Sabado, Nobyembre 26, 2016

THE SABBATH AND THE MODERN-DAY SABBATHARIANS

THE SABBATH AND THE MODERN-DAY SABBATHARIANS

By TOMAS C. CATANGAY

"Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy. You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me. On that day no one is to work - neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your country. In six days I, the Lord, made the earth, the sky, the seas, and everything in them, but on the seventh day I rested. That is why I, the Lord, blessed the Sabbath and made it holy." (Exo. 20:8-11, Today's English Version)

This commandments concerning the observance of the Sabbath is undoubtedly a law of God. It was the Lord God who sanctified the Sabbath. However, the ancient Israelites were exclusively mandated by God to observe the Sabbath:

" Moses called together all the people of Israel and said to them, “People of Israel, listen to all the laws that I am giving you today. Learn them and be sure that you obey them." (Dt. 5:1, Ibid)

Take note that it was only to ancient Israel, having been rescued by God from slavery in Egypt, that the commandment to keep the Sabbath was given. The Israelites were to observe the Sabbath to remember God's power and mercy in bringing them out from the bondage in Egypt:

"Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and that I, the Lord your God, rescued you by my great power and strength. That is why I command you to observe the Sabbath." (Dt. 5:15, Ibid.)

At present, however, there are several religious groups that insist on keeping the Sabbath. The most well-known of these is the Seventh-day Adventist Church which claims that there are verses in the Holy Scriptures that support its observance of the Sabbath. In this article, we will closely analyze some of these verses.

CHRIST ENTERED THE SYNAGOGUE ON THE SABBATH DAY

"Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the Scriptures" (Lk. 4:16, Ibid.)

This is one of the verses cited by the Seventh-day Adventists to support their allegation that Jesus Christ observed the Sabbath. This particular verse, however, does not say that the Lord Jesus Christ observe the Sabbath day. What then His purpose in entering the synagogue on that particular Sabbath day?

"... He stood up to read the Scriptures  and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written,
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed
and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save his people.

"Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. All the people in the synagogue had their eyes fixed on him, 21 as he said to them, “This passage of scripture has come true today, as you heard it being read." (Lk. 4:16-21, Ibid.)

The Lord Jesus Christ entered the synagogue on that particular Sabbath day to prove His commission as God's messenger, as recorded in the prophecy of Isaiah. He proclaimed and preached to the Jews His authority and power being the Messiah. He entered the synagogue, therefore, not to observe the Sabbath but to prove His commission.

NOT TO DO AWAY WITH THE LAW

The official position of the present-day Sabbatharians, the Seventh-day Adventists, is that the Sabbath remains enforced to this day because Jesus Christl allegedly did not come to do away with the law of the Sabbath but to make such teaching come true or, in other words, to fulfill it as Christ allegedly meant in His words recorded in Matthew 5:17:

"Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets. I have not come to do away with them, but to make their teachings come true." (Ibid.)

The Seventh-day Adventists erroneously understood what Christ emphasized. Christ's statement in Matthew 5:17 does not mention the Sabbath. His words are clear and explicit: Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets... but to make their teachings come true." This particular statement of Christ does not concern the law of Sabbath. The Gospel according to Luke sheds light on the subject of Christ's words, thus:

"Then he said to them, “These are the very things I told you about while I was still with you: everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the writings of the prophets, and the Psalms had to come true.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “This is what is written: the Messiah must suffer and must rise from death three days later." (Lk. 24:44-46, Ibid.)

Absolutely nothing was mentioned concerning the observance of the Sabbath.

'THE SON OF MAN IS THE LORD OF THE SABBATH'

The Seventh-day Adventists also misunderstood Christ's statement that "... The Son of Man - Jesus Christ (cf.Mt. 16:13-16) - is Lord of the Sabbath" (cf. Lk. 6:5, TEV) with their assertion that since Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath, people are obliged to observe the Sabbath.

Why therefore, did Christ say that He is the Lord of Sabbath?

"Not long afterward Jesus was walking through some wheat fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began to pick heads of wheat and eat the grain. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Jesus, “Look, it is against our Law for your disciples to do this on the Sabbath!

"Jesus answered, “Have you never read what David did that time when he and his men were hungry? He went into the house of God, and he and his men ate the bread offered to God, even though it was against the Law for them to eat it—only the priests were allowed to eat that bread. Or have you not read in the Law of Moses that every Sabbath the priests in the Temple actually break the Sabbath law, yet they are not guilty? I tell you that there is something here greater than the Temple. The scripture says, ‘It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices.’ If you really knew what this means, you would not condemn people who are not guilty; for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." (Mt. 12:1-8, Ibid.)

The above-cited verses narrate the event when Christ disciples plucked and ate some ears of grain which, if based on the law given by God to the ancient Israelites concerning the observance of the Sabbath, was unlawful to do on the Sabbath day. Yet, Christ justified the action of His disciples by informing the Pharisees of what David and His men had done during the time of Abiathar, the high priest. Then Christ emphatically declared:

"... 'The Sabbath was made for the good of human beings; they were not made for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." (Mk. 2:27-28, Ibid.)

Christ justified what the disciples did and yet, in so doing, He did not sin (cf. I Pt. 2:21-22), thus proving that the people in the Christian dispensation are not bound to keep the Sabbath.

Hence, the vaunted claim of the Seventh-day Adventists regarding the alleged continuing validity of the observance of the Sabbath remains a claim based on the erroneous understanding of the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.

To insist in observing the Sabbath which is no longer commanded in the Christian era is a violation of the teachings of God.

PASUGO GOD'S MESSAGE | OCTOBER 1998 | PAGES 22-23

Sabado, Hulyo 30, 2016

DID CHRIST HAVE PRE-EXISTENCE?



DID CHRIST HAVE PRE-EXISTENCE?
By RUBEN D. AROMIN


DESPITE CLEAR PRONOUNCEMENTS of the Bible that Jesus Christ is a man (John 8:40; I Tim.2:5; Acts 2:22), and as such he could not be the true God (Hos. 11:9; Ezek. 28:2), proponents of Christ’s alleged deity still adamantly cling to their belief that Christ is God.  For them, biblical passages stating that Christ is a man serve only to describe His nature or state of being while He was still on earth and not to disprove His deity.  They hold that Christ is God who became man, notwithstanding the Bible’s teachings to the contrary.  In teaching Christ to be the true God, they also teach that He had existed since the beginning prior to His becoming a human being.  Alleging that Christ had pre-existed, they maintain that He could not have been created but that, together with the Father, He is co-Creator of all things.

     To back up their allegation concerning Christ, they cite verses of the Bible, one of which is John 8:58 in which Christ says:

     “… Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (New King James Version)

     Using this pronouncement of Christ, adherents to the Christ-is-God doctrine conclude that He had already existed before Abraham was born.  To further prove their allegation, they cite verse 56 of this same chapter of the Gospel according to John in which Christ said to the Jews, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (Ibid.).

     They interpret these pronouncements of our Lord Jesus to mean that He had existed long before His mother Mary even gave birth to Him.  Another passage they love to cite their contention that Christ, prior to His becoming man, had pre-existed as God is Proverbs 8:22-23:

The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.  I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.” (Ibid.)

     Based on the passage, among others, they contend that even before the creation of the world, Christ already existed and was the Father’s co-Creator of everything.  We do not in any way question what are written in the aforecited verses.  What we strongly disagree with is the wrong understanding of these verses, which has led to the unwarranted conclusion that Christ had pre-existence and that He is God.

ABRAHAM EXISTED
BEFORE CHRIST

Christ  did not exist before Abraham existed; rather, IT WAS ABRAHAM WHO EXISTED BEFORE CHRIST DID as testified to by the Bible, thus:

Now to Abraham and HIS SEED were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.” (Gal. 3:16, Ibid.)

     Christ is the seed of Abraham, which is why it is WRONG to assert that He existed before Abraham did.  It is also worthy to note that NOWHERE in the aforecited pronouncement of Christ, which they use as proof of His alleged pre-existence and deity, did He say, “before Abraham was born, I am God.” Why then did our Lord Jesus Christ say, “BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS, I AM”?  Does this mean that He had pre-existence or that He had already existed even before Abraham was born?  Apostle Peter enlightens us on this regard, thus:

“FOREKNOWN indeed before the foundation of the world, he has been manifested in the last times for your sakes.” ( I Pet. 1:20, Douay-Rheims Version)

     Even before the creation of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ was already FOREKNOWN by God.  Hence, what was in the beginning with God was not Christ but GOD’S FOREKNOWLEDGE OF HIM.  Apostle Peter proves this further through his testimony:

     “Him [Christ], being delivered by the DETERMINED PURPOSE and FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD …” (Acts 2:23, NKJV)

     In other words, even before God created the world, HE HAD ALREADY PLANNED that would be a Messiah or Christ.  But there was no Christ yet in existence in the beginning, contrary to what the proponents of the Christ-is-God doctrine would like us to believe, for He came to exist only when he was born of His mother.  Apostle Paul testified:

     “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.”  (Gal. 4:4, Ibid.)

