One God
There Is One God
Note 1: In this section, there are many statements that are just made in a matter-of-fact manner, like saying there is One God. I never expect people to accept anything without understanding, without study and the whole of this website provides answers, evidence for your consideration. “Do not believe me” is a theme of the website, but do not believe others or even form opinions yourself without evidence.
There is one God, the creator of all things seen and unseen. All other god’s are the invention of men. The one God is the God of the bible. The world struggles with the idea of a single god because of pride. Everyone would like to have God align with their thinking, their idea of God. Consequently, there are many gods and all except ONE are the invention of men and/or women. The reality, the truth is there is just one God and you can know that with certainty. Humankind, in an effort to be fair to all people accepts the right of a person to have their own god or gods. This idea has some merit since throughout human history and to this day many nations or those in power over others have restricted the belief of those they “ruled over.” That restriction often came in the form of forced and/or indoctrinated beliefs and often involved a certain deity or “no deity allowed.” The true and only God of all things would look favorably on the idea of free religious choice by a leadership. God’s purpose is all about choice and the God of the bible is the right choice. It is the best choice and the only choice leading to heaven. This is God’s purpose for creation, that is to test humankind. Living in a society that allows choice leads to only one logical, truth-loving conclusion, namely that the One God is the God of the bible. No other conclusion makes any sense for truth-lovers. Heaven Coach can help you to understand God, His purpose and His plan to fulfill that purpose. Look around at every other “god” and think, “Where did this idea originate.” It is amazing, when you seriously and without prejudice compare the scriptures to every other religious teaching, you wonder why is there any question about this issue. Take a religion like Islam with hundreds of millions of adherents and realize there is no evidence for its validity. One man and a particularly vulgar man named Mohammed created this religion. Mohammed, himself was deeply confused by Judaism and what was called Christianity (but was Catholicism). People only honor Islam because of its numbers and its power. Islam is truly built on fear/paranoia and if you do not believe this, then ask Muslim leadership to allow, even encourage their members to think for themselves religiously. You will see that cannot be allowed. Muslims are held in check by an indoctrination that does not allow them to think about any other belief as POSSIBLY being true. It is unthinkable, inconceivable that Islam is a fabrication.
Catholicism has a similar history of indoctrination and fear, but over the years they lost that stringent control. Catholicism still maintains a grip over its members with its mysticism especially in certain areas of the world. Their indoctrination and doctrines have changed to be more effective in a modern world. The technique that seems to work best is having a religion that works in unison with the world. There are a few exceptions, but the average Catholic can be very comfortable living with both feet in the world while keeping a finger in the spiritual world. Heaven is still possible in this existence, at least eventually via the creation of purgatory.
A common denominator of Islam and Catholicism besides their brutal history is that their current leaders are also the product of indoctrination and thus deeply believe their respective religions to be true. Violence is not the differentiation of a valid or invalid religion. Protestantism has never been considered a violent religion, but ultimately is just as destructive to souls. There is One God and as you might imagine there is One truth and that is the distinction every person needs – Truth versus Error.
note 2: This page is not for those who fail to see or acknowledge God’s existence although it could be helpful in terms of considering God as a possibility. The God of heaven is not tolerant towards those who fail to believe He exists. He has a name for these people, namely fools. In the mind of God there is nothing more self destructive than to hold the position that God does not exist. If I were to call you a fool, you should take it with “a grain of salt.” God, however should be taken seriously. This page is primarily for those who believe in God’s existence, but want to know which one, which God? The bottom line is you need to find and obey the ONE GOD or you will be no better off than the one who rejects God’s existence.
God Brings Clarity To The Idea Of ONE
One God leads to many things that are just ONE and God defines this below.
ONE Body, ONE Spirit, ONE Hope
ONE Lord, ONE Faith, ONE Baptism
Of Course it all begins with One God or as the verse indicates
ONE GOD and FATHER of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Each of these “ONE’s” is easy to understand because God revealed their meanings.
One Body:
This is the body Jesus refers to as the church – the body of Christ. It is not the local church, but the universal spiritual church consisting of all those who were added to the church by God (Acts 2.47).
It is the universal spiritual church and has a universal head, namely Jesus.
Ephesians 1:20-23
20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
When people look for another head to the church, they are going beyond ONE.
One Spirit:
The one spirit is the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the comforter and the one who would guide the apostles into all truth. One Spirit delivering the One message from God indicates the care God took getting the correct message to humankind.
John 16:13
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
The One Spirit is the Holy Spirit and is the Spirit of Truth.
There is One Spirit of Truth and as one might expect all other “voices” different than the Truth are of error.
1 John 4:6
6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Every person choose to know the ONE Spirit of Truth.
One Hope:
We learn there is no hope without the resurrection – Jesus is that One hope
1 Peter 1:3
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
One Lord:
Indeed there is one Lord and for Humanity it is God’s Son, Jesus. There is only One name given under heaven by which a person can be saved.
Acts 4:12
12 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Our Lord, Jesus was sacrificed ONE time for all.
Hebrews 10:12
12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God
Now, our Lord’s sacrifice is the answer for man’s dilemma, namely sin. This is particularly critical for each person because you die ONCE and then the judgment.
