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WHICH CHURCH IS RIGHT?
WHICH CHURCH IS RIGHT?
“And He answered and said to them, ‘Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?’” (Matthew 15:3).
Why are there so many different denominations with so many different beliefs and traditions? This question has caused some to cast off Christianity altogether. Others have concluded that religious differences must not really matter.
Well, do they? This two-part series seeks to answer that question and to help you to determine whether a church is truly scriptural or not.
Is There Such a Thing as Right and Wrong in Religion?
Tolerance. That’s the mantra of our age. Everybody has to accept everybody, regardless of religion or lifestyle choice.
The Bible warns us against tolerating false teachers and false doctrines. Jesus said, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15).
This is a clear warning against false teachers. Not all religious leaders and teachers teach the truth, even those who preach Jesus. Some preach “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4).
Jesus also warned against religious traditions that transgress the commandment of God (Matthew 15:3) and lead to nothing more than useless worship in God’s eyes (Matthew 15:9).
Paul wrote, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8; also see Ephesians 4:14).
If anyone, even an angel, teaches a different gospel than that which was delivered through Christ and His apostles, he is cut off from God (Galatians 1:8-9).
The scriptural answer to the question “Is there such a thing as right and wrong in religion?” is a resounding YES!
Has God Designated any Exclusives in Religion?
You might’ve been told that God can be reached through many different religions. The problem with this view is that Jesus was an exclusivist. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).
The exclusivist claim has been made by many religious leaders and so-called prophets, but Jesus is the only one who has provided solid evidence of His claim. He did this through His resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).
That means that the only religion that is right is Christianity. But wait! Are there exclusives even within Christianity?
Paul wrote, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).
The operational word in this passage is one. It is stated seven times there. Yes, there are exclusives within so-called Christianity.
That leads to the next question, which we will discuss in part two in the next bulletin.
