THE TRUTH THAT COULD SET A PERSON FREE

an English-translated Bible Expositon hosted by Brother Eli Soriano


We must learn how to discern the truth. And in speaking of the truth, we have to be frank. We have to say it straight – no need to go around the bush.

Poetry may employ flowery words. If you are courting a girl and you are writing a song for her, you can also be flowery. But if you are going to speak of facts, you don’t have to be poetic or flowery, especially so if you are speaking of the truth that would save souls. Salvation is no petty matter. It is something that ought to be taken seriously by all people who acknowledge the existence of God.

A person who believes in God believes that he will not stay here on earth permanently. He is aware that one day, he will die. And after his death, there is another life that is to come. This is one crucial subject matter that we have to be cautious and meticulous in our choice of words. We have to use only the right words and hear the right words also from the rightful authorities. And when it comes to salvation, there is no better authority than the Bible. This is why we studied very seriously the language of the Bible.

There are many pastors today who do not use words that would hurt the feelings of others. They always use words that would flatter and please their members. They are very particular about pleasing their members because of a hidden agenda. This is the reason why they do not tell them all the truths in the Bible. Philippians 1:15 says,

“Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:”

Preachers have different intentions in preaching Christ. Some of them preach out of envy and strife, while some preach out of good will. Philippians 1:17,16 says,

“But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel.

They preach of Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds.”

There are preachers who preach Christ for contention. They teach their members to take a united stand against those who are outside their church. Too bad if these kind of preachers becomes your enemy. It is all of them against you.

There are preachers who lack sincerity. They do not tell the whole truth. This is something worth contemplating on. Why is it that despite the proliferation of so many religions today, man has become worse than ever? Isn’t it ironic that simultaneous with the emergence of religious organizations, man has also grown doubly wicked? Why have some government officials become more corrupt? Why are there more drug addicts today? It is because many preachers today have different motives in preaching Christ. Obviously, many of them are only after monetary gains. No wonder they are collecting money even in buses and in market places. They shamelessly and indiscriminately ask money from anybody. But the funnier part of it is that their collectors are dressed in long sleeves and ties, while the ones being asked to give donations are just wearing plain dusters. Very clearly, they are much better off than the people they collect money from. Don’t ever think that you are doing a good deed in giving money to those people. No! Biblically speaking, in giving, you have to be sure that the person you are giving to is really deserving. You are a fool if you give something to someone who does not deserve to be given. Romans 13:7 says,

“Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”

You should not give to all. Why should you give to someone who is wearing tie and leather shoes when you are simply wearing slippers? He even has an electric guitar and an amplifier. His pastor is living in a palace. Why give him money when you yourself do not have any? That is wrong! That is also unfair!
But how can we prevent those pastors from deceiving more people? In searching for the truth, we have to know God’s way. We will find out from the Bible the way by which we may know the truth. Generally, we are all after finding out the truth. However, sometimes, we tend to refuse the truth because we have been brainwashed. Basically, we are interested in knowing the truth even if that truth would not be beneficial to you. There are truth which are not only beneficial to you but to your fellowmen as well.

For example, many people benefited when Science found out too much indulgence to pork is detrimental to one’s health. Men developed awareness that the fat of pork is rich in cholesterol that could clog the arteries, which could result to high blood pressure and cardiac diseases. Hence, this discovery made man more cautious.

But if there is one thing that we ought to discover, it is none other than the things that concern the salvation of our soul. There are truths that do not have anything to do with the salvation of our soul. That is why we shall try to find out the truths that would benefit us spiritually. Not so many have found out its importance. This is what our Lord Jesus Christ said in John 8:32,

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Almost all religious organizations read this verse but they are not explaining its context. They do not explain where will one be freed from by the truth. From where will you be freed? (John 8:34-35, 32),

“Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the son abideth ever.

Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

He who commits a sin is a servant of sin. And a servant of sin does not dwell in the house of God, but only the Son. But if the Son of God sets you free, you will become truly free. And when this happens, sin would no longer rule your life. You are no longer a slave of sin. You have been set free by the truth that you have found.

But one thing is sure. So long as you keep on sinning, so long as you continue to become a gambler, so long as you womanize, so long as you continue to become a drug addict, so long as you continue to harbor ill-feelings towards your fellowmen, even if you go to church everyday, even if you keep on saying “Praise the Lord,” you have not found the truth. Because that truth would set a person free from sins. Those who continue to commit sins, remain a slave of sins.

We have to search for the truth. And in our search for the truth, we have to be frank. We have to know God’s way. As an illustration:

Do you believe that there is such a word as “prostitute”? The very reason why the word prostitute came about is because there is indeed such a person as prostitute. If someone told you that you are a liar, you will definitely get hurt and offended. But the truth is, there are really people who are liars. But does it mean that simply because the word “liar” is not a pleasant word we should no longer use it? Did God prohibit us from using such word? Of course, not! Because there are indeed liars. In the same manner that there are also prostitutes. How else would you call a woman who is engaged in a sex trade? However, there are people who refuse to use the word “prostitute” or “harlot”. Very few preachers use this word, right? But do you know that even the Bible used the word “prostitute” or “harlot”? Revelation 17:5 says,

“And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

The verse used the word “harlot”, and its synonyms are “bitch” or “whore”.

What we are trying to show you is that the Bible uses such kind of word. And we believe that the Bible is the word of God. Therefore, the word “harlot” is a word of God because the Bible used it. However, these false preachers and false prophets are very hypocrite. They pretend that they do not utter bad words, while their hearts are filled with wickedness. They are deceiving the fellowmen.

It is true that God uses words which may sound unpleasant for others. It is because God wants to show us the things that are against His will. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to understand what His will is. This is the reason why we have to know the language of the Bible. Aside from “harlot”, the Bible also uses the words “fool” and “foolish,” which also quite offensive for others. But will you be offended if you are not foolish? If you are exercising common sense and sound reasoning, you will not be offended at all if you hear me using the word for instance. That is not meant for all, but only to the foolish. When we use a particular word, there is always a reason.

In searching for the truth, we have to be open-minded. We have to be ready to accept both the bitter and the sweet. In the Bible, whatever is bitter is really bitter, and whatever is sweet is really sweet. That is God’s way. He wants hot to be really hot, and cold, cold. He does not want it lukewarm. Rev. 3:15-16 says,

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.”

God does not want you to be lukewarm. There are foods which are preferred to be hot, and there are also foods which shall always be kept cold. Arrozcaldo is best when it is hot, and ice cream should always be served cold. The same thing is true with men. There are people who are lukewarm, and that is how most pastors are today. They do not use words which are not pleasing to their members. But how will you learn the truth from those kind of pastors?

The things that a person says are the things that he heard. What are we trying to say? Why do we speak of hell when none of us have been to hell? Because there is indeed such place as hell. How did we learn about this? It is written in the Bible. And the pronouncements in the Bible came from an authority the Lord, which in turn were written by the Apostles. Unlike the word “purgatory” and “limbo” which were not mentioned at all in the Bible. Actually, even our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, searched for the word “purgatory” in the Bible, but he did not find any. This is what he said in the unexpurgated version of the “Noli Me Tangere” (p72):

“But now let us see how the idea of purgatory, which is absent from the Old and the New Testaments became a Catholic doctrine. Neither Moses nor Jesus Christ made the slightest mention of purgatory.”

In other words, according to Rizal, there is no such word as “purgatory” in the Bible. But the word “hell” is in the Bible. That is why we have to believe that there is really hell. This is not based on hearsay, but this is in the doctrine of the Almighty Father.”

But why did the word “purgatory” come about when it was not used in the Bible? Ecclesiastes 7:29 says,

“Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.”

That is very true. Isn’t it that we were all created upright? That is why when you went out of your mother’s womb you were righteous. There isn’t any babe who was already holding “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) paraphernalia when he went out of his mother’s womb. Nobody was already shuffling a deck of cards when he was born. All men were born righteous and according to the likeness and image of the Creator. God created man upright. But later on, they started to disobey God. They are no longer upright; they have become bad. Why? It is because they have sought out many inventions. It is a different invention this time. This invention is not a result of necessity. This is an invention that polluted the mind of mankind. Who invented playing cards? a crystal ball? and the pictures and images of false gods? They are all inventions of man, and these inventions have made man bad.

Many people get mad at me whenever is speak of the truths in the Bible. They do not like truths; they prefer inventions. They prefer to believe inventions rather than the things that are written in the Bible. If it is written in the Bible, then, it must be true, no matter how bitter it may be, because it is the word of God.

