Praise God for sending His messenger

Published in God's Message (Pasugo) July 2007

AMONG THE SIGNS that our Lord Jesus Christ gave His disciples to indicate the time when His Second Advent or the end of the world is near (Matt. 24:3-8), it is not wars, tribulations, earthquakes, or famines that pose the greatest danger to man but the rise of many false preachers, for this shall gravely imperil humanity by ruining not only the lives of people, but more significantly man's hope for salvation.

What our Lord Jesus Christ foretold is indeed happening. But while revulsion for sufferings caused by wars, famines and earthquakes is almost universal, this does not seem to hold true for false preachers. In fact, today preachers who profess and affirm beliefs that are alien to the teachings of the Bible are proliferating. All kinds of strange teachings are bandied about by them and, surprisingly, are gaining adherents.

Where can people turn to for guidance on dealing with false preachers? In order not to fall victim to these false teachers and their deceptive utterances, the Bible exhorts us in Proverbs 2:3-5, 10-13: "[Y]es, if your plea is for clear perception, if you cry out for understanding, if you look for it as though for silver, search for it as though for buried treasure, then you will understand what the fear of Yahweh is, and discover the knowledge of God. When wisdom comes into your heart and knowledge fills your soul with delight, ... then prudence will be there to watch over you, and understanding will be your guardian to keep you from the way that is evil, from those whose speech is deceitful, from those who leave the paths of honesty to walk the roads of darkness" (New Jerusalem Bible).

The instruction to anyone who wants to be saved from deception is clear: cry out or search for understanding, and for the knowledge of God for these will keep one from the way that is evil, "from those whose speech is deceitful" and those who "walk the roads of darkness." Hence the true knowledge or understanding is what man should make every effort to acquire because it is the one that shall keep us from the roads of darkness.

What does the Bible refer to as the roads of darkness and what is the evil result of walking in them? In Isaiah 59:8-9 and 11: "The way of peace they have not known. And there is no justice in their ways; They have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace. Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness!... We all growl like bears, And moan sadly like doves; We look for justice, but there is none; For salvation, but it is far from us" (New King James Version).

Roads of darkness or crooked paths emerge when people who do not know the way of peace and righteousness make their own paths which they think would lead them to God. These are the false religions established by men. People who are in crooked paths say that they look for righteousness and light but for them it is all darkness; they look for salvation but it is very far from them. Therefore, those who have been deceived by false religions or have been led astray into crooked paths are in a very dreadful and perilous condition - they will not attain salvation.

On the other hand, which is the knowledge that everyone who wants to keep away from crooked paths should strive to understand and learn? This knowledge refers to the things that God wants man to do or His will, which everyone who wishes to serve Him with complete devotion should learn. The Holy Scriptures states: "Teach me, LORD, what you want me to do, and I will obey you faithfully; teach me to serve you with complete devotion" (Ps. 86:11, Today's English Version).

Therefore, all people should seek eagerly to learn the will of God and obey it faithfully and use it as basis in serving Him. Hence, everyone who wants to be saved from the false religions or crooked paths should examine the beliefs they uphold to see whether or not these are in accordance with the will of God or His teachings. How can one know if his way of serving God is compliant to His will? Does man need to go up to heaven in order to find the true teachings of God? No, he does not, because the Bible reveals, "For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'" (Deut. 30:11-12, NKJV) Therefore, God has given His commandments to man and they are not difficult to understand and follow.

Where can man find the true teachings of God? This is stated in II Timothy 3:15-17: "And you remember that ever since you were a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed" (TEV).

The words of God, which is the true knowledge that gives wisdom that leads to salvation and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, giving instruction for right living and every kind of good deed, are written in the Holy Scriptures. This does not mean though that it is enough for anyone to merely read the Bible in order for him to understand the teachings of God. Indeed, not everyone who uses the Bible is teaching the true knowledge.

To whom God commit His commandments and from whom should man seek the true knowledge of God and His teachings? It is the messengers of God whom He entrusted to teach the true knowledge of Him and His will, as stated in Malachi 2:6-7: "They taught what was right, not what was wrong. They lived in harmony with me; they not only did what was right themselves, but they also helped many others to stop doing evil. It is the duty of priests to teach the true knowledge of God. People should go to them to learn my will, because they are the messengers of the LORD Almighty" (Ibid.).

Thus, one should be wary of preachers who are not sent by God or who are not His messengers so that he will not be deceived. Why will one be safe from deception if he listens to the words fo God through His messenger? What is the quality of God's messenger that's why it is from him the true knowledge should be sought? In the New International Version, this is how the preceding verses are rendered: "True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction - because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty."

It is clear that the true instructions or teachings of God are in the mouth of His messenger and that nothing false is found on his lips. Thus, God's act of commissioning His messengers is very important to the welfare of man's soul. If we welcome the efforts of those who work tirelessly to alleviate mankind's suffering caused by wars, famines, and earthquakes, the more we should welcome the efforts of God's true messengers in leading us away from false preachers who endanger man's hope for salvation. It is from God's messenger alone that the true teachings of God should be sought. Those self-proclaimed preachers who are not sent and even criticize those who believe in God's commisioning of messengers, should be totally avoided and ignored.

Praise be unto God, for in these last days, He sent a messenger to preach the pristine gospel of salvation. Brother Felix Manalo was instrumental in preaching and expounding the knowledge of God and His will which keeps man away from the roads of darkness and which should be used as basis for serving the Creator in the right way. Through this also, many people have been able to return to the way of peace and righteousness and the Church of Christ (Iglesia ni Cristo) was reestablished in order that genuine obedience to the teachings of God written in the Bible and true worship of Him may be restored.

As the Iglesia ni Cristo celebrates its 93rd anniversary, we wholeheartedly thank God for the many blessings and successes that He has bestowed on this work of salvation. Together with this, we promise that we will stand firm for the divine calling and election which God has given us until the last moments of our lives or until the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.