WORSHIP SERVICE ( would you) ?

[Jesus_is_LORD]

My brother asked me if I would ever participate in an interfaith worship service.
This question was not the root of our discussion but just a secondary part as he was
trying to prove a point or see where I stood.

My answer to him was, "no". By interfaith service he meant, a worship service where
Christians, Jews, Muslims, maybe Hindus, etc (people or different faith) got together
for a worship service (similar to Church on Sunday).

There seems to be a big push for oneness and togetherness in the world when it comes to
religion, and from my perspective even though some of those services might have good intentions,
(of bringing people together) I think the danger is diluting the truth. Why would the world want to seek
Jesus if we present as the same as everyone else.

I also think about what Jesus said in John 4:23, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks."

So my question would be, is that True worship if you are mixing the light of Jesus
with other dark deceived perspectives, and in what Spirit are the other worshipers praying?
Is everyone in that service praying in the same spirit. If not, that would not seem like the true worship
that our Father is seeking.

How about you, would you consider worshiping in a inter-faith service as mentioned above?
I'm not speaking about different denominations/sects within the same faith, such as Catholics and Methodist, and Baptist. Though there are different doctrines, they all line up under the Christian Faith.

I'm mainly talking about different faiths.

Thanks and stay blessed.

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

I would rather not but I remain open to be used by God.

Example:
Acts 10:9-16
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.
13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

Interestingly Peter was actually going to deny God to protect his religious beliefs about what made a man pure.
We don't actually have an account of Peter killing and eating those things but going into a gentiles house was just as bad for a good Jew.

Your pastor probably won't advise this:
Hosea 1:2 When a message from the LORD came to Hosea, the LORD told him, "Go marry a prostitute and have children with her, because the land is prostituting itself by departing from the LORD."
Umm,excuse me Lord?

He did cut Ezekiel a little slack:
Ezekiel 4:12Eat the food as you would a loaf of barley bread; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement for fuel.”
Ezekiel 4:13The Lord said, “In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them.”
Ezekiel 4:14Then I said, “Not so, Sovereign Lord! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth.”
15“Very well,” he said, “I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement.”

God makes us right with him and obedience is obeying God not rules or religious observances.
So that's why i answer I don't really want to but I'm not going to shut out God to be pure on my own.

 

[Christ4Ever]

@Jesus_is_LORD

I would not unless as Brother Thiscrosshurts has stated, God called me to do so. If He did after looking at the OT/NT, it would more than likely be to proclaim a warning to the other worshipers or to tell them of Jesus. Otherwise, I just don't believe God would, condone worshiping with other gods. He didn't approve of it in the OT and nothing in the NT changes that.

He was a jealous God in the OT, and I don't believe He has changed. So, just as God is jealous towards us, we should be jealous towards Him as well. Our God does not change which to me is an awesome sign of His consistency.

When you talk with many who would not have a problem with this. I wonder if it's that they are really are approving of the process of worship and not thinking about the "who" that is being worshiped. Which in our case is the One True God.

There was a lot more I have written, but pared it down because it is too easy to move into other areas of thought on this subject. It was hard enough in this writing to do this little bit without moving too far afield. However, I will share some of the verses I came across, which for me is truly the important part of any study.

"You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, Deuteronomy 6:14

and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. Deuteronomy 28:14

"They sacrificed to demons who were not God,To gods whom they have not known,New gods who came lately,Whom your fathers did not dread. Deuteronomy 32:17

"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:'I am the first and I am the last,And there is no God besides Me. Isaiah 44:6

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6

For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. 1 Corinthians 8:5-6

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. John 6:63

because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34

Good thread brother!
YBIC
C4E
<><

 

[Dave M]

first steps to a one world religion not I

 

[Jesus_is_LORD]

I would rather not but I remain open to be used by God.

Example:
Acts 10:9-16
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.
13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

Interestingly Peter was actually going to deny God to protect his religious beliefs about what made a man pure.
We don't actually have an account of Peter killing and eating those things but going into a gentiles house was just as bad for a good Jew.

Your pastor probably won't advise this:
Hosea 1:2 When a message from the LORD came to Hosea, the LORD told him, "Go marry a prostitute and have children with her, because the land is prostituting itself by departing from the LORD."
Umm,excuse me Lord?

He did cut Ezekiel a little slack:
Ezekiel 4:12Eat the food as you would a loaf of barley bread; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement for fuel.”
Ezekiel 4:13The Lord said, “In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them.”
Ezekiel 4:14Then I said, “Not so, Sovereign Lord! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth.”
15“Very well,” he said, “I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement.”

God makes us right with him and obedience is obeying God not rules or religious observances.
So that's why i answer I don't really want to but I'm not going to shut out God to be pure on my own.

Very wise counsel. Very wise. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Jesus_is_LORD]

@Jesus_is_LORD

I would not unless as Brother Thiscrosshurts has stated, God called me to do so. If He did after looking at the OT/NT, it would more than likely be to proclaim a warning to the other worshipers or to tell them of Jesus. Otherwise, I just don't believe God would, condone worshiping with other gods. He didn't approve of it in the OT and nothing in the NT changes that.

He was a jealous God in the OT, and I don't believe He has changed. So, just as God is jealous towards us, we should be jealous towards Him as well. Our God does not change which to me is an awesome sign of His consistency.

When you talk with many who would not have a problem with this. I wonder if it's that they are really are approving of the process of worship and not thinking about the "who" that is being worshiped. Which in our case is the One True God.

There was a lot more I have written, but pared it down because it is too easy to move into other areas of thought on this subject. It was hard enough in this writing to do this little bit without moving too far afield. However, I will share some of the verses I came across, which for me is truly the important part of any study.

"You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, Deuteronomy 6:14

and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. Deuteronomy 28:14

"They sacrificed to demons who were not God,To gods whom they have not known,New gods who came lately,Whom your fathers did not dread. Deuteronomy 32:17

"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:'I am the first and I am the last,And there is no God besides Me. Isaiah 44:6

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6

For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. 1 Corinthians 8:5-6

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. John 6:63

because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34

Good thread brother!
YBIC
C4E
<><

Amen. Amen. I thank God for this community. I thank God for the internet. Though it can be used for evil, the opportunities such as uniting the body of Christ all over
the world, is a great use of good that comes from the internet. Thank You Jesus, and thank you my brother in Christ for sharing.

 

[amadeus2]

God is bringing people together to form the Body of Christ, but the usual gatherings of Interfaith groups and of Ecumenical movements will likely only grow closer together through compromise... They bring to mind the tower of Babel, a place of confusion.

But, when Jesus spoke words people were unable to understand or that they misunderstood, He would not compromise in order to stop them from leaving Him:

"From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?" John 6:66-67

He would have walked on alone before compromising what His Father gave him to say.

This may be the norm, but the examples expressed about Hosea and Ezekiel let us know that we had better be paying attention:


"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" John 10:27

 

[complete]

Hi there,

Good points, good verses quoted, good thread.

No, I would not take part in a mixed faith event.

God, is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Father, in Him.

Most 'faiths' acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as a Prophet, but not as the Son of God. They do not therefore worship the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, but gods of their own devising.

In Christ Jesus
Chris