We learn words because we hear them. And every word that man uses has an origin. It is just that we need to classify which of these words that we have learned came from God, and which were mere inventions of men. The inventions of men have made man wicked, but the words that came from God could make a person upright.

Let us consider the foods that came from God. There is nothing wrong in eating fruits in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. They are not harmful because they were made by God. But if you are going to eat ice cream from morning till evening, then you will have diabetes. Why? Because ice cream is a mere invention of man. We are trying to show you that sometimes, the inventions of man are hazardous to himself. Soft drinks is another harmful creation of man. Actually, they are just called “soft drinks” but they are “hard” on our body because they are loaded with chemicals and sugar. If you keep on drinking soft drinks, you are bound to develop illnesses like diabetes, ulcer, gas pain, migraine, and others. They are also addictive that is why science considers sugar as a drug.

Many people prefer the wrong inventions. Comparatively speaking, there is nothing harmful in everything that came from God. Let us take sugarcane for example. Although it is the derivative of sugar, you will not develop diabetes even if you consume too much of it. Sugarcane is complete in minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. But if what you are going to consume is the refined sugar, it is already without enzymes, and it is already depleted with minerals and vitamins. All you will get there is a sweet taste which is harmful to the body.

That is why between the things that God made, and the things that man made, we would rather choose the things that God made. What man makes is sometimes detrimental to him. The same thing is true when it comes to words. There are words which were merely coined, or invented, by man, but there are words which came from God. If we are going to listen to the words which came from God, we would be able to learn the language of God. But if you are going to listen to the inventions of man, you will learn only the language invented by man.

Today, the language that most pastors use is just invented by man – pretentious, superficial, hypocritical, and insincere. They sound to be respectful and holy as if they do not use any harsh language, but hidden deep within their hearts are all forms of wickedness. Those pastors are evil because they have made religion a business. They have made their members their milking cows. They employ sweet-sounding language, but their deeds are foul. They could not even utter the word “harlot”. Whether they like it or not, there are really harlots. Is the word “harlot” bad? The word in itself is not bad. What is bad is the woman who has made herself a harlot. Using the word “harlot” is not bad if it is used properly. Do you know the reason why some pastors do not use hurting words? Jude 1:16 says,

“These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”

They do not speak with harshness; they show respect to people because of personal gains. They just pretend to be good and meek. Do you know how they speak? Rom. 16:18,

“For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

These pastors are deceivers. They serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly. That is why they keep on collecting tithes. And they succeed in deceiving many because of the fair speeches and good words.

Therefore, if you are really seeking for the truth, do not trust those people. They would never tell you the whole truth. #

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The Essence of Being a Leader

This article, written by the Members of the Church of God International Presiding Minister Brother Eliseo Soriano, first appeared on the December edition of Believer Magazine.

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The notion that because somebody is being followed by others does not automatically mean that he is a leader. A person may follow somebody because he is being paid, intimidated, forced, or may have been deceived.

A leader, as far as my experience and scriptural knowledge is concerned, is someone being followed willingly and faithfully by a wise follower. The best example of a leader is the Lord Jesus Christ. He did not force anybody to follow or to obey him, although he has all the powers to do so—even to change the minds of anybody by force. His kind of leadership is echoed in his teachings recorded by the apostles in the Bible. To be the first, you have to be the last; and to be served, you have to be a servant; and to be a leader is to be a good follower. By this, we can see that God had prepared something better than our first state or condition in life. There is always room for improvement, as the saying goes. The human person is an adaptable organism. It can, by its might, adapt to extremes of situations around him. This leads us to the fact that learning to be lowly, and learning to be small will make us great someday.

There is a great host of leaders recorded in the Bible. If we have to learn their ways, faith, principles, and beliefs, we will come to the inevitable conclusion that these great leaders like Moses, Noah, Peter, Paul, and many others, was found to be able and successful leaders because they have learned to accept that they are nothing; that the Creator is able to produce great things from nothing. Nothingness is the best place and idea to start a creation. When we do something out of something that already exists, we fashion it in a manner by which we always consider the kind of material that exist; but everything is possible, and every idea can be freely conceived if you create something out of nothing like what God have done.

A leader, in the truest sense of the word, must be someone being followed intelligently by followers of understanding. The kind of people that follows reflects the kind of leader someone is. Blind followers that follow blind leaders are sure to end up in perdition. A leader, by his leadership, must be able to produce other leaders. A chain has its start and then followed by parts linked together, and so on.

A leader must be compassionate to his subject – understanding that he has a goal to attain, and that is to produce his like. Since time immemorial, history will prove that there are really born leaders, but history will equally prove that there are leaders made by able and compassionate leaders.

May I humbly say, with all modesty, that I am a leader! Whether I am born a leader or not, I am not very sure of, but one thing I know is that I became one because of the able leadership of my Lord Jesus Christ; and I am most specially grateful to learn that people who follow me are more intelligent and compassionate than I am.

The Old Path (Ang Dating Daan)

What is The Old Path? What is people's common impression about The Old Path? What does the Bible say about The Old Path? Why The Old Path (Ang Dating Daan) is a controversial radio television phenomenon in the Philippines?

Now comes The Old Path Channel ... it will be the avenue for The Old Path ("Ang Dating Daan") with its mission to spread the Gospel of Christian faith and inform the whole world about The Old Path where the early Christians walked (Jer. 6:16).

The Old Path is an unbeaten path ever since. The wisdom of God is manifested and revealed in "The Way".

In the Philippines, The Old Path or "Ang Dating Daan" refers to the radio-television program hosted by Bro. Eli Soriano. It tackles the anomalies in religion and give insightful critique of existing bodies of faith.

The Old Path is derived from the passage in the Book of Jeremiah in Chapter 6 verse 16 which say, "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old path, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein."

The Old Path in the Bible is being mentioned as the way where the good servants of God walk. The Old Path where the God's people walked is what the enemies of God told Job to not to tread.

Reading further the passage in the first writing of John in Chapter 2 verse 7, which say, "Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning."

So, if you are looking for an intelligent program, The Old Path is the show to watch. The Old Path is always based on truths in the Bible.

The Old Path pride to have Bro. Eli Soriano, our generation's only sensible preacher and evangelist. He is to date, the most tireless moral voice, untiringly he would risk life and be spent than to let the untarnished and pure Gospel of Christ which he learned from the Bible not able to reach the people who all deserve salvation.

So The Old Path is coming soon via The Old Path Channel powered by Globecast.

Members Church of God : an International ministry

Members Church of God International (more popularly known in the Philippines as “The Old Path”) is one of the largest Christian religion in this 7,100-island nation today. In its general declaration and doctrines, it said it believe that the Almighty God is the Creator of the universe, and his begotten son, Jesus Christ, is a true and mighty God and the only savior of mankind and the only way to the Kingdom of God in heaven.

The Church, through its controversial radio-television program “Ang Dating Daan,” is critical of the unbiblical doctrines of various religions in the country, especially the Iglesia ni Cristo founded by Felix Manalo which believe in the absolute oneness of God and dismiss Jesus Christ’s real nature as God.

Compared with other religions, the Church believe it was a partaker of the promise of eternal life as a gentile nation through belief in Jesus Christ and the Gospel; it also believe as a gentile nation it is not authorized by God to establish its own church and is a mere member associated with the same body or Church written in the Gospel by accepting and executing the doctrines written by the Apostles.

The Church trace its root from the Church of God in Christ Jesus, pillar and ground of the truth under the leadership of late Nicolas Antiporda Perez or Ka Perez. When Ka Perez died in 1975, Brother Eliseo Fernando Soriano, who was then only less than 25 years old, was appointed as the Church Presiding Minister.

Some of the beliefs of the Members Church of God are that: God is calling His people, bringing them in His fold, teaching them righteousness after baptism for their sins to be covered by the priceless blood of Christ, for the redemption of sin, to make them qualify for life eternal in heaven (I Co. 1: 9,2; Eph. 4:1,10,14; Acts 2:38; Phil. 1:27; I Pet. 1:15-16; Eph. 2:10; I The. 1:1); All Christian believers should always attend the divine service executed by the administrator of the members of the church or of the congregation every first day of the week, wherein they should sing hymns, hear sermons, offer prayers and alms which is always voluntary according to his faith (Heb. 10:25; Acts 20:7; I Co. 14:28: Acts 1:14; I Co. 16:3; II Co. 9:7-8, 12-13); and only the church can teach the wisdom of God for the salvation of mankind (Luke 8:1-3; Eph. 3:10; II Tim 3:14-17), among others.