Hebrews 9:27
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment
One Faith:
The ONE faith is the faith that is diligently sought after and obeyed.
Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
The faith that the scriptures refer to is never a mental acceptance, but a belief sufficient to demonstrate that belief in obedience. Jesus explains this in Mathew 7.21 without using the word faith.
Matthew 7:21
21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Some help in correctly understanding Faith from a bible perspective can be found at:
Faith is not blind
and/or
Behind it is faith
Jesus is the true object of humankind’s faith and as described in John 14.6, Jesus is “the One” Way, “the One” Truth and “the One” Life and no-ONE can be successful any other way.
John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
What you can observe here is the narrowness of God in relation to salvation. It should not be surprising that God wants the best and Jesus points this out. Living in the world, maybe living on the fence or as the scriptures point out being lukewarm will never satisfy. Today’s religions do a great deal to maintain and grow members by promoting their liberalism, their worldliness and it works. It will not work for God!
The religious world seldom presents the true challenge that faces each person in relation to achieving heaven. Jesus was clear about the challenge throughout scripture and Matthew 7.13,14 is just one example.
Matthew 7:13
13 ” Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
At the same time, God is clear that He wishes none would be lost. Unfortunately, most people will make the “decision for self” during their lifetimes as opposed to God’s way.
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
The world loves Many Broad Ways, but God accepts One Narrow Way.
One Baptism:
There is one baptism and the bible defines it thoroughly. It should not be surprising that all of God’s ONE’s would be butchered by men and women into multiple meanings (like many WAYS) to satisfy the varied desires of humankind. Baptism is no different. Baptism’s method is immersion as the word indicates and as we see in examples. Baptism is not for infants and this is clear in principle, in example and infants have no sin. The bible knows nothing of original sin or inherited depravity. Baptism has a well defined purpose and that is the only reason for baptism. Simply stated, baptism is the vehicle whereby past sins are forgiven. The link above for baptism brings you some very basic teachings on the subject of salvation.
ONE GOD and FATHER of all:
This is the core, there is One God! So for every person, there is one way to heaven and as you might imagine it is NOT your way. The ideas of humankind in relation to heaven and God are so inventive, so creative and so wrong. How could anyone possibly know about things beyond this existence? There is no way unless it came from God to man. The one God has selected to inform humankind of things they could not otherwise know by direct communication with His early creation of humankind, such as Adam, Noah and a few others. Then through His prophets and at times through angels (God’s messengers). Finally, He spoke through His Son.
Hebrews 1.1,2
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son
During these times God directed the Holy Spirit to have men record the things of God. Jesus, specifically told the Apostles the Holy Spirit (the Comforter) would guide them into all truth. By the power of God we have the complete communication from God. We live in a time when the mystery has been revealed and every person can know the mind of God as much as He has revealed to humankind. Few take advantage of the the wisdom we have from God and consequently miss what life is all about.
2 Peter 1.19-21
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
So, what do we have and what are we missing? According to Peter, who was guided by the Holy Spirit of God we have, “all things that pertain to life and godliness.” God’s communication to mankind is complete and was being confirmed throughout the first century (Hebrews 2.3).
2 Peter 1.2,3
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue
In Jude we have another “ONE” and we see it is in agreement with 2 Peter 1.2,3 that the faith was once for all delivered to the saints.
Jude 1.3
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
Humankind wants many revelations and have satisfied themselves in this regard with a continual flow of new revelations, new doctrines, new religions, but in the first century God’s One revelation to man was completed. There is so much pride in this problem as men/women want to show they are special in the eyes of God by announcing their special revelation. They destroy souls of others and of course, will suffer the wrath of God. As Jesus said, the blind lead the blind and both fall into the pit! God’s advice for the dilemma can be found in 1 Peter 4.11.
1 Peter 4:11
11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.
There are a number of ways to correctly say this, such as:
> Your speech needs to be God breathed
> Teach using scripture for everything and be certain “ALL”” scripture validates your speech
…….>> In God’s perfect communication you will find all things fit perfectly together
> Speak where the bible speaks and be silent where the bible is silent
> Some bible verses point to being a workman, rightly dividing the word of truth and also use the word diligence – there is substantial effort required to get to the truth and that is why you need a love of the truth – nothing else will satisify
Indeed as Peter says, “We have all things that pertain to life and godliness.” What more do you need? Apparently, a great deal of the world is not satisfied with what God delivered.
ONE Hope and Frequently
You Kill That ONE Hope
Romans 3:4
4 ……. Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar ……
The great divider is the One Solid Thing and for humankind this is the only way to know and verify truth. You see Romans 3.4 is the principle that is consistent and in support of the One Solid Thing. You can compare what any person teaches with God’s word and differentiate the truth from error. Many people use God’s word and STILL TEACH error, but if YOU dig into the word of truth, YOU can distinguish truth from error. People actually respect the teaching of men and women more than God. A good example is Martin Luther’s teaching of salvation by a mental acceptance of Jesus as Lord. During the earliest days of Luther/ Calvin and the Protestant movement, this doctrine was developed and it holds the majority of so-called Christians under its spell to this day. Just as Catholicism covers itself in deep piles of deceit, so does Protestantism keep its many different denominational followers in darkness and consequently from heaven. God does not lie, but indeed man does and if you love the truth you will let God be found true and every man a liar. In other words, man/women teach the truth only when there is perfect alignment with God’s word. That should be obvious, since how else can they know anything spiritual.
