Worship that God Approves - What will YOU do?

And to my beautiful readers, I say, welcome back.

Knowledge is power. We were not meant to stumble around, groping for answers, trying to figure out what God wants of us. Jehovah God has told us what we need to know, what is required by us to be his true worshipers, and he has provided us help in understanding what he wants of us. 

By way of review:

The 6 features that identify those who practice true religion:

1. God's servants base their teachings on the Bible.
2. Those who practice the true religion worship only Jehovah and make his name know.
3. God's people show genuine, unselfish love for one another.
4. True Christians accept Jesus Christ as God's means of salvation.
5. True worshipers are no part of the world.
6. Jesus' true followers preach that God's Kingdom is mankind's only hope.

And now that you have learned from the Bible how to identify those who practice true religion, I put the question to you: What will YOU do?

To simply believe in God is not enough. Think about it, 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. That begs another question: What does God require in addition to believing that he exists? To be approved by God, not only MUST we believe in his existence but we MUST also do his will. We MUST also break free from false religion and embrace true worship.

What is "Babylon the Great?"

The apostle Paul showed that we MUST NOT take part in false worship. He wrote: "'Get out from among them, and separate yourselves." says Jehovah, 'and quit touching the unclean thing': 'and I will take you in.'" (2 Corinthians 6:17, Isaiah 52:11) What should be done about taking part in false religion? True Christians should avoid anything that is connected with false worship.

The Bible shows that all the may forms of false religion are part of "Babylon the Great." (What is "Babylon the Great?") That name calls to mind the ancient city of Babylon, where false religion started up after the Flood of Noah's day. Imagine this, y'all, many teachings and practices now common in false religion ORIGINATED long ago in Babylon.

• For example, the Babylonians worshiped trinities, or triads, of gods. 
• Today, the central doctrine of many religions is the Trinity. But the Bible clearly teaches that there is only one true God, Jehovah, and that Jesus Christ is his Son. (John 17:3) 
• The Babylonians also believed that humans have an immortal soul that survives the body after death and can suffer in a place of torment. 
• Today, belief in the immortal soul or spirit that can suffer in hellfire is taught by most religions.

Since ancient Babylonian worship spread throughout the earth, modern-day Babylon the Great can properly be identified as the world empire of false religion. And why is it urgent to 'get out of her"? Because God has foretold that this empire of false religion will come to a sudden end. Do you see why it is VITAL that you separate yourself from EVERY part of Babylon the Great? Jehovah God wants you, yes you, to 'get out of her' quickly, while there is still time.

Lets read Revelation 18:4 4  And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people,+ if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.+ 

Here's another sobering thought: Revelation 18:8 - 8  That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire,+ because Jehovah* God, who judged her, is strong.+

By serving Jehovah with his people,
you will gain far more than you
could ever loose

Yeah, well what's in it for me? Right?

Now, as a result of your decision to quit practicing, yeah!, false religion, some may choose to stop association with you. Think, though, of what you will gain by serving Jehovah. By serving Jehovah with his people, you will gain far more than you could ever lose. BONUS!!! Like Jesus' early disciples who left other things to follow him, you will come to have many spiritual brothers and sisters. You will become part of a large worldwide family of millions, and I do mean millions, of true Christians, who show you genuine love. And...and, you will have the wonderful hope of everlasting life "in the coming system of things." (Like, how cool is that! Here, read it for yourself... Mark 10:28-30.)

 28  Peter began to say to him: “Look! We have left all things and followed you.”+ 29  Jesus said: “Truly I say to you, no one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news+30  who will not get 100 times more now in this period of time—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields, with persecutions+—and in the coming system of things,* everlasting life.

Perhaps, in time, those who abandoned you because of your beliefs will look into what the Bible teaches and become worshipers of Jehovah. Ya never know! :-)

The future is what I am focusing on. And what does the future hold for those who practice the true religion? The Bible teaches that God will soon bring an end to this wicked system of things and will replace it with a righteous new world under the rulership of his Kingdom. (2 Peter 3:9, 13) What a marvelous world that will be. And in that righteous new system, there will be only ONE religion, ONE true form of worship. Is it not the course of wisdom for you to take the necessary steps to come into association with true worshipers right now? Remember, knowledge is power...

       So it’s important for you to take action now and worship God in the right way.