WHAT ABRAHAM SAW

Believer of Christ’s pre-existence as God may argue that if Christ did not exist during Abraham’s time and even prior to that, He would not have said to the Jews, “YOUR FATHER ABRAHAM REJOICED TO SEE MY DAY.”  Did Christ say this to mean that He was already existing during the time of Abraham?  What was Christ referring to in John 8:56 as “My day” that Abraham “rejoiced to see”?  Apostle Peter again clarifies this to us in his epistle:

     But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the DAY OF JUDGMENT and perdition of ungodly men.  But the DAY OF THE LORD will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (II Pet. 3:7, 10, Ibid.)

     It is clear that the day of Judgment is also called the day of the Lord because on that day, our Lord Jesus Christ will return.  This is the day of Christ that Abraham “saw”.  The reason it is said that Abraham saw this day of Christ is explained by the inspired writer to the Hebrews, thus:

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.  By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;  for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.   ...These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but HAVING SEEN THEM AFAR OFF were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.  And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”  (Heb. 11:8-10, 13-16, Ibid.)

     Through faith, Abraham, together with Isaac and Jacob, “SAW FROM AFAR” THE Promised Land or the Holy City, though they died without receiving this.  The term “afar” does not only apply to distance in space but also to distance in time.  Abraham, who is believed to have lived 1,800 years before the birth of Christ, has yet to see the promised Holy City.  God’s promise of a far better land to him and his descendants did not come to pass in his lifetime, yet he died with strong faith and hope in God’s promise that the day would come when they shall inherit the Holy City.  That day will be on Judgment Day—the DAY OF THE LORD—which was what Abraham SAW, TO WHICH HE LOOKED FORWARD and for which he GREATLY REJOICED.

THAT WHICH THE LORD POSSESSED

Although it is not stated in Proverbs 8:22-23 that Christ was referred to as being possessed by the Lord God before the world was created, adherents to the Christ-is-God doctrine use these verses to prove his alleged pre-existence.  NOWHERE in the entire cited chapter of Proverbs is there any mention of His name, nor is He unequivocally identified as the one possessed by the Lord God in the beginning.  What is categorically stated in the preceding verses of that same chapter of Proverbs as the one possessed by God in the beginning is WISDOM:

     Does not WISDOM cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?  For WISDOM is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. 

“I, WISDOM, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.(Prov. 8:1, 11-12, NKJV)

     It was wisdom that God possessed in the beginning and not a pre-existent Christ as alleged by believers of His deity.  Wisdom must have been already existing before the creation of all things because it was wisdom that the Lord god used in creating them.  The Book of Proverbs further enlighten us on this regard:

     The Lord BY WISDOM founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens; By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And clouds drop down the dew.” (Prov. 3:19-20, Ibid.)

     However, those who believe in Christ’s pre-existence argue that He is referred to in the Bible as the wisdom of God, citing I Corinthians 1:24 as basis.  Thus, according to them, Christ is the wisdom that was already existing and which the Lord possessed in the beginning as mentioned in the verses in question.  THERE IS NO DENYING THE TRUTH THAT THE BIBLE REFERS TO CHRIST AS BEING THE WISDOM OF GOD, BUT TO CONCLUDE FROM THIS FACT THAT CHRIST IS THE WISDOM MENTIONED IN PROVERBS THAT GOD POSSESSED IN THE BEGINNING IS GROSSLY ERRONEOUS.  Why?  IN WHAT SENSE is the Lord Jesus Christ the WISDOM OF GOD?  Let us cite I Corinthians 1:24 and Apostle Paul’s clarification in verse 30 of the same chapter of his letter:

     But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the WISDOM OF GOD. ... But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us WISDOM OF GOD—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” (Ibid.)

     Apostle Paul clearly states that Christ is the power and wisdom of God for us to be sanctified and be redeemed from sin, or in other words, CHRIST IS THE WISDOM OF GOD UNTO SALVATION.  Hence, He is not the wisdom referred to in the Book of Proverbs, which our Lord God used in creating all things.

