LESSON 10
How Can You Recognize True Worship?
1. Is there only one true religion?
“Be on the watch for the false prophets.”—MATTHEW 7:15.
Jesus taught his followers only one religion, the true religion. It is like a road leading to everlasting life. Jesus said: “Few are finding” that road. (Matthew 7:14) God accepts only worship based on his Word of truth. All true worshippers are united in one faith.—Read John 4:23, 24; 14:6; Ephesians 4:4, 5.
2. What did Jesus say about false Christians?
“They publicly declare that they know God, but they disown him by their works.”—TITUS 1:16.
Jesus warned that false prophets would corrupt Christianity. Outwardly, they seem like true worshippers. Their churches claim to be Christian. But you can recognize such people for what they really are. How? Only true worship produces genuine Christians with recognizable qualities and ways.—Read Matthew 7:13-23.
3. How can you recognize true worshippers?
Consider these five identifying marks:
True worshippers respect the Bible as God’s Word. They strive to live by its principles. So true religion differs from religion that is based on men’s ideas. (Matthew 15:7-9) True worshippers do not preach one thing and practice another.—Read John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
Jesus’ true followers honor God’s name, Jehovah. Jesus honored God’s name by making it known. He helped people to know God and taught them to pray that God’s name be sanctified. (Matthew 6:9) Where you live, which religion makes God’s name known?—Read John 17:26; Romans 10:13, 14.
True Christians preach about God’s Kingdom. God sent Jesus to preach the good news of the Kingdom. God’s Kingdom is the only hope for mankind. Jesus continued speaking about it until his dying day. (Luke 4:43; 8:1; 23:42, 43) He said that his followers would preach about it. If someone approaches you to speak about God’s Kingdom, to which religion does he likely belong?—Read Matthew 24:14.
Jesus’ followers are no part of this wicked world. You can recognize them by the way they take no part in politics or social conflicts. (John 17:16; 18:36) Also, they do not imitate the world’s harmful practices and attitudes.—Read James 4:4.
True Christians have outstanding love for one another. From God’s Word, they learn to respect all ethnic groups. Although false religions have often strongly supported the wars of the nations, true worshippers refuse to do so. (Micah 4:1-3) Rather, true Christians unselfishly use their time and resources to help and encourage others.—Read John 13:34, 35; 1 John 4:20.
4. Can you identify the true religion?
Which religion bases all its teachings on God’s Word, honors God’s name, and proclaims God’s Kingdom as mankind’s only hope? Which group practices love and shuns war? What do you think?—Read 1 John 3:10-12.