Why Has Humankind Rejected Eternal Life With God
The root reason is pride and that is frequently seen as selfishness in a person. Certainly myopia is also involved in rejecting God and for some is justified because God does not exist. The myopia is our strong desire to live for today, maybe tomorrow and even for the earthly future we see for ourselves. It is incredibly near-sighted when compared to our eternal existence. So, the most important thing (heaven) in our existence is seldom considered.
Another way of saying this is simply, “We do what we want to do.” Someone asks why did you do that mean thing, and we say because “I thought it was the right thing” or “I did not think” or “that person deserved it” or a hundred other reasons. However, the real reason is because at that moment, “I wanted to do it.” Much of the cruelty that the world has experienced is done because, “someone wanted to do it.” If you dig deeper it might have been revenge, or for money or for power or other “bad” reasons.
Certainly We Underestimate The Power of God
Certainly, We Underestimate God’s “Resolve”
To Do Exactly As He Says
God’s power is seldom understood, but with just a little common sense and using God’s revelation we can have a better comprehension of God’s power.
We say everything that exists seen and unseen comes from God. We say God is all powerful, all knowing, all present, and really all anything you can imagine. The physical world is all we can truly understand, so in terms of the physical we know of the atomic (and sub-atomic) structure of all matter. We are physical, but we learn from the scriptures we have another component – a God-like component. We can call this a spiritual part or soul and in someway it is associated with our physical body. It may be best characterized by our mind. Our brain however, is physical and will die, but our essence will continue. Our spiritual component is truly the REAL me or the REAL you.
Where does all the control exist for the “physical you” and the “spiritual you.” Somehow that control is with God and thus it is reasonable to believe that all existence is in the “mind” of God. God is aware of every physical particle and those things only exist because God wills them to exist. The same is true of your spiritual being, God knows your every thought – the very intent of your heart (not the blood pump, but your mind). Although, God is in control (of every atom and knows every thought), He has left the decision making, the so-called free-will entirely within the control of each person. This of course, is directly related to His purpose for humankind. If you can imagine, it (your ability to decide) is the only thing God does not control. At a high level God’s purpose is to determine your character based on your decisions (which includes your thoughts). Your character ultimately can be seen as decisions you made between good and evil or right and wrong. Behind those decisions were such things as humility or pride, forgiving or unforgiving, love of the truth or indifference, selfish or unselfish and others. This ability to form yourself into a person that does good instead of evil is a God given freedom. Your freedom is however limited to your lifetime. God will decide your eternal fate based on how you made your choices. Indeed, the end will come and you can gain a better understanding of THE END by reading, “The End of The World.”
A couple of good pages you might want to look at are, “Why Does God Exist.”
and
“Why God Created Mankind”
There is an important point here and it is not HOW God did what He did, but ultimately you need to understand God is in charge. Certainly, those who deny God’s existence never realize God’s power over all things. They never knew God was the God of the bible. They never understand God will not be listening to their excuses. During their lifetime they never understood God’s anger towards those who rejected His Love, who rejected His Son. I could, and I suppose you could also fill 100’s of pages with all the excuses people will have for failing to see God’s existence, to see God was the God of the bible and to see God requires obedience to His word. In Ephesians, Paul described the Gentiles before the time of Christ and before the gospel plan was revealed as “having no hope and without God in the world.” Even after Jesus’s time and the completion of His mission, the WORLD IN GENERAL can be described as being, “without hope and God in the world.” Jesus essentially has no value for you, because He only became the author of eternal salvation to those who obey Him. “ONE” is everywhere in God’s plan and thus do not squander the ONE hope you have for some foolish, selfish reason. I cannot imagine the terror of each person, especially those who rejected God and God as the God of the bible, when they realize they exist after death. Paul understood this very well and wrote:
2 Cor 5:11
11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men
God’s creation can almost be understood if we think of God as He has revealed Himself. Instead we try to look for a physical, scientific explanation for the existence of everything/of anything. Think of God’s ability to create just as He indicates in Genesis, namely “and God said.”
Genesis 1.3-8
3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”
7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
God is in no way physical and that overcomes all the problems humankind has trying to understand why they or anything exists. Do not spend your life trying to understand or prove that life happened in some way other than God. You will accomplish a wasted life and no more. There is something you can understand and that is God’s purpose and God’s plan. The One God had One purpose in creation and One plan for humankind. You can know that One God and fully understand His purpose and see how His plan has unfolded to this point. In addition, you can know the outcome, that is the end of the plan. Most importantly you can choose to do the ONE thing that will allow you to be successful in life. Most amazingly, unlike all the uncertainty surrounding those who have concluded there is no God you can be 100% certain in what will happen when you die. During your lifetime you can influence your outcome if you choose to do so.
God’s Resolve: History of Exactness
God’s resolve, His commitment is exactly as He has described to humankind. He will not waver and in fact God cannot lie. Whatever God says will come to pass and how humankind dreads/denies this possibility.
God is indeed selective, but without partiality and God manages this by setting forth His rules in scripture and thus is impartial regarding any specific individual. You are acceptable following the direction from God or you are not acceptable by rejecting His commands. Every person ought to have an appropriate understanding of God’s severity and not just God’s love. God’s love is tied to the cross of Christ and your failure to accept God’s gift results in experiencing God’s severity. We just mentioned God cannot lie and that ought to bring fear to many and in fact will cause many to reject God’s word. This is because God’s word limits many things you might like to do and is in conflict with many beliefs you may hold. God has given the consequences for those who do such things, think such ways and do evil or support it. So, when one understands God cannot lie, then God and especially the God of the bible is something to be rejected. Interestingly, those who love the truth, appreciate their existence and grow to understand and obey God, love the assurance found in, “God cannot lie.”
Titus 1.1-3
1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,
2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
In Genesis 3.15. God outlined His plan for humankind’s reconciliation. Only after that plan was completed was Genesis 3.15 fully and easily understood. The path that was taken from the days of Adam, through Noah, Abraham, Moses and to Jesus involved thousands of years and along the way there were hundreds of prophecies. Each of those prophecies were fulfilled and finally with the last one in relation to the reconciliation, Jesus said, “It is Finished.” God’s perfection requires all He said to come to pass and in terms of the Old Law which Jesus is referring to below everything, even the smallest of matters will be completed.
Matthew 5:17,18
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18 “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
God is exact in what He says and you can be certain that the things of the New Testament will indeed all be fulfilled. These are not prophecies relating to Jesus as those were all fulfilled. Of course, the final return of Christ at the end of time is still in the future. All the New Testament truths will also come to pass before the end or be fulfilled at the judgment. The new testament contains how a person needs to live to be successful and that all people need the gift of God to handle their sins. Sin is also defined and many things contained in scripture like sin are problematic for people. God’s purpose is to determine those who will spend eternity with Him, in other words life is a test. God’s rules are an important part of that test. God provides a road-map in His word so every person can be reconciled. God’s perfect communication defines the problem and the solution. The whole of the bible tells the story of our existence, our purpose, how to succeed and how people will fail. A few verses below define why the bible is loved and hated and no matter how you see scripture, it will be found true.
Here is a statement made by Jesus to the Jews that was brought to the memory of the apostles by the Holy Spirit and recorded as part of the doctrine of Christ – the new covenant.
John 8:24
24 “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
God, in many places defines sin – which is a transgression of His law and in verse 9 and 10 below He states some of the things that are not acceptable. Yet in the following verse (v11), God points out, “so were some of you” indicating something happened – a way of escape. People want their sins and many will not take the remedy and their destruction is certain.
1 Corinthians 6.9-11
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Humankind likes to provide something different than God, for example more options. However, with God there is success or failure in life for each person. It is cruel to teach, to give hope where there is none. The Catholics provide Purgatory as an option, but you will not find this idea in scripture. Protestant’s provide the rapture as a wake-up call for those remaining after this event. A large number of people believe they will return after death perhaps numerous times until they get it right. If you understand God as He has revealed Himself, you do not see second chances in principle and certainly not in doctrine. Indeed the One God has One Way and the Second Chances provide something that essentially lessens (actually destroys) the value of Christ’s sacrifice.
God wants humankind to recognize His existence as the God of the bible and as a consequence wants Humankind to lay up their treasures in heaven. This is quite a challenge for humankind living in the world. Few want to hear about the need for sacrifice to gain heaven. They do not want to give up the many things they could possess through sinful ways.
Matthew 6:19,20
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The promises from God in relation to heaven are quite spectacular in terms of what can be expected. God also compares your earthy sacrifice to gaining heaven and indicates the former it is extremely insignificant. Those who see this become children of God by acting in obedience to His Son and God is greatly pleased. In effect you are the type of person God seeks.
Romans 8:18
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Another comparison made by God is between those who can kill the body but cannot “kill” the soul. Throughout the bible, it is the soul that is important and God continuously warns us to have this perspective.
Matthew 10:28
28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
The stakes are high, but few can overcome the world and live for the next life. This should be clear by observation; it is obvious that a person leaves this world with nothing.
Matthew 16:26
26 “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Let us look at some encouraging verses for those who want heaven and have the courage to do the right thing.
1 Corinthians 2:9
9 But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Those who become God’s children and continue to live faithful unto death have a reservation in heaven, an inheritance that unlike an earthly wealth will never fade away.
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
The scriptures are full of encouragement for God’s people but full of disdain for those who seek their own gain, filled with pride and selfishness. They never realize what all of God’s children realize, that is, “all things work together for good to those who love God.” Life is still difficult for God’s people and sometimes seemingly overbearing, but they realize life is very short and they are part of God’s purpose.
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
The verses below from 2 Corinthians sum up what we have been talking about in terms of life. The Christian has hope so do not lose heart, there is a comparative very short light affliction and a exceedingly great weight of glory ahead. God points once again to the inward man as the focus for life. Every person can see the outward physical man perishing with age, with difficulties, but God’s people know their inward man, the real person is being renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
In summary, God devised the test to allow each person to make decisions that will determine their eternal fate. God will NOT be spending eternity with people who do not meet His standards. As you read the scriptures this is very, very clear and people reject the scriptures due to its difficulties which amount to limitations on their life/lifestyle.
Consider God’s Power
Includes Being Perfect In Communication
One thing few people understand is God’s power. His power includes everything, that is God is perfect in everything! God’s communication with humankind is perfect. Someone might say, “Well if it was perfect why is it so hard to understand and why do so many understand it differently?” The answer is very simple. God’s word is perfect to accomplish HIS PURPOSE and when people complain it is because they are viewing God’s word from their perspective. It should not be surprising that God sees everything much differently than humankind. Although, when one has a good heart, loving the truth you can understand God’s purpose, His plan and consequently see the perfection of His communication. It is a communication that is at the centerpiece of satisfying His purpose. God’s purpose for you is to share a wonderful eternity with Him, but not with those who reject Him. His sharing will be with those who are humble, courageous, truth-seeking, open-minded to God’s way, forgiving, unselfish and similar traits. Many of the worldly traits are the opposite of these. People characterized by worldly traits will find fault with God and the bible and never obey and live the gospel. People opposed to God and the bible will say, “Well that is not fair, some may not able to read or understand the word of God or even have the opportunity.” This would be a “natural reaction” from someone who does not believe in God, from someone who does not like the rules of the God of the bible. So, God’s perfect communication is working perfectly in sorting out those who love God from those who do not. You see, God can handle all your little concerns about others and those who love the truth can see this from scripture.
People do not see their arrogance in relation to saying, “You made a mistake God by not accounting for all the possibilities. I am pointing out your shortcomings, God. Certainly God, it is not fair to reject this or that lifestyle, or this way of thinking, or this interpretation of what you have communicated.”
You need to realize now, while you are alive that God means what He says and begin to humble yourself and learn before it is everlastingly too late that there is One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. You exist because of God and for some strange reason you deny God and try to point out the weaknesses of His communication.
The Implications of Non-Alignment
With God’s Communication
Some of the obvious implications of changing God’s communication to fit your wishes are:
Your Affiliation Is With Man Not God
Your religious affiliation is not valid, despite its history.
You do not realize you are following after some person (or group) who conceived of what you now believe in arrogance, carelessness and pride. That is why there is ONE Solid Thing – God’s word.
You Are Not A Christian
Those calling themselves Christian are not Christian unless they followed God’s way to become a Christian and continue to follow God’s way.
In Fact, In Truth You Do Not Respect/Love God
You truly have no respect for God, but honor the doctrines of humankind. Undoubtedly, you will cry out you respect God, but unless you are following His ways, He does not know you. This message to humankind is clear throughout the bible.
Jesus told the Jews of their futility is seeking converts because they had the wrong teaching.
Matthew 23:15
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
Mark 7.13
13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.
2 John 1:9
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
Useless Worship
Your worship to God is totally meaningless unless it is in Spirit and Truth, unless it is according to the commands of God.
John 4.24
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
Matthew 15:9
9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
Despite all the difficulties people have understanding God’s way, it is simple. God says there is One way to make it clear, namely “Love The Truth” more than you love what you WANT to believe, what you have been taught.
2 Thessalonians 2.10-12
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Indeed, there is ONE TRUTH and it is what you need, but strangely you will not know it and act on it without the right attitude.
A couple of references on Truth:
Truth Versus Error
Catholicism has a similar history of indoctrination and fear, but over the years they lost that stringent control. Catholicism still maintains a grip over its members with its mysticism especially in certain areas of the world. Their indoctrination and doctrines have changed to be more effective in a modern world. The technique that seems to work best is having a religion that works in unison with the world. There are a few exceptions, but the average Catholic can be very comfortable living with both feet in the world while keeping a finger in the spiritual world. Heaven is still possible in this existence, at least eventually via the creation of purgatory.
A common denominator of Islam and Catholicism besides their brutal history is that their current leaders are also the product of indoctrination and thus deeply believe their respective religions to be true. Violence is not the differentiation of a valid or invalid religion. Protestantism has never been considered a violent religion, but ultimately is just as destructive to souls. There is One God and as you might imagine there is One truth and that is the distinction every person needs – Truth versus Error.
note 2: This page is not for those who fail to see or acknowledge God’s existence although it could be helpful in terms of considering God as a possibility. The God of heaven is not tolerant towards those who fail to believe He exists. He has a name for these people, namely fools. In the mind of God there is nothing more self destructive than to hold the position that God does not exist. If I were to call you a fool, you should take it with “a grain of salt.” God, however should be taken seriously. This page is primarily for those who believe in God’s existence, but want to know which one, which God? The bottom line is you need to find and obey the ONE GOD or you will be no better off than the one who rejects God’s existence.
ONE Body, ONE Spirit, ONE Hope
ONE Lord, ONE Faith, ONE Baptism
Of Course it all begins with One God or as the verse indicates
ONE GOD and FATHER of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
It is the universal spiritual church and has a universal head, namely Jesus.
21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Our Lord, Jesus was sacrificed ONE time for all.
Now, our Lord’s sacrifice is the answer for man’s dilemma, namely sin. This is particularly critical for each person because you die ONCE and then the judgment.
