOW TO IDENTIFY TRUE RELIGION

How can 'the road to life' be found?  Jesus said that the true religion would be evident in the lives of the people who practice it.  "By their fruits you will recognize them," he said. "Every good tree produces fine fruit."  (Matthew 7:16, 17) In other words, those who practice the true religion would be recognized by their beliefs and their conduct. Although they are not perfect and they make mistakes, true worshipers as a group seek to do God's will.  Let us consider six features that identify those whop practice true religion.

God's servants base their teachings on the Bible.  The Bible itself says:  "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man [or woman] of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."  (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)  To his fellow Christians, the apostle Paul wrote:  "When you  received God's word, which you heard from us, you accepted it, not as the word of men, but, just as it truthfully is, as the Word of God." (1 Thessalonians 2:13)  Hence, beliefs and practices of the true religion are not based on human views or tradition.  They originate with God's inspired Word, the Bible.  

Jesus Christ set  the proper example by basing its teachings on God's Word. In prayer to his heavenly Father, he said: "Your word is the truth."  (John 17:17)  Jesus believed the Word of God, and everything he taught harmonize with the Scriptures, Jesus often said:   "It is written." (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10)   Then Jesus would quote a scripture.  Similarly, God's people today do not teach their own ideas.  They believe that the Bible is God's Word, and they base their teachings on what it says.  

Those who practice the true religion worship only Jehovah and make his name known.   Jesus declared:  "It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service."  (Matthew 4:10)  Thus, God's servants worship no one other than Jehovah.  This worship includes letting people know  what the name of the true God is and what he is like.   Psalm 83:18  states:  "You, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth."  Jesus set the pattern in helping others to get to know God, as he said in a prayer:  "I have made you name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world."  (John 17:6)  Similarly, true worshipers today teach others about God's name, his purposes, and his qualities. 

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From the book: WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH?