Religions Not From God

People are religious. People in this great country believe in God and they believe in his Son Jesus Christ. People love to tell other people about Jesus and what he has done for their souls. People study their perspective religions and learn how to teach it to other people. People put countless hours into studying the creed books and studying their religious counsels’ decrees regarding their religions. People proclaim the gospel according to conventions where their religious leaders have decided what is correct and what is incorrect. People are wrong. People have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Jesus once stated in Matthew 15:9 “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” regarding the religious leaders of his time. Centuries before Jesus spoke these words the prophet Isaiah uttered them in regards to the Children of Israel and their refusal to worship and serve God according to his pattern. In
Isaiah 29:13 the Bible reads “And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw nigh unto me, and with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which hath been taught them.” Just as in the days of the prophet, and the days of Christ, people today still honor God with their mouths but refuse to honor God with their hearts, because they teach, as commands from God, commands from men. Even today the words of Paul ring true as found in Romans 10:2 “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” People are religious, but not according to the knowledge that God has revealed through his Holy Word. When people teach as doctrine the ideas of men, their religion is both vain, or worthless, and without knowledge.

Jesus once stated in Matthew 7:21-23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” God, who cannot lie, reveals in this passage that many people will be surprised on that Day of Judgment when they learn that the works they did in God’s name, yet without God’s authority, were both vain and without knowledge. Jesus says that people will ask God about all the “mighty works” they did in his name, only to hear Jesus reply, “I never knew you; you worked iniquity”. This fact is made abundantly clear throughout the Bible; we as humans cannot worship or serve God in the way of our own choosing. The prophet Jeremiah states in Jeremiah 10:23 “O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” God alone decides how his creation will worship and serve him. Anything else is both vain and without knowledge.

Why then do so many religious organizations teach as doctrine the commands or traditions of men? Paul tells us in II Thessalonians 2 that many “received not the love of the truth” and “believed lies because they believed not the truth”. When someone rejects the simple truth found in God’s Holy Word, what else is left but lies? When people teach as doctrine the commands of men, by implication they do not love the truth enough to teach it.

To illustrate this point consider a tract handed out by the Southwest Baptist Chruch of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma by their youth ministry program. This tract, entitled “Are You 100% Sure You Will Go To Heaven?” exemplifies this people’s zeal for God, yet not according to knowledge, their willingness to teach as doctrine the commands and ideas of men, and the emptiness of their religion. In this tract the reader may read about sin, Romans 3:23, what that means, Romans 6:23, and the fact that God has offered a way out of sin, Romans 5:8. It continues by giving “God’s” instructions on how to fix sin; to repent, Luke 13:3, and confess Jesus as Lord, Romans 10:9. It then tells the reader more of “God’s” instructions, as found in Romans 10:13, and his promise of eternal life, Romans 6:23b. Then the tract gives the final step to salvation, the following prayer:

“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for all my sins. I ask you to forgive me of all my sins. The best I know how I am receiving Jesus as my savior right now. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.”

Not one verse to prove this point. Why is that? This is because this “prayer” is not in the Bible. The idea is not in the Bible. The teaching is not in the Bible. The lack of scripture to prove this prayer is all that is necessary is deafening. This is Not God’s instructions for salvation. This is the command of men being set forth as God’s doctrine. This is vain, empty, and worthless, it is without knowledge, it is false doctrine, and it is a soul damning tradition of man!

The fact remains that this tract is correct up to this last point. However, salvation is not received by saying this “prayer”. Why not include in this tract the fact that “Baptism does also now save”, I Peter 3:21, Baptism is “calling on his name”, Acts 22:16, Baptism is how sins are washed away, Acts 22:16, Baptism is how one “Puts on Christ”, Galatians 3:27, Baptism is how one begins “newness of life”, Romans 6:4, Baptism is what follows true belief, Acts 8:37, Baptism is that raises us “with him through faith”, Colossians 2:12, Baptism puts us into Christ’s body, I Cor. 12:13, Baptism follows repentance and remits sin, Acts 2:38. This was left out because these people have chosen to follow the commands of men instead of the commands of God. Any religion that omits any part of God’s commands to his creation is a False Religion and should not be followed.

This article was not written to be mean. This article was not written to bash anyone in his or her beliefs. This article was written to demonstrate this fact: Not all religions come from God. If your religion contains man-made elements, or omits parts of God’s divine plan, then it is a false religion, and no follower of a false religion can follow Christ. No member of a false religion can be acceptable to God. Why not investigate your religion, and if anything is found that is not in accordance with God’s word, get out of it. Or, if any of God’s word is omitted, again, get out of it. One cannot serve Christ in a religious group that does not follow the teachings of God.