Catholic Dogmas Are Entirely Unbiblical

DOCTRINAL ERRORS CREPT into, multiplied, and piled up inside the Roman Catholic Church because her teachers, instead of abandoning them, thought they could rectify them by inventing similarly erroneous teachings. They formulated unscriptural dogmas to rationalize their doctrinal blunders in the past resulting in more false teachings.

One of the Catholic Church’s earliest unscriptural doctrines which gave birth to other false beliefs is the Christ-is-true-man-and-true-God doctrine, defined as an article of faith at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325:

“Thus, for example, it was not until 325 A.D., at the Council of Nicaea, that the Church defined for us that it was an article of faith that Jesus is truly God.” (Discourses On The Apostles’ Creed, p. 206)

From this teaching stem other Council-manufactured dogmas, such as those on Mary and the Trinity.

Examples are the Marian dogmas of “Perpetual Virginity,” “Divine Motherhood,” “Immaculate Conception,” and “Assumption.” Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Pope John Paul II’s chief watchdog of Catholic orthodoxy, in an interview with author Vittorio Messori, was quick to admit that these dogmas were proclaimed to “protect” the Catholic faith in Christ’s alleged dual nature. Said he:

“It is, moreover in direct service to faith in Christ – not, therefore, primarily out of devotion to the Mother – that the Church has proclaimed her Marian dogmas: first that of her perpetual virginity and divine motherhood and then, after a long period of maturation and reflection, those of her Immaculate Conception and bodily Assumption into heavenly glory. These dogmas protect the original faith in Christ as true God and true man: two natures in a single Person.” (The Ratzinger Report, pp. 106-107)

What is perceived in these Marian dogmas as a “direct service to Christ” is in reality a direct disservice – an affront – to both Christ and Mary, for such dogmas are entirely unbiblical as they were merely invented and proclaimed by Catholic bishops and popes in A.D. 451, A.D. 431, A.D. 1854 and A.D. 1950, respectively. (cf. New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. XIV, p. 695; Roman Catholicism, pp. 7-9)

Coming on the heels of a wrong doctrine of her own making is the Catholic Church’s formulation of another one – in fact, her principal one: the Trinity.

Purportedly a mystery no one understands, the Trinitarian doctrine – the formulation of which took the Catholic Church about three centuries to complete (cf. Systematic Theology, pp. 82-83; Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, p. 53) – is said to have originated from the “necessity” Catholics faced “to distinguish Jesus from God… while maintaining the belief that both are God.” The International Dictionary of the Christian Church attests thus:

“Historically, Trinitarian doctrine originated in the necessity Christians faced to distinguish Jesus from God, yet to identify Him with God..

“Through the Incarnation the first Christians learned to distinguish the Father and the Son while maintaining the faith that both are God…

“Thus the doctrine of the Trinity is derived from the truth of the Incarnation and is to be tested by it.” (p. 986)

Had these “first Christians” (Catholics, actually) only learned to distinguish right from wrong, biblical from unbiblical, they would not have maintained that both the Father and the Son are God, but that only the Father is God, for that is what the Bible teaches:

“Jesus spoke this words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent’.” (Jn. 17:1,3, New King James Version)

“Yet for us there is only one God, the Father, of whom are all thing, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.” (I Cor. 8:6, Ibid.).

The Trinitarian doctrine really originated not “in the necessity Christians faced to distinguish Jesus from God,” for the true Christians already had distinguished well Jesus from God (cf. I Tim. 2:5; Acts 2:22-24), but in the apostasy into which they fell, as had been forewarned by Christ and the Apostles (cf. Mt. 24:24-26; II Cor. 11:3-4).

An offshoot of the dogma on “divine motherhood” is the Catholic Church’s invention of yet another mind-boggling teaching about Mary.

In her bid to galvanize her “Theotokos” (“Mother of God”) doctrine, which she admits is nowhere to be found in Scripture (cf. Fundamentals of Mariology, p. 37), the Catholic Church teaches that Mary has entered into a “special relationship with the Trinity,” making the already mysterious doctrine of the Trinity all the more mysterious. She avers that Mary is “daughter of God the Father, Mother of God the Son and spouse of God the Holy Spirit” (Compendio Historico dela Religion, p. 501) – clarifying not if this teaching has turned God the Father into “God the Son’s” grandfather, considering that Mary,”God the Son’s” mother, is God the Father’s daughter, or that “God the Holy Spirit” is now God the Father’s son-in-law since “God the Holy Spirit” is Mary’s husband. This must be mystery at its most intricate, most perplexing and most unfathomable level. Remember: the true mystery of God is knowable:

“And He said to them, ‘To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them’.” (Mk. 4:11-12, NKJV)

Ludicrous though the reason behind the creation of this brain-wracking Mary-Trinity mystery may be, the creation itself nevertheless came as no surprise, considering who its creator is. For who else could create such mystery but the Mother of all Mysteries – Babylon Mystery Church (cf. Rev. 17:5) otherwise known as the Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church.

Well aware of the fact that the true Christians Church bases all her doctrines on the Bible, it behooves us to ask: Why does the Catholic Church, which persistently claims to be the true church adhere to unscriptural doctrines, and even want to protect them with equally unbiblical ones? What makes her prefer to right her biblically unrightable wrongs with the inventions and fabrications of every kind rather than abandon them?

Obviously the reason is her fearlessness in doing violence to scriptural injunctions against adding to the word of God:

“Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” (Deut. 12:32, Ibid.)

“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does not teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 5:18-19, Ibid.)

“Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.” (I Cor. 4:6, Ibid.)

“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophesy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;

“And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Rev. 22:18-19, Ibid.).

A statement from Ratzinger on the doctrine of purgatory graphically manifests this:

“…’Purgatory did not exist, we should have to invent it’.” (The Ratzinger Report, p. 146)

Now, why isn’t the Catholic Church afraid to add to the Bible as evidence by her inventions? Because she maintains that the Bible is not the only rule of faith. She argues that aside from what are written in the Bible, there are other “revealed truths” allegedly taught by Christ and the Apostles which were passed down by word of mouth. These truths, she says, constitute what is know as Tradition (cf. My Catholic Faith, p. 120).

