The purpose of this tract is to Scripturally and rationally provide evidence with the aim of showing the reader that there is only one true GOD and one true GOD of that religion, who has revealed himself to man in a particular salvific knowledge called the “plan of salvation”.
While many religions exist today and many imbibe and subscribe to those religions, there is numerially only one true religion. Therefore, all religions cannot be one, neither does all religions serve the same god as pluralism teaches. True religion engenders moral subjective change through the words of truth in the heart to deliver you from the worship of false gods to the worship of the one true God whose name is YHWH. See Ex. 6:3; Is. 12:2; Ps 83:18.
Religion can be defined as, “a particular system of faith [belief] in and worship of a Supreme Being or a god or gods.” The Lexicon Webster Dictionary, Vol. 1 p. 810.
This definition clearly shows that religion is valid and deserves to exist. Whether all religions or systems of belief stem from one Supreme Being is another question, which this tract answers. Therefore, one cannot merely dismiss the concept of religion as many do today but should investigate each and understand the rationality and truth or irrationality and falsehood of each. As the Bible states in 1 Th. 5:21, “Prove all things and hold fast to that which is good.”
In the Bible GOD presents religion in only two ways:
1. Pure or True Religion—“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” Jam 1:27.
Vain or False Religion—“If any man among you seen to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain” Jam 1:26.
In nature and constitution true religion is a system of beliefs that is naturally undefiled before God, true religion also produces sinlessness (unspotted) from the world and is garnished with good works to our fellow men. Today many charlatan religion even in Christianity are parading as the true religion. Satan has disguised his exploits in deceiving by having just enough truism to persuade the unsuspecting. Those religions appear to teach the real Gospel but a closer look reveals its false nature. These teachings really don’t morally help anyone. This is vain (useless) or false religion, it deceives the heart (mind) into thinking it is true but totally misleads.
Nature of True Religion
The nature of true religion is obviously YHWH—God. God is the giver of true religion, He gives Himself.
Ø YHWH is—God by nature: See Gal. 4:8 together with 2 Pet 1:4.
Ø YHWH is—numerically one: See De 4:35; De 6:4; 2 Sa 7:22; Ps 86:10; Is 43:10; Is 44:6; Mk 12:29; 1 Co 8:4; Ep 4:6; 1 Ti 2:5; 1 Jn 5:7.
Ø YHWH is—the only true and living God: Jos 3:10; Ps 42:2; Ps 84:2; Da 6:26; Ac 14:15; 1 Th 1:9; He 10: 31; Re 7:2; Jer 10:10; Rom 3:4;
Heb. 6:18.
Ø YHWH is—the eternal God: De 32:40; De 33:27; Ps 135:13; Re 1:8.
Ø YHWH is—the unchangeable God: Ps 102:27; Mal 3:6; He 1:12; He 13:8; Ja 1:17
Ø YHWH is—the Creator: Gen 1:1; Ne 9:6; Ps 102:25; Ac 14:15.
Ø YHWH is—Spirit (not matter or is not constituted of a material substance): Jn 4:24; Ac 17:24; 2 Co 3:17.
Those seven points shown above proves to you that YHWH is verily GOD, hence we see His greatness. He is in a realm of His own and cannot be likened to any creation. It would be a travesty to liken him to an image or idol and claim that God is manifested in such detestable things.
The Bible goes further in identifying God—YHWH from a moral perspective, observe;
Þ God is Holy—source of all man’s moral purity
Þ God is Love—source of all man’s proper interaction with his fellow men
Þ God is Righteousness—source of all man’s uprightness and justness
Þ God is Grace—source of all mercy and loving kindness for man
Þ God is Light—source of all pure revelation and knowledge for man
Þ God is Life—source of man’s physical and spiritual experience
Þ God is Truth—foundation of spiritual knowledge for man
Þ God is Will—source of all man’s purpose and activity
Þ God is peace—source of all man’s psychological and psychiatric needs
Þ God is Glory—show who man should place all his worship and affections upon
Þ God is Savior—shows in whom we have our redemption and salvation
These points clearly show the true God; therefore it is God who must provide true religion. Since God is the one true God, who created man and is interested in the affairs of man, only He can truly provide the way to redeem man from sin through His Holy knowledge. Only God can provide a system of belief to truly make man sinless from the worship of false gods. Observe this scripture, “I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.” Is. 43:11,12. See Ps 27:1; Ps 37:39; Is 12:2; Is 25:9; Zep 3:17.
