Is Your Religion In The Bible?
The Bible is the word of God and the source of true religion. It describes, defines and sets forth God's will thoroughly, completely and perfectly. (2 Pet. 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17.) The logical and inescapable conclusion is that the religious faith and practice based upon what the Bible actually says, is indisputably and unquestionably right. It is the infallibly safe religion.
The important question, then, is whether your religion is really in the Bible. Is it? This is not to ask whether it contains some Bible principles -- is your religion, from its center to its circumference and in all of its entirety, actually contained in the Bible?
Would you be willing to subject your faith to a Bible test in order to be sure?
Where does the Bible tell you how to become a member of the church of which you are presently a member? For example, if you are a Methodist, where does the Bible actually tell you to become a Methodist, and instruct you as to how to do it? Of course, the question applies with equal force to those who are members of other churches. Does the Bible tell anybody to be a Lutheran, or a Baptist, or a Catholic? Does it?
Pick up your Bible. Open it. Read for yourself. Does the church of which you are a member use mechanical devices to offer prayers or make music to God? If so, look for this practice in the scriptures so as to determine whether your religion is actually in the Bible. Listen to the sermons. Are they really "Bible" sermons? What of the means the church uses to raise money; is it in the Bible? (And the Bible does teach how the work of the church is to be financed; see I Corinthians 16:2.) The practice of churches being in "business," manufacturing and merchandising, buying and selling -- well, is it in the Bible? What about the almost universally accepted system of having an earthly ruler or governing body to determine religious laws? Does the Bible mention a pope, or synod, or governing council? (The Bible says there is one lawgiver; see James 4:12.) Look at your religion item by item, and then check the scriptures to see if they authorize each particular.
The question -- "is your religion in the Bible?" -- is a little tougher to answer than first thoughts take it to be. And sometimes the answer is even tougher to acknowledge.
Our plea is for you to earnestly and honestly face this fundamental question. If the Bible is really the word of God (and it is) we dare not evade the issue, for our souls are hanging in the balance. And there is a simple solution in the event that we find our religion did not come purely from the Bible. We can take the Bible and let its teachings be our religion. We can learn what and how to do, and can content ourselves with being Christians after the New Testament order, and have a "thus saith the Lord" for all that is held as precious faith. This is truly the infallibly safe way.