INCONSISTENT WITH
BIBLICAL TEACHING

With their allegation that Christ had pre-existence comes their allegation that He was not created but was co-Creator with the Father.  But is this biblical?  How did Christ come into existence as described by the Bible?  In the Gospel according to Matthew, this is narrated:

But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been CONCEIVED in her is of the Holy Spirit.” (Matt. 1:20, New American Standard Bible)

     Christ was conceived in His mother’s womb.  The true God could not have been conceived by any human mother for He is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Ps. 90:2) and therefore He was not created.  And granting, without conceding but just for the sake of argument, that Christ is also true God pre-existing with the Father it would appear then that there are two true Gods—one true God who is the Creator and another true God who was created.  That would be, to say the least, not only unbiblical, but utterly absurd as well.

     As it is, our Lord Jesus Christ is a created being.  To prove further that He was created and is not the Creator or is not co-Creator of the Father, Apostle Paul wrote:

     He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation.” (Col. 1:15,  Revised Standard Version)

     The phrase “firstborn of all creation” does not mean that Christ was the first to be created or the first to be brought into being.  As explained earlier in this article, before God created the world, Christ was foreknown or was already in God’s mind because He had planned to create the Messiah or Christ.  This, God did, even before He made the world in order that all the things he created would be for Christ and be mediated by Him.  Apostle Paul explains:

     For in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Col. 1:16-17, Ibid.)

     God had planned even before He made the world that there would be a Christ because He intended that all things He would create would be for Christ to be mediated by him.  But even then, truth remains that Christ is one among God’s creation and did not pre-exist as the Father’s co-Creator.  The Lord god said it all when He declared:

     “I am the LORD, your savior; I am the one who created you.  I am the LORD the creator of all things.  I ALONE stretched out the heavens; when I made the earth, NO ONE HELPED ME.”  (Isa. 44:24, Today’s English Version)

     Christ could not have existed in the beginning of creation as God’s co-Creator because God Himself declared that HE ALONE stretched out the heavens and that when He made the earth, NO ONE HELPED HIM.  Therefore, the belief that Christ pre-existed as God and co-Creator of the Father is CONTRARY to the teaching of the Bible.  To those who adhere to such an erroneous doctrine, the following statement of our Lord Jesus Christ applies:

     “… YOU ARE MISTAKEN, NOT UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES, OR THE POWER OF GOD.”  (Matt. 22:29, NASB) *

Copied from:  PASUGO GOD’S MESSAGE | NOVEMBER 2005 | VOLUME 57 | NUMBER 11 | PAGES 10-13

Emphasis:  Admin.


NALILITO NA RIN BA KAYO?

NALILITO NA RIN BA KAYO?


Ni LEOPOLDO L. GUEVARRA




KAYO BA AY nalilito ring tulad ng iba sa pagtiyak kung alin ang tunay na relihiyon? Hindi kakaunti ang nakararanas ng ganito sa kasalukuyan. Ito'y dahil sa dami ng relihiyong nag-aangkin na sila ang tunay na sa Diyos at maliligtas. Isipin na lamang na sa panig pa lamang ng mg nagpapakilalang Protestante ay umaabot na sa 20,800 ang mga denominasyon; bukod pa rito ay mayroon pang mahigit na 15,000 ahensiyang pang-iglesia (Moody Monthly, September 1984). Maidaragdag pa rito ang Iglesia Katolika at ang iba't iba pang pangkating pangrelihiyon.

Ang pagbangon ng iba't ibang pangkatin ng pananampalataya ay nagbunga ng iba't ibang maling paniniwala. Inakala ng iba na alinmang relihiyong kumikilala sa Panginoong Jesucristo ay tunay at malayang maaaniban upang makapagtamo ng kaligtasan. Ang iba naman ay naniniwalang walang relihiyon o iglesia na kailangang aniban dahil daw pare-pareho namang hindi tunay, bagkus ay negosyo lamang ang mga ito. Kapuwa mali ang dalawang paniniwalang ito. Tunghayan natin ang pahayag ng Panginoong Jesucristo:

"At sinasabi ko naman sa iyo, na ikaw ay Pedro, at sa ibabaw ng batong ito ay itatayo ko ang AKING IGLESIA; at ang mga pintuan ng Hades ay hindi magsisipanaig laban sa kaniya." (Mat. 16:18)

