1. What is the purpose of these lessons?
The purpose of these lessons is to fill in what is missing in the lives of so many people today, namely, the knowledge and practice of true religion.
“Receive therefore instructions by my words and it shall be profitable to you” (Wisdom 6:27).
2. Why should I have to study religion?
I have to study religion because God expects me to know what He has taught and commanded me to do. I cannot know very much about His laws unless I study them in the same way I would study any other subject.
“The heart of the wise seeks instruction; and the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness” (Proverbs 15:14).
3. Why is religion the most important study I can take up?
Religion is the most important study I can take up because when I die God will not ask me how many years I went to school, but He will ask me whether I lived my life according to His laws or not.
”Let no one deceive himself. If any one of you thinks himself wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may come to be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (1st Corinthians 3:18,19).
4. What is religion?
Religion consists of two parts:
1) Believing everything God has told the human race.
2) Observing all of my duties to God, to myself and to my neighbor.
“Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).
5. What are some of the things God has told the human race?
God has told us that each person has a soul which will never die and that He will reward those who obey His Laws with the never-ending happiness of heaven and that He will punish those who do not obey His Laws with the never-ending torments of hell.
“God shall judge both the just and the wicked, and then shall be the time of everything” (Ecclesiastes 3:17).
6. What are my chief duties to God?
I must believe in God, pray to Him, obey His Laws, love Him and worship Him not only in private, but also in public.
“The Lord Thy God shalt thou adore, and Him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10).
7. What are my duties to myself?
I must take care of my soul by staying away from sin and obeying God’s Laws, so that I can enjoy the happiness of heaven.
“For we have not here a lasting city, but we seek one that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14).
8. What are my duties to my neighbor?
I must do everything I can to help my neighbor to lead a good life and so get into heaven.
The nearer a person is to me, the more serious my duties toward him. For example, a father has the serious duty to provide his family with food, clothing and shelter.
“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 19:19).
9. Why is religion necessary?
Religion is necessary:
a) because God commanded it
b) because religion shows me how to live my life on this earth and how to get into heaven
c) because the lack of religion causes unhappiness in this life and in the next.
10. How does the lack of religion cause unhappiness in this life?
Unhappiness comes into a person’s life when God’s Laws are not obeyed: unhappy marriages, unfaithfulness, drunkenness, divorce, broken homes, children gone astray, unmarried mothers, boy criminals and wars.
“He that rejected wisdom and discipline is unhappy; and their hope is in vain, and their labours without fruit, and their works unprofitable. Their wives are foolish, and their children wicked, their offspring is cursed” (Wisdom 3:11-13).
11. How does the lack of religion cause unhappiness in the next life?
Those who do not obey God’s Laws in this life will be punished with the everlasting torments of hell.
“The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with the angels of His power in a flame of fire, giving vengeance to them who know not God, and who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2nd Thessalonians 1:7, 8).
12. Does religion bring happiness in this life?
Yes, the peace of soul that comes only to those who obey God’s Laws is of much greater value than anything money can buy. Many rich people are very unhappy, while a very poor person can enjoy a great measure of happiness even in this life.
“Much peace have they that love Thy Law, and to them there is no stumbling block” (Psalm 118:165).