Among the Philippines’ well-established religions today, the Church prides its evangelization efforts that include radio, television and the World Wide Web with its three official websites: www.angdatingdaan.org, www.angdatingdaan.tv and www.kaanib.net.

Today, the Members Church of God International, although not keeping a formal count of members, is estimated to be more than 500,000 and have grown to more than 500 local churches nationwide and around 50 international local churches in North America, Europe, South Africa, Asia and Australia.

In the near future, the Church will be heard in North America and Canada through The Old Path (TOP) Channel, after sealing formal agreement with GlobeCast this year to provide satellite and direct-to-home (DTH) services.

A web streaming site to study Christian faith

As the first and only Philippine religious website with multimedia and live broadcast via the internet since 2001, www.angdatingdaan.tv (formerly known as webTV.angdatingdaan.net) has solidified its niche in the religious world with a state-of-the-art video streaming platform for a dedicated 24/7 broadcast.



Members Church of God International is fervent in carrying this obligation to propagate the divine Gospel of Christ to fellowmen all over the world through the use of mass media and the Internet.



Before the advent of the World Wide Web, Ang Dating Daan program is a radio and television phenomenon to reckon with in Philippines’ network-dominated television industry. It has been known for its no non-sense revelation and relevant discussion of biblical truths and religious exposes.



Since then, people look for the program and embraced it because of its live question and answer portion with Brother Eli. Known for his mastery of the Holy Scriptures, he answers people’s questions honestly and truthfully with the wisdom of the Bible.



In this mission, Ang Dating Daan has drawn avid audience—the believers and unbelievers of the Bible, and Bible truth seekers. To date, the Church has more than 700 locales nationwide and over 45 abroad.



With God’s help, Ang Dating Daan will remain undaunted by this marvelous task to propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ on earth. This in turn will help in the realization of the prophecy pronounced by Jesus Christ that: “…this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations …”



The 6th Philippine Web Awards, the annual IT event and local version of the US-based Webby Awards, handed out the Most Popular Website of the Year to webTV.angdatingdaan.net now www.angdatingdaan.tv.



It was the second recognition for Ang Dating Daan from the Philippine Web Awards. Back in 2002, Ang Dating Daan Bible Exposition Online (www.angdatingdaan.org) was a popular choice to win the Most Popular Website of the Year during the 5th Philippine Web Awards.

The Old Path Channel

What is The Old Path? What is people's common impression about The Old Path? What does the Bible say about The Old Path? Why The Old Path is a controversial radio television phenomenon in the Philippines?

Now comes The Old Path Channel ... it will be the avenue for The Old Path ("Ang Dating Daan") with its mission to spread the Gospel of Christian faith and inform the whole world about The Old Path where the early Christians walked (Jer. 6:16).

The Old Path is an unbeaten path ever since. The wisdom of God is manifested and revealed in "The Way".

In the Philippines, The Old Path or "Ang Dating Daan" refers to the radio-television program hosted by Bro. Eli Soriano. It tackles the anomalies in religion and give insightful critique of existing bodies of faith.

The Old Path is derived from the passage in the Book of Jeremiah in Chapter 6 verse 16 which say, "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old path, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein."

The Old Path in the Bible is being mentioned as the way where the good servants of God walk. The Old Path where the God's people walked is what the enemies of God told Job to not to tread.

Reading further the passage in the first writing of John in Chapter 2 verse 7, which say, "Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning."

So, if you are looking for an intelligent program, The Old Path is the show to watch. The Old Path is always based on truths in the Bible.

The Old Path pride to have Bro. Eli Soriano, our generation's only sensible preacher and evangelist. He is to date, the most tireless moral voice, untiringly he would risk life and be spent than to let the untarnished and pure Gospel of Christ which he learned from the Bible not able to reach the people who all deserve salvation.

So The Old Path is coming soon via The Old Path Channel powered by Globecast.

How great is the God who created us?

Source: www.angdatingdaan.org


We are going to study about the Bible. But, why do we need to study it? Should we use the Bible as a basis in everything that we do? Whenever we are to do something, must we always have a basis?

A mother, for instance, cooks for the family because she has the obligation and the right to do so. What do I mean to say? In our house, not just anybody has the right to cook the rice. The one who should cook the rice must have the authority to do so. And who has the right to cook for the family? It could be the mother, the father, the housemaid, or any legitimate member of the family. But you just can’t allow anybody to cook for you. For all you know, that person wants to poison you all.

If you are going to sweep the streets, you should also have a basis. Try to sweep the streets without being appointed by the rightful person, and you’ll not get any compensation. You cannot compel the government to pay you for your labor because you had never been deputized to be a street sweeper.

A man who just wears the uniform of a policeman is not a real policeman. Even if he has the badge, the patches, and all the other paraphernalia that a real policeman wears. And because that man does not have a basis, not only in wearing the policeman’s uniform, but also in performing the duties of a real policeman, he is just considered as a mere impostor.

In other words, we need to have a basis in everything we do. It follows that even in serving God and in invoking God, we should have a basis why we should do it. In the first place, there are people who do not invoke God at all. And if we are going to invoke God, how should we do it? Where should we base out faith in God?

Wasn’t it that when we were just beginning to learn how to read, we started with ABC? And if we are going to study music, don’t we normally begin with do-re-mi? In our service to God, we also have to know the ABC of salvation. Will it be fine with you if we begin our studies from the lowest level, or the basics? Do you know of any lawyer who studied Law right away without going through the elementary, secondary, and tertiary level? It is only after an aspiring lawyer completes those levels that he could pursue Law. The same process applies in studying salvation. You do not instantly become a Christian, and become saved, by just raising your hand! That is not so. Please, do not be misled. It will be fatal if you do not know the basics. Why? This is what Ecclesiastes 10:1 says,

“Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in the reputation for wisdom and honour.”

Try to kill flies and place them in a bottle of ointment, or perfume. Let them stay there for a week. After a week, open the bottle, savor it scent, and you will realize how a bottle of perfume could be spoiled by just a few flies. What was the Bible trying to tell us? A little folly spoils wisdom and honor.

There is an English adage which says, “Little knowledge is dangerous.” That is true. A little folly could cause danger to a person. For example, no matter how good a surgeon is, the life of his patient could be endangered if the nurse assisting him is a simpleton. A sensible nurse makes an inventory of the number of cotton balls they used during the operation. So that before the wound is closed, she sees to it that the number of cotton balls she prepared reconciles with the number of cotton balls they used. But if the attending nurse is somebody who does not know the sensitiveness of her work, she would not really bother to check the cotton balls. Only to find out later that three pieces of cotton balls were left inside the patient’s body. There are cases like that. There had been an incident when, what was left inside was not an ordinary cotton ball, but a surgical scissors. Such serious damage happened because of the negligence of both the surgeon and the nurse.

That is why it is very true that a little folly can be very damaging. That is, insofar as material things are concerned. But greater is the harm that a little folly can do in terms of godliness. When it comes to faith, there shouldn’t be any shade of folly. When it comes to faith you have to be very sure because what is at stake is either eternal bliss, or eternal damnation. Remember that we are heading for eternity, and eternity has two sides. One side is the eternal lake of fire, and the other side is life everlasting.

Others, who do not want to listen to me, reason out that they do not want to confuse their minds anymore. Many say that they would rather stick to the faith that they grew up with, although they are not sure if their religion will lead them to salvation, or not. But the fact that you are uncertain of your salvation is a proof that your present religion did not even bother to teach you the ABC of salvation. Apparently, you are heading for something eternal without you having any direction. You do not even know the right thing to do. In religion, we should have the full knowledge of what we are doing. We should be certain of our actions. . . . These are some of the things that we shall unravel in our discussion.

First, let us find out, what should we use as a basis in serving God? How shall we serve Him? Why do we have to serve Him? Does God have any name? Is His name Jehovah, or Yahweh El Shaddai? Where is God? What are His physical attributes? Is He black or white? What is the color of His eyes? How does He smell? You see, some gods do not smell the same. Sometimes, their odor depends on the scent of the perfume, or cologne, sprayed on them. But what does the Bible say on this? Does His smell vary? James 1:17 says,

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

The Father in heaven does not have variableness. Whatever His odor was 5,000 years ago is still His odor today. We can be very sure of that. Perhaps, you would ask, do we have to know God’s odor? Of course, so that if the god who is before you smells differently, that would mean that he is just a false god.

Isn’t it that husbands and wives are familiar of each other’s scent? The husband knows if his wife is newly bathed, or if she has not taken a bath for three days. He can never be wrong because he has grown very familiar with her smell.

