There is a universal argument that goes on day in and day out worldwide: which religion is the true religion that honors and worships God in the right way? There are so many to choose from, from one side of the globe to the other. Every nation, color, tribe, and race seems to have a different view or variation on which one is right. If you were to take Christianity alone, for example, you would find out that there are over 40,000 denominations worldwide, and they don’t agree on everything.
If you genuinely want to know how to honor, praise, worship, and follow God the right way, you have to go to the source, the Word of God, which came from God. You would need to read a book that was compiled by writing down what God spoke to men that all agree with each other. We are fortunate to have a book written by over 40 authors from 3 continents spanning 1500 years, which comes together in a logical and coherent manuscript that agrees with itself perfectly. There is no other way for such a book to come together without it being inspired by God Himself, and the Bible passes all those tests.
In the Bible, we find that God has shown us how He wants us to worship Him. Right away in Genesis, we also see that life on earth was wonderful until one fatal day when Adam and Eve sinned, which is disobeying God’s commands. That disobedience started every problem that we have today. Everything that is bad comes from people not obeying or following God’s commands, precepts, and holy ways.
Genesis 3:9-13 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Later, the people of the earth were doing whatever they wanted, and though God had given each person a conscience to know good from evil and right from wrong. He gave them a list of commandments, so that if they obeyed them, they would be obeying God in the right way, and good would come to them instead of evil.
God’s commandments are: 1. Love the Lord with all your heart and no one else. 2. Do not make any idols or worship anything other than God. 3. Do not use God’s name as a curse word or in vain. 4. Keep God’s Sabbath day holy. 5. Honor your Father and Mother. 6. Do not murder or hate. 7. Do not commit adultery. 8. Do not steal. 9. Do not lie. and 10. Do not covet something that is not yours.
Yet we find that the people God had established as His people still turned away and did whatever their hearts desired, which was evil, and it did not end well for them. The history of wars, captivity, and punishment for the crimes they committed against God has been recorded for thousands of years.
It comes down to one simple principle: obey God and do good, and you will be blessed; disobey Him and do evil, and you will be punished. Perhaps not right away, but in the end, those who do good or evil will be repaid by God in like fashion.
Deuteronomy 28:1-6 “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. 3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. 5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.”
Jesus told us in even more detail how we need to honor and follow God. He said that it was through Him and the sacrifice He would make that people’s souls would be saved and hearts would be changed. Not only do we need to obey His commandments, but we must follow Jesus, believe in Him as the Son of God who redeems our sins and can forgive them because He took the punishment we deserve on the cross.
Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, defeating sin and death. He loves you and lives forevermore to rule and reign over all things. If you would humble yourself before Him, believe in Him, and repent of your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive you of all your disobedience. No matter what it was.
Matthew 11:25-30 At that time, Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
So it is not in how you bow your head or if you bow your whole body to pray that honors God. It is not what church you attend or what denomination you are associated with that shows Him that you are following Him. It is not what flag you fly or what phrases you repeat that show your loyalty. It is not what religion you subscribe to that will save your soul from God’s place of judgment and punishment for sin. It is not the practices, traditions, or rituals you practice that can forgive your sins and purify your heart. Nothing you can do or say will ever forgive one sin that you have committed in your entire life, let alone all the multitudes you have committed since the day you were born and decided to rebel. Only Jesus can forgive you, change your heart, and save you from Hell.
Romans 3:21-25 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith.
By faith, you are saved by believing, following, repenting, and obeying Jesus Christ. Every commandment God has given points to loving God and loving one another. Yet, without Jesus to forgive you of your sins and change your heart, mind, and soul, how can you love? You can not follow Him without Jesus first. Your heart has to be changed from the inside out, and only God can do that.
Jesus said in Luke 6:43-45, “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
Matthew 15:18-19 “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”
So what is necessary for you is to turn from your sinful ways, recognise that you have sinned and committed crimes against God by disobeying what He has told you to do. You already know what is right and wrong; your conscience bears witness to you when you are offended when someone commits sin against you. Think about it, if someone slanders your name, robs your house, or kills a loved one, you are offended and call for justice.
So also, God calls for justice when you do such things to Him. But Jesus holds out His forgiveness to you if you are willing to accept Him, repent, and follow how He says to live. Do as the Apostle Peter said, repent and follow Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, then He will change your heart to be able to follow, love, and obey Him. Then you will know, by the transformation from evil to good, that you are on the right path to God.
Acts 3:17-21 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets long ago.
