Who Teaches the True Religion
Come, listen to me, my sons, I will teach you true religion. ‘Tis your desire to live, to live long and be happy? (Psalms 34:11-12 Moffatt Translation, Emphasis Mine)
BECAUSE OF THE VAST NUMBER OF religions in the world at present, with each one having its own ways of conducting religious services and having preachers to teach their own beliefs, many people are left confused as to which religion they should be members of and which preachers they should listen to.
Man is indeed duty-bound to recognize and serve the one true God, the Father in heaven, for He is the Creator of all (Mal. 2:10; Ps. 100:2-3; 95:6-7). But because people sinned, their relationship with God was severed and they were regarded by Him as His enemies (Isa. 59:2; Col. 1:21). What awaits the enemies of God is punishment in the lake of fire (Heb. 10:27), that is why people must return to Him by being in the true religion, where they will regain the right of being His people.
THE ESSENCE OF RELIGION
More than anyone, the Almighty God is the One Who wants people to return to Him:
“Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘But you ask, ‘How are we to return’?”
(Reference: Mal. 3:7 New International Version, Emphasis Mine)
Returning to God is the meaning of religion. The word “religion,” in fact, came from the Latin word religare, which means “to tie back” (Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, vol. 2, p. 1918). True religion, therefore, is the way for man to return to God, and so He commands:
“Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it’.”
(Reference: Jer. 6:16 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
The rest for the soul that God will give to those who will return to Him is the everlasting and true rest in the Holy City where they will live eternally and gloriously (Rev. 14:12- 13; 21:1-4). That is what is intended for those who belong to the true religion―the religion that is of God.
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SOUGHT
However, though people are commanded to return to God by seeking the true way He wants them to walk in, yet, they sought their own ways:
“They have not known the way in which God puts people right with himself, and instead, they have tried to set up their own way; and so they did not submit themselves to God’s way of putting people right.”
(Reference: Rom. 10:3 Good News Bible, Emphasis Mine)
Instead of seeking the religion that is of God, people have established religions of their own, and what they follow therein are not His commandments but doctrines that they themselves made. Regarding this, the apostles warned that “Even though they will make a show of being religious, their religion won’t be real. Don’t have anything to do with such people” (II Tim. 3:5 Contemporary English Version).
This is very common in the widespread of the protestant faith and the many evangelists we see today, all fulfilling biblical prophecy.
Another example of a false religion of what many people do to show their religiosity is their worship of idols or religious statues, so much so that they have days of feasts, processions, and other rites for them. However, to God, “Their religion is worthless! They chop down a tree, carve the wood into an idol, cover it with silver and gold, and then nail it down so it won’t fall over” (Jer. 10:3-4 CEV).
And because what preachers in false and worthless religions teach are the doctrines made merely by men, their worship is deemed worthless, too:
“Their worship is worthless, for they teach their man-made laws instead of those from God.”
(Reference: Matt. 15:9 Living Bible, Emphasis Mine)
That is why people should be wary of preachers who persuade them into such kind of worship or religion that is against the teachings of God. Such might be telling people that the religion they preach about is allegedly the true way to return to God, to receive life eternal, and to enter the heavenly abode, but what they are actually teaching is the exact opposite. Those who twist the pristine words of God and the ones they have deceived will only end up in perdition (II Pet. 3:16).
WHOM PEOPLE SHOULD LISTEN TO
To whom, then, should people listen so as not to get lost and be able to truly return to God? The Almighty Himself says, thus:
“Come, listen to me, my sons, I will teach you true religion. ‘Tis your desire to live, to live long and be happy?“
(Reference: Psa. 34:11-12 Moffatt Translation, Emphasis Mine)
For people who desire to live long and happy not only in this life, but, above all, in the Holy City where life everlasting and eternal bliss can be found. The Lord God invites people to listen to Him, for He will teach about the true religion―the true way to return to Him. And because it is He Who must be served, it is His will, not the laws made merely by men in the religions that they established on their own, which they falsely claim is of God that must be obeyed for people to belong to the true religion. To learn the will of God, they should listen to the ones whom He sent to teach it:
“It is the duty of priests to teach the true knowledge of God. People should go to them to learn my will, because they are the messengers of the LORD Almighty.”
(Reference: Mal. 2:7 GNB, Emphasis Mine)
The messengers of God are the ones whom He commissioned to teach His will. On the other hand, those who are not sent, people who merely claim that they are of God, do not have the right to preach (Rom. 10:15). Even if they study the word of God, they cannot fully understand it as it is hidden in mystery (II Tim. 3:7; Rom. 16:25). Only the true messengers from God are given the understanding (Mark 4:10-12). But how can people know if someone is truly a messenger of God? The Bible answers thus:
“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
(Reference: Isa. 8:20 New King James Version, Emphasis Mine)
The commissioning of the true messengers have the “law” and the “testimony.” First, what is the law? The law is the words of God (Psalm 119:103), and the messengers who attest to the law teach in accordance with God’s laws, not their own teachings and not based on human wisdom (John 7:16-18; I Cor. 2:4-5). Secondly, the messenger must also have the testimony that is in accordance with the law to prove his commissioning; otherwise, there is no light in them. So, what is the Testimony? Let us once again turn to the holy script to provide the answer:
“…I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
(Reference: Revelation 19:10 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Hence, the “testimony” is the “spirit of prophecy.” A true messenger or preacher of God must prove his commissioning by biblical testimony. Otherwise, he’s just another false preacher, no matter how sincere his faith and intentions are to lead others. Thus, anyone who seeks the true religion must seek the following in any given religious group’s preachers:
Are there biblical prophecies that testify to their commissioning or being messengers of God?