According to M. Catherine Frederick, the Catholic Church “does not teach that the Bible is the only rule of faith… Many of her doctrines are based on…Tradition.”(cf. The Handbook of Catholic Practices, p. 112)

But the argument on Tradition allegedly having equal authority with the Bible is diametrically opposed to the apostolic admonition that Christians should not go beyond what is written (cf. I Cor. 4:6). Christ’s pronouncement that what are written were written “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (cf. Jn. 20:30-31). Truth is, this Tradition thing was itself invented only by the Council of Trent in 1545 (cf. Roman Catholicism, pp. 7-9).

Furthermore, one realizes after close scrutiny that the Catholic argument on Tradition is really pure trickery. For what the Catholic Church calls Tradition is actually the collection name Tradition (or ascribe them to it), and now argues that the Bible is not the only repository of divine truths but Tradition also. Very much like when she invented the doctrine of Christ’s deity I A.D. 325. After having invented it, she now argues that the Father is not the only true God but Christ also. In other words, the Catholic Church invents something to add to another thing, and then says that the latter is not the only real thing.

Some of the Catholic Church’s dogmas, practices, terms, which she invented and now attributes to Tradition are:

Easter, by the Council of Nicea, A.D. 325 (The Story of the Church, p. 50); Christmas, by Artenon, A.D. 373 (cf. The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia, p. 47). The term Trinity, by Tertullian A.D. 220 (Systematic Theology, p. 304);

Purgatory, invented by Gregory I in A.D 593; The Rosary, by Peter the Hermit, A.D. 1090; Transubstantiation, by Pope Innocent III, A.D. 1215; The Auricular Confession of sins to a priest instead of to God, by the Lateran Council, A.D 1215; The Scapular, by Simon Stock, an English monk, A.D. 1251;

Papal Infallibility, by the Vatican Council, A.D. 1870; Immaculate Conception, by Pope Pius IX, A.D. 1854; Assumption of Mary, Pope Pius XII, A.D. 1950; Canonization of dead saints, by Pope John XV, A.D. 995; and a host of others. (cf. Roman Catholicism, pp. 8-9)

Indeed, from everyone and everywhere but the Bible did the Catholic Church derive her teachings, and so pronounced is this to her teachers that they even seem to take pride in admitting that their faith in Christ whom they recognize as God is not derived from the Bible. Karl Adam, in a book carrying the imprimatur of Patrick Cardinal Hayes, not only admits but asserts:

“…the Catholic does not derive his faith in Jesus from the Scriptures … I learn the complete Christ, not from the Bible…” (The Spirit of Catholicism, p. 50, 57)

Catholics, in truth and in fact, learned their “Christ” from extra biblical source, a book on which are written all the basic teachings of the Catholic Church: Catechism. According to the Catholic priest, Enrique Demond, the Catechism instructs things which all Catholics “ought to believe, obey, accept, and pray for.” (cf. Siya ang Inyong Pakinggan: “Ang Aral Na Katoliko,” p. 5)

It is the Catholic Catechism, not the Bible that teaches that Christ is God. Needless to say, if only Catholics learned their Christ from the Bible, they would have believed Him as man, not as God:

“But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.” (cf. Jn. 8:40, NKJV)

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (I Tim. 2:5, Ibid.)

Interesting to note is a recent newspaper report that the Catholic Church’s universal catechism was undergoing revision. Reports had it that “Pope John Paul II, on Thursday (June25, 1992), approved the first major overhaul of the Roman Catholic Church’s universal catechism in more than 400 years” (cf. Daily Globe, p. 7, June 27, 1992). Another attempt at righting her wrongs?

This is certain: Whatever changes the Vatican intends to make in the Catholic Church’s catechism will bear no religious significance – unless it rids it of all her inventions and replaces them with the biblical truth.

This she will never do. Centuries of Catholic experience have proven beyond doubt that it is not in her nature to abandon her errors. She prefers to cling to them tenaciously.


Bibliography

Adam, Karl. The Spirit of Catholicism. USA: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1954.

Boettner, Loraine. Roman Catholicism. New Jersey: The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1962.

Carol, Juniper B. Fundamentals of Mariology. USA: Benziger Brothers Inc., 1956

Crock, Clement H. Discourses On The Apostle’s Creed..New York: Joseph F. Wagner, Inc., 1938.

Demond, Enrique. Siya Ang Inyong Pakinggan: “Ang Aral Na Katoliko.” Manila: Catholic Trade School, 1916.

Frederick, Catherine. The Handbook of Catholic Practices:. New York: Hawthorn Books Inc., 1964

Jackson, George, Jerome Hannan, and Sister Dominica. The Story of the Church. New York: Benziger Brothers, 1935.

Morrow, Louis L. R. My Catholic Faith. Manila: The Catholic Truth Society, 1936.

New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. XIV. Washington D.C.: The Catholic University of America, 1967.

Ott, Ludwig. Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma. Illinois: Tan Books Publishers, Inc., 1974.

Pinton, Josef. Compendio Historico De La Religion. Manila: University of Sto. Tomas, 1932.

Ratzinger, Joseph Cardinal. The Ratzinger Report. USA: Ignatius Press, 1985.

Strong, Augustus Hopkins. Systematic Theology. USA: The Judson Press, 1907.

The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church, rev. ed. Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974.

“Vatican Approves Changes in Cathecism.” Daily Globe. June 27, 1992.

As Sure as the Sunrise

Sunrise is sure every morning. Daybreak follows even the darkest of nights. Even if there is a hurricane, the sun still rises above the thick clouds. To this certainty is likened God’s continuous love, mercy, and sure blessings to persons dear to Him – those whom He considers as His friends:

“The LORD’S unfailing love and mercy still continue, Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise.” (Lam. 3:22-23, Today’s English Version)

But, how can we become His friends?

