Church of God, New World Ministries

Which Religion Is Best For You?

Should you find the religion best suited for you? Should you look for one that satisfies your particular need? Should you have a “faith”? Will one be about as good as another? Read this article and understand what God says about how you should search for truth!

Everyone knows there is no cure for the common cold. But you wouldn’t guess it, listening to the advertisers. Just one spray reduces swelling, stops sneezing, relieves aches and pains. It doesn’t come right out and claim to cure your cold, mind you, but on the other hand, what’s left? If your tortured nasal passages are no longer swollen; your sneeze is gone; your aches and pains have disappeared, then you feel perfectly normal – your cold is gone.

Still, everyone knows there is no such thing as a cure for the common cold.

Everyone knows one religion is about as good as another. Still, everyone who goes to church “knows” his particular brand of religion will probably get him to “heaven,” or wherever he’s going, a little more quickly, a little more efficiently, than all the others. Either he believes this, or he is knowingly settling for something like second best.

Ever notice the remarkable similarity between claims of dozens of religious philosophies and the soap ads? One claims it washes your clothes “cleaner than clean!” The fact that such a statement is an utter superfluity, an impossible exaggeration, never occurs to average housewives, apparently. Still another claims it gets your clothes “cleaner!” But, “cleaner” than what? Other soaps and detergents? How can this be possible? All of them claim to get clothes “cleaner,” too! How accurate would it be for you to adopt the idea that “all these soap ads can’t be wrong!’?

Let’s ask the question another way. Can they all be right. If any one of them is to be believed – positively – then every other one must automatically be assumed to be wrong! If any one of them really does get your clothes cleaner, then the unspoken inference is that they get your clothes cleaner than any other product!

What about your personal religious philosophies? People say, “But all these religions, these organizations, these philosophies can’t be wrong!” But can they all be right? Utterly impossible! If any one of them is right – and remember, they all differ, then that one being right automatically renders all others wrong!

But in “choosing” a religion, a faith, or a church – thousands pick and choose with the same careless abandon of housewives, selecting the colorful boxes of soaps and detergents from the shelves of the supermarket.

A few years ago, surveys show many frankly admit they attend their church because of its size, its standing in the community (being “reputable” or not), its nearness to their home, or the parking facility. Only a few admitted they had given at least a little time to searching into what the church taught. Fewer still seemed to wonder whether it is the truth of God’s Word!

But God has not left it up to man to choose for himself a “religion.” God reveals His true religion, gives us His truth. It’s then up to us to either accept it and obey, or reject it, and find a “religion” of our own!

“Here is the way that I look at it!” You are living in age of opinions. It’s a broadminded age, an age of non-involvement, don’t rock the boat, keep out of controversy. Most people reason out in their own minds a “need” for religion in their lives. The symptoms may be frustration, worry, unsettled marriages, or a desire for social contact. Their reasons for seeking a “satisfactory” religion may include social pressures, environmental background, political or financial expediency, or, in some remote cases, an acute sincere desire to seek spiritual knowledge.

Recently, one of the current rash of “public opinion” type programs received a call from a woman who was obviously seeking some fundamental truths. The panel was composed of a Catholic Priest, a Rabbi, and a Protestant Minister. (Send for our FREE DVD “Foundational Truths”).

The lady directed her question to the Protestant Minister. She wanted some straight answers, wanted to get behind the obvious confusion in the rank and file of conflicting denominationalism; wanted to find the real truth!

She was advised to seek out a “reputable” church near her. She was urged to be sure it was a bona-fide, reputable, “known” type of church – with a substantial membership, a nice building, a respectable minister. This, according to the minister on the program, would most assuredly solve all her spiritual problems.

Did the minister mean to say there are churches which he would call “disreputable”? Not if you asked him so directly. No more than the soap ads would be cornered into saying the other product – (probably “brand x”) leaves your clothes frighteningly dirty!

Ever have a friend direct you to a “bad” doctor? Neither have you ever been advised to go to a “bad” religion, a “bad” philosophy, or a “bad” church. But presumably, there are such things. The idea seemed to be that one is as good as another so long as it’s one of the name brands! In washers and dryers, stick to the big names, and you are probably fairly safe. They give warranties, guarantees, service seals and the like.

What about the various religious philosophies? Some are, admittedly, “reputable,” while others are, well, let’s say – not so “reputable.”

When one is asked the question – “If you belong to a different organization than I, do you believe you will be ‘saved,’ while I will be condemned?” How would the average broadminded person answer the question? It’s difficult to know.

Does the way we look at it really matter? Will the opinions, the fancies, notions, ideas, guesses, superstitions, philosophies, convictions and beliefs of our friends and neighbors really save us? No. It is what God says that is important, not what people say about God.

It’s about time you came down off the fence of doubt, indecision, and the belief nothing can be proved to be absolute! It’s time you proved God exists – and time you saw what He says about His Sacred Truth!

Think about it – ponder it, are the analogies you just read applicable? Isn’t the religious doubt and confusion about you a little hard to reconcile with Christ’s plane statement, “and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20)?

Jesus Christ said, “I will build My Church” (Matt. 16:18). But did Christ leave each individual to decide for himself which interpretation, which philosophy, which comfortable idea best suits him? Did Christ leave a legacy of confusion?

He said, “Thy word is truth!” (John 17:17.) He was absolute. He never budged an inch where sin was concerned! And people – people who like to be broadminded – hated Him for it!

