HOW TO IDENTIFY THE TRUE RELIGION

by Fifth Column 78 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Fifth Column

  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. Although they are not perfect and they make mistakes, true worshipers as a group seek to do God’s will. Let us consider six features that identify those who practice true religion.

  THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE TRUE GOD

  • base their teachings on the Bible
  • worship only Jehovah and make his name known
  • show genuine love for one another
  • accept Jesus as God’s means of salvation
  • are no part of the world
  • preach God’s Kingdom as man’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)

  On the basis of what we have just considered, ask yourself: ‘What religious group bases all its teachings on the Bible and makes known Jehovah’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?’ The facts clearly show that it is Jehovah’s Witnesses.—Isaiah 43:10-12.

  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?

  Jehovah delights in rewarding those who serve him faithfully. He wants to see you live “the real life.” Such a happy, peaceful, everlasting life lies ahead for those who remain in God’s love.

  Each of us does well to ask himself, ‘Am I worshiping God in the way he has set out in the Bible?’ If we make sure, day by day, that the answer is yes, then we are on the right path. We can be confident that Jehovah is our refuge. He will keep his faithful people safe through the last troubled days of this old system of things. Jehovah will also deliver us into the glorious new system of things now near. How thrilled we will be to see that time! And how delighted we will be that we made the right choices during these last days! If you make such choices now, you will enjoy “the real life,” life as Jehovah God meant it to be, throughout all eternity!
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  LostGeneration

  ohhhh boy...

  James, ready the troll clock.
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  WTWizard

  Base their teachings on the LIE-ble? What if the LIE-ble itself is faulty? The religion can be no truer than the book it claims to be based on.

  Now, how well does it do even there? A true Christian religion is supposed to abide by the teachings of Jesus, including his repudiation of the Pharisees. Yet, the witless religion has so many stupid rules and ways of getting into trouble (that "brazen conduct" rubbish is a prime example) that it is actually half Jewish and they don't even identify themselves as such! Half Pharisaic Jewish at that, which is precisely the type that Jesus spent so much time bashing. They are also hypocrites, just like the Pharisees were.
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  J. Hofer

  this is how you identify the one true religion:

  - it preaches free thinking and freedom of speech
  - it doesn't stick to ancient writings that have no practical value in the present time
  - it doesn't pressure people to do things they don't want to do
  - it treats people equaly, no matter what sex, sexual preference or ethnicity you have
  - it condones normal human behaviour, like partying, using drugs, sex etc.
  - it doesn't believe in some invisible sky daddy

  to be continued
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  kurtbethel

  Fifth Column, I looked up that scripture you cited, Matthew 7:16, 17)

  It did not say anything about religion, or that anyone should have religion. Jesus was not talking about religion. He did not enumerate anything about six features of anything. You just made that up, and claimed that Jesus said it, but I went and checked and found out he didn't say that.

  He did say that there would be false prophets, and that you would know them by their fruits. If someone tells me about what Jesus said, and I go look in the Bible and find out that he said differently, then they have lied to me about Jesus. That is their fruit, being a liar. They would represent the father of lies, Satan.

  While we are looking at fruits, making claims to speak for God that do not come to pass (Deuteronomy 18:20-22), molesting and harming children (Luke 17:2 Matthew 18:6), and lying about what scriptures say (John 8:44) are fruits of evil people, and an organization whose leaders follow these practices is corrupt.

  I would never be involved with a group with that fruitage. It is bad association and displeases God.
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  DATA-DOG

  @ Fifth Column,

  1 Corinthians 4:6

  Matthew 9:13

  Ezekiel 13: 1-7
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  leavingwt

  "True Religion" = Destructive Cult
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  mrsampl3

  there is no such thing as true religion...
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  Crisis of Conscience

  Gotta love the OP. Definitely not in his/her own words.

  I wonder where that info is from?

  
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  Fifth Column

  Hi WTWizard, thanks for responding. I'll be happy to show you why I believe that the Bible is not faulty.

  For starters, the Bible is A BOOK OF PROPHECY. The Bible contains numerous prophecies, many of which have already been fulfilled.

  Consider an example. Through the prophet Isaiah, who lived in the eighth century B.C.E., Jehovah foretold that the city of Babylon would be destroyed. (Isaiah 13:19; 14:22, 23) Details were given to show just how this would happen. Invading armies would dry up Babylon’s river and march into the city without a battle. That is not all. Isaiah’s prophecy even named the king who would conquer Babylon—Cyrus.—Isaiah 44:27-45:2.

  Some 200 years later—on the night of October 5/6, 539 B.C.E.—an army encamped near Babylon. Who was its commander? A Persian king named Cyrus. The stage was thus set for the fulfillment of an amazing prophecy. But would the army of Cyrus invade Babylon without a battle, as foretold?

  The Babylonians were holding a festival that night and felt secure behind their massive city walls. Meanwhile, Cyrus cleverly diverted the water of the river that flowed through the city. Soon the water was shallow enough for his men to cross the riverbed and approach the walls of the city. But how would Cyrus’ army get past Babylon’s walls? For some reason, on that night the doors to the city were carelessly left open!

  Regarding Babylon, it was foretold: “She will never be inhabited, nor will she reside for generation after generation. And there the Arab will not pitch his tent, and no shepherds will let their flocks lie down there.” (Isaiah 13:20) This prophecy did more than predict a city’s fall. It showed that Babylon would be desolated permanently. You can see evidence of the fulfillment of these words. The uninhabited site of ancient Babylon—about 50 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq—is proof that what Jehovah spoke through Isaiah has been fulfilled: “I will sweep her with the broom of annihilation.”—Isaiah 14:22, 23

  The destruction of Babylon is just one example of fulfilled Bible prophecy. Other examples include the destruction of Tyre and Nineveh. (Ezekiel 26:1-5; Zephaniah 2:13-15) Also, Daniel’s prophecy foretold a succession of world empires that would come into power after Babylon. These included Medo-Persia and Greece. (Daniel 8:5-7, 20-22) There are many Messianic prophecies that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Also, Bible prophecies concerning the Anglo-American world empire and the United Nations are being fulfilled right now in our time! (Daniel 2: 41-43; Rev: 17:8-13)

  Considering how the Bible is a book of reliable prophecy is faith strengthening, is it not? After all, if Jehovah God has fulfilled his past promises, we have every reason to be confident that he will also fulfill his promise of a paradise earth. (Numbers 23:19) Indeed, we have “hope of the everlasting life which God, who cannot lie, promised before times long lasting.”—Titus 1:2.