The Bible and the true faith

Inspired by God, the Bible should be the sole basis of faith. Written in it are the pristine words of God that must be fulfilled in serving Him.

By REYNALDO G. ARIZALA JR.

“WHAT SHOULD BE my basis in serving God?” Oftentimes, one asks this question because he wants to perform acceptable and sound worship to God. In this modern age, many people base their faith only on things that personally matter to them or on their own point of view. For instance, if family and friends are members of a certain church, others feel obliged to go to that same church. Some people seek only convenience such that the church should not interfere with their work, school, and lifestyle. If man wants his worship to be deemed worthy by God, his basis should not be his personal opinion, convenience, or understanding but the will of God as Jesus Christ clarifies in Matthew 7:21:

“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.” (New King James Version)

Doing the will of the Father is essential for man’s worship to be worthy and acceptable. Even if one recognizes Christ—and calls Him Lord—such will be immaterial before Him if one does not fulfill the will of God. If man wants to worship God, he must follow not what he wants to do but what God wants man to do. But how can one understand the will of God? Where can man find the will of God that he needs to fulfill? Apostle Paul stated:

“And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (II Tim. 3:15–17 nkjv)

The Holy Scriptures or the Bible should be man’s sole basis in serving God because it is inspired by Him. Written in it are the pristine words of God that man must fulfill. The Bible provides profitable and sound doctrine that will lead man to righteousness. Thus the Bible must be the basis of man’s faith in fulfilling his obligation to serve God. Why is it important that man’s faith be based on the Bible and not on his own reasoning? What will happen if one will perform services based on the commandments merely created by man? It will be in vain:

“And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matt. 15:9 nkjv)

In vain or useless is the worship of God that He considers unacceptable and displeasing before His sight. Even if man devotes time, dedication, financial resources, and perseverance to serving God, if his services to God are based only on man-made teachings, they will be of no value or worthless before God (Col. 2:22–23 New International Version).

Anyone in his right frame of mind who worships God would never want his devotion to be in vain; rather, he wants his worship to be pleasing before God.

“And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

II Timothy 3:15

New King James Version

So that man’s worship would be acceptable to God, what is the will of the Father that man must first fulfill? Apostle Paul teaches:

“Having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” (Eph. 1:9–10 nkjv)

It is God’s will that all be gathered in Christ. But how can this will of God be accomplished? In Romans 12:4–5, the Bible states:

“For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” (nkjv)

Those who are gathered in Christ are not those who just profess their faith in Him, but rather, they are members of the one body. What is the one body being referred to by the Bible?

“And He is the head of the body, the church … .” (Col. 1:18 nkjv)

The Church that is headed by Christ is the one body being referred to by Apostle Paul. It is only reasonable that if Christ is the head of the church, it follows that the Church is named after Him. What is the name of the Church headed by Christ?

“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” (Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation)

The one Church being referred to by the Bible in which God wants all men to be gathered is the Church Of Christ. This is the will of God that all men need to fulfill so that their services to God will not be in vain. Why is it necessary for one to become a member of the Church Of Christ before he can perform worthy and acceptable service to God? The Church Of Christ is the only Church redeemed with the blood of Christ. Remember that the members, in particular, are many, but the body or the church remains only one.

If man wants redemption, he needs to become a member of the true Church Of Christ. Why is it very important for one to be redeemed with the blood of Christ?

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14 nkjv)

A person cannot perform worthy service to God unless he is redeemed with the blood of Christ. Redemption can only be achieved through membership in the Church Of Christ. This is the will of God that man needs to fulfill in order to attain the true faith prescribed by the Bible.

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