THE VALUE OF friendship can never be overstated. It is one of the things we cannot do without. God, through the Bible, says, “Two are better off than one… If one of them falls down, the other can help him up…” (Eccles. 4:9-10, Today’s English Version). In fact, the feelings of happiness and security that are derived from true friendship even manifest in healthy living. This fact, among others, shows how valuable friendship is in man’s life.

Friendship, apart from the love and companionship one gets within one’s family, is also a common theme of movies, novels, poems, and songs. Lyrics about it in many songs stay with one long after one has heard them.

True and untrue friends
When asked, “Whom do you consider as true friends?”, you would probably describe them as those who empathize and stay with you when all else have left; those without whom you feel incomplete, etc. And, for many, true friendship does not fade with the years gone by. The Bible describes some friends as “more loyal than brothers” (Prov. 18:24, Ibid.).

On the other hand, who is an untrue friend? The one who befriends you because of the gifts you give or favors you do (Prov. 19:4, 6, New Life Testament); betrays your trust or lifts his heel against you (Ps. 41:9, New International Version); sets a trap for you (Ps. 142:3, Living Bible); lets you down (Prov. 18:19, Ibid.); forgets, detests, and turns against you when you are down (Job 19:14, 19, NIV); whose friendship does not last (Prov. 18:24,TEV), among others.

The best friendSince human friendships are fragile and not without flaws, we must choose carefully those whom we will trust and rely on as our friends. And we need to realize that, above anyone else, there is Someone whom we should fully trust because His love never fails, never grows cold, and can never be equaled. He is God, the truly best friend one can have. His compassion never wanes and His faithfulness never changes. He has sure promises to those who are dear to Him:

“… I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.” (Heb. 13:5-6, Ibid.)

“The mountains and hills may crumble, but my love for you will never end; I will keep forever my promise of peace …” (Isa. 54:10, Ibid.)

“… My salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.” (Isa. 51:6, NIV)

Moreover, people who are dear to God are certainly fortunate because “the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry” (Ps. 34:15, Ibid.). “We can trust God to keep his promise” (Heb. 10:23,TEV) because He does not lie; He does and is able to do anything that He promises. Think about it – having the Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth, as your friend:

“God himself has said: I will not fail you or desert you, and so we can say with confidence: With the Lord to help me, I fear nothing…” (Heb 13:5-6,Jerusalem Bible)

Abraham: ‘God’s friend forever’The possibility of God’s befriending a person is shown by the relationship between Him and Abraham, the forebear of the nation of Israel. Abraham came from the ancient city of Ur, and God had called him to serve Him.

What were some of the characteristics of Abraham that endeared him to God?

He obeyed God unconditionally. When called by Him to leave his homeland and his relatives, he obeyed “not knowing where he was going” (Heb. 11:8).

He worshipped God always. As a true servant, he worshipped Him even while in his journeys (Gen. 13:3-4, 18).

He was loyal to Him. He made tedious and dangerous journeys in foreign and uncharted lands just to obey God. Although he and his wife experienced famine, “they did not keep thinking about the country they had left; if they had, they would have had the chance to return” (Heb. 11:15, TEV)

He had an unwavering faith, coupled with and proven by works. He fully believed in God’s promise that he would father a son and a great nation, though he was already almost 100 years old an his wife was barren (James 2:20-24).

He maintained his obedience to God’s will. When God commanded Abraham to offer to Him as a burnt sacrifice his only son, Isaac, he again obeyed unconditionally. Abraham would have offered his beloved son in this manner had not an angel stopped him from doing it; with that, he passed God’s test.

Because of his faith God accepted him as righteous. And so, God called him His friend (James 2:23) and He Himself said, “Abraham My friend” (Isa. 41:8, New King James Version).

Being undeniably the best friend Abraham ever had, God fulfilled His promises to him. He provided for him and his wife when they were in dire need – when there was famine in the land, He blessed them (Gen. 22:3, 10-20, Ibid.) Eventually, he was made a great nation.

But most important, he and his faithful descendants, breathed their last with a hope in the promised “heavenly country,” and “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Heb. 11:16,Ibid.)

David: ‘A man after God’s own heart’Another biblical figure who became intimately familiar with the friendship of God was David of Israel:

“He [God] testified concerning him: ‘I have found David … a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do’.” (Acts 13:22, NIV)

David, who was a fugitive because of severe persecution by a king, firmly placed his complete trust and hope in God:

“When I look beside me, I see that there is no one to help me, no one to protect me. No one cares for me. LORD, I cry to you for help; you, LORD are my protector; You are all I want in this life.

“I call to the LORD for help; I plead with him. I bring him all my complaints; I tell him all my troubles. When I am ready to give up, he knows what I should do.” (Ps. 142:4-5, 1-3, TEV)

David grieved bitterly, yet did not lose hope. He approached God through fervent prayers and God helped him. He raised him up. Eventually, this once lowly shepherd was willed by Him to replace the very king who wronged him.

Paul, the steadfast Christian
Apostle Paul was imprisoned because of his preaching. In that situation, he could no longer expect help from anyone. But God did not forsake Him. Paul says:

“At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. … But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength … And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.” (II Tim. 4:16-17, NIV)

He further declared his conviction and clearly defined what he set his sight on:

“The LORD will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. …” (II Tim. 4:18, Ibid.)

Hence, God’s friends place their complete hope and trust in the One who is different from those whom the people of the world usually seek out and rely upon for help. They have the love and friendship of God.

Becoming God’s friends, too
How can we become God’s friends, too? Apostle Paul says:

“But now, by means of the physical death of his Son, God has made you his friends, in order to bring you, holy, pure, and faultless, into his presence.” (Col. 1:22, TEV, emphasis ours)

Apostle Paul explains further:

“But God has shown how much he loves us – it was while we were sinners that Christ died for us! … We were God’s enemies, but he made us his friends through the death of his Son.” (Rom. 5:8, 10, Ibid., emphasis ours)

Apostle Paul explains that “Christ loved the church and gave his life for it” (Eph. 5:25, Ibid.). It is therefore imperative for us to know for whom Christ died, who did He purchased or redeem with His shed blood. Apostle Paul specifies that it is “the church of Christ which he [Christ] has purchased with his blood” (Acts 20:28. Lamsa Translation).