Faith is not blind
and/or
Behind it is faith
Jesus is the true object of humankind’s faith and as described in John 14.6, Jesus is “the One” Way, “the One” Truth and “the One” Life and no-ONE can be successful any other way.
The religious world seldom presents the true challenge that faces each person in relation to achieving heaven. Jesus was clear about the challenge throughout scripture and Matthew 7.13,14 is just one example.
14 “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue
There are a number of ways to correctly say this, such as:
> Your speech needs to be God breathed
> Teach using scripture for everything and be certain “ALL”” scripture validates your speech
…….>> In God’s perfect communication you will find all things fit perfectly together
> Speak where the bible speaks and be silent where the bible is silent
> Some bible verses point to being a workman, rightly dividing the word of truth and also use the word diligence – there is substantial effort required to get to the truth and that is why you need a love of the truth – nothing else will satisify
Indeed as Peter says, “We have all things that pertain to life and godliness.” What more do you need? Apparently, a great deal of the world is not satisfied with what God delivered.
ONE Hope and Frequently
You Kill That ONE Hope
Romans 3:4
4 ……. Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar ……
The great divider is the One Solid Thing and for humankind this is the only way to know and verify truth. You see Romans 3.4 is the principle that is consistent and in support of the One Solid Thing. You can compare what any person teaches with God’s word and differentiate the truth from error. Many people use God’s word and STILL TEACH error, but if YOU dig into the word of truth, YOU can distinguish truth from error. People actually respect the teaching of men and women more than God. A good example is Martin Luther’s teaching of salvation by a mental acceptance of Jesus as Lord. During the earliest days of Luther/ Calvin and the Protestant movement, this doctrine was developed and it holds the majority of so-called Christians under its spell to this day. Just as Catholicism covers itself in deep piles of deceit, so does Protestantism keep its many different denominational followers in darkness and consequently from heaven. God does not lie, but indeed man does and if you love the truth you will let God be found true and every man a liar. In other words, man/women teach the truth only when there is perfect alignment with God’s word. That should be obvious, since how else can they know anything spiritual.
Why Has Humankind Rejected Eternal Life With God
The root reason is pride and that is frequently seen as selfishness in a person. Certainly myopia is also involved in rejecting God and for some is justified because God does not exist. The myopia is our strong desire to live for today, maybe tomorrow and even for the earthly future we see for ourselves. It is incredibly near-sighted when compared to our eternal existence. So, the most important thing (heaven) in our existence is seldom considered.
Another way of saying this is simply, “We do what we want to do.” Someone asks why did you do that mean thing, and we say because “I thought it was the right thing” or “I did not think” or “that person deserved it” or a hundred other reasons. However, the real reason is because at that moment, “I wanted to do it.” Much of the cruelty that the world has experienced is done because, “someone wanted to do it.” If you dig deeper it might have been revenge, or for money or for power or other “bad” reasons.
Certainly We Underestimate The Power of God
Certainly, We Underestimate God’s “Resolve”
To Do Exactly As He Says
God’s power is seldom understood, but with just a little common sense and using God’s revelation we can have a better comprehension of God’s power.
We say everything that exists seen and unseen comes from God. We say God is all powerful, all knowing, all present, and really all anything you can imagine. The physical world is all we can truly understand, so in terms of the physical we know of the atomic (and sub-atomic) structure of all matter. We are physical, but we learn from the scriptures we have another component – a God-like component. We can call this a spiritual part or soul and in someway it is associated with our physical body. It may be best characterized by our mind. Our brain however, is physical and will die, but our essence will continue. Our spiritual component is truly the REAL me or the REAL you.
Where does all the control exist for the “physical you” and the “spiritual you.” Somehow that control is with God and thus it is reasonable to believe that all existence is in the “mind” of God. God is aware of every physical particle and those things only exist because God wills them to exist. The same is true of your spiritual being, God knows your every thought – the very intent of your heart (not the blood pump, but your mind). Although, God is in control (of every atom and knows every thought), He has left the decision making, the so-called free-will entirely within the control of each person. This of course, is directly related to His purpose for humankind. If you can imagine, it (your ability to decide) is the only thing God does not control. At a high level God’s purpose is to determine your character based on your decisions (which includes your thoughts). Your character ultimately can be seen as decisions you made between good and evil or right and wrong. Behind those decisions were such things as humility or pride, forgiving or unforgiving, love of the truth or indifference, selfish or unselfish and others. This ability to form yourself into a person that does good instead of evil is a God given freedom. Your freedom is however limited to your lifetime. God will decide your eternal fate based on how you made your choices. Indeed, the end will come and you can gain a better understanding of THE END by reading, “The End of The World.”