The Constitution of True Religion
Of all God’s creation, only man was created in the image of God and is amenable to moral law (10 commandments). We know all too well the fall of man into sin through the deception of the devil. See Gen 3:1-6. It is the devil’s work to hide his doctrine of pantheism (all is god or god is all) in all false religion to justify his rebellion. All men have been influenced by Satan and condemned by God. See Rom 3;9-12; 1 Kg 8:46; Ps 53:3; Pr 20:9; Is 64:6; 1 Jn 1:8.
In God provision for man, He provided the way or plan of salvation addressing sins in man which separates man from Him. This is illustrated in the following points.
1. God must first provide a means to save man; which is only through Jesus Christ. Any other means is unfounded and illegitimate; hence all other saviors are pseudo-saviors or false Christs. See Mtt 1:21; Lk 2:11; Lk 19:10; Ac 5:31; 1 Ti 1:15; He 7:25.
i. Jesus Christ is the only legitimate means of salvation; no other under heaven can truly save man. Ac 4:10-12; Jn 3:16; Jn 8:24.
ii. It is the knowledge, word, truths, doctrine or gospel that Jesus taught which saves us. Jn 6:68; Jn 6:63; Jn 8:51
iii. Christ’s teachings effectively free man from the problems of sin in man’s heart. Jn 15:3,4; 1 Co 6:1.
2. Since man does not have God inherent in him which pantheism teaches, God MUST first call man into salvation which he did not have before. Prevenient Grace initiated by God is anticipatory to man receiving conversion, but the onus is upon man to accept, however many refuse and are thus never converted. Those who accept this calling through repentance and believing are thus converted.
3. True religion offers sinless subjective change from the worship of idols, or idol values in the heart (mind) to the believer. Eze 36:26; Eze 11:19, Rom 8:6; Ps 51:10; Col 3:10.
a. The crux of the Gospel of Jesus Christ emphasizes the point above, since man in sin is against the LAW of God, when he is converted and subjectively change from the worship of idols by having the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God as his ideal, he MUST keep the Law of God. Rom 3:31; Ja 2:8-12; 1 Co 7:19; Re 14:12; Re 12: 17.
b. The Sabbath (the seventh day: Saturday) is especially imperative to be kept because:
-It a fruit sign of holiness. Ex 31:14; Ex 20:8; Is 56:2; Is 58:13; Mk 2:27.
-It is God’s covenant POWER seal. Ex 31:16
-It is a sign to show perfect obedience to the CREATOR—YHWH. Ex 31:13,17; Lev 19:30.
4. True religion maintain the believer’s conversion in the realm of sinlessness by the faith of Jesus Christ and LAW keeping including the Sabbath in sanctification, overcoming sins day by day.
5. True religion also teaches that God will judge the righteous on the basis of his faithfulness to God after conversion in sanctification. This is known as the Investigative Judgment. All righteous who have been genuinely converted must be judged by God to ascertain their place in God’s new earth or whether they have forfeited their opportunity through negligence in sanctification unto eternal damnation. This doctrine shows the reasonableness and impartiality of God. This also means that the teaching in false religion, “once saved always saved” is UTTERLY WRONG and should be rejected. Those last five points briefly summarized the constitution of true religion.
Any religion that does not constitute this evidence presented in this tract constitutes false religion which is of Satan the devil. Therefore it is one’s duty to carefully investigate and sincerely search the Bible for understanding and GOD will reveal His truths unto them.
Many God bless you richly as you consider these truths. Amen.
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