The members of the Church of Christ are the ones for whom Christ died. Therefore, they were “brought near [to God] through the shedding of Christ’s blood” (Eph. 2:13, New English Bible). They were cleansed or forgiven of their sins (Heb. 9:14; Eph. 1:7), and hence, became God’s friends.

God’s friends are also Christ’s
Moreover, how can we be among Christ’s friends? The Lord Jesus Christ says:

“You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.” (John 15:14,NKJV)

One of His commandments is clearly stated in John 10:9:

“I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe. …” (Revised English Bible)

Being “the door,” Christ commands us to come into the fold or to “enter by Him” (NKJV) for us to be saved. The fold or flock being referred to is the Church of Christ (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation). The members, therefore, of this Church are God’s friends in the Christian era. They are the ones referred to by Apostle Paul when he said, “He [God] made us his friends through the death of His Son” (Rom. 5:10, TEV).

Those who obey Christ, because they are now God’s friends, are assured that their prayers will be granted (John 15:16).

Reciprocating God’s love
Let us also remember that the relationship between two true friends is a “two-way street”. Love must be reciprocated with love. Selfishness has no room in true friendships. Even in our relationship with God, it is evil to be but receivers of good things from Him without reciprocating Him with obedience, with things that glorify Him. God says, “Because he loves me, I will rescue him; I will make him great because he trusts in my name” (Ps. 91:14, LB).

God reasonably demands of us loyalty, fidelity, trust, holy fear, and genuine love, which are proven by our obedience to His will. If we have these distinguishing characteristics and we belong to the Church that was redeemed by Christ through His blood, then we are truly friends of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. These promises will also be for us:

“The righteous call to the LORD, and he listens; he rescues them from all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope. The good man suffers many troubles, but the LORD saves him from them all; the LORD preserves him completely …” (Ps. 34:17-20, TEV)

We can also hope for the Lord Jesus Christ’s promise that on that great day we will see Him:

“… Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:22, NIV)

Science vs. the Bible?

Science vs. the Bible?
Or does Science actually Support the Bible?
Sir Isaac Newton, an English mathematician and
physicist, once said, “There are more sure marks
of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history”
(Halley’s Bible Handbook, p.19).

It may seem odd to some people that a
non-theologian and a man of science like
Newton would express such faith and confidence
in the veracity of the Holy Book since, to them,
science and the Bible simply do not blend. They
point out that what the Scriptures explains every
phenomenon in the context of the power of the unknown,
science makes conclusions from carefully tested
hypotheses derived from a series of systematic
procedures known as the scientific method.

Such perception – that there is no harmony
between science and the Bible – is not by any means
new. Scientist during Newton’s time criticized him
for his explanation concerning the apparent irregularities
in the movement of the planets. Newton’s conclusion
– that God must be intervening every now and then to
correct such irregularities – had been dismissed by his
peers as a “desperate hypothesis” because it was “outlawed
by the nature and principles of science” (The Story of
Civilization: The Age of Napoleon, p 324).

Indeed many are inclined to believe that science
and the Bible are irreconcilable and that once science
reaches the “ultimate truth” it aims to discover, the biblical word
would be contradicted and disproved. Even worse, there
are those who have placed more confidence in science and
have rejected the Bible as an obsolete, if not mythical, book.

So we ask this question: Is there really no
compatibility between science and the Bible? Which of the two
is more credible and can offer the ultimate truth? Before we
make any sweeping judgment, we must first establish the foundation
upon which each is based. What must we understand concerning the
foundation of science? A chemist, John W. Hill, admitted:

“Scientists, like other human beings, use intuition and
generalize from few facts. Sometimes they are wrong.”
(Chemistry of Changing Times, p. 6)

Science, it should be noted, is anchored on human
experience and knowledge and, therefore, is subject to error.
What further proves that science is not infallible and cannot
be the supreme arbiter on the “ultimate truth”? In his book
entitle. “Science, God and You”, Enno Wolthvis states:

“The history of science clearly shows that what is
considered scientifically true today may not be so tomorrow.” (p. 47)

Hence, it is not an exaggeration to say that today’s
scientific facts may be tomorrow’s myths. John W. Hill added
that science, as a theoretical framework, is constantly changing,
“ for scientific models are constantly being reevaluated and revised
as new data is obtained” (Chemistry for Changing Times, p. 8)

What conclusion can we draw from the above statements
about science? That science is not as reliable as others may
wish or claim it to be. Science, as history attests,
has always been subject to change and revision.

On the other hand, how dependable are the words of
God written in the Bible? Jesus Christ, in His prayer to the Father, said:

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
(Jn. 17:17, New International Version)

God’s word itself is the truth. Is His pronouncement
true only for a particular time and does it change when circumstances
do? Isiah 40:8 states:

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of
our God shall stand for ever.” (King James Version)

The words of God can withstand all scrutiny; they are
error-proof and are surely bound to happen. How strong and powerful
are God’s words? Christ said:

“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear,
not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any
means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
(Mt. 5:18, NIV)

Hence, God’s word is the ultimate truth. Unlike science
which is founded on the uncertainty of human experience, the Bible
rests on the unlimited power and wisdom of the Almighty.




The Ultimate Truth

How was it proven in the long history of man’s
quest for knowledge that while scientific facts vary through
the ages, God’s word had always confirmed the truth? In his
book, “Why We Believe the Bible”, author George W. Dehoff notes:

“When the Bible was written it was universally
believed that the earth was flat. It was argued that should
one go too far toward the edge he would fall off. … Finally,
Magellan and his men sailed around the earth and thus proved
it to be spherical in shape.” (p. 49)

For hundreds of years prior to Magellan’s
circumnavigation of the earth, the general perception was that
the earth was flat. It was then accepted as a scientific truth
despite the great strides man has taken in the fields of science
since the birth of civilization. Only after Magellan sailed
the seas was it established and confirmed that the
earth is not flat but spherical in shape.

