Identity

I mentioned that it's safe to say that not all religions can please God. Nobody can sit here an tell me that God approves of anyone who lies. You can't say that God approves anyone if they kill and yes many have died in the name of religion. You can't tell me that God approves of token worship. That means that you claim to worship God and yes you start to but then the love you had cools off and off you go back to your former ways. This was mentioned to me that some call it tradition instead of religion.

It's where issues come up in a family and sure enough that's when it's time to get religious. There have been many religions that have claimed the end of times. Many who have claimed they have the truth and their worship is pure. There has been many who said that there is no God but a higher power. What if though there was the possibility of identifying a true religion?

How can you know the right way to worship God? You do not have to study and compare the teachings of all the many religions. You need only learn what the Bible really teaches about true worship. To illustrate: In many lands, there is a problem with counterfeit money. If you were given the job of picking out such false money, how would you go about it? By memorizing every kind of counterfeit? No. Your time would be better spent if you studied real money. After you knew what real money looked like, you could recognize a counterfeit. Similarly, when we learn how to identify the true religion, we can recognize those religions that are false. If you believe in Jesus then you can't deny his words when Jesus said that the true religion would be evident in the lives of the people who practice it. That makes sense doesn't it? Practice it, not just when you wish to. Jesus stated By their fruits you will recognize them.

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. Consider six features that identify those who practice true religion.

Number 1

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 in God’s inspired Word, the Bible.

Jesus Christ set the proper example by basing his teachings on God’s Word. In prayer to his heavenly Father, he said: Your word is truth.(John 17:17) Jesus believed the Word of God, and everything he taught harmonized 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 firmly on what it says.

Number 2
Jesus declared: It is 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.This worship includes letting people know what the name of the true God is and what he is like. Jesus set the pattern in helping others to get to know God, as he said in prayer: I have made your 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.

Number 3
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. 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. . . . We should have love for one another; not like Cain, who originated with the wicked one and slaughtered his brother.1st 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 10:24, 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.

Number 4
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)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.

Number 5
When on trial before the Roman ruler Pilate, Jesus said: My kingdom is no part of this world.(John 18:36) No matter what country they live in, Jesus’ true followers are subjects of his heavenly Kingdom and thus maintain strict neutrality in the world’s political affairs. They take no part in its conflicts. However, God's worshipers do not interfere with what others choose to do about joining a political party, running for office, or voting. And while God’s true worshipers are neutral regarding politics, they are law-abiding. Why? Because God’s Word commands them to “be in subjection” to the governmental “superior authorities.” (Romans 13:1) Where there is a conflict between what God requires and what a political system or any man requires, true worshipers follow the example of the apostles, who said: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.”—Acts 5:29; Mark 12:17.

Number 6
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.(Matthew 24:14) Instead of encouraging people to look to human rulers to solve their problems, true followers of Jesus Christ proclaim God’s heavenly Kingdom as the only hope for mankind. (Psalm 146:3) Jesus taught us to pray for that perfect government when he said: “Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” (Matthew 6:10) God’s Word foretold that this heavenly Kingdom “will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms [now existing], and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”—Daniel 2:44.

This is just 6 out of many others. On the basis of what we have just considered, ask yourself: ‘What religious group bases all its teachings on the Bible and makes known God's name? What group practices godly love, exercises faith in Jesus, is no part of the world, and proclaims that God’s Kingdom is the only real hope for mankind? Of all the religious groups on earth, which one meets all these requirements?

Simply believing in God is not enough to please him. After all, the Bible says that even the demons believe that God exists. (James 2:19) Obviously, though, they do not do God’s will and do not have his approval. To be approved by God, not only must we believe in his existence but we must also do his will.

So I was going to touch on prophecy but felt like I needed to touch on this since I was asked many questions since Thursday. In truth what I say here may not reach your heart and I"m sure what I believe in differs from yours but you can't deny anything said from number 1 to number 6. I wish some could open their hearts and see with their own eyes the benefits of serving God and even if you don't, you have to admit that if anyone is following God period he should be doing great spiritually. He wouldn't be getting involved with war. He wouldn't be hurting or killing I should say his fellow man. He separates Church and Government. He is making God's name known he is teaching what is required by Jesus where he stated to go out and make disciples. He is living by what is taught. I'll end with a scripture that is found in the book of James chapter 2 verse 4 and see if this applies to you

Of what benefit is it, my brothers, if a certain one says he has faith but he does not have works? That faith cannot save him, can it? If a brother or a sister is in a naked state and lacking the food sufficient for the day,  yet a certain one of YOU says to them: “Go in peace, keep warm and well fed,” but YOU do not give them the necessities for [their] body, of what benefit is it? Thus, too, faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself. Question? Is your works dead?