Could a wife tell me that when she was raped, she thought that it was her husband who did it? That would be very stupid of her, because by the mere odor alone, she could already identify if it was her husband, or not. God gave us a sense of smell for us to identify who’s who, and which is which. Look at the blind, they have a very keen sense of smell. They can identify people thru their odors.

There are people whose gods smell differently. Sometimes they smell of sampaguita, sometimes, of rosal. Whatever you put around them becomes their scent. This is the reason why we have to know Him. But, from what standpoint are we going to start in knowing Him? Or, shall we say, from what point of principle? What basis are we going to use in serving Him? What are we going to use in knowing the word of God?

Let us begin by not using any book, nor any documented reference first.

Is there a God, or is there no God? If you will ask the atheists, they
will definitely deny God’s existence. They neither believe in God, nor in satan. They do not believe in anything supernatural. Their belief is confined only on the physical, or the material.

But let us presume that we do not acknowledge any God either. Let us presume that we are not certain either if there is a God, or not. Let us play neutral first. Let us presume that we neither have any religion, too.

Actually, even during the time when there was no Bible yet, there had already been similar talks. And to prove this to you, let us read Malachi 3:16,

“Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD …”

There was an incident in the past when God heard and listened to those who feared Him as they spoke to another. This shows us that, even if the Bible was not available yet, there were already talk about God.

Let us presume that we are living in those times. We have no Bible; we are not certain whether, or not, there is God; we do not acknowledge any God. We are not saying that there is no God, only, we are not sure if He exists, or not. We neither have any religion, too. This is our opening scenario. We are all neutral, and we are all just beginning to learn. And in the studies that we will make, we will not use any book first.

Let us begin with this question: Who created you? Do you agree that you were created by somebody? Nobody in his right senses would claim that he was not created by anybody. Take the case of a chair, for instance. A chair became a chair because somebody created it. Otherwise, it would not have become a chair. Right?

The question is: Who created you? One time, when is asked the same question, somebody answered that, he was created by his mother and his father. At first glance, we may consider his answer as valid because, had his mother and father not mated, he would not have come to existence. But the question is, if his mother and his father were his creators, why is it that other husbands and wives could not produce any child? If his mother and his father were able to create him, it should follow that all other husbands and wives should beget children. But how come, there are couples that are childless? In other words, we cannot consider it to be a general truth that our respective parents are our creators, or makers.

But granting that it was, indeed, our parents who created us. The question is, why didn’t they make you good-looking? Why did one mother give birth to a lame child? If that baby was, indeed, created by his parents, definitely, they should have created him without any deformity. If your parents were the ones who created you, they should not have given you the physique of a man and a heart of a woman. Why did they make you a homosexual? If they were your makers, then, they should also have to power to repair your deformities!

Isn’t it that a carpenter who made the table can also repair that table should it gets broken? You are limping when you walk, why didn’t your parents give you legs of equal length, if they were your creator? And because they didn’t have power to do that, we are now led to a great and irrefutable conclusion that man is not the creator of man! If man is the creator of man, then, all men should be able to create man. And if man is the creator of man, he should have made a perfect man. But should his creation be defective, he should be able to repair the defect. But the glaring truth is, man is not created by man. There is Somebody else who created man. Every object that we see around us is made by man. The chair and the microphone were made by man. But the user of that chair and that microphone was not made by man. There isn’t any available proof that man created man.

In fact, there was one laboratory in America, which took one cell from man. They studied it very well. They tried to find out what that cell contained, and they copied it. They took little water, little iron, little mineral, and they combined them all together. Until they succeeded in imitating a human cell. But there arose a problem – it was lifeless. So, they decided to stop. They had proven that, they can only imitate a human cell, but they cannot make a real one.

Our physical appearance can be copied. A sculptor can make you a life size statue; he can also depict a specific facial expression. With the aid of modern technology, a sculptor can make your statue look real. But still, it is lifeless!

A flower can also be imitated. But no matter how well imitated it was, does it have any fragrance? None! Man can imitate anything that he sees, but he cannot make it as perfect as the original. And this only proves that another being must have created man. A man cannot create man. There is a higher, greater, mightier, more compassionate, and more merciful Being that created man. Why did I say that this Being is compassionate? . . . because He is aware that, in this world, there are tiny creatures that give itch to man. And to prepare him for this, He equipped man with fingernails, which he could use in scratching the itchy part of his body.

That Being knows that man will find it very difficult to dig the ground, so, he created a carabao, which will aid him in doing that job. All that he has to do is hold the plough firmly, and it’s up to the carabao, now, to drag it. Did you see the wisdom behind the creation of the carabao? I’m sure, nobody will disagree with what I said. Remember, we are not using the Bible yet. I have learned to convince people in the existence of a powerful being, without using the Bible, but only thru physical evidences.

We are now heading towards that inevitable conclusion that we are here on earth, not by our own choices, and neither because we were created by our parents, but because we were created by a powerful and merciful being. He knows that you will need water, so He made water for you. Actually, he made different types of water for us to realize how kind-hearted He is. He did not make all waters salty, otherwise, you’ll have no safe water to drink. It will be damaging to our health if we will drink saline water. This is the reason why He made tap water. Perhaps, you would ask why He created the seawater to be very salty. God knows that all waters are heading for the sea. He made the sea salty for it to be purified. Have you noticed that the sea never smells like garbage? Through the chemical reaction between the salt in the sea and the rays of the sun, the sea plankton and the other sea creatures will always be fresh. They will not rot, despite the fact that all sorts of trash are found in the sea. Do you realize now the essence of the sea?

Why are some soils muddy, while some are sandy and loose? Why did He create gravel, pebbles, and sand? Because they are all needed by man. He provided man with everything that he needs that is why I consider Him to be very compassionate and very understanding. He knows what we want, He knows what we need, and He knows our limitations, so, He made everything available for us.

Can you catch a mosquito that flies up to 12, or 25 feet high? Since He knows that you cannot leap that high, God assigned another creature to catch it for you – the lizards. And those which are able to escape the lizards are caught by frogs. Besides, if there are no mosquitoes, where will the lizards get their food? God gave the mosquitoes wings to fly up there in the ceiling, where the lizards are waiting for them. That is why, if we will just contemplate on this matter, we will realize that the One who made us is very intelligent. He created everything beautifully and orderly.

Is there a creator, or none? If there is, who is he? Do not say God yet. Remember we still do not know God. All that we know is, there is a creator. Who is he? We do not know yet. We are just unanimous in our belief that there is a Creator, and His creations were all beautifully made. And for that, we are very thankful to Him. We want to thank Him for giving us very obedient children and a very good husband/wife. But who must we give thanks to when we do not know Him? How should we thank Him? How can we acknowledge His goodness? How can we express our gratitude to Him?

Like children, let us begin to ask questions. Let us reminisce our past. Do you know who your mother is? Of course! But what made you so sure that the mother you acknowledge is your real mother? Are you sure that all the things that your parents told you were true? Are you sure? We have to be sure!

On my part, I am sure that I am a real son of my parents despite the fact that I was not around yet when my mother gave birth to me. Do you know why? You see, there are different ways by which I can determine if my parents are my real parents. First, thru instinct; thru the physical features. My nose, for example, resembles the nose of my mother, and I got the shape of the legs of my father. Both my father and I do not have hair on our legs. My eyes are exactly the same with the eyes of my father – round. And because of those similarities in features, I am sure that I am a son of my parents.

But aside from that, I also asked my aunt if she was around when my mother gave birth to me. She said, yes. In fact, it was to her that I was handed by the midwife who attended to my mother’s delivery. My aunt also recounted how red my skin was when I was born. So, now, I have a witness who attests that I am, indeed, a real son of my parents. In addition, I was born at home, so there was hardly a possibility that I was somebody else’s son. That is why I am very sure that my mother is my real mother because I have a witness.

What do I mean to say? We do not know everything. All that we know is that Somebody created us. But how are we to know who created us? There should be a witness!

One way of finding out the facts about the details of your birth is thru a birth certificate. It is indicated in the birth certificate the place, date, and time of your birth, the name of the attending doctor and midwife’ the name of the hospital, and the witness. Also, the birth certificate bears the signature of the midwife, or doctor.

Now, our problem is, we want to serve God. We want to thank Him. We want to know Him, at least. We want to hug Him if only we could for all the goodness that He has done to us. But how can we know Him? How can we serve Him? Who is He, in the first place? What is His name?