A couple of good pages you might want to look at are, “Why Does God Exist.”
and
“Why God Created Mankind”
There is an important point here and it is not HOW God did what He did, but ultimately you need to understand God is in charge. Certainly, those who deny God’s existence never realize God’s power over all things. They never knew God was the God of the bible. They never understand God will not be listening to their excuses. During their lifetime they never understood God’s anger towards those who rejected His Love, who rejected His Son. I could, and I suppose you could also fill 100’s of pages with all the excuses people will have for failing to see God’s existence, to see God was the God of the bible and to see God requires obedience to His word. In Ephesians, Paul described the Gentiles before the time of Christ and before the gospel plan was revealed as “having no hope and without God in the world.” Even after Jesus’s time and the completion of His mission, the WORLD IN GENERAL can be described as being, “without hope and God in the world.” Jesus essentially has no value for you, because He only became the author of eternal salvation to those who obey Him. “ONE” is everywhere in God’s plan and thus do not squander the ONE hope you have for some foolish, selfish reason. I cannot imagine the terror of each person, especially those who rejected God and God as the God of the bible, when they realize they exist after death. Paul understood this very well and wrote:
2 Cor 5:11
11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men
God’s creation can almost be understood if we think of God as He has revealed Himself. Instead we try to look for a physical, scientific explanation for the existence of everything/of anything. Think of God’s ability to create just as He indicates in Genesis, namely “and God said.”
Genesis 1.3-8
3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”
7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
God is in no way physical and that overcomes all the problems humankind has trying to understand why they or anything exists. Do not spend your life trying to understand or prove that life happened in some way other than God. You will accomplish a wasted life and no more. There is something you can understand and that is God’s purpose and God’s plan. The One God had One purpose in creation and One plan for humankind. You can know that One God and fully understand His purpose and see how His plan has unfolded to this point. In addition, you can know the outcome, that is the end of the plan. Most importantly you can choose to do the ONE thing that will allow you to be successful in life. Most amazingly, unlike all the uncertainty surrounding those who have concluded there is no God you can be 100% certain in what will happen when you die. During your lifetime you can influence your outcome if you choose to do so.
God’s Resolve: History of Exactness
God’s resolve, His commitment is exactly as He has described to humankind. He will not waver and in fact God cannot lie. Whatever God says will come to pass and how humankind dreads/denies this possibility.
God is indeed selective, but without partiality and God manages this by setting forth His rules in scripture and thus is impartial regarding any specific individual. You are acceptable following the direction from God or you are not acceptable by rejecting His commands. Every person ought to have an appropriate understanding of God’s severity and not just God’s love. God’s love is tied to the cross of Christ and your failure to accept God’s gift results in experiencing God’s severity. We just mentioned God cannot lie and that ought to bring fear to many and in fact will cause many to reject God’s word. This is because God’s word limits many things you might like to do and is in conflict with many beliefs you may hold. God has given the consequences for those who do such things, think such ways and do evil or support it. So, when one understands God cannot lie, then God and especially the God of the bible is something to be rejected. Interestingly, those who love the truth, appreciate their existence and grow to understand and obey God, love the assurance found in, “God cannot lie.”
Titus 1.1-3
1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,
2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
In Genesis 3.15. God outlined His plan for humankind’s reconciliation. Only after that plan was completed was Genesis 3.15 fully and easily understood. The path that was taken from the days of Adam, through Noah, Abraham, Moses and to Jesus involved thousands of years and along the way there were hundreds of prophecies. Each of those prophecies were fulfilled and finally with the last one in relation to the reconciliation, Jesus said, “It is Finished.” God’s perfection requires all He said to come to pass and in terms of the Old Law which Jesus is referring to below everything, even the smallest of matters will be completed.
Matthew 5:17,18
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18 “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
God is exact in what He says and you can be certain that the things of the New Testament will indeed all be fulfilled. These are not prophecies relating to Jesus as those were all fulfilled. Of course, the final return of Christ at the end of time is still in the future. All the New Testament truths will also come to pass before the end or be fulfilled at the judgment. The new testament contains how a person needs to live to be successful and that all people need the gift of God to handle their sins. Sin is also defined and many things contained in scripture like sin are problematic for people. God’s purpose is to determine those who will spend eternity with Him, in other words life is a test. God’s rules are an important part of that test. God provides a road-map in His word so every person can be reconciled. God’s perfect communication defines the problem and the solution. The whole of the bible tells the story of our existence, our purpose, how to succeed and how people will fail. A few verses below define why the bible is loved and hated and no matter how you see scripture, it will be found true.
Here is a statement made by Jesus to the Jews that was brought to the memory of the apostles by the Holy Spirit and recorded as part of the doctrine of Christ – the new covenant.
John 8:24
24 “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
God, in many places defines sin – which is a transgression of His law and in verse 9 and 10 below He states some of the things that are not acceptable. Yet in the following verse (v11), God points out, “so were some of you” indicating something happened – a way of escape. People want their sins and many will not take the remedy and their destruction is certain.
1 Corinthians 6.9-11
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Humankind likes to provide something different than God, for example more options. However, with God there is success or failure in life for each person. It is cruel to teach, to give hope where there is none. The Catholics provide Purgatory as an option, but you will not find this idea in scripture. Protestant’s provide the rapture as a wake-up call for those remaining after this event. A large number of people believe they will return after death perhaps numerous times until they get it right. If you understand God as He has revealed Himself, you do not see second chances in principle and certainly not in doctrine. Indeed the One God has One Way and the Second Chances provide something that essentially lessens (actually destroys) the value of Christ’s sacrifice.