But do you know that hundreds of years before
Magellan, it was already pronounced by God through His prophet,
Isaiah, that the earth is round or spherical in shape?
In the Book of Isaiah, this is recorded:

“It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth.”
(Isaiah 40:22, KJV)

What else was accepted as scientific truth before
its actual discovery and confirmation? Dehoff continued:

“The ancient Greeks and Romans were the most
advanced peoples of their time, yet they believed that
the earth was held in place by poles or by the neck of Atlas.
Others believed that Atlas had the earth on his shoulders.”
(Why We Believe the Bible, pp. 49-50)

The Greeks and the Romans of old had the most advanced
civilizations during their time. Yet, they believed in something
which today would be considered absurd, if not funny. But had
the ancient Greeks and Romans consulted the Books of the Books,
they would not have embraced such peculiar concept of the earth.
The old testament book of Job, which Bible scholars estimated to
have been written between 600 and 400 B.C. (New Bible Dictionary, p. 598),
has spoken of this ultimate truth:

“He stretched out the north over the empty place,
and hangeth the earth upon nothing.” (Job 26:7, KJV)

God had already stated before-hand what man discovered
hundreds of years later: that nothing supports the earth
contrary to man’s earlier beliefs.

What else was considered in the past as scientifically
correct, only to be refuted by later research and discovery?
Dehoff states:

“The ancients believed that there were only a very
few stars in the heavens. In 150 B. C. Hipparchus said that
there were less that three thousand. In A. D 150 Ptolemy said
there were not more than three thousand. … After the middle ages
and the invention of the telescope, men discovered that the stars
are innumerable.” (Why We Believe the Bible, p. 56)

Did man need to wait for a Galileo to invent the telescope
for him to know that the stars are countless? The Bible states
the following:

“And as the stars cannot be counted nor the sand upon the
seashores measured..” (Jer. 33:22, Living Bible)

What other scientific fact was established only after the
telescope was invented by Galileo? Dehoff continues to say:

“Astronomers have discovered that there is a great empty
space in the North. It contains no moving planets and shining stars.
By turning their telescope to the South, the East, and the West,
men may behold countless millions of stars invisible to the naked eye
but when the telescope is set exactly to the North there is a great
empty space. For this astronomers have been unable to account.
They did not know until recently that there was such and empty space.”
(p. 50)

Did it really require a telescope to know this phenomenon?
The Bible offers this explanation:

“He stretch out the north over empty space.” (Job 26:7, KJV)

Again, God had spoken of the ultimate truth long
before man has discovered it.

Thanks to modern archaeology – another branch of science
– many people who used to dismiss the Bible as nothing but a
book of magical tales are beginning to change their perception.
Recent significant discoveries made by archeologists have contributed
to the growing perception that the Bible is indeed the ultimate truth.
The biblical account of the Great Flood (Gen. 6: 8), the reign of the
great kings of Israel like David (I Sam. 16; I Kings 2), and the life
of Christ(the gospels) were all confirmed to be historically true by
these findings. A journalist, Werner Keller, who took interest in the
results of modern science and research, said in his book, “The Bible
as History”:

“These breathtaking discoveries, whose significance it is
impossible to grasp all at once, make it necessary for us to revise our
views about the Bible. Many events which previously passed for
‘pious tales’ must now be judged to be historical.” (p. 23)

In the face of all these data gathered through scientific
research, Keller concluded:

“In view of the overwhelming mass of authentic and
well-attested evidence now available, as I thought of the skeptical
criticism which from the eighteenth century onwards would fain have
demolished the Bible altogether, there kept hammering on my
brain this one sentence: ‘The Bible is right after all!’”(Ibid., p. 24)


Confirming biblical truths

So we go back to our question: Is there any contradiction
between science and the Bible? We have shown you the many mistakes
of science. However, we can say without doubt or fear or contradiction
that as long as science arrives at the ultimate truth, it will always be
compatible with the Bible. Science only confirms what had long been
established as absolute truth through biblical pronouncements. Hence,
as far as the ultimate truth is concerned, the Bible is supreme and is
second to none.

What then should we realized now that it had been established
that the words of God written in the Bible are the truth? The Scriptures
states:

“But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an
everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble,and the nations
shall not be able to abide his indignation. … He hath made the earth
by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath
stretched out the heavens by his discretion.”(Jer. 10:10, 12 KJV)

Everyone should acknowledge that there is one true living God
who created the heavens and earth and who sustains our life and strength.
What, therefore, is our fundamental obligation to Him, our Maker?
In Pslams 100:2-3, this is written:

“Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us,
and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
(Ibid.)


Reference:
Dehoff, George W. “Why We Believe the Bible”, 5th edition. Murfreesboro,
Tennessee:
Dehoff Publications, 1962.

Durant, Will and Ariel. “The Story of Civilization: The Age of Napoleon”.
New York:
Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1975.

Helley, Henry H. “Halley’s Bible Handbook”. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan
Publishing House, 1965.

Hill, John W. “Chemistry for Changing Times.” New York: MacMillan, 1988.

Keller, Werner. “The Bible As History”. New York: Barnes & Noble, Inc.,
1995.

“New Bible Dictionary”. London: The Inter-Varsity Fellowship, 1962.

Wolthvis, Enno. “Science, God & You.” Grand Rapid, Michigan: n. p., 1966.

What gives True Meaning to Life

CARPE DIEM! Seize the day! Since no person on earth knows what the future holds, one might as well make the most of the present. Indeed, almost all human beings aim to make their lives as meaningful and worthwhile as possible. Many desire to live to the fullest every day, every hour and every minute of their earthly existence.

