Bible Readings — Bible Questions Answered

Personal Responsibility to God Alone

What is religion? BR-ASI9 332.1

“The recognition of God as an object of worship, love, and obedience.”—Webster. Other definitions equally good are: “The duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it.” “Man’s personal relation of faith and obedience to God.” BR-ASI9 332.2

In religious things, whom alone should we call Father? BR-ASI9 332.3

“And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.” Matthew 23:9. BR-ASI9 332.4

When tempted to bow to Satan, what did Christ reply? BR-ASI9 332.5

“Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:10. (See Deuteronomy 6:13; 10:20.) BR-ASI9 332.6

To whom alone, then, is each one accountable in religion? BR-ASI9 332.7

“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Romans 14:12. BR-ASI9 332.8

Note.—With this agree the words of Washington in his reply to the Virginia Baptists, in 1789: “Every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience.”—Writings of George Washington (J. C. Fitzpatrick, ed.), vol. 30, p. 321. BR-ASI9 332.9