How can we resolve all these things? So far, we have found out a way by which we can answer our questions. We will look for a witness. Christ said that He had talked with God. But there are also pastors today who have a similar claim. One said that he had talked with God also, while another said that he is also able to talk with God. Let examine each of those who have claimed to have seen and talked with God, and let us find out who among them is the most credible witness. Was it really God that they talked with? What is His name? This is the time when we will begin to refer to their writings. Do you know that the Apostles had their writings compiled in what we call Bible? Do you also know that those pastors, who claim that they had seen and talked with God, have their writings, too?

Many claim to have talked with God. And because we do not have the chance to talk to these people, we will just have to make some inquiry. Do you know what is one of God’s commandments to man? Jeremiah 6:16 says,

“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls . . .”

In other words, God commanded man to ask. You see, there is nothing wrong with asking questions. My grandmother used to tell me that an inquisitive person could outwit the intelligent. Why? You might be intelligent but if you are too reluctant and too shy to ask questions you will surely be mislead.

So, at this point, we will ask questions. And we will address our questions to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to all of those who had allegedly talked with God. After asking them questions, we will eventually be led to the answer the question we posed earlier: Who really created us? And definitely, we will be able to draw an honest-to-goodness answer because we asked all of them very objectively, and we did not take sides.

In my humble, little way let me lead you in your search for the Being who created us. Who is He? Why are we here on earth? Have you ever asked yourself why you are here on earth? What is the purpose of our Maker for creating us? How come we were not even given the chance to choose our own parents? Why were we denied of the liberty to design the kind of face we want? Actually, we were not really given a choice so we just have to make the most out of the face that had been given to us. Why did it happen that way? Is there a reason behind it? . . . These are some of the questions that we will try to answer thru God’s help. Hopefully, we will be able to see where we came from and where we are heading for. Right now, we are here on earth, but why were we brought forth into this world? And for us to know the answers to our questions, we shall look for a credible witness.

Bro. Eli Soriano, Filipino, should be Man of the Century

If there is one person in the world today who deserved to be conferred the title "Man of the Century" it is none other than Bro. Eli Soriano. He is a Filipino and very zealous with evangelizing the pure and untarnished Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which he learned from reading the Bible.

In the Philippines, he is well-known for his hard-hitting expose and revelation of religious faux pas and what most religions today are looking for--money. He hates and is critical of pastors and preachers who enrich themselves by deceiving and employing tactics to fool unwary followers. For him, nothing is more important than every living soul whom God want to be saved from eternal damnation even if it costs him wealth and his life.

He interspersed his revelations with verses from the Bible so his analysis of religious corruptions become more valid and biblically-based. He does not interpret the Bible like what most pastors and preachers are doing nowadays, he do not stage miracles to make people believe about God.

He depend in the Bible and his faith that God give the answers to biblical mysteries to people who fear God and follow his teachings and commandments. This is manifested most when you watch him host his television program on UN Television channel 37, a local ultra-high frequency channel, entitled "Ang Dating Daan" or The Old Path.

Some of his questions, which seemingly appear paradoxical are:

1. Where is God before He created the heavens and the earth?

For the record, no pastor has given the correct answer to this question. But when he revealed the answer, all in the crowd during a Thanksgiving ceremonies in the congregation of Members Church of God International was awed and overwhelmed. What a God's messenger can give out the answer so smoothly, so biblically-based, very logical and factual.

2. What is the language of angels?

3. What will be the language of people who will go to heaven?, and many others

His challenge to anyone, you ask him and the Bible will answer ("Itanong mo kay Soriano") is one proof that he knows the inside and outside of the Bible. No other religious pastor or preacher living today can match his mastery of the Bible (or gift?).

Soon, we will be seeing him via The Old Path Channel which will be carried by global broadcast and direct-to-home (DTH) provider Globecast, a subsidiary of France Telecom.

Whose Will Prevails on the things that happen on Earth?

Source: www.angdatingdaan.org


Biblically speaking, there are two parties that influence the occurrence of things on earth. You may not readily believe this but there are, indeed, two factors behind the occurrence of things on earth. In this particular study, we will find out who these two parties are that make certain things happen in the life of a person. Who should prevail between the two? Who should be followed?

Do you know that our beings will face a certain event in the future? Whether we like it or not and whether we believe it or not; there are, indeed, events in the future. As we all know, as event has two components: the time when this event would happen, and the parties involved in this event. They could be men, angels, God, or the devil.

Not everything that happens on earth should really happen. There are things that should not happen, and yet they happen. And this is because there are two parties that make things happen in this world. Who are they? And when we get to know who these parties are, let us then find out, who between the two should prevail.

Many people think that it is either God, or the devil, that make things happen. While we believe that God can make all things happen, yet we do not believe that the devil has the same power in making things happen. We believe that God’s will prevails. But aside from God, there is another who can make certain thing happens on earth. It is not the devil definitely, and it is neither Christ, nor the Holy Spirit!

Actually, the devil does not have the power to make things happen. The devil simply insinuates; he simply tempts, but he could not force people. In the first place, even God does not force people. He does not insist what He wants all the time. The more the devil cannot force people because he does not have the power to make anything happen in the life of a man, unless man, himself, gives his consent. Remember that God has given man freewill. He has given man the liberty to decide whether he wants to obey, or to disobey God.

But it is wrong to believe that it is satan who makes a man fall into sinfulness because he could not make it happen all by himself. For satan to prevail, man should give his consent first. There is a limitation to what satan can do. He can simply tempt a person; he can just insinuate or suggest. It is only after man has accepted what satan is offering that his desire would come to pass. The final decision is in the person.

God is just one of the parties that make things happen in the life of a person. And we will further prove this by citing some verses from the Scriptures. First, let us find out what causes the things to happen in the life of a person. What are the reasons behind the occurrence of those things? Luke 1:37 says,

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

In this particular verse, the angel Gabriel was telling Mary that, “with God nothing shall be impossible.” What does it mean when we say that the word of God is powerful? This is what Isaiah 55:11 says,

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

God has another pronouncement in Isaiah 46:11 which says,

“... I have spoken it. I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it,”

God has the power to make His words come to pass. He has all the means to make His words come true. Let us not forget that God has the prerogative to make His words come to pass. And when He does so, nobody can hinder Him. As written in Isaiah 43:13,

“I will work, and who shall let it?”

Nobody can prevent God from doing what He wants because He is an Almighty God.

But do you know that although God has the power to make all things happen as He wills them, there are also occasions when His will is being prevented? It does not always happen, but there are instances when His will is being hindered. Do you know who can prevent, or oppose, what God wants to happen in this world? This is what I Corinthians 9:12 says,

“If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power, but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.”
There are, indeed, times when the will of God, like the propagation of the Gospel, is being hindered. St. Paul said that they have certain legitimate rights, but they have opted not to use these rights. For instance, they have the right to eat, the right to drink, and the right to marry. Buy they did not use these rights. In fact, St. Paul remained unmarried, and he did not take advantage of his brethren. Instead, he said, “we have not used this power, but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.”

In other words, there is a possibility that the propagation of the Gospel would be hindered. And one of these possible hindrances is when the preacher would be thinking only of his personal welfare.

That is why, despite the fact that God is an Almighty God, and He wants His will to prevail, there are instances when His will is hindered. Everything depends on whether, or not, people acknowledge God.

Let us be reminded of God’s plan then: to punish the people of Nineveh due to their wickedness. So, God sent the prophet Jonah there to tell the people of His plan to punish them if they would not repent. So, Jonah went to Nineveh, and there, he preached. Do you know what happened? Jonah 3:10 says,

“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

The people of Nineveh changed. They repented, and they turned away from their evil way. And because of that, God was moved. He changed His mind. He did not destroy Nineveh anymore.

Therefore, God is that powerful. He may change His decision if only the people would repent. Apparently, His decision was dependent on the people’s decision. In other words, the things that happen on earth are dependent on God’s and man’s decisions. God’s decision may change, depending on how man reacted towards Him. If the people can change their decision, God can also change His. That is why the things that happen on earth depend on man’s relationship with God. Just like what happened when Abraham was trying to bargain with God concerning His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Let us read Genesis 18:23-26,

“And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Peradventure there be fifty righteous with in the city: Wilt thou also destroy and spare not the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?

And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”

When God said that He would burn Sodom and Gomorrah, is there anybody who could prevent Him from doing it? None! God can make His words happen. But what else did Abraham tell God? (Genesis 18:27-30)

“And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for the lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.

And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”

Did you notice how Abraham had become very insistent? But God had told him that should there be fifty, or forty-five, or even forty righteous men He would not destroy the cities. Abraham’s insistence, of course, was triggered by his compassion for the people there, especially so that Lot, his nephew, was also there. But God said that even for the sake of thirty righteous men, He would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. And what happened? Let us continue. (Genesis 18:31-32)

“And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.

And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.”

If only there would be ten righteous men, God would still not destroy it. Unfortunately, he did not find ten righteous men. So, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It rained fire from heaven.

The pronouncement of God came to pass. He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because He did not find at least ten righteous men. Only three were found to be righteous. Actually, even during the time of Noah, when God destroyed the earth, there were not even ten righteous people also. There were only eight. What we are trying to say? God has the power to make His words come to pass.

At present, scientists have been trying to look for remnants of Sodom and Gomorrah. How can they find any when God rubbed these cities out of the face of the earth? He totally annihilated it.

You see, if you are going to dig for artifacts in Egypt, you’ll surely find evidences that would prove that, once upon a time, there indeed lived pharaohs in Egypt. In fact, archeologists have even found a pharaoh dressed in gold.

In Samaria, they have unearthed a gold coin – a denarius – that bore the images if Augustus Ceasar and Tiberius Ceasar – the very same gold coin that was shown to Christ when He was asked if they should pay taxes, or not (Matt. 22:17-21). Hence, the authenticity of that particular biblical account has been confirmed by the discovery of that gold coin.

But the question now is, why can’t they find, or at least, trace the former Sodom and Gomorrah? It is because, according to the Bible, they had been consumed by fire. Nothing was left. Even the metals melted due to the extreme heat of the fire which descended from heaven. Why are we studying all of these? Don’t ever think that we’ve gone quite far from our subject matter. No! I am just trying to lay down the foundation. Everything that happens in this world results out of the decisions made by two parties. It is either God’s, or man’s decision. There are times when what God wants does not happen because it is not being followed by man. But the moment the person goes back to God and repent, God may withhold the punishment that He has planned to give man. Just like what happened to the people of Nineveh.

Does the devil have any control on the things that happen in the life of man? Does he have any power to make anything happen? Let us read Job 2:4-5,

“And satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.”

Satan was arguing with God about Job. He was telling God that if He would inflict pain on Job’s body, and if He would get everything that he possessed, he would surely turn his back to Him. And what did God say? (Job 2:6)

“And the LORD said unto satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.”

God gave Job at satan’s disposal. Only, he should not kill him. In other words, satan did not have any power over the life of Job. In fact, God gave him a specific instruction to save his life. He may inflict him physical pain but he should not kill him. So, what satan did was, he inflicted Job with boils all over his body – from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. Job suffered a lot, and his wife was even urging him to depart from God. Let us continue. (Job 2:7)

“So went satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.”

Can you imagine that? His body was practically covered with boils. And what did his wife tell him? (Job 2:9-10)

‘Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”

Therefore, how did Job suffer? It is because God permitted it. But without God’s permission, the devil couldn’t lay his hand on anybody. He cannot make anything happen unless God permits it. What is our basis? I John 5:18 says,

“...but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.”

A person who acknowledges God will never be touched by the devil. The intent of the devil will not be realized if God will not permit it to happen. However, even if God did not permit it to happen it may still happen if you give your consent to it. For example, satan is trying to win you that is why he is enticing you thru women, wine, gambling, and other forms of worldly pleasure. The will of God would not prevail if you yielded to satan’s dictates. You, then, became his follower because you submitted yourself to his power. This explains the reason why some people become evil because they surrendered themselves to the trap of the devil. I Timothy 5:15 says,

“For some are already turned aside after satan.”

They became satan’s followers. They have made satan their leader. And in such situation, satan succeeds in making his desires prevail. But if you will resist the devil, if you will fight against him, then, the will of God will prevail. The devil cannot insist what he wants. What he wants would not happen if you would not give your consent, and if God would not permit it. Bear in mind that, all the things that happen in the life of a person are prompted by two things. It is either the will of God, or the will of man. Proverbs 16:9 says,

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”

It is the heart of man that plans his ways, but it is the Lord that directs his steps. There is a concerted effort between man and God. You plan what you want to do. But when God sees that you have decided to follow Him, He will surely direct your steps. He will guide you. Just like a young child whose steps being directed and guided by his caring parents. Wherever the child goes, the parents go also to give their child guidance. A parent is a mere guide.

The God-man relationship has been likened to a parent-child relationship. Always remember that the things that happen are either results of man’s decision, or the will of God. Sometimes, God’s decision is dependent on the decision made by man. When a person changes for the better, God may withhold his decision. But when a person continues to be wicked, God pushes through with his plan to punish him. God decides in accordance to how man has faithfully followed Him. You see, God has given man the freedom to choose and to decide. This is what Deuteronomy 30:19 says,

“I call heaven to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”

You have the power to choose. Others think that it is always the will of God that prevails. Perhaps, in the prayer that they recite, yes, it is the will of God that shall be done. But in practice, they do not abide by the will of God. Let us analyze the prayer. (Matthew 6:9-10)

“Our Father, which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

After saying, “thy will be done,” he went straight to a cockpit arena, and there, he bet all his earnings. Are you not ashamed to God when, after telling Him, “Thy will be done”, you proceeded to a cabaret? Whose will are you following? It’s not God’s will, but your own will. And this proves that the things that happen to man are either the will of God, or man’s won will. And it is wrong to follow your own will. That is why whenever Christ prayed, He always told His Father, “Thy will be done.”

Let we say it once more. Everything that happens is either the will of God, or the will of man. Satan simply persuades and provokes people to do evil things, but he does not have the power to have his own will prevail, unless God, or man, permits it. That is why we cannot ascribe any blame on God. Even if the devil keeps on tempting you, he will not succeed if you will not listen to him. If you resist him, he cannot do anything. As the saying goes, “It takes two to tango.” You cannot do the tango all by yourself. You need to have a partner. And nothing would happen if you would not give your consent.

The same principle applies with the other things in this world. The devil’s intent would be realized if you would agree to it. Follow the will of God; give your consent to what God wants, that way, the will of God would prevail.

There are things that happen on earth because the people simply followed their own will. But if we are going to ask the Bible, whose will are we really supposed to follow? Whose will prevails? Matthew 7:21 says,

“Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

For a person to enter the kingdom of heaven, he needs to fulfill the will of the Father in heaven. So, if we want to be holy, if we want to be in heaven, we have to follow the will of God.

What is the will of God? To the descendants of the eight survivors of the great flood, God said, “Replenish the earth.” What God wanted them to do was wonderful. It would do them good. Why? You see, if all of mankind would just gather and crown together in one place, there is a possibility to annihilation should an epidemic, or a pestilence, comes. That was why when they had grown big in number, God commanded them to scatter and fill the earth. But do you know what they did? They did not listen to God. They did not follow His will. They did what they wanted.

(Genesis 11:4)

“And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.”

They called it as tower of Babel. They wanted to stay together in one place. They ignored the will of God. Do you know what God did just to make these people follow His will? God knew very well that their confinement in one place would not be good for them. If they would not scatter, and if they would just be confined in one area, the other places that are not being inhabited by people would eventually be inhabited by wild animals. And these animals would inevitably multiply, thus, their territory would be vaster than man’s. This would be fatal because, instead of man having dominion over the earth, there would arise the possibility that these wild animals now would dominate humans. That was why God commanded them to “Replenish the earth, and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:28)

When God saw that what the people wanted would be risky for them, He used His power in asserting His will. He made them scatter.

(Genesis 11:7-8)

“Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.

So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.”

God confounded their language. He made them speak different languages, as a result, they did not understand each other. And because of that, they decided to drift apart. That was how the nations of men begun. God asserted His will for their own welfare.

We are just trying to show you that there are things that happen which are against the will of God. God is allowing those things to happen to give man the chance to decide and exercise his freewill. But ultimately, it is the will of God that shall prevail. While we are here on earth, there will always be a possibility that we do things in accordance to our will. But in the end, it is the will of God that shall prevail.

Perhaps, it’s high time that we study our faith. Many people hardly care to find out if they are heading for hell or for heaven. They are too preoccupied with useless matter like making themselves richer, building bigger houses, expanding their line of business, etc. They have forgotten to work on what is the most important – their salvation.

Other think that a person may do as he pleases – womanize, gamble – and still be saved provided he utters “Hesusmaryosep” (the combination of the names Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in the vernacular). That is foolishness!

There was once an old woman, whom we invited to attend a worship service. She declined my invitation, and said she didn’t want to get involved in religion anymore because religion, for her, was quite complicated. She even added that, before she dies, she would just repent and say “Hesusmaryosep” (Jesus, Mary, Joseph). Other people think that a mere utterance of “Hesusmaryosep” before dying is already a pass to salvation. Is that notion biblical? You see, God is a just God. And God would not listen to a person who spent 60, 70, or 75 years of life in worldly pleasure, but remembered him only in his deathbed. This is what Proverbs 1:24-29 says,

“Because I have called, and ye refuse; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

But he have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:”

Will God listen to them? No! Try to be in God’s place. He waited for you for a long time – from your youth up to the time that you got married and became a parent, and eventually, a grandparent. You always postponed your service to God. You made God wait. And it is only now that you are dying that you thought of calling His name! God will not listen to you anymore. And should this thing happen to you, bear in mind that it is your fault. Do not forget, the things that happen in our life are cause by two factors – the will of God and the will of man.

But if you really want to be saved, this is what Matthew 7:21 tells us,

“Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

Therefore, it is the will of the Father that must be done, and not anybody else’s will. What is our basis? John 9:31 says,

“Now we know that God heareth not sinners ...”

God is not listening to sinners. If a person has refused to do what is righteous, God would not listen to him. He would not listen to gamblers, to drug lords, to sinners, and to all of those who refused to acknowledge Him. Even if you cry a river God will not listen to you. Others think that as long as a person prays fervently, God will listen to his prayers. That is not true. It depends on who is the person praying. If the one praying is somebody who did not acknowledge and fear Him, God would not listen. John 9:31 says,

“Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man he a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”

God will listen to those who fulfilled His will. It is the will of God that should be done. If we want God to listen to our prayers, if we want to be saved, we have to follow the will of God. That is why we have to know and we have to obey the will of God. Do you know what His will is in relation to our manner of dressing, in our speech, and in the way we should deal with other people? Actually, God has a specific decree even in the way we should use our eyes. You just cannot look at anything that you want to. This is what Proverbs 23:29-33 says,

“Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who had redness of eyes?

They hath tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like as adder.

Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.”

The eyes of a drunk man become unruly. They look even at the things that they should not look at. But if we are going to follow the will of God, even your vision would be directed. You will be guided in everything that you would do, even in rearing children, in raising a family, in your means of livelihood, and even in your manner of praying. It is the will of God that must be done.

Everything that we do must be in accordance to the will of God. And what is the will of God? The will of God are all written in the Bible.

Study religion via The Old Path Channel

As we all know, faith is a very important aspect in one man's life. This means if not salvation for eternal life in bliss, but eternal damnation in hell.

For this reason we felt obliged to impart with you one of the most important basis of faith—the truths in the Bible. It is not too late for us to engage in a thorough study of the essential problems in religion and spirituality.

We do not have any intention of putting any preacher, or any organization, in bad light. This religious exposition only aims to open the minds of our fellowmen concerning spiritual matters, because it is in this area that our society is weak. The interest of many people in our society is focused only on the material and physical matters. Many seem to have neglected and forgotten matters that pertain to salvation. Although there are some who talk about God and salvation, the fact remains that the greater number of our people are preoccupied on worldly things and other forms of wickedness. While the number of religious organizations increases, the rate of criminality and other heinous acts likewise increase.

This study aims to bring to light the fundamental doctrines of God, and how we can find peace of mind especially in this times when wickedness is all around us. This is our invitation to you. (source: www.angdatingdaan.org)

What kind of creator is our Creator?

Source: www.angdatingdaan.org


So far, we have agreed that the reason why man came into this world is because Somebody created him. And that Being is more powerful and more intelligent than any other man. But who is He? What shall we call Him? We do not know Him yet, so, we still have to refer to the physical evidences that we see around us.

There are those who claim that they have seen and talked with our Maker. That is why we will examine the testimonies of these witnesses. It is not wrong to believe the testimonies of witnesses, like in the example that I cited last time. You never saw when your mother gave birth to you, but you still believe that your mother is your real mother because somebody witnessed your birth.

We were all created. We did not just sprout in this world. We are not mouth sores that appear very suddenly. Actually, even the appearance of mouth sores is caused by something. It could be due to deficiency in Vitamin C and Vitamin B Complex. What am I trying to say? Whether we are mouth sores, or not, the fact remains that we have a beginning. We did not happen by accident. Why are we here on earth? How did we come into being? It is because Somebody created us. As to who that Creator is, that is what we are trying to unravel. Who is He? How shall we call Him? Where can we get testimonies about Him?

If you we able to get confirmation that you were the real child of your mother and father from a witness’ testimony, we shall also look for a reliable witness who could introduce to us who the Creator of man is. But before we find out who he is, let us find out first how intelligent, how magnanimous, and how understanding He is. If man is here on earth because Somebody created him, how can we determine who that Creator is? You see, we have to understand Him before we learn who He is. Let me just add a little to the premise we agreed on previously. Remember, we have agreed in our belief that Somebody created us.

At this point, before we get to know who the Creator is, let us establish first His greatness. What kind of Creator is our Creator? How does He work? Being our creator, it follows that He is also the one made our hands. If you will notice, the fingers of our hands do not have the same length. Our thumb, although smaller, is fatter than the rest of the fingers. We have the so-called index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and the smallest finger. Have you ever pondered on why God did not give our fingers equal length? Had He made your fingers of the same length, you will find it very difficult to bring the food into your mouth if you are eating with your bare hands. In other words, the one who made our hands understands where and how the hands would be used.

Aside from that, Science has also found out that no two individuals have the same fingerprints, even if they happen to be siblings, or twins, or even Siamese twins. To this day, there has not been any record that would prove that are there two persons who have the same fingerprints. That proves that our Creator gave each of us our own distinct identities. People vary in their physical features; they differ in the shapes of their nose, types of their hair, and shapes of their faces such that, some are round, while some are oval. But most of all, thru the fingerprints, a person is given his distinguishing mark.

Aside from that, our Creator also understands our personal needs. He know that our body would need Vitamin C for us not to catch colds, nor develop ulcer, and for our flesh to become firmer. Unfortunately, our body is incapable of producing even a small amount of Vitamin C. So, what did He do? He gave us fruits which are very rich in Vitamin C – pineapple, guava, orange, etc. What does that mean? Our Maker understands our needs.

We were given nails for us to scratch the itchy part of our body. He did not give us a nose that is turned upside down, otherwise, we will drown when it rains. Our ears were likewise positioned properly for us to hear very well what the other person is telling us. Therefore, we can say that, indeed, man is a masterpiece!

There is wisdom in all His creations. Now, if we believe that there is a Creator, let us find out and let us acknowledge the wisdom in His creations, because He created everything in wisdom.

It is very easy to realize how brilliant the Creator is. Just look at the soil. Plant pepper on it and you’ll reap a spicy fruit. Try planting “ampalaya” on the same soil, and you’ll reap a bitter tasting fruit. And then, try planting sugarcane, and that soil will yield sweet sugarcane. And finally, when you planted “calamansi,” the same soil yielded a sour fruit. Where did those tastes come from? Try to taste the soil, and it neither tastes bitter, nor sweet, not sour, nor spicy. What does that prove? The Creator is very intelligent.

God gave man the so-called taste buds, which gives him the ability to taste what is spicy, bitter, sweet, and sour. Actually, if man will only try to study all His creations, he will find out that all of them are linked to him – to his needs – for him to appreciate His wisdom, His goodness, and His mercy. Everything in this world is created with a purpose.

It was after realizing these things that I began to contemplate and asked myself: Why are we here on earth? What are we here for? Does life simply mean getting married, growing old, and dying? . . . and after death, no more?

You refute my word if you want, but after observing how life goes in this world, I have realized that everything that God made has a specific purpose. None of His works is bad, instead, there is always something good about it. For instance, tobacco per se is not bad. It just became bad and harmful when it had been used improperly. But tobacco can be beneficial and helpful if it used correctly. Do you know that the chemical that is extracted from tobacco, when injected, can relax and sedate a person who becomes violent and hysterical due to some pressing problems? It has its medicinal use. The venom of a snake is, likewise, a potent antidote if used properly. It can be beneficial to man if handled properly. This is the reason why I am saying that everything in this world has a definite use and purpose. It’s just that, sometimes, we do not realize what we are here for. Are we simply meant to grow old? Does life simply mean growing up, getting married, raising a family, growing old, and, finally, dying? Is that what our life is all about? Or, is there another essence to our existence?