You need to make sure you really prove God exists, that He does Rule in Heaven above, that His word is sure, and that you can believe it, absolutely!

Someone might ask, what is your belief about . . . ? It isn’t important what I believe, what I believe is only my personal, private opinion! And the private opinions of people are utterly worthless in the face of the proven, tested, accurate, absolute facts. Now, If you want to know what God plainly says on the subject, read the book.

Think about it. Are you honest with yourself? Do you check up to prove what you read in this and other articles? Do you listen carefully to the statements in our sermons, do listen with an open mind, and do you prove each point to yourself, out of your own Bible?

If you do, then you are coming to know, and know that you know that you are in contact with the actual Work of Almighty God on this earth!

You need to ask yourself, just what are we of the Church of God New World Ministries after?

First of all, this Church gives you plain straight-talk; we never make any emotional appeal, solicit funds, ask for contributions, or urge you to “join” any kind of an organization. All we have to offer is free of charge.

People simply don’t understand, but Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:8). But again, what are our motives? Have we ever asked you for something? Or, on the other hand, don’t you see us trying diligently to give you something of great value, truly the “pearl of great price,” the precious truth of your Creator God, which comes to you free as the breath of air you breathe? Anything evil, anything sinister in that?

Analyze it further. Are we a competing organization, proselyting, trying to wrest away members from other organizations? If we were don’t you believe we should adopt a far different “policy”? The truth which we preach and write about is not easy. We don’t apologize; we don’t whine or gasp in our sermons. We don’t sob, cry, scream, or add a grunting, explosive UH, after every other word or so.

Ever read in the Gospels how Christ “answered them not a word”? Jesus Christ had His persecutors. It wasn’t His personality, His manner of dress, His appearance that made them so angry. Had Jesus just “gone along” with the rest of the world of His day – blending into His community, casually taking for granted everything taught by the various conflicting organizations of His day, Jesus would have been a “regular guy,” a “good Joe,” readily accepted by all elements of society. But He came thundering the Gospel of the Kingdom of God! He came preaching the truth of God! He came living a life exemplary of the very commandments and laws of God.

That’s what made them so angry. They simply couldn’t understand how anybody could be that sure he was right! They wondered, “Who gives this man the right to be right?” While they did bicker back and forth among themselves, there was a certain degree of “tolerance” between Essenes, Sadducess, Pharisees, Herodians and others. They were broadminded enough to live together fairly peaceably in the same communities. Incidentally, which of them did Jesus join?

Let me give a little-known fact. Frequently, those who have been carefully checking up in their own Bibles, and have been searching the Scriptures to prove the Truth of God will call upon God’s ministers for counseling. We never call upon anyone unless it is specially and voluntarily requested.

But even after some have called upon us, without any solicitation on our part, and have asked us if they can “join” with us in this great Work of God, they want to be baptized, and become a very member of the Body of Jesus Christ; yes even then we do not baptize all of them, by any means. Why? Simply because we are preaching and teaching what the Bible says – not the “ideas of man!”

In the Bible, there are definite positive laws revealed. It is only when we have totally repented of having broken those laws, have come to God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, broken-heartedly, asking His forgiveness and then have become willing to obey God, that we are truly qualified for baptism.

Many, we find, simply do not understand. They see a work which they feel is the work of men. They want to have a part in it. They appreciate it, they are enthusiastic about it, and they want to help in it. And that’s exactly why we do not baptize them.

Again, what are our motives? Surely, you might think, if we were trying to build some type of competing organization, begin a “movement,” or start a large “denomination” we should have to change our tactics, wouldn’t you think? As I said, we should have to “adopt” (which would be direct disobedient to God’s plain commands!) a totally different doctrine or policy, adopt totally new procedures, and start putting a price on the things we offer, just for a start

We are not just another voice among thousands, not just another label on the supermarket shelf, not just another size, brand name, or product which may be “better suited” to some people than to others. We are the very servants of the Living Jesus Christ of Nazareth preaching His Word, fulfilling His great commission to His own Body!

Don’t believe us; believe what you read in your own Bible! Isaiah wrote, “To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8:20).

Paul wrote, “Prove all things, and hold fast that which is good” (I Thess. 5:21). Luke wrote, in the book of Acts, of the Bereans who “received the word with all readiness of mind (as opposed to (not with) suspicion, hostility or resentment, but with an open mind) and searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

But the verse goes on “Therefore many of them believed” (v. 12). In other words, because of their honest, forthright, open-minded zeal in wanting to prove the truth, as opposed to the suspicious, resentful and biased approach of someone whose mind is already made up, these Bereans believed. And they believed the literal truth!

You, too, can prove where God’s truth is available. You can prove, and come to really know what is the only and the one true religion which Jesus Christ brought to this earth from His Father. You can come to know Jesus Christ is alive today that He rules in His own True Church, which is His Body!

Again we say, don’t believe us just because we say so. But believe us if and when you find we speak according to the very Word of God, and then only believe us as we speak according to that Word!

The apostle Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ!” (I Cor. 11:1.) What about it? Do you really want to know the truth? Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free!” (John 8:32.) The truth is available. We’re doing our best, working almost around the clock, striving to bring it to you, and to give it to you free, just as Jesus said.

Anyone who can find an evil motive in this is a person of biased and bigoted mind, indeed. We hope you will continue to prove to yourself the Truth of God, and not just look casually for a “satisfying” religion of your own! Enroll today in our Mini-Correspondence Course (click below). You will find that the religion that teaches the TRUTH is best for you.

 
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