BD.3159
June 15, 1944

RELIGIOUS DIVISIONS - TESTING IS ESSENTIAL

Very few people recognize the value of divine revelations, and such messages are rarely accepted without misgivings. Countless possibilities remain undeveloped. The result is a limited knowledge, and often deadlock, where progress could have been made. The spiritual blindness of mankind could be removed, the state of darkness could be removed into one of enlightenment, but still they prefer the darkness and shun the light; they stand in opposition to the light-giving world that provides everyone who entrusts himself to it.

Man lacks faith in God's mercy and confidence that He is willing to help men in their need. This need is proven, and it is brought about by the countless errors, which prevent people from recognizing God properly, loving Him, and proving this love by lovingly serving their fellow men. This need may also be brought about by a lifeless faith that fails when put to the test.

When a man has to make a serious decision, he can only be steadfast if he has the unshakeable conviction that is knowledge and faith" is worth more than that which opposes him.

Therefore, his faith and knowledge must be in agreement, i.e., that which man is supposed to believe in must be credible it must reveal wisdom when man ponders it.

God does not expect man to believe anything that he could not accept after serious consideration. Therefore that which appears unacceptable, which after serious examination does not reveal any wisdom, must be the work of man himself - perhaps added to what God has asked men to believe.

A doctrine can be recognized as credible if it emanates love, the love of God for all He has created. It must reveal a love and wisdom that point to a divine being caring for His creatures.

Every religious doctrine can initially be examined from this perspective, indeed everyone who wishes to teach must carry out such a test because he should teach only that which he himself has recognized as the truth. This antecedent is usually a fact which considerably spreading of errors. Every teacher must be fully convinced of what he teaches… and conviction can only be one by serious examination.

Then the teacher can safely convey the truth he has recognized to his fellow men who may be less capable of carrying such test, but who are capable of carrying recognizing that the teaching is credible because it confirms to them God's love and wisdom.

Those who possess the will to find the truth and who seriously wish, to test a doctrine will not lack the ability to think provided that they, too, move within love. Otherwise they could never be advocates of truth, but only advocates of falsehood and error, for through their lack of love they have given themselves into the hands of him, who opposes God.

In view of this it is understandable how and why a doctrine, originally passed on to mankind pure and unspoilt, has been considerably changed and how it was not possible to retain teachings uncontaminated whilst the serious testing of their credibility and truth was evaded by the demand to believe without question everything that was being taught. Pure truth will stand up to any kind of test and thus will remain unchanged.

Gradually there have arisen divisions. The possibility always existed to weigh the different spiritual movements and their doctrines against one another, but if they had been confronted with divine wisdom and love, every serious examiner would have recognized which doctrines were only the work of man and should have been branded as false.

Therefore, those people must be blamed -and they will be held responsible - who were capable of verifying the truth, but who failed to do so and unscrupulously handed to their fellow-men doctrines, which, if seriously examined, they would have had to reject. Thus was the spread of falsehood and error caused.

However, from time to time there have been people who have undertaken such investigations and who, as reformers, have tried to abolish the old religious doctrines. And here again it has depended upon their degree of maturity how far they were advanced in truth and could pass it on.

Thus, time and again men have been given the opportunity to form an opinion about the religious doctrines, thanks to the controversial questions arising in the different creeds and the divisions within the church, drawing their attention to the differences in the doctrines, which they were expected to believe.

If verification were to be carried out, the intellect and the heart had to become active which required the person's will and his desire to recognize the truth. Every adherent of a doctrine will defend his own doctrine, but several doctrines can never claim credibility because there is only one truth. And everyone should endeavor to find this truth.

Therefore, it is essential for man to form a personal opinion about every religious doctrine that is conveyed to him; otherwise it can never become his spiritual possession, even if he could defend it with words.

Such words would not represent innermost conviction since for conviction to be formed a dialogue the intellect is essential, and can be guided properly only by the divine Spirit. If, however, a teacher offers pure truth it is much easier for another person to gain inner conviction compared with acceptance or false doctrines which require a stronger will and a desire for the truth to be discounted as errors.

Consequently, a teacher carries a heavy responsibility if through in- difference or negligence he fails to examine his teachings, and spreads a doctrine of which he is not fully convinced himself.

Having offered himself for a ministry he must teach only that which, after serious examination, appears to be acceptable to him, otherwise he sins against those who believe that they receive the truth from him and whom he is guiding into wrong thinking by his false doctrines.

Furthermore, it is his duty to encourage people to examine what they are receiving so that they might gain conviction, develop a living faith, and be able to distinguish error from truth. (June 17, 1944) Knowledge which man has acquired through his intellect, without praying to God for enlightenment, is incomplete and inconsistent. There are unexplained subjects, which create doubts because different representatives give them different interpretations. Therefore, it goes without saying, that a person who strives after pure truth must weigh the different interpretations against each other.

Human knowledge is never incontestable, and inasmuch that controversial issues always deals with human knowledge, the human origin of some disclosures will always be proved if controversy surrounds them; for pure truth, which originates from God is always in harmony and never shows different results. A person who lacks the good will and desire for truth will already receive the pure truth from God in a spoilt state, for this thinking will be influenced by evil forces confusing him and rendering incomprehensible what he is receiving. On the other hand, a person who seriously strives after truth will doubt spoilt knowledge.

He will find that it lacks the assurance of truth and he will investigate it -provided that he is not forbidden to do so or ordered to accept it without question. This is always the work of Satan for it will never be an offense before God to seek the truth seriously.

It is a part of this seeking that man should form an opinion about is that which being presented to him as truth.

Thus a person should never be guided by what others consider to be the truth, but he must form his own opinion, especially when he is asked or offers himself to spread knowledge and teach his fellow men.

God always helps those who meekly ask for His grace. However, even though a scientist may be highly regarded in the world or may hold a high position, be it in a spiritual or profane office, even though he may have bent in deepest humility before God as the sole giver of truth, thus creating the antecedent condition for its receipt, he must be doubted if his teachings do not offer complete explanations or if they contain any contradictions; whilst there are divisions and different interpretations, error is presented because there is only one truth.

To find this sole truth man has to establish a contact with the Eternal Godhead, pray for enlightenment and through a life pleasing to God become worthy of being taught by Him directly.

God knows best in which way He shall teach a man striving and praying for truth, and the result will always be pure truth. It is God's will that His creatures live within truth, and therefore He conveys it to them if they desire it.

AMEN