WATCH OUT FOR ECUMENISM AND INTERFAITHISM
Isaiah 1:13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me.
The book of Isaiah was written around 800 BC. by possibly three writers. It takes place during the Babylonian captivity. Because of years of idol worship by the Northern Kingdom of Israel, God had the Assyrian Empire conquer them, and subjugated the Southern Kingdom of Judah and Benjamin. Unfortunately the Southern Kingdom did not learn from God’s punishment of the Northern Kingdom, and they rebelled from the Lord with increasing idol worship. This is when God sent the Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar to conquer them and send them into exile.
Why did God say that the Jews offerings were meaningless and their incense destable? Well, they were under the impression that they could worship idols and the Lord. Deut 6:5 reminds us that God is a jealous God and will not tolerate divided loyalty. The Jews of the Southern Kingdom of Judah assumed that everything would be fine if they continued to make offerings and celebrate the different festivals. They were wrong and God would punish them severely using Babylon. God has chosen humanity out of all creation to have a very special intimate, loving relationship with him. It does require loyalty and obedience to him, if we are to expect God’s blessing. God had warned both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms to stop their idol worship, but they would not. With each betrayal and rebellion against the Lord, God would send punishment upon them. This is why we see in this chapter where God asks them why they continue to resist his punishment on them. We can’t think that we can bribe God with offerings, service or sacrifice if we continue in disobedience and rebellion to him. There are many laity, pastors and even denominations that think they can avoid God’s punishment through their own efforts.
Today we see many in Christian leadership compromise God’s word for convenience or being acceptable by the world. An example of this is seen in the acceptance of same gender sex relationships. Some denominations do same sex marriages, and some even ordain them into the ministry as pastors and other position of leadership. As bad as these are in some ways they are mild compared to their position of acceptance regarding many ways for forgiveness and eternal life. The Christian faith is built on the statement of Jesus where he said in Jn 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is not a way to forgiveness and eternal life. Jesus is the only way!
In the 1960’s there grew a movement called ecumenism that attempts to unify all Christian beliefs. From this pluralism took root that promoted an attitude that says basically everything is acceptable in a spiritual pursuit of God. Now interfaithism actively tries to unify all faiths into basicly one acceptable spiritual pursuit of God.
In 1986 John Paul II organized the first World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, Italy. He invited 160 religious leaders from different religions (even witchcraft) to spend the day together fasting and praying to their god or gods. He said that it was their strategy to bring all religions under the power and influence of the papacy. It is also believed that in the last days there will a false prophet that will align himself and his followers with the antichrist. Many believe that this prophet will promote interfaithism in an attempt to not only support the antichrist, but controlling the religions of the world.
As surprising and scary as it is to think, many Christians may follow this false prophet and find themselves compromising their total dependence on Jesus. Jesus even alludes to this in Matt 24:24 where he warns that even the very elect could be deceived by the great signs and miracles of the false prophet. Just as in Isaiah 1:4b it tells of how the Jews have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. Christians all over the world have done this very thing as well. There is no one we can turn to but Jesus to find forgiveness and reconciliation with God, yet thousands are doing this very thing every year as they go about bringing meaningless offerings and serving compromised churches.
The Lord didn’t compromise his standards for the Jews and he will not for Christians either. Isaiah 1:18-20 says, “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. In times like these we who love and trust in Jesus can not be moved. We need to stand our solid rock, Jesus Christ. Anything else will let us down whether it is a pastor, church, denomination, or country. Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus and our hope in glory, and not turn to the right or the left! If we are faithful to him, he will bring us unto our hope of eternal life with him in heaven.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, please help us so we will not become deceived and compromise our total dependence on Jesus. We ask this in Jesus’ holy
name.
