How do we know which is the true way to God?

Given the major differences in the teaching of the main religions on God, man and how to gain a relationship with God, it is clear that they are presenting alternative approaches to reaching Him—see “Don’t all religious paths lead to God?” Which of them is offering a way that we can trust will actually work to get us to God? How would we distinguish between what is really from God and what are just man’s ideas?

There are some principles that we can apply when considering this question. We would expect God’s words to mankind to be universally applicable for all races and cultures and for all time periods in history. If the form of a religion is bound exclusively to one race, tribe, country or language so that it can really only be properly practised in that cultural context and is not open to other people groups then this would be good evidence that human rather than divine considerations were operating. God would surely be the God of all people on the earth and be able to communicate in all languages.

Similarly, instructions that could not operate in every part of the world like a command to observe the sunrise or sunset daily (when there are places above the Arctic Circle where the sun never rises in the winter and never sets in the summer), would indicate a human origin. Festivals or commands linked to seasons, events or circumstances that only exist in one part of the world, and are consequently meaningless elsewhere, show a limited perspective, which has presumably come from a limited human understanding of the world.

Prophecies that do not come true or ideas that are later shown to be false, such as the sun being a personal deity or an eclipse being due to a demon trying to eat the sun, are also signs that such a belief system could not be trusted. Is a religious path compatible with what we know to be true of the world today? Some religions, such as those of the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks, have long since ceased to be practised by anyone and these can obviously be discarded from our search for the way to God. Will some modern beliefs ultimately meet the same fate?

Moral considerations are also important if you believe in a God of love. Here we have to differentiate between the actions of some of the followers of a faith and the original religious teachings. A religion should not be evaluated by the outrages done by misguided fanatics in its name but rather by the mainstream beliefs and practices laid down in the authoritative texts or holy books. If these teachings contain instructions that are unkind, unjust or vindictive towards others, however, then questions ought to be raised.

Concerning this problem of discerning what is truly from God, Jesus said in Matthew 7:17-20 “ Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit………. Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them.” The way to God will be paved with His love.