Today there are very many different religions and, of course, each one claims to be the right one! Even the many religious groups that teach about Jesus often teach different things about the way to please God! What are you and I to do or believe?
We are not to do what the disciples of Jesus did when they found others working in Jesus' name!
"Master," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us."
1*.
Jesus knew it would not be possible to ban people from using His name. "Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."
2*.
Did Jesus mean that anyone who teaches in Jesus' name would be "for" him? NO!
At another time Jesus had warned His disciples, "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only He who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!"
3*.
So, according to Jesus, MANY evildoers will use His name to fool people into false beliefs!
How can you and I know what teachers to believe?
God recommends that before you believe what anyone teaches you, you should examine the Scriptures.
4*.
What you decide to believe should always be in complete agreement with the message of the Holy Bible.
We cannot stop people preaching wrong things in Jesus' name, but we must reject those who do! Remember - each one of us will be judged by the words Jesus taught, not by the words of any religious leader!
5*.
Those who are "for" Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Saviour for the world, are easily recognised. They trust Jesus as their only Priest and Saviour, and are not "against" those who teach others to put their trust in Jesus alone.
6*.
They check in the Bible for everything they believe about God. Their lives are different; changed by Jesus to be pleasing and acceptable to God. Their language, their behaviour, their trustworthiness, their genuine love for God and desire to obey His Word makes them easily recognised.
7*.
Those who speak much of Jesus but who are really "against" Him can also be easily recognised - as long as you are not deceived by their religious titles!
8*.
For example, if someone claims to be able to forgive your sins or to make you acceptable to God you can be sure that person is "against" Jesus. You see, Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
9*.
So, anyone promising to save you through his or her words and actions is clearly going "against" Jesus whom God sent to be the only Saviour of the world.
10*.
In Luke chapter 9, verses 49-50 Jesus said we cannot stop people using His name. So, beware of those who teach in Jesus' name but are "against" Him! Do not end up on their side and be rejected by Jesus!
Bye for now,
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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Footnotes. Bible quotations from N.I.V.
