Worship That God Approves

Continue with HOW TO IDENTIFY THE TRUE RELIGION

God's people show genuine, unselfish love for one another.   Jesus said:  "By this all will know that you are my  disciples, if you have love among yourselves." (John 13:35)  The early Christians had such love for one another.  Godly love overcomes racial, social, and national barriers and draws people together in an unbreakable bond of true brotherhood.  (Colossians 3:14) Members of false religions do not have such a loving brotherhood.  How do we know that?  They kill one another because of national or ethnic differences. True Christians do not take up weapons to kill their Christian brothers or anyone else.  The Bible states:  "The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident by this fact: Everyone who does not carry on righteousness does not originate with God, neither does he who does not love his brother." -1 John 3:10-12; 4:20, 21. 

Of course, genuine love means more than not killing others. True Christians unselfishly use their time, energy, and resources to help and encourage one another.  (Hebrews 1):24, 25)  They help one another in times of distress, and they deal honestly with others. In fact, they apply in their lives the Bible counsel to "work what is good toward all." -Galatians 6:10. 

True Christians accept Jesus Christ as God's means of salvation.  The Bible says:  "There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved."  (Acts 4:12)  As we saw in Chapter 5, Jesus gave his life as a ransom for obedient humans.  (Matthew 20:28)  In addition, Jesus is God's appointed King in the heavenly Kingdom that will rule the entire earth. And God requires that we obey Jesus and apply his teachings if we want everlasting life.  That is why the Bible states:  "He that exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; he that disobeys the Son will not see life." -John 3:36.  

Next time: Worship That God Approves/Conclusion of: HOW TO IDENTIFY THE TRUE RELIGION

From the book: WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH?