Is One As Good As Another?
If you are sick and need a doctor, is one doctor as good as
another? If you need medicine, is one as
good as another? If you are reading a
book, is one book as good as another? If
you are looking for a wife, is one woman as good as another? If you are buying a car, is one car as good
as another? If you are serving God, is one
god as good as another? If you are a
member of a church, is one church as good as another?
Is one God as good as another? There is a God in
Heaven. The first words of the Bible say, "In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) Is one God as good as another? The
God of the Bible created all things. "For every house is built by someone,
but He who built all things is God." (Hebrews 3:4) The heavens declare His
glory. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His
handiwork." (Psalm 19:1) Solomon
said, "LORD God of
Is one book as good as another? The Bible was
written by men that were inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. "Knowing this
first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man,
but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter
1:20-21) The apostles were guided into
all truth. (John 16:13) The message that Paul and the other apostles spoke and
wrote came by revelations of God. (Galatians 1:11-12) Jesus promised,
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words
will by no means pass away." (Matthew 24:35) Since this promise is
certain, is one book as good as another? The Bible is the inspired word of God, therefore there is no book like the Bible!
Is one sacrifice as good as another? Animals were
sacrificed in Old Testament times to the God of Heaven. Daily sacrifices are
made to gods around the world. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice. His substitutionary
death for our sins is the greatest fact of all times. "Moreover, brethren,
I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received
and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word
which I preached to you -- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that
which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day
according to the Scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) Jesus Christ suffered
sin's penalty in man's place. There is no sacrifice to compare with the sacrifice
of Jesus for our sins!
Is one church as good as another?
Jesus promised to build His church. "When Jesus came into the coasts of
Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom
do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some
say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus
answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:
for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it. (Matthew
Is one faith as good as another? God's plan included
only one faith or one system of faith. The Bible says that there is "One
Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5) This one faith is produced
by all speaking the same things. "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing,
and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined
together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Corinthians 1:10)
One faith is not as good as another. Jude said that Christian must,
"contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the
saints." (Jude 3) Even in a
tradition bound world it is possible to be a Christian only. There is no faith
like the "one faith" revealed in the Bible.
Is one worship as good as another?
Worship that is acceptable to God must be in spirit and in truth. "But the
hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in
spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit,
and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John
4:23-24) The early church worshipped on the first day of the week. (Acts 20:7)
Their worship was simple: (1) They sang songs of praise to God, (Ephesians
5:19), (2) Simple, sincere prayers were offered to the heavenly Father (1
Thessalonians 5:17-18), (3) Communion was observed in memory of Christ's death
(Acts 20:7), (4) Christians gave a part of their material possessions back to
God (1 Corinthians 16:1-2), and (5) The word of God was preached. (Acts
Is one name as good as another? There is no other
name like the precious name of Jesus. "Nor is there salvation in any
other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must
be saved." (Acts
Is one plan of salvation as good as another? Can we
pray the sinner's prayer or "pray through" for salvation? Can we
just "accept Jesus into our heart" and be saved? Or must we believe
in Jesus as Lord and Christ (John
Is one as good as another? Is there any god like the God of the
Bible? Is one baptism just as good as another? Is one way of worship as good as
another? Is one church or one doctrine just as good as another? Our only hope
is salvation in Christ. Are you in Christ?