May Iglesia na ang nagtayo ay ang Panginoong Jesucristo. Samakatuwid, MAY TUNAY NA IGLESIA. Maling akalaing kahit aling iglesia ay tunay dahil sinabi ng Panginoong Jesus na, "itatayo ko ang aking iglesia." Hindi Niya sinabing, "mga iglesia." Dahil dito, natitiyak nating iisa lamang ang tunay na Iglesia. Pinatutunayan din ng mga apostol na iisa lamang ang tunay na Iglesia. Ganito ang pahayag ni Apostol Pablo:

"MAY ISANG KATAWAN LAMANG at isang espiritu - kung paano kayo tinawag sa isang pag-asa nang kayo'y tawagin." (Efe. 4:4, New Pilipino Version)

Ayon kay Apostol Pablo ay "may isang katawan lamang." Ang katawang iisa ay ang Iglesia. Batay ito sa kaniyang sulat sa mga taga-Colosas:

"At siya ang ulo ng katawan, sa makatuwid baga'y NG IGLESIA." (Col. 1:18)

At, sapagkat IISANG IGLESIA LAMANG ang itinatag ng Panginoong Jesucristo, at ITO LAMANG ANG TUNAY, dapat lamang na maging maingat ang sinuman sa pagpili ng relihiyong aaniban. Kapag ang isang tao ay nagkamali, mawawalan ng kabuluhan ang lahat ng gagawin niyang paglilingkod at mapapahamak pa siya pagdating ng Araw ng Paghuhukom.

Marahil ay iniisip ng iba na mahirap nang hanapin sa kasalukuyan ang tunay sa libu-libong nag-aangkin. Ang totoo, kahit napakarami na ng mga relihiyon sa kasalukuyan at kahit lalo pang dumami ang mga ito ay HINDI MAGIGING MAHIRAP HANAPIN ANG TUNAY kung gagamitin ang PARAANG ITINUTURO NG BIBLIA sa pagtiyak kung alin ang TUNAY NA RELIHIYON.


SA KAUTUSAN
AT PATOTOO
Ang dalawa sa maraming pagkakakilanlan sa tunay na relihiyon ay ang mababasa sa Isaias 8:20:

"Sa KAUTUSAN at sa PATOTOO! kung hindi sila magsalita ng ayon sa salitang ito, tunay na walang umaga sa kanila."

Ang dalawa sa mga ikakikilala sa tunay na relihiyong sa Diyos ay ang KAUTUSAN at ang PATOTOO. Pansinin ang banggit na, "KUNG HINDI SILA MAGSALITA NG AYON SA SALITANG ITO, TUNAY NA WALANG UMAGA SA KANILA." Ang umaga ay sagisag ng liwanag, kaya kapag walang umaga ay walang liwanag kundi kadiliman. Hindi sa Diyos ang walang umaga o nasa kadiliman. Alamin natin ang paliwanag ng Biblia kung alin ang binabanggit na KAUTUSAN at PATOTOO. Ang kautusan ay siya ring turo o aral ng Diyos tulad ng ating matutunghayan sa talata ring ito sa saling Magandang Balita Biblia:

"Ganito ang inyong isasagot, 'Nasa inyo ang ARAL NG DIYOS at ang patotoo! Huwag kayong makikinig sa mga sumasangguni sa espiritu, ipapahamak lamang kayo ng mga iyan'." (Isa. 8:20)

Ang katumbas ng kautusan ay aral ng Diyos. Kung gayon, ang isa sa pangunahing pagkakakilanlan sa Iglesiang tunay ay ang aral o turo na itinataguyod nito. Kapag ang aral na itinuturo ng isang relihiyon ay iba o kaya'y salungat sa aral ng Diyos na nakasulat sa Banal na Kasulatan, tiyak na hindi ito tunay. Ito rin ang panukat na ibinigay ng Panginoong Jesucristo upang makilala kung ang nagtuturo ay sa Diyos o hindi:

"Pakabanalin mo sila sa katotohanan: ang salita mo'y katotohanan." (Juan 17:17)

Kaya, ang isa sa pangunahing dapat suriin sa isang relihiyon o iglesia ay ang aral o doktrina na itinataguyod nito. Upang maging magaan ay kumuha tayo ng isang pangunahing aral ng Diyos na nakasulat sa Biblia at dito natin sukatin o suriin ang mga iglesia sa kasalukuyan. Tulad ng nasabi na, isa lamang ito sa pagkakakilanlan sa tunay na relihiyon. Subalit hindi nangangahulugang kapag ang aral na ating kinuha bilang panukat ay itinuturo ng isang relihiyon ay nangangahulugang tunay na ito. Sa kabilang dako, kapag ang wastong aral na ito ay hindi itinuturo ng alinmang relihiyon, ang relihiyong yaon ay tiyak na hindi tunay.


