06C.1
Is there a vain or worthless worship to God?
The Lord Jesus quoted God's words written in Isaiah, declaring:
"And in vain they worship Me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." (Mt. 15:9, NKJV)
The worship and service rendered to God based on the doctrines and
commandments of man are vain or worthless.
06C.2
Are all worship services
which are accompanied by humility and sacrifices acceptable to our Lord
God?
In
Colossians 2:22-23, Apostle Paul
gave this warning against human
commands and teachings which have an
appearance of wisdom:
All these regulations
refer to things that perish with
use; they are simply human
commands and teachings.
These have indeed an appearance
of wisdom in promoting
self-imposed piety, humility,
and severe treatment of the
body, but they are of no value
in checking self-indulgence.
{Or [are of no value, serving
only to indulge the flesh]}
( New Revised Standard Version)
Even if
said worship is accompanied by humility and sacrifices—such
as severe treatment of the body, such
worship will neither be worthy before God or acceptable to Him if it is
not based on His commandments.
06C.3 Can deep devotion and
sincerity in performing their religious duties justify the acceptance of
their worship services?
What does Apostle Paul say to
these people?
"I can assure you that they are deeply
devoted to God; but their devotion is not based on true knowledge.
They have not known the way in which God puts people right with
himself, and instead, they have tried to set up their own way; and so
they did not submit themselves to God's way of putting people
right." (Rom. 10:2-3, TEV)
Although man should serve God with devotion, he cannot justify his
services if it is based on man-made teachings. Their devotion is not
based on true knowledge - they do
not know the way which God puts
people right with Himself.
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Man services to God becomes worthless when it is
based on man's rules and commandments. Man must submit to God's
way, and God's way is for us to keep His commandments.
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