God wants humankind to recognize His existence as the God of the bible and as a consequence wants Humankind to lay up their treasures in heaven. This is quite a challenge for humankind living in the world. Few want to hear about the need for sacrifice to gain heaven. They do not want to give up the many things they could possess through sinful ways.
Matthew 6:19,20
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The promises from God in relation to heaven are quite spectacular in terms of what can be expected. God also compares your earthy sacrifice to gaining heaven and indicates the former it is extremely insignificant. Those who see this become children of God by acting in obedience to His Son and God is greatly pleased. In effect you are the type of person God seeks.
Romans 8:18
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Another comparison made by God is between those who can kill the body but cannot “kill” the soul. Throughout the bible, it is the soul that is important and God continuously warns us to have this perspective.
Matthew 10:28
28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
The stakes are high, but few can overcome the world and live for the next life. This should be clear by observation; it is obvious that a person leaves this world with nothing.
Matthew 16:26
26 “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Let us look at some encouraging verses for those who want heaven and have the courage to do the right thing.
1 Corinthians 2:9
9 But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Those who become God’s children and continue to live faithful unto death have a reservation in heaven, an inheritance that unlike an earthly wealth will never fade away.
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
The scriptures are full of encouragement for God’s people but full of disdain for those who seek their own gain, filled with pride and selfishness. They never realize what all of God’s children realize, that is, “all things work together for good to those who love God.” Life is still difficult for God’s people and sometimes seemingly overbearing, but they realize life is very short and they are part of God’s purpose.
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
The verses below from 2 Corinthians sum up what we have been talking about in terms of life. The Christian has hope so do not lose heart, there is a comparative very short light affliction and a exceedingly great weight of glory ahead. God points once again to the inward man as the focus for life. Every person can see the outward physical man perishing with age, with difficulties, but God’s people know their inward man, the real person is being renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
In summary, God devised the test to allow each person to make decisions that will determine their eternal fate. God will NOT be spending eternity with people who do not meet His standards. As you read the scriptures this is very, very clear and people reject the scriptures due to its difficulties which amount to limitations on their life/lifestyle.
Consider God’s Power
Includes Being Perfect In Communication
One thing few people understand is God’s power. His power includes everything, that is God is perfect in everything! God’s communication with humankind is perfect. Someone might say, “Well if it was perfect why is it so hard to understand and why do so many understand it differently?” The answer is very simple. God’s word is perfect to accomplish HIS PURPOSE and when people complain it is because they are viewing God’s word from their perspective. It should not be surprising that God sees everything much differently than humankind. Although, when one has a good heart, loving the truth you can understand God’s purpose, His plan and consequently see the perfection of His communication. It is a communication that is at the centerpiece of satisfying His purpose. God’s purpose for you is to share a wonderful eternity with Him, but not with those who reject Him. His sharing will be with those who are humble, courageous, truth-seeking, open-minded to God’s way, forgiving, unselfish and similar traits. Many of the worldly traits are the opposite of these. People characterized by worldly traits will find fault with God and the bible and never obey and live the gospel. People opposed to God and the bible will say, “Well that is not fair, some may not able to read or understand the word of God or even have the opportunity.” This would be a “natural reaction” from someone who does not believe in God, from someone who does not like the rules of the God of the bible. So, God’s perfect communication is working perfectly in sorting out those who love God from those who do not. You see, God can handle all your little concerns about others and those who love the truth can see this from scripture.
People do not see their arrogance in relation to saying, “You made a mistake God by not accounting for all the possibilities. I am pointing out your shortcomings, God. Certainly God, it is not fair to reject this or that lifestyle, or this way of thinking, or this interpretation of what you have communicated.”
You need to realize now, while you are alive that God means what He says and begin to humble yourself and learn before it is everlastingly too late that there is One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. You exist because of God and for some strange reason you deny God and try to point out the weaknesses of His communication.
The Implications of Non-Alignment
With God’s Communication
Some of the obvious implications of changing God’s communication to fit your wishes are:
Your Affiliation Is With Man Not God
Your religious affiliation is not valid, despite its history.
You do not realize you are following after some person (or group) who conceived of what you now believe in arrogance, carelessness and pride. That is why there is ONE Solid Thing – God’s word.
You Are Not A Christian
Those calling themselves Christian are not Christian unless they followed God’s way to become a Christian and continue to follow God’s way.
In Fact, In Truth You Do Not Respect/Love God
You truly have no respect for God, but honor the doctrines of humankind. Undoubtedly, you will cry out you respect God, but unless you are following His ways, He does not know you. This message to humankind is clear throughout the bible.
Jesus told the Jews of their futility is seeking converts because they had the wrong teaching.
Matthew 23:15
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
Mark 7.13
13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.
2 John 1:9
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
Useless Worship
Your worship to God is totally meaningless unless it is in Spirit and Truth, unless it is according to the commands of God.
John 4.24
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
Matthew 15:9
9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
Despite all the difficulties people have understanding God’s way, it is simple. God says there is One way to make it clear, namely “Love The Truth” more than you love what you WANT to believe, what you have been taught.
2 Thessalonians 2.10-12
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Indeed, there is ONE TRUTH and it is what you need, but strangely you will not know it and act on it without the right attitude.
A couple of references on Truth:
Truth Versus Error