ANG TUNAY NA DIYOS
Alin ang isa sa mga pangunahing aral ng Diyos na nakasulat sa Biblia at siyang aral na itinuturo ng relihiyong tunay na sa Diyos?

"Tungkulin ng mga saserdote na ITURO ANG TUNAY NA KAALAMAN TUNGKOL SA DIYOS. Sa kanila dapat sumangguni ang mga tao tungkol sa aking kalooban, sapagkat sila ang mga sugo ng Makapangyarihang si Yahweh.

"Hindi ba IISA ANG ATING AMA at ito'y ang IISANG DIYOS na lumalang sa atin?" (Mal. 2:7, MB)

Ang isa sa mga pangunahing aral ng Diyos ay ang tunay na kaalaman tungkol mismo sa Kaniya. Ang tunay na relihiyon, kung gayon, ay hindi basta lamang nagtuturo na may Diyos, kundi ang itinuturo nito ay ang tunay na kaalaman tungkol sa Kaniya. Ang tunay na kaalaman tungkol sa Diyos, gaya ng ating nabasa, ay iisa lamang ang Diyos, ang Ama. Kaya, ang sinuman na tagapangaral at alinmang relihiyon na iba rito ang itinuturong kaalaman tungkol sa Diyos, ay tiyak na hindi tunay. Maging sa Bagong tipan ay ganito ang katotohanang itinuro ng Panginoong Jesucristo:

"Ang mga bagay na ito ay sinalita ni Jesus; at sa PAGTINGALA ng kaniyang mga mata sa langit, ay sinabi niya, AMA, dumating na ang oras; luwalhatiin mo ang iyong Anak, upang ikaw ay luwalhatiin ng Anak:

"At ito ang buhay na walang hanggan, na IKAW ay makilala nila na IISANG DIOS NA TUNAY, at siyang iyong sinugo, sa makatuwid baga'y si Jesucristo." (Juan 17:1, 3)

Malinaw na ipinahayag rito ng Panginoong Jesucristo na iisa lamang ang tunay na Diyos na dapat kilalanin, ang Ama. Kaya, ang tunay na Diyos na ipinakilala sa Lumang Tipan ay siya ring Diyos na ipinakilala sa Bagong Tipan. Ganito ang itinuro ng mga apostol:

"Nguni't SA GANANG ATIN ay MAY ISANG DIOS LAMANG, ANG AMA, na buhat sa kaniya ang lahat ng mga bagay, at tayo'y sa kaniya; at isa lamang Panginoon, si Jesucristo, na sa pamamagitan niya ang lahat ng mga bagay, at tayo'y sa pamamagitan niya." (I Cor. 8:6)

Ayon kay Apostol Pablo ay may isang Diyos lamang, ang Ama, gaya rin ng itinuro ng mga propeta at ng Panginoong Jesus. Ang alinmang iglesia o relihiyon at sinumang tagapangaral na ang itinuturong Diyos ay higit sa isa ay natitiyak natin na hindi tunay. At kahit sinasabi pa na iisa ang kinikilalang Diyos subalit liban sa Ama ay mayroon pa raw Diyos Anak at Diyos Espiritu Santo ay tiyak na hindi rin tunay. Mangyari pa, hindi rin tunay ang relihiyon na ang paniniwala ay bukod sa Almighty God o Diyos na makapangyarihan sa lahat ay mayroon pa raw Mighty God o Diyos na makapangyarihan. At lalo namang tiyak na hindi tunay ang isang relihiyon o iglesia na ang itinuturo ay hindi raw iisa ang tunay na Diyos kundi marami. Sinasabi pa ng mga tagapagtaguyod nitong huli na wala raw problema kahit pa maging isang barangay ang tunay na Diyos. Paanong magiging sa Diyos ang relihiyong nagtataguyod ng aral na salungat sa turo ng mga apostol, sa turo ng mga propeta, sa turo ng Panginoong Jesucristo, at, higit sa lahat, ay naiiba sa turo mismo ng tunay na Diyos?