Why? What is the condition of man’s life? The Apostle James articulated, thus:

“Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14, New King James Version)

Life is not only fleeting but also fragile, like a vapor that appears momentarily, and then fades away. The inevitability of death is something that humanity has accepted with resignation. Benjamin Franklin, in a rather sardonic yet matter-of-fact statement, once said: “In this world nothing can be said to be certain but death and taxes.”

Mindful of this sad reality, man in general endeavors to give meaning and significance to his existence. A close scrutiny of his day-to-day living gives us an idea of how man attempts to accomplish just that.

In search for life’s true meaning
King Solomon shared his experience to which many of us can relate:

“I accomplished great things. I built myself houses and planted vineyards. … I also piled up silver and gold from the royal treasuries of the lands I ruled. … Anything I wanted, I got. I did not deny myself any pleasure. I was proud of everything I had worked for, and all this was my reward.” (Eccles. 2:4, 8, 10, Today’s English Version)

For many, working hard to attain prosperity is what gives life meaning and significance. Success oftentimes is measured by how much wealth one has accumulated through labor and perseverance. This explains why a great portion of man’s time and energy is allocated to his livelihood. His effort is much spent in finding meaning and significance to his earthly existence through acquisition of material possessions. Others, on the other hand, find satisfaction and self-worth in the pursuit of knowledge and earthly pleasures. As King Solomon admitted, thus:

“Yes, I was great, greater than anyone else who had ever lived in Jerusalem, and my wisdom never failed me.

“Driven on by my desire for wisdom, I decided to cheer myself up with wine and have a good time. I thought that this might be the best way people can spend their short lives on earth.” (Eccles. 2:9, 3, Ibid.)

Solomon not only labored to stockpile wealth; he also strove to obtain wisdom and was even tempted to indulge himself in some vices. This, he thougt, “might be the best way people can spend their short lives on earth.” But the big question is: Did he find life’s true meaning through his worldly achievements?

The futility of it all
What did King Solomon realize after he had acquired riches, wisdom, and greatness? This was his stark assessment:

“Then I thought about all that I had done and how hard I had worked doing it, and I realized that it didn’t mean a thing. It was like chasing the wind – of no use at all. …You work and worry your way through life, and what do you have to show for it? As long as you live, everything you do brings nothing but worry and heartache. Even at night your mind can’t rest. It is all useless.” (Eccles. 2:11, 22-23, Ibid.)

Such was the realization of one who had achieved much in his life. By human standards, he was an accomplished individual, an epitome of success. Yet, King Solomon lamented that everything he accomplished was in vain, just like chasing the wind – meaningless. His labors brought nothing but worry and heartache.

What a sweeping indictment of life, one may say. But isn’t this exactly the sad reality of living? Despite human achievements in science, technology, and other fields of knowledge, despite his relentless efforts to achieve long-lasting peace, despite great strides of civilization, man’s life and living conditions remain utterly miserable. Is man better off today than say, a century ago – before the development of weapons of mass destruction or the onset of global warming or AIDS epidemic? Is the world a safer and more peaceful place to live 61 years after the UN came into existence? Alas, man’s attempt to find the meaning and essence of life through earthly wealth, wisdom, and power has been a dismal failure. It behooves man to reconsider and change his mindset about what will make his brief stay on earth truly worthwhile.

The reason for man’s being
What did King Solomon conclude as the way by which man can give true meaning and relevance to his earthly sojourn? This he declared:

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Eccles. 12:13-14, New International Version)

King Solomon taught that the whole duty of man – the very purpose and essence of his existence – is to fear his Creator. This is what will truly make man’s life meaningful. How is reverent fear of God proved? It entails wholehearted service and obedience to His will (Deut. 10:12) and renunciation of evil (Prov. 8:13).

God’s will that man must satisfy
What is one of God’s will that man must make every effort to fulfill? In Ephesians 1:9-10, Apostle Paul said, thus:

“… Let us know his secret purpose. This was what God wanted, and he planned to do it through Christ. His goal was to carry out his plan, when the right time came. He planned that all things in heaven and on earth would be joined together in Christ as the head.” (New Century Version)

God’s will is for all creation to be joined together in Christ as the head. How can this grand plan of God be carried out? Apostle Paul explained:

“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Rom. 12:4-5, NIV)

It is God’s plan and purpose that all men be placed under the headship of Christ by becoming members of His body. The body that our Lord Jesus Christ heads is the Church (Col. 1:18), which officially is called after Him, the Church 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, emphasis ours)

A 19th-century translation of the Bible by Dr. John Wesley Etheridge renders the same passage as:

“Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to the whole flock over which the Spirit of Holiness hath constituted you the bishops; to pasture the church of the Meshiha which he hath purchased with his blood.” (Etheridge Translation, emphasis ours)

Meshiha is Aramaic for Messiah who is the Lord Christ.

What fortune lies in store for those who served God faithfully inside the Church of Christ until the end? The Bible speaks of their reward:

“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”’ ‘Yes’, says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them’.” (Rev. 14:13,NKJV)

Those in the Lord, that is, those who are in the body or Church of Christ who meet their death are guaranteed of an immeasurable fortune. Their labors in the name of the Lord will never be in vain, in contrast with toils for this present life which will only be rendered futile. Their works, their obedience to the will of God, will lead them toward the attainment of live everlasting.

Hence, man owes it to himself to search for the genuine Church of Christ with a sense of urgency. There he must render a rightful service to the Almighty with all his heart, soul, and mind. This is what will give true meaning and significance to his transitory passage in this world.

Ang karunungan sa ikaliligtas

KUNG NABUHAY KA noong unang panahon, noong hindi pa naiimbento ang teleskopyo, kamera, telebisyon, at spaceship, maniniwala ka kaya kapag may magsabing bilog ang mundo at nakabitin sa wala?