Are they teaching the pure gospel of God written in the Bible?
The Lord God prophesied that, in these last days, there would be a messenger who would bring God’s righteousness or His words near to people (Isa. 46:11-13; Rom. 1:16- 17). The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) firmly believes that that messenger is Brother Felix Y. Manalo, because the biblical prophecies about that messenger were fulfilled in him who—emerged from a country in the Far East, in the “islands of the sea,” the―Philippines, a country where Christianity has taken its deepest roots (Asia and the Philippines, p.169), a country that consists of around 7,641 islands (National Geographic), which emerged at the time period “ends of the earth,” the time when the Second Advent of Christ is very near, signaling the beginning of “birth pangs” with the outbreak of the First World War that broke out in July 27, 1914, the exact same day Bro. Felix Manalo, God’s last messenger, registered the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) by biblical prophecy, thus having the testimony of prophecy! (Isa. 46:11; Isa. 24:15 NIV; 43:5-6 Moffatt; 41:9-10; Footnote, Matt. 24:3, 33, 6-7 Last Days Bible).
Hence, Bro. Felix Manalo was the one whom God commissioned to preach His words so that people would belong to the true religion and be able to return to Him.
THE RELIGION THAT IS TRULY OF GOD
Since the true religion leads man back to God, He has commanded people to “ask where the good way is, and walk in it” (Jer. 6:16 NIV). The “good way” that is being referred to is the Lord Jesus Christ, as He states: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6 NKJV). People, therefore, should enter Christ Who is also the door of the sheepfold:
“So Jesus spoke again: ‘In very truth I tell you, I am the door of the sheepfold. … I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe.”
(Reference: John 10:7, 9 Revised English Bible, Emphasis Mine)
Those who entered Christ are in the fold or flock―the Church Of Christ:
“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.”
(Reference: Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation, Emphasis Mine)
Therefore, the true religion is the Church of Christ. It is what God wants people to become members of because it is the true way to return to Him and to be saved. It is this church that was purchased by Christ’s blood. That is the reason God’s Messenger in these last days, Brother Felix Manalo, dedicated his life to preaching about the true Church Of Christ, as it is the religion that is truly of God.
TO MAKE GOD'S MESSAGE FULLY KNOWN
But since Brother Felix Manalo has already passed away, whom does God utilize as His instrument to teach His will so many more people will belong to the true religion? The Lord God has appointed an administration in the Church:
“And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.”
(Reference: I Cor. 12:28 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Just as Christ is head of the body, the church (Col. 18 NKJV), the church or administration has many moving parts and functions such as apostles, prophets, teachers, etc.; thus, the church is analogous to a human body, yet although has many parts, it is but one body and it is named after its head which is Christ as the―Church Of Christ:
“For just as the human body is one and yet has many parts, and all its parts, many as they are, constitute but one body, so it is with the Church of Christ.”
(Reference: I Cor. 12:12 Weymouth New Testament, Emphasis Mine)
And God has placed the Church Administration for the purpose of making His message fully known:
“I have become its minister, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known …”
(Reference: Col. 1:25 Holman Christian Standard Bible, Emphasis Mine)
Hence, even if God’s Messenger in these last days had already passed away, it is through the Church Administration that God’s message of salvation, as inscribed in the Holy Scriptures (II Tim. 3:15), will be made known to people.
That is the reason the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, together with the ministers and ministerial workers, unceasingly teaches the words of God so that many more people will come to walk in the true way to return to God―in the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ). This is the true religion, for it is here where people can render true and acceptable worship to Him and have the hope of receiving salvation. Those already members of the true Church of Christ are constantly guided by God’s words and taught by the Church Administration so that they will remain steadfast and finish the race inside the true religion until the end.
IN CONCLUSION
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WE KINDLY EXTEND our visitors an invitation to explore the pristine, unadulterated teachings of Christ and His apostles as they were taught in the first-century Church Of Christ. These teachings presented here is the path that leads to eternal life for all on that appointed day of Judgment:
The Truth About Salvation
CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION with over 2.4 billion followers worldwide. It is composed of diverse faiths with thousands of denominations, such as Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Adventist—the list goes on. The Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimates that there are over 45,000 denominations globally, with more than 200 in the United States alone. Each denomination has its own unique set of beliefs and doctrines, especially when it comes to how one can achieve salvation. Do any of these religions truly teach the proper way of salvation?
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(Eph. 4:29, Amplified Bible)
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(1 Corinthians 13:4-5, Amplified Bible)