IISANG DIYOS LAMANG
Ang Ibang nangangaral, sa hangaring pangatwiranan ang kanilang itinuturo na marami ang tunay na Diyos, ay ginagamit ang binabanggit ni Apostol Pablo sa I Cor. 8:5 na:

"Sapagka't bagama't mayroong mga tinatawag na mga dios, maging sa langit o maging sa lupa; gaya nang may maraming mga dios at maraming mga panginoon;"

Pagkatapos basahin ang talatang ito ay sinasabi nila na hindi raw ba malinaw na sinasabi sa talatang ito na maraming diyos? Kaya, hindi raw mali na sabihing marami ang tunay na Diyos. Nakaligtaan yata ng mga ito - o baka sadyang kinalimutan - ang kasunod na talata, ang I Cor. 8:6, na nagsasabing, NGUNI'T SA GANANG ATIN AY MAY ISANG DIOS LAMANG, ANG AMA." Samakatuwid, bagaman maraming tinatawag na mga diyos, gayunman ay iisa lamang ang tunay na Diyos na dapat kilalanin ng mga Cristiano. Wala isa mang talata sa Biblia na tama ang pagkakasalin na nagtuturo na marami ang tunay na Diyos o kaya ay talata na nagsasabi na hindi iisa ang tunay na Diyos.

Ito ang nais naming ipabatid sa lahat: na ang pagtataguyod ng wastong aral ay isa sa maraming bagay na ikinatatangi ng IGLESIA NI CRISTO sa maraming relihiyon sa kasalukuyan. Ang kinikilalang tunay na Diyos dito ay iisa lamang, ang Ama at wala nang iba pa. Napakahalaga na taglayin ang wastong pagkakilala sa Diyos sapagkat, kung ating babalikan ang itinuturo ni Jesus sa Juan 17:3, malinaw na sinasabi Niyang, "AT ITO ANG BUHAY NA WALANG HANGGAN, NA IKAW AY MAKILALA NILA NA IISANG DIOS NA TUNAY." Samakatuwid, ang buhay na walang hanggan ay tatamuhin ng mga taong may wastong pananalig tungkol sa Diyos. Ang sinumang nasa alinmang relihiyong nagtataguyod ng hindi tunay na kaalaman tungkol sa Diyos ay mabibigong magtamo ng buhay na walang hanggan.

SA PATOTOO
Hindi sapat na ang isang relihiyon ay nakapagturo ng tunay na kaalaman tungkol sa Diyos upang ito ay matiyak nating tunay. Dapat ding magtaglay ng patotoo na isa pa sa mga katangiang ikakikilala sa nasa liwanag o tunay na relihiyon. Ipinakikilala ng Biblia kung alin ang patotoo:

"At ako'y nagpatirapa sa kaniyang paanan upang siya'y aking sambahin. At sinasabi niya sa akin, Ingatan mong huwag gawin iyan: ako'y kapuwa mo alipin at ng iyong mga kapatid na mayroong patotoo ni Jesus: sumamba ka sa Dios: sapagka't ANG PATOTOO NI JESUS AY SIYANG ESPIRITU NG HULA." (Apoc. 19:10)

Ang patotoo ay ANG ESPIRITU NG HULA. Kaya, ang tunay na relihiyon ay hindi lamang pasado sa pagtuturo ng tunay na kaalaman tungkol sa Diyos, kundi may patotoo o hula ng Panginoong Diyos na mababasa sa Biblia. Tungkol dito, maraming patotoo o hula ang Diyos tungkol sa paglitaw ng Iglesia Ni Cristo sa Pilipinas. Isa rito ay mababasa sa Isaias 43:5-6:

"Huwag kang matakot, sapagka't ako'y sumasaiyo: aking dadalhin ang iyong lahi mula sa silanganan, at pipisanin kita mula sa kalunuran;

"Aking sasabihin sa hilagaan, Bayaan mo, at sa timugan, Huwag mong pigilin; dalhin mo rito ang aking mga anak na lalake na mula sa malayo, at ang aking mga anak na babae na mula sa wakas ng lupa."