Ang totoo, ang paniniwala noon ay ibang-iba kaysa ngayon. Noon, ang gayong balita ay kakatuwa at hindi kapani-paniwala. Marahil ay pagtatawanan lamang ito o kaya’y kokondenahin ng madla ang magpahayag ng gayong naiibang kaalaman. Ang isang halimbawa ay ang nangyari kay Galileo, isa sa mga unang scientist na nakatuklas na mali pala ang laganap na paniniwala noon na ang araw ay umiikot sa mundo.

Ngayon, sa makabagong panahon, sa tulong ng siyensya ay naiwasto na ang dating maling paniniwala. Tanggap na ng tao ang katotohanang ipinahayag ni Galileo; ang katotohanang ang mundo ay bilog at nakalutang sa wala ay hindi na rin pinagtatalunan ngayon.

Subalit, alam mo ba na ang mga katotohanang ito tungkol sa daigdig, maging tungkol sa kalawakan at mga bituin, ay nakasulat na sa Biblia daan-daang taon na ang nakalipas bago pa ito matuklasan ng siyensya?

Ang mundo ay bilog. “When the Bible was written it was universally believed that the earth was flat. …Finally, Magellan and his men sailed around the earth and thus proved it to be spherical in shape.” [Nang panahong isinusulat ang Biblia malaganap ang paniniwalang ang mundo ay lapad. …Sa wakas, naglayag at nilibot ni Magellan at ng kaniyang mga tauhan ang daigdig kaya’t napatunayan niyang ito ay bilog.] (George Dehoff. Why We Believe The Bible. p. 49)

Sa pamamagitan ng makabagong teknolohiya, mapatutunayan ng sinuman na bilog ang mundo. Ang katotohanang ito ay nasulat sa Biblia libu-libong taon bago pa libutin ni Magellan ang daigdig:

“Nakaupo siya sa itaas ng bilog ng mundo …” (Isa. 40:22, Biblia ng Sambayanang Pilipino)

Ang mundo’y nakabitin sa wala. “The ancient Greeks and Romans were the most advanced peoples of their time, yet they believed that the earth was held in place by poles or by the neck of Atlas.” [Ang mga Griego at Romano ang pinakamaunlad na tao sa sinaunang panahon, gayunman naniwala sila na ang mundo ay natutukuran ng mga poste o nakapasan sa leeg ni Atlas.] (George Dehoff. Why We Believe The Bible. pp. 49-50)

Habang ang mga “pinakamaunlad” na tao sa matandang panahon ay nanghahawak lamang pala sa kathang-isip, nasulat naman sa Biblia na ang mundo ay nakabitin sa wala:

“Kaniyang iniuunat ang hilagaan sa pagitang walang laman, At ibinibitin ang lupa sa wala.” (Job. 26:7)

Hindi mabilang ang mga bituin. “The ancients believed that there were only a very few stars in the heavens. In 150 B.C. Hipparchus said that there were less than three thousand. In A.D. 150 Ptolemy said there were not more than three thousand. …After the middle ages and the invention of the telescope, men discovered that the stars are innumerable.” [Ang mga tao noong unang panahon ay naniniwala na kakaunti ang mga bituin sa langit. Noong 150 B.C. sinabi ni Hipparchus na hindi aabot sa tatlong libo. Noong A.D. 150 sinabi ni Ptolemy na hindi hihigit sa tatlong libo. …Pagkatapos ng edad medya at nang maimbento ang teleskopyo, natuklasang ang mga bituin ay hindi mabilang sa dami.] (George Dehoff. Why We Believe The Bible. p. 56)

Ang katotohanang ito ay malaon nang nasulat sa Biblia:

“Gaya ng di mabilang na bituin sa kalangitan at ng buhangin sa dagat…” (Jer. 33:22, Magandang Balita Biblia)

Salita ng Diyos

Pansinin natin na ang mga katotohanang binanggit sa itaas (at iba pa) tungkol sa mundo, bituin, at kalawakan ay mapatutunayan sa tulong lamang ng modernong kasangkapan. Makikita lamang nating bilog ang mundo kapag tayo ay nasa kalawakan, na daan-daang milya ang layo mula sa daigdig. At, maliban nang gumamit tayo ng teleskopyo o kaya’y may libu-libong milya ang ating layo sa ating galaxy, kakaunting bahagi lamang ng di mabilang na bituin ang ating makikita.

Ngunit bagaman hindi gumamit ng mga modernong kasangkapan ang mga sumulat ng Biblia, paano kaya nila nalaman ang mga katotohanang ito? Nalaman nila iyon sapagkat ang Diyos na Siyang gumawa ng lupa, langit, at mga bituin ang nagpahayag nito sa kanila:

“Pagka binubulay ko ang iyong mga langit, ang gawa ng iyong mga daliri, Ang buwan at ang mga bituin na iyong inayos.” (Awit 8:3)

Ito ang nagpapatibay sa ating pananampalataya na ang Biblia ay kinasihang aklat at ang mga nakasulat dito ay mga salita ng Diyos:

“Ang lahat ng mga kasulatan na kinasihan ng Dios ay mapapakinabangan din naman sa pagtuturo, sa pagsansala, sa pagsaway, sa ikatututo na nasa katuwiran.” (II Tim. 3:16)

Samantalang ang kaalaman ng tao ay nababago kapag ito’y napasisinungalingan ng bagong tuklas na karunungan, ang mga salita ng Diyos na nakasulat sa Biblia ay nananatili sapagkat pawang katotohanan:

“Pakabanalin mo sila sa katotohanan: ang salita mo’y katotohanan.” (Juan 17:7)

Dakilang kahalagahan

Lamang, hindi dapat isipin na ang bawat natutuklasan ng tao sa kaniyang pisikal na kapaligiran ay mababasa rin sa Biblia. Ang Biblia ay walang gayong pag-aangkin.

Higit na mahalaga kaysa mga kaalaman tungkol sa pisikal na kalagayan ng daigdig, itinuturo ng Biblia ang karunungang makapagpapadunong “sa ikaliligtas sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya kay Cristo Jesus” (II Tim. 3:15). Itinuturo nito ang katotohanang dapat nating malaman upang tayo ay maligtas pagdating ng Araw ng Paghuhukom (I Tim. 2:3-4; Heb. 9:27).