THOSE WHO WORSHIP GOD

• base what they teach on the Bible
• worship only Jehovah and teach others his name
• love one another
• believe that God sent Jesus to save us
• do not get involved in politics
• preach that only God’s Kingdom can solve the world’s problems

SUMMARY

TRUTH 1: HOW TO RECOGNIZE TRUE WORSHIP

“Narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are finding it.”—Matthew 7:14

How do we know that God does not accept all kinds of worship?

• Matthew 7:21-23
  God does not accept all religions. Not all religions do God’s will.
• Matthew 7:13, 14
  True worship leads to eternal life. False religion leads to eternal destruction.
• Matthew 7:16, 17
  You can recognize true worship by its works. You do not have to study all religions; just study what the Bible says.

TRUTH 2: THE RIGHT WAY TO WORSHIP GOD

• 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17
  Believe and teach only what is in the Bible.
• Matthew 4:10; John 17:6
  Worship Jehovah and use his name.
• John 13:35
  Show true love for one another.
• John 3:36; Acts 4:12
  Obey Jesus. God uses Jesus to save us.
• John 18:36; Acts 5:29
  Do not get involved in politics.
• Matthew 24:14; 6:10
  Teach others that God’s Kingdom is the only solution to our problems.

 TRUTH 3: YOU NEED TO ACT ON WHAT YOU BELIEVE

What must you do if you want God to accept your worship?

• James 2:19
  It is not enough just to believe in God. You need to do what he says in the Bible.
• Isaiah 52:11; Revelation 17:5
  False religion, or “Babylon the Great,” teaches people to worship God in a way that he does not accept. False religious teachings include the Trinity, the immortality of the soul, and hellfire.
• Revelation 18:4, 8
  Jehovah will soon destroy all false religion. You need to reject anything that has to do with false worship.
• Mark 10:28-30
  You might have opposition, but Jehovah will not abandon you.

The information in this blog was taken in whole or part from the publication:

What Can the Bible Teach Us?

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Right Way to Worship God

Worship that God Approves - How to Identify the True Religion - Part 2 of 2

Welcome back, my beautiful readers. I am glad you could make it. I have been enjoying this topic very much and have also enjoyed the research into the Scriptures. So without further adieu...

Previously: Worship that God Approves - How to Identify the True Religion - part 1 of 2

We've covered 3 of the 6 features that identify those who practice true religion.

1. God's servants base their teachings on the Bible.
2. Those who practice the true religion worship only Jehovah and make his name know.
3. God's people show genuine, unselfish love for one another.

I hope that it was enjoyable for you. Let us continue on with the remaining 3 features that identify those who practice true religion.

No doubt, you have heard people saying, or shouting for that mater, that you must me saved, or that you must except Jesus as your personal savior. I know those terms were spoken a lot in the churches I attended as a youth. I have even, from time to time, seen individuals standing on a street corner with a bullhorn, giving a '30 second sermon,' saying the same things. 

Jehovah gave his precious 
Son
 as a ransom for us

But... really... Why is it important to accept Jesus Christ as God's means of salvation? True Christians accept Jesus Christ as God's means of salvation. The Bible says: “There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.” (Acts 4:12) (To learn more about this: Jesus gave his life as a ransom for obedient humans.) To add to that, 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: “The one who exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; the one who disobeys the Son will not see life.” (John 3:36) I don't know about you, but those seem like pretty serious words to us.

Have you ever wondered what it means to be no part of the world? After all, we live in it. So, there must be something involved in being no part of the world. True worshippers are no part of the world. When on trial before the Roman ruler Pilate, Jesus said: “My Kingdom is no part of this world.” 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, Jehovah's worshippers do not interfere with what others choose to do about joining a political party, running for office, or voting. And while God's true worshippers 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 requires, true worshippers follow the example of the apostles, who said: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” - Acts 5:29, Mark 12:17.

You've probably notice, by now, my mention of God's kingdom several times. This is important, God's Kingdom. Therefore, we must as this question, How do Jesus' true followers view God's Kingdom? Jesus' true followers preach that God's Kingdom is mankind's only hope. 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) I remember, when I was around the age of 16 or so, I realized, even then, that the political scene of this world was not accomplishing things. 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 on 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 alone will stand forever.” - Daniel 2:44, Revelation 16:14; 19:19-21.