Sa mga talatang ito ay hinulaan ang pagdadala ng Panginoong Diyos sa lahi na magmumula sa Silanganan. Ang lahi na magmumula sa Silanganan ay siya ring kinikilala ng Panginoong Diyos na mga anak Niyang lalake at babae na magmumula sa malayo. Kung tutunghayan ang Isaias 43:5 sa salin ni James Moffatt ay ganito ang mababasa:

"From the FAR EAST will I bring your offspring, and from the far west I will gather you." [Mula sa MALAYONG SILANGAN dadalhin ko ang iyong lahi, at mula sa malayong kanluran ay titipunin kita.]

Kaya, tiyak ang dako na pagmumulan ng hinuhulaan ng Diyos na mga anak Niyang lalake at babae - Malayong Silangan. Ang PILIPINAS, na rito nagsimula ang Iglesia Ni Cristo sa mga huling araw ay bansa na nasa Malayong Silangan tulad ng mababasa natin sa maraming aklat ng kasaysayan. Madaling makilala ang hinuhulaan na mga anak ng Diyos na lalake at babae sapagkat ayon sa hula, sila ay Kaniyang dadalhin. Itinuturo rin ng Biblia kung kanino dinadala ng Diyos ang kinikilala Niyang mga anak:

"Walang taong makalalapit sa akin, maliban nang ang Amang nagsugo sa akin ang sa kaniya'y magdala sa akin; at siya'y aking ibabangon sa huling araw." (Juan 6:44)

Maliwanag sa pahayag na ito ng Panginoong Jesucristo na sa Kaniya dinadala ng Diyos ang tao. Kailangan pang dalhin ng Diyos ang tao sa Panginoong Jesus sapagkat walang taong makalalapit sa Kaniya malibang dalhin sa Kaniya ng Ama. Kaya hindi matuwid ang sinasabi ng iba na hindi na raw nila kailangan ang Iglesia dahil kinilala na raw nila si Jesus bilang pansariling Tagapagligtas. Kailangan muna nilang patunayang sila'y kabilang na sa mga dinala ng Ama sa Panginoong Jesucristo. Ano naman ang gagawin ng Panginoong Jesus sa mga dinala sa Kaniya ng Ama? Mauunawaan natin ito sa pahayag Niya sa Juan 10:16:

"At mayroon akong ibang mga tupa, na hindi sa kulungang ito: sila'y kailangan din namang dalhin ko, at kanilang diringgin ang aking tinig; at sila'y magiging isang kawan, at magkakaroon ng isang pastor."

Ang kinikilala ni Jesus na ibang mga tupa na sila rin ang mga DINALA sa Kaniya ng Ama ay MAGIGING ISANG KAWAN. Ang tinutukoy Niyang kawan ay ipinakilala naman ni Apostol Pablo:

"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)

Ang kawan ng Panginoong Jesucristo ay ang Kaniyang Iglesia o ang Iglesia Ni Cristo. Ang Iglesiang ito ay may patotoo ng Diyos.

Ang mga tinalakay rito ay ilan lang sa maraming patotoo ng Diyos at ni Jesus tungkol sa Iglesiang ito. KUNG PATULOY LAMANG MAGSUSURI ANG SINUMAN AY TIYAK NA MAUUNAWAAN NIYA ANG MARAMING IBA PANG HULA UKOL SA IGLESIANG ITO NA NAKASULAT SA BANAL NA KASULATAN. Bilang pagwawakas, gaano kahalaga na ang tao ay mapabilang sa mga kinikilala ng Diyos na mga anak Niya? Ito ang itinuro ni Apostol Pablo sa Roma 8:17:

"At kung mga anak, ay mga tagapagmana nga; mga tagapagmana sa Dios, at mga kasamang tagapagmana ni Cristo; kung gayon nga makipagtiis tayo sa kaniya, upang tayo'y lumuwalhati namang kasama niya."

Nais din ba ninyo na MAGING TAGAPAGMANA sa Diyos?®

Kinopya mula sa:
PASUGO GOD'S MESSAGE
February 2002
Pages 13-15, 18

MALUGOD PO NAMIN KAYONG INAANYAYAHAN SA AMING MGA PAGSAMBA.
KUNG MAY KATANUNGAN PO KAYO, MAAARI PO KAYONG MAGTUNGO SA PINAKAMALAPIT NA KAPILYA O BAHAY SAMBAHAN SA INYONG LUGAR.