True Worship​—Man-Made or Revealed by God?

ALMOST everything man knows, he has had to discover for himself.

The most basic of shreds of knowledge​—how to grow food and cook it, how to build a roof over his head—​have come only by painful trial and error. But the last century has seen man rapidly expand his horizons beyond mere domestic needs. Now he splits the atom, flies faster than the speed of sound​—even routinely sends men into outer space. Does this mean, however, that man is equally capable of figuring out for himself how best to serve God?

Not according to the writer of Psalm 143:10, who said: “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your spirit is good; may it lead me in the land of uprightness.” The psalmist thus recognized that man, for all his know-how and ingenuity, needs divine assistance in order to learn God’s will. (Compare Jeremiah 10:23.) This would mean, however, that God must somehow reveal himself to man.

Has such a thing occurred? For millions, the Bible is evidence that such a divine revelation has already taken place. Others, however, disagree. They are so bedazzled by man’s ingenuity that they see no need for such a revelation. These ones may claim that religious knowledge is “inborn in every person” or that such knowledge “can be acquired by the use of reason” rather than “through either revelation or the teaching of any church.”

However, if this is true, it would, in effect, be up to man to invent his religion, to develop his own doctrines and moral standards. Does this seem reasonable to you? What purpose would a man-made religion serve? Would it really be able to satisfy man’s spiritual needs? (Matthew 5:3) Could it really answer the questions that truth-seeking individuals ask about God?

Let us explore these questions by taking a brief look at a religion that has tried to find God through human reasoning and philosophies​—the Hindu faith.

Man-Made Religion​—Can It Truly Satisfy?

ABOUT 450,000,000 people embrace the Hindu religion. Says Hindu philosopher Dr. S. Radhakrishnan: “Religion is not so much a revelation to be attained by us in faith as an effort to unveil the deepest layers of man’s being.” He adds: “Man, no doubt, is the measure of all things.”

No central body governs Hindu worshipers, nor is there a set form of worship. There is not any one book, such as the Bible, that is the source of their beliefs. Over the centuries a vast array of Hindu writings have appeared, and six different schools of Hindu philosophy have developed: Nyāya (analytical reasoning), Vaiśeshika (knowledge of physics), Sānkhya (synthesis of elements), Yoga (union with deity), Mīmāmsā (inquiry), and Vedānta (fulfillment of Veda).

These philosophies have been developed by various Hindu teachers at different times and stages in history, and each uses a different approach to worship. Nyāya, for its part, uses complicated systems of logic to prove God’s existence by inference (for example, inferring the reality of wind from the rustle of trees).

This approach obviously has some validity, inasmuch as the Bible similarly says: “For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship.” (Romans 1:20) Nevertheless, can a system of logic really acquaint you with the Creator? Can such a system reveal what his name is? Can it explain the origin of the universe or why evil and suffering are permitted? Can it give you a satisfying hope for the future? Let us see which religion more satisfactorily answers these questions​—religion of revealed truths or man-made religion.

Human Teachings Versus the Bible

The Hindus have given much thought to the nature of God. The Vedānta philosophy, for example, bases its ideas upon the religious writings called Upanishads. These writings inquire into the nature of God and his relationship to humans.

However, the Bible excels in giving insight about God, and it does so clearly and consistently. He is identified as the Creator of all things. (Revelation 4:11) He is portrayed as a Person, not as some nameless force. “Let them praise the name of Jehovah, for his name alone is unreachably high. His dignity is above earth and heaven,” says the Bible at Psalm 148:13. He is described as “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth.” (Exodus 34:6) He even invites imperfect humans to come to know him and have a relationship with him! (Psalm 34:8) Is not what the Bible says about God far more satisfying than philosophical inquiries?

The Upanishads also search into the makeup of the human soul. The Bible, however, clearly explains that “Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man came to be a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) So man is a soul​—not the possessor of some shadowy spirit that experiences repeated reincarnations. Nor is this soul immortal. The Bible says, “The soul that is sinning​—it itself will die.”​—Ezekiel 18:4.

The Upanishads probe into the nature of Self and Ego. Only the Bible, however, gives the key to the understanding of man by exposing his sinful nature. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) As a result, man must constantly battle wrong impulses.​—Romans 7:20, 25.

The Upanishads delve into questions regarding the reality of evil and recompense. The Bible, however, clearly says that wickedness on this earth is a result of man’s choosing an independent course. “See! This only I have found, that the true God made mankind upright, but they themselves have sought out many plans.” (Ecclesiastes 7:29) As to the ultimate recompense for evil, the Scriptures say: “And he will render to each one according to his works: everlasting life to those who are seeking glory and honor . . . ; for those who are contentious and who disobey the truth but obey unrighteousness there will be wrath and anger, tribulation and distress . . . For there is no partiality with God.”​—Romans 2:6-9, 11.

And while the Upanishads struggle to explain the path to salvation, the Bible simply says, “Salvation belongs to Jehovah.” (Psalm 3:8) Those following Jehovah’s way are promised: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”​—Psalm 37:29.

The Bible supplies simple, straightforward, understandable answers to questions that perplex human speculators. No philosopher could have developed these answers on his own.

The Bible​—A Revelation From God?

Does this necessarily mean, though, that you can trust the Bible as a revelation from God? There are many reasons why you can.

First of all, it is only reasonable to assume that God would reveal himself to man in some way. What do you think of a man who fathers children but then runs away and abandons them? What if such a man left his children in complete ignorance about himself, not even leaving them his name? Would you not be outraged with him? Is it not, therefore, only reasonable to conclude that a loving Creator would in some way reveal himself to his earthly children?

‘But why would he do so through a book?’ you might ask. ‘Would not an Almighty God use something more dramatic​—perhaps a voice from the sky?’ God did speak from heaven on several occasions, as when he gave the Ten Commandments. At that time the people were so terrified by the display of natural phenomena that they pleaded with Moses, “Let not God speak with us for fear we may die.” So they stood at a distance while Jehovah spoke to Moses. (Exodus 20:18-22)a But even Moses could have forgotten those words spoken by God. Jehovah therefore wisely chose to have Moses and, later, other faithful men preserve His words in writing. (Exodus 34:28) Thus, people can read God’s thoughts at their leisure. They can ponder, meditate on, and study what God has to say.​—See Joshua 1:8; also 1 Timothy 4:15.

True, the Bible was written by men, just as surely as men wrote the Hindu writings. But the men writing the Bible were under the influence of Jehovah God’s holy spirit. (2 Peter 1:21) Their writings were not mere philosophical musings. And the Bible has the earmarks of God’s direction. Can anything other than God’s direction account for the Bible’s accurately telling the order in which life appeared on the earth? (Genesis, chapter 1) Can anything other than God’s direction account for the Bible’s accurately stating, more than 2,700 years ago, that the earth not only is round but hangs “upon nothing”? (Job 26:7; Isaiah 40:22) Can anything other than divine direction account for the Bible’s unerring accuracy when it comes to prophecies, such as the one at Isaiah 44:28, wherein the Persian conqueror Cyrus the Great was mentioned by name some 130 years before he was born? Could any human have foretold 2,500 years ago the development of the two rival superpower blocs that hold the center of the world stage today?​—Daniel 11:27, 36-40.

So there are solid reasons to believe in the Bible as a revelation of God’s will. We invite you to examine open-mindedly what it has to say. Jehovah’s Witnesses are pleased to help individuals do this. In this way your worship will not be a vain pursuit of human wisdom. (Matthew 15:9) Nor will you, like the ancient Samaritans, be worshiping “what you do not know.” (John 4:22) With the help of God’s spirit, you can actually come to know even “the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10) For “if you search for him, he will let himself be found by you.”​—2 Chronicles 15:2.

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 5]

Millions embrace man-made religions, but have they provided satisfactory answers to questions about God?

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The Bible not only stated that the earth is round but also said that it hangs “upon nothing.” Does this not argue for divine inspiration?