A Sincere Request: Before proceeding, please review my previous articles, listed in order, for context. If you've already read them, please continue.

Righteousness: The Essence of God's Religion:

To truly comprehend the sacrament of baptism, understanding God's religion is essential. Let us first of all understand that John the Baptist administered the 'Baptism of Water' to multitudes in the wilderness, guiding them from unrighteousness to enduring righteousness – a fundamental aspect of God's religion.

Do you know God's religion?
What principles does God abide by?
Life consists of various deeds. What are God's eternal engagements?
Righteousness (good deeds) is religion, while unrighteousness (evil deeds) is its opposite. Then, what are God's righteous deeds?

As the Creator and Owner of all, God declared before humanity's creation: 'Let Us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness...' (Genesis 1:26, NIV). This declaration is also an integral part of God's religion. Thus, God has been engaged in righteous deeds since the beginning of creation, reflecting His eternal nature.

The Miraculous Creation: Humanity in God's Image - Indeed, God's deeds are great. He consistently follows His religion, creating mankind in His image and likeness from the beginning, now, and forever.

Do You Have Evidence of Being God's Wonderful Creation?
As one created in God's image and likeness, do you have substantial evidence of this magnificent creation? Probably not!

The Power of Speech: A Vital Evidence - Consider this: God spoke to create humanity in His image and likeness, showcasing His ability to speak. Can we, created in His image, truly communicate with each other? Can we express ourselves accurately through verbal, sign, or notional languages?

God Empowers Mankind with Divine Rights - God's speech is infused with righteousness and power, filling humanity with the ability to express themselves through speaking and language. Uniquely, humans possess the gift of speech. In contrast, the lion roars, the crow caws, the horse neighs, and the dog barks. Furthermore, God endowed humanity with the right to rule over His creation, as recorded in Scripture: "Then God said, 'Let Us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" (Genesis 1:26, NIV) Thus, it is concluded that God creates humanity in His image and likeness, granting us dominion over creation.

Love: The Religion of God and Humanity - Only humanity has the ability to speak and stewardship over God's entire creation; this is God's immense love towards humanity and compelling proof of God's religion, which is love. In contrast, human vices such as discrimination, separatism, tug-of-war, estrangement, quarrel, and hatred are unrighteousness, beyond the religion of love, as the scripture informs: God is love. (Psalm 103, NIV). God is absolute in love, enough to create humanity in His image and likeness. Therefore, God expects absolute love from humanity, as love is His religion, as reminded in the scripture: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48, NIV)

Love is the religion for humanity, as God, the creator, has expressed His absolute love by creating humanity in His image and likeness. Therefore, God longs to experience absolute love among human beings, as expressed in the scripture: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."(John 15:12, NIV)

In conclusion, the true nature of religion can be summarized as follows: Love is the religion; loving each other is religion.

Lack of Unity and Love Amongst Fragmented Churches Worldwide

Reflection on Baptism - Since the nature of religion is love, administrators of the 'Baptism of Water' must reflect deeply: Why do we fragment God's children by confining them within physical church boundaries, filling their hearts, minds, and souls with human vices, division, separatism, tug-of-war, estrangement, quarrel, and hatred for each other? What kind of religion is this?

The Paradox of Division: A Deeper Look - As we examine our actions, we must ask: It is clear that the multitude are God's creation in His image and likeness, and He commands us to love one another as ourselves (John 15:12, NIV). Then why do administrators confine the baptized with physical church boundaries of materials and restrict them from loving one another? However, if we claim to follow God’s love, why do human vices persist amongst physical churches of materials? Why does brotherhood lack? Why does estrangement exist amongst baptized?

The Consequences of Selfishness: A Natural Result - Furthermore, this division leads to prioritizing our own interests over unity. Is it not ironic that we prioritize our own interests over unity? Aren’t we merchants of love’s division? Aren’t we the assassin of the love (Jesus Christ)? What kind of worshiper of God are we, really? Can selfishness ever worship God? Aren’t we divided in fragmented churches to nourish our selfishness?

The Ultimate Question: Accountability to God - Ultimately, this raises a critical question: can the God, who is love, accept our selfishness?

Reflection on Baptism and Love: A Call to Action - In light of this question, let us reflect on our baptism: Are our thoughts, of all received the ‘Baptism of Water’ within the physical boundary of the fragmented churches, aligned with God’s thoughts? Do we adapt to God’s religion of love?

Jesus' Prayer for Unity: A Model for Us - Similarly, Jesus' prayer emphasizes the importance of unity, as He prayed, fed up with human vices among physical churches worldwide, He implores the Almighty Father for our godly love and unity, as we lack love and our words and actions are misaligned (John 17:20-21, NIV): "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

A Historical Example: John the Baptist's Unity - Historically, John the Baptist demonstrated unity by the Jordan River, transcending church boundaries, guiding people to enter the Garden of love by administering the baptism of repentance by water, the 'Baptism of Water' and 'Baptism of Repentance'. What are we doing by administering the 'Baptism of Water'?

Facing Judgment: Accountability to God - Moreover, considering our accountability, can we face God on Judgment Day with human vices - discrimination and separatism? Love is the measuring scale for God's judgment (Matthew 25:31-46, NIV). Will we be able to prove our religiousness (love) to God?

Preparation for Judgment Day - Indeed, the baptism of repentance by water, the ‘Baptism of Water’ and ‘Baptism of Repentance’, is a preparation for the judgment day! Will we, the administrators and receiver of the ‘Baptism of Water’, face God, the love, for a moment on the judgment day?

The True Religion - Notably, God is love; therefore, love is the religion: a religion to love one another as ourselves, as scripture reminds: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." (John 15:12, NIV)

In conclusion, the lack of unity and love amongst fragmented churches is a critical issue. By reflecting on our baptism, Jesus' prayer, and John the Baptist's example, we are reminded that love is the true religion.

To be Continued…..

==> Stay tuned for our next article, where we'll uncover how 'Garden of Eden - Embracing the Religion of Love' that transforms our faith journey.

Amen!

Praise be to God, Thanks be to God.

Not being Unrighteous is Religion!!

Jharkhand! Peace be upon you!!

India! Peace be upon you!!

Peace to the whole world!!