Dahil sa mahabagin ang Diyos at hindi Niya ibig na tayo ay maparusahan, ipinasulat Niya ang Kaniyang mga salita upang ating malaman ang mga katotohanang ikaliligtas natin.

Ano ang itinuturo ng Biblia upang matamo ng tao ang walang hanggang buhay?

Kilalanin ang Ama na Siyang iisang tunay na Diyos, at ang Kaniyang Anak na si Jesucristo na sinugo Niya upang tayo’y iligtas:

“Ang mga bagay na ito ay sinalita ni Jesus; at sa pagtingala ng kaniyang mga mata sa langit, ay sinabi niya, Ama, …At ito ang buhay na walang hanggan, na ikaw ay makilala nila na iisang Diyos na tunay, at siyang iyong sinugo, sa makatuwid baga’y si Jesucristo.” (Juan 17:1,3)

Pumasok sa kawan o Iglesia ni Cristo na siyang tinubos at ililigtas ni Cristo:

“I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe.”[Ako ang pintuan; sinumang pumasok sa loob ng kawan sa pamamagitan ko’y magiging ligtas.] (Jn. 10:9, Revised English Bible)

“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.” [Ingatan ninyo kung gayon ang inyong mga sarili at ang buong kawan na rito’y hinirang kayo ng Espiritu Santo na mga katiwala, upang pakanin ang iglesia ni Cristo na binili niya ng kaniyang dugo.] (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation)

“Sapagkat ang lalaki ang ulo ng kanyang asawa, tulad ni Cristo na siyang ulo ng iglesya, na kaniyang katawan, at siyang Tagapagligtas nito.” (Efe. 5:23, Magandang Balita Biblia)

Manatiling kaanib sa Iglesia ni Cristo na tapat na sumusunod sa mga utos ng Diyos hanggang wakas:

“Kailangan ang pagtitiis at katatagan ng mga banal na sumusunod sa mga utos ng Dios, at nananatiling tapat kay Jesus. At narinig ko ang isang tinig na mula sa langit na nagsasabi, ‘Isulat mo: Mapalad ang namamatay sa paglilingkod sa Panginoon mula ngayon’.’Oo’, ang wika ng Espiritu, ‘magpapahinga sila sa kanilang gawain, at susundan sila ng kanilang mga gawa’.” (Apoc. 14:12-13, New Pilipino Version)

“Ngunit ang manatiling tapat hanggang wakas ay siyang maliligtas.” (Mat. 24:13, MB)

. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself had been severely persecuted, forewarned that persecution would also happen to those who would become His disciples, and foremost among those persecutors are members of their own families. .

'They will also persecute you ...'

Miss Sophie Wrote:
IT'S NOT THAT I want to hide it from my family, but I'm just waiting for the right time before I formally tell my parents that I'm in the process of entering the Church Of Christ ... One of my cousins converted to the Iglesia Ni Cristo before  and our whole clan, including my parents, denounced him for doing that ... For a long time, I studied this Church and I'm convinced that this is of God. However, the thought of being rejected by my family sometimes haunts me. Could you please counsel me?

Editor's reply:

We fully understand your predicament. Many other brethren have experienced the same. When found listening to the doctrines of the Church, many are indeed persecuted, others are even disowned by their loved ones and close friends. By faithfully adhering to what is right nonetheless, many of us have either appeased or drawn even their once persecutors into the true Church.

Persecution is part of Christian life. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself had been severely persecuted, forewarned that this would also happen to those who would become His disciples. He said:

"Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also" (John 15:20, New King James Version).

The Lord Jesus Christ admonished that people would be persecuted for righteousness' sake (Matt. 5:10). The righteousness is the gospel or God's words, which is His power for salvation (Rom. 1:16-17). It is not surprising therefore that many who have decided to listen to the gospel as taught in the Church Of Christ experience various persecutions.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,  For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:10, NKJV)

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,^[a] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith." (Rom. 1:16-17, NKJV)

Christ also taught that foremost among those who may persecute His servants are members of their respective families:

"Your worst enemies will be the members of your own family" (Matt. 10:36,Today's English Version).

If situations like this would arise, Christ exhorts us to love Him more, showing that our love for Him transcends  our love for anyone else:

"Those who love their father or mother more than me are not fit to be my disciples;  those who love their own son or daughter more than me are not fit to be my disciples". (Matt. 10:37, Ibid.)

Besides, even if a true servant of God is abandoned by his parents he is never alone for as the Psalmist says:

"My father and mother may abandon me, but the LORD will take care of me" (Ps. 27:10, Ibid.).

Let us be inspired therefore by the apostles who, in spite of being beaten and warned not to do the Lord's will courageously continued to preach in His name. They remained steadfast in the faith amid great dangers to their lives (Acts 5:40-42).

⁴⁰ And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beatenthem, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. ⁴¹ So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His^[d] name. ⁴² And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (Acts 5:40-42, NKJV)

They stood for the truth unshaken because of their assurance that those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake will inherit a great reward−the eternal life in the Holy City (Matt. 5:10-12; II Thess. 1:4-5; Rev. 7:14-17).

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,     For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹² Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matt. 5:10-12, NKJV)

⁴ so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, ⁵ which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; ( II Thess. 1:4-5, NKJV)

¹⁴ And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. ¹⁶ They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;¹⁷ for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Rev. 7:14-17, NKJV)

Earnestly pray that our Lord God may give you the strength to do what He wants. Also pray for your loved ones that they may be enlightened. Invite them also to listen to God's words as taught in the Church Of Christ.

___________________

Note: Some cited verses are printed in full to facilitate study.

Bible Study Suggestion: If you have further questions, please feel free to visit the Iglesia ni Cristo congregation nearest you. A minister or an evangelical worker would be happy to answer any biblical question you have in mind.