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The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) is the kingdom of the Son where redemption is found and where people can render true worship to God.
THERE ARE PEOPLE who believe that all religions or churches are the same, that is, they all belong to God. They claim that God readily accepts all kinds of services rendered to Him so it doesn’t matter which religion one belongs to. They suppose that, what all people need to do is be dedicated to serving God in the religion of their own choice.
But that is not what the Bible, the repository of God’s truth, teaches. What others fail to understand is the biblical truth that there are services rendered to God that are not accepted by Him and are, thus, in vain.
When is worship of God in vain or useless? According to God Himself as quoted by the Lord Jesus Christ, when it is based on the commandments of men:
“And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matt. 15:9 New King James Version)
In rendering worship to God, one must make sure that his basis for doing so is not the commandments or teachings of men. God does not want and will never accept any worship which is based on man-made doctrines.
Man must obey God’s pristine commandments as proof of his faith. If this is how one serves God, then he truly knows or recognizes Him (I John 2:3 Good News Bible). On the other hand, one who claims to know God, but does not obey Him is a liar and cannot truly please Him for “there is no truth” in such person (I John 2:4 gnb).
Such person, like the others, have fallen on the wrong way of recognizing and serving God because he has “not submitted to the righteousness of God” or the gospel (Rom. 10:2–3; 1:16–17 nkjv). Hence, any recognition or service accorded to God that is not based on His words recorded in the Bible is worthless before Him.
There are those who claim that their basis of faith and service is none other than the Holy Bible, the Word of God. However, they fail to comply with the policy of God regarding His commands. He says:
“Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” (Deut. 12:32 nkjv)
When a person serving God adds to or takes away from His commands, he is not observing them carefully. Such kind of worship and service is also not acceptable to God.
One of the commandments of God that must be observed by anyone who wishes to perform true service to Him concerns the specific place that the Lord God has chosen where His people should perform their services to Him—where they could rightfully obey God’s commandments (Deut. 12:5, 13–14 gnb). Thus, services performed by man that are not in the place chosen by God are unacceptable and worthless before His sight.
It is, therefore, necessary for one to examine first if his services to God are based on His commands and if he is in the place chosen by Him where He promised to accept them.
The ones who truly serve God have been appointed or chosen and given the right to perform the true service to Him:
“I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength for my work. I thank him for considering me worthy and appointing me to serve him.” (I Tim. 1:12 gnb)
They are taken out of darkness and brought to the kingdom of Christ where there is redemption through His blood and forgiveness of sins, thus:
“Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:12-14 nkjv)
Ever since man committed sin, he has lost his right to serve and worship God (Isa. 59:2). Hence, there is a need for him to be forgiven of his sins to gain the right and privilege to serve God, which is through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb. 9:14).
The apostles testify that it is the Church Of Christ which was redeemed or purchased with the blood of 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)
Thus, the Church Of Christ is the kingdom of the Son where redemption is found. It is where people can render true and acceptable worship to God. To be able to perform a valid and acceptable service to God, one must make sure first that he is among the ones appointed, chosen or elected by God by becoming a member, not of just any religion, but of the one redeemed or purchased with Christ’s blood—the Church Of Christ. ❑