Let us study all these things. We have agreed that there is a Creator who made everything, including man. And this creator is kind-hearted, very intelligent, and very sensitive to our needs. But, who is He? Some would say that He is Jesus. Others would contest it because for them, Jesus is a mere man, and the only creator is the Father. Many different answers might arise, but which of these answers shall we believe? Whose answer are we going to believe? And this is where the problem lies. But let us try finding solution to this problem. Let us look for a lead . . . for a witness, and let us ask him: Who is the creator?

Many have claimed that they have seen and heard the Creator. Who among them shall we believe? Some say that the creator is Jesus, some say that it is the Father. On the other hand, there are those who say that it is Jehovah, but there are also those who say that it is Yahweh El Shaddai. Who could be the real creator? Do you believe that our creator is Jehovah? Or is it Yahweh El Shaddai? or Jesus? or the Father? But definitely, somebody must have created us. However, who is he?

One pastor said that, as far as he was concerned, all religions are of God, and no religion is evil. Would you agree with him that no religion is bad? What can you say about the religion established by Jim Jones, who taught his members that they would not die even if they drink poison? You see, some 913 of them drank cyanide and all of them died. Will you consider that religion of God? Let your conscience answer that.

How about those pastors who are introducing to you their own gods, will you regard them to be of God? If they are really of God, why are they fighting against each other?

I think instead of saying that this group, or that group, is of God, it would be better if it is God who would say that we are His. Wouldn’t that be better? It is so easy to claim that we are of God, but can you accept it that all of us are of God and all of us are righteous. Why, are you all faithful to your respective husbands and wives? Who among you has not answered back to his parents? Who among you have not nurtured any ill feeling towards his fellowman, to the point of even praying that he be hit by a train? Who among you have not taken anything which is not his? I’m sure some of you have committed some of what I have mentioned. Have you been a faithful wife to your husband? Why is it that there are stories of husbands who, after working in another country for sometime, he comes home surprised to find out that ha has now three children when he just got two before he left? This thing really happens. Now, would you say that all of us are of God? For me, I would say that some of us are of God, but not all of us, primarily because, some of us do things which are against the will of God.

If there is a God, our question is, who is he? Who will introduce Him to us? Could there be anybody who could introduce to us the God who created everything?

Let us not denounce, nor judge any religion yet. Let us study all of them as we search for the reason behind our existence here on earth. Undoubtedly, there is a creator. But who is he?

Let us all play neutral as we put them all to a test. Who is the creator of all things? They are attributing this to what they call, God. As we search for the truth, let us also call him God. But who is that God? There are groups that believe that God has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s. But let us ask the Bible if their belief were correct. John 4:24 says,

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”


Therefore, according to the Bible, God is a spirit. And how does the Bible define the word “spirit”? Luke 24:39 says,

“… for a spirit hath no flesh and bones …”

See how the belief of one group contradicts what the Bible says. So, what are we suppose to do now. They believe that God has flesh and bones, while the Bible says, God is a spirit. But there is still another group which believes that God is spirit, however, they also believe that God is not begotten and begets not.

I asked myself, whose son is Christ? Isn’t it that we believe that Christ is a son of God? Why is it that one group said that God has flesh and bones, while another group said, God has no flesh and bones? And still another group said that God is a spirit, but this spirit is not begotten?

I believe that God was not really born. But I cannot accept that God cannot beget inasmuch as God is a spirit. Why, who begot all of you? Were you not begotten by your mother? The question is, who created your mother? Have we not agreed that God is the creator of all men? If your mother, who was just created by God, can beget children, how much more is the one who created your mother. The more He could beget. Wouldn’t that make sense? If our mother who was just made by God could beget children, the more God could beget if He wants to. If he was able to create a mother who could beget, could he not beget also? Try to think about it.

I just couldn’t accept their belief that God begets not. But let us give them the benefit of the doubt. They say that God begets not, while the Bible said otherwise. Isn’t it that there are “children of God”? How’s that now? . . . This is what we will study next time. . . .

Ang Dating Daan is now known as “The Old Path Channel” over GlobeCast

NOW POSITIONED TO SPREAD and evangelize the pure and untarnished Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to states in North America, "Ang Dating Daan" or "The Old Path", the undisputed Philippine religious program based on truths in the Bible, is tapping the broadcast expertise and reach of global satellite and direct-to-home (DTH) provider GlobeCast to reach all walks of life.

Under the agreement, “Ang Dating Daan” or “The Old Path”, the flagship radio-television program of Members Church of God International, will be known as “The Old Path Channel” and will be distributed by GlobeCast’s technological capabilities and satellite reach.

“Ang Dating Daan” is locally known for its hard-hitting expose and pursuit to expose atrocious and erroneous teachings in religion. As a result of this, the program is now almost synonymous with “exposes and truthful study of the Bible,” and it has become an eye-opener to many people who are unwittingly deceived by preachers and pastors.

Church of God Presiding Minister Bro. Eli Soriano engages viewers in the truthful and sensible study of religion in this program.

Aside from this means, the Church currently maintains three websites, its official Church website (www.angdatingdaan.org), broadcast streaming website (www.angdatingdaan.tv) and a community portal for Church members (www.kaanib.net) – a feat unmatched and unparalleled in the long history of Philippine religion.

These are proofs that Church of God is empowered to serve and deliver what it was commissioned to undertake--evangelize to the whole world Jesus Christ's doctrines for mankind to find peace, to be reunited with the Almighty Father, and to receive the promised eternal life in heaven.

Today, the program is aired thrice a day via satellite through the facilities of Philippine ultra-high frequency channel 37 of UN Television, and simultaneously heard in select powerful radio stations such as RMN, DZRH and 100 Radyo Natin station.

To make the program accessible and easily understood abroad, the all-Filipino language program added new segments and used the English language, such as “Truth in Focus”, “Biblically Speaking”, “How Authentic the Bible is”, and “Bible Guide”.
Moreover, “Ang Dating Daan” also facilitates the use of multi-lingual and multi-dialectic translations of the Bible, which is the first and only service unparalleled or unmatched up to this times by any other radio and television religious programs.

What is the real Church of God in the Bible?

This time, we are going to study the church that is being mentioned in the Bible. We need to study this inasmuch as we are trying to examine the different doctrines of the different religious organizations here today.

There was somebody who said that, the true church is not the congregation of the Apostles because the Apostles were destroyed by satan. They were killed; therefore, theirs was not the true church. He said that, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mat. 16:18). It means that the true church would not die. And for that reason, the members of that church would not experience death either. And they alleged that the Apostles died because their church was not the true church, theirs was the true church.

We will consult the Bible to find out if the claim of many churches, that they are the true church, were true, or not. Let us find out also if there is any truth to their assertion that they are the only true church, and whosoever does not join their church will never be saved.

It is but natural that people develop the feeling that their church is the true church, and that only they will be saved. And those who are outside their church have no salvation. Actually, this is already an old claim by different religious organizations, and until now, this is still their claim.

But let us find out from the Bible, which is the true church. As far as some people are concerned, theirs is the true church, while all the others are impostors. That is why we better ask the Bible, which is the true church? What comprises it? Where is it? Is it in the Philippines? Did it originate here? We will try to seek answers to these questions from the Bible. For us not to be misled, let us start our discussion from the very beginning.

First and foremost, let us find out, which is the very first church? You see, nothing could be better than the original. Please, bear in mind; we are referring to the first real church. The Bible speaks of “firsts,” or “originals”. Let us cite an example. I Corinthians 15:45:

“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”

The Bible said, the first man, Adam, became a living soul. The very first man, the original, was Adam. Do not forget that nobody came ahead of Adam. Although, nowadays, there are some who believe that there were already a group of people who had come before Adam and they alleged that they were even more intelligent than him. They were referring to those who build the pyramids of Egypt. Apparently, they marveled at the great architectural design of the pyramids of Egypt. But if we are going to base our belief on the Bible, the very first man is Adam. And according to St. Paul, who is an authority of the Bible, he said that nobody came ahead of Adam. The book of Genesis in chapter 3 verse 20 also speaks of another “original”.

“And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.”

Very clearly, the reason why she was called Eve was because “she was the mother of all living.” In other words, Eve is our original mother, while Adam is the original, or the first man. If, in matters like this, there are “originals”, when it comes to the church, there is also an original, or the first church. And this is what we are going to talk about. Now, let us begin. Let us consult the Bible and ask: what was the very first church? Let us read Hebrews 12:23,

“To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to the God the judge of all?”

St. Paul said, “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn.” Could there be another church that had come ahead of this? None, because this is the church of the firstborn! Firstborn means the very first; none has come before a firstborn. In other words, the very first church in the Bible is the church of the firstborn.

Now, let us find out, to whom was th