There it is folks, the 6 features that identify those who practice true religion:

1. God's servants base their teachings on the Bible.
2. Those who practice the true religion worship only Jehovah and make his name know.
3. God's people show genuine, unselfish love for one another.
4. True Christians accept Jesus Christ as God's means of salvation.
5. True worshippers are no part of the world.
6. Jesus' true followers preach that God's Kingdom is mankind's only hope.

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, Jehovah? 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, and there are quite a few of them, which one meets all these requirements as set forth from the scriptures?' The facts clearly show that it is Jehovah's Witnesses. 

Also, let's read: Isaiah 43:10-12

 10  “You are my witnesses,”+ declares Jehovah,

“Yes, my servant whom I have chosen,+So that you may know and have faith in me*And understand that I am the same One.+Before me no God was formed,And after me there has been none.+11  I—I am Jehovah,+ and besides me there is no savior.”+12  “I am the One who declared and saved and made knownWhen there was no foreign god among you.+So you are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, “and I am God.+

If you would like to see this for yourself, I welcome you to find a local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in your area and check it out for yourself. You will be welcomed, no collection plate is ever passed, and it is ALWAYS free to attend a meeting. 

The above information was taken in part from: 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Right Way to Worship God

Worship that God Approves - How to Identify the True Religion - Part 1 of 2

How are my beautiful readers today? Welcome back. It is good to 'see' ya!

Before I became one of Jehovah's witnesses, I was Pentecostal, by name and not practice, and thought I had the correct religion. Oh yeah, I was right, and everybody else was wrong. I shake my head at myself now when I think back on that time in my life. I was so misinformed about the information in the Bible. Oh some of it was accurate, but there was a lot I was not taught, from the Bible. I also remember my husband saying, "I'm not sure what religions out there are right, but Jehovah's Witnesses are the closest," or something to that effect. He was always the one who encouraged our contact and Bible studies with them. Even back then, they taught me things that I hadn't been taught by my religious parents, but, I wasn't ready to hear 'the truth' yet. 

Which Religion?

How can we recognize those who practice the true religion? How can 'the road to life' be found? Well, we need look no further than the pages of the Bible. 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. (I UNDERSTAND THAT NOW. Back then, I didn't realize the importance of ones conduct, how it reflects on ones religion.) Although they are not perfect and they make mistakes (me), true worshippers as a group seek to do God's will.

There are 6 features that identify those who practice true religion.

How do God's servants view the Bible? 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, so 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) Therefore beliefs and practices of the true religion are not based on human views or traditions. They originate in God's inspired Word, the Bible. And y'all know how important that is to me, if it ain't from the Bible, to me it's just an opinion, and we have enough of that running around, and that's just my opinion... hee hee hee.

Notice how Jesus set the example in this regard... 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.

Isaiah 42:8
photo from: www.google.com/search

Do you know what is involved in worshipping Jehovah? Those who practice the true religion worship only Jehovah and make his name know. Jesus declared: "It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service." (Matthew 4:10) Therefore, 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 reads: "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 prayer: "I have made your name manifest to the men whom you gave me out of the world." (John 17:6) Similarly, true worshippers today teach others about God's name, his purposes, and his qualities.

God's people show genuine, unselfish love for one another. In what ways? 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 brother. (Let's read Colossians 3:14) Members of false religions do not have such a loving brotherhood. How do we know that? Well, 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: Whoever does not practice righteousness does not originate with God, nor does the one who does not love his brother......We should love one another; not like Cain, who originated with the wicked one and slaughtered his brother." - (1 John 3:10-12, 4:20, 21.) I don't know about you, but I don't want to be a child of the Devil. 

photo from: www.google.com/search

One time, I remember a friend of my son's was invited to an Assembly of Jehovah's Witnesses and made the comment, "We don't have Black People at our Church." IJS...

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.

OK... we've covered 3 of the 6 features that identify those who practice true religion. 

1. God's servants base their teachings on the Bible.
2. Those who practice the true religion worship only Jehovah and make his name know.
3. God's people show genuine, unselfish love for one another.

I don't want to overwhelm you, so I will stop there so that you can absorb this information. It will give you time to ponder over the scriptures. This is important information, especially if you are trying to find the true religion, and you personally see things in the churches that just don't sit well with you. 

To continue on, the next blog in the series will be: Worship that God Approves - How to Identify the True Religion - part 2 of 2

The above information was taken in part from: 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Right Way to Worship God