In writing this article, I probably will be accused of being unloving, harsh, and "self-righteous". But I would rather be called that, and much more, if need be, and not be called a compromiser of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of being unfaithful to my God and His inerrant Word. My desire is to be like the apostle Paul said in Galatians 1:10 in reference to preaching the Gospel: "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ".

    But first, let me ask some questions that need to be asked; and moreso, because of the rush that is going on at this time in our country to bring all Americans together in a spirit of unity after the World Trade Center and Pentagon tragedies. Perhaps if this was done only in the political sense, it could be there would be no problems at all; since President Bush is the President of all Americans, whatever political persuasion, or religion, nationality, culture, or race, they might be from, as long as they are Americans, whether they voted for him or not! In that sense, then, we should be united in ONE against the common enemy, or enemies, of our beloved country.

    Yet, the unity that is being called for by many, including President Bush, is not only political, but also a "spiritual one". Here, then, is the problem for the true believer in Christ. Is it possible for a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ to be united with those that, not only deny that the Lord Jesus Christ is "God...manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16), i.e. that He is Jehovah God, the Creator of the universe, and of all that is in it, but also deny that He ALONE is the ONLY "Saviour of the world" (John 4:42; 1 John 4:14)? Do you think that "the true living God" (Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 16:16) will hear the prayers of those that profess to be Christians, together with Catholics, Jews, Muslims, or whatever religion they might be? Can it truthfully be said that the only true living God in Jesus Christ was there at the National Prayer Service that was held in the National Cathedral in Washington, where Billy Graham preached, together with all the other religions, and denominations, that were represented? I HAVE TO SAY NO! IN NO WAY!!!!!

    "Why", someone might asked. "Isn't it the same God that all religions pray to?" Well, either the Lord Jesus told us the truth, or He didn't. So, if one believes that that are many ways, or "religions", to God, then that individual is saying that the Lord Jesus Christ lied to us! But what is it that He Himself tells us in John 14:6 - "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man (absolutely no one) cometh unto the Father, but by (through) me". With these devastating words, every religion in the world has been, not only destroyed, but cast into the depths of hell; for they are all "the broad...way, that leadeth to destruction" (Matthew 7:13). Furthermore, the first apostle to confess that Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (16:16), later on preached that "neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name (but Jesus) under heaven given among men (mankind), whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

    When the Lord Jesus said, "I am the way", He is declaring that He is the ONE AND ONLY WAY, not "a way", to God! Man might devise different ways to God, but Proverbs 14:12 says that "there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death". Therefore, the Catholics might believe that they can get to God through the Pope, or Mary, or one of the saints, but they will fail; the Jews believe they can get to Him without the Messiah Jesus, but they will fail; or the Muslims by Mohammed, or the Buddhist by Buddha, or the Hindus by their "gods", but they ALL will never get there! Why? Because the Lord Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY TO GOD! It makes no difference how sincere a person might be in their religion, and even willing to die in it, and for it, they are still lost in their sins, and "having no hope, and without God in the world" (Ephesians 4:12).

    But then, the Lord Jesus also said, "I am...the truth". Note that He didn't say that He was "a part of the truth", at least to imply, or give any hope, that there was any truth apart from Him, but the He is The TRUTH! In other words, dear friend, ALL TRUTH IS IN HIM AND FROM HIM; for "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). Although it can be said that all religions might have some elements of the truth, yet this is not because of the religion itself, but in spite of it. When it comes down to it, all the religions of the world want to destroy the Truth; for in doing so, they will get rid of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom they hate! Of course, we know that they will fail! Hallelujah!!! Nevertheless, the Lord Jesus said, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice" (John 18:37). So, any religion that claims they have the truth, then they have to hear the Truth, who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Amen!

    Furthermore, the Lord Jesus also said, "I am...the life". Perhaps to some this could mean simply physical life, and so He is saying that he is alive. Of course, in His human nature our Lord had physical life, for He is truly Man as we are, except without sin. But in our Lord saying that He is "the life", He means something infinitely much more than just physical life. First, because not only is He 'the life", but also "the resurrection, and the life" (John 11:25), so that in Him we have the promise that he "that believeth in (him), though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die" (v.26); for " that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:11,12). Secondly, He that knows Him has eternal life; for "this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3); and "we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life" (1 John 5:20). This is very clear, then, that apart from Jesus, we cannot have LIFE, i.e. the Life of God in us; for not only is He LIFE, but He only has the Words of Life, as Peter acknowledged when he said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God" (John 6:68,69).
 

    Having said that, what ought the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ to do? Are we to lay aside our faith in Him, and what we believe of Him, and simply come together with unbelievers in this time of crisis for the sake of unity; no matter what their religion might be, and what they believe of our precious Savior? Can we truthfully honor and please God if we do so? Isn't this to be in "the broad...way, that leadeth to destruction"? Can we honestly say that we who "have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus" (Ephesians 4:21), and know Him who is "the truth", and have "the Spirit of truth" (John 14:17) indwelling us, can we come to the "God of truth" (Deuteronomy 32:4), and in truth pray to Him, and expect for Him to hear our prayers? If the Lord Jesus Himself said, "No man (absolutely no one) cometh unto the Father, but by me", what is He telling us? Simply this, that there is no way that we can come to God, and worship Him, and pray to Him, and expect Him to hear, to bless, and to protect us, apart from the Lord Jesus Christ!

    Therefore, what is the believer to do? For sure, we are not to isolate ourselves from unbelievers, but are to be bold in our faith amongst them. In other words, we can associate with unbelievers without compromising our faith, and we can do this by witnessing to them in order to point them to Him who is the ONLY HOPE for mankind. But what I saw and heard in the National Cathedral on Friday (Sept. 14, 2001) was definitely not a "political rally", but a spiritual one because it was for the purpose of calling on "God", as the reference was made to the different religions to call upon their "god". But even Billy Graham compromised by not preaching to everyone there "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21). In fact, when he refers to the Death and Resurrection of Christ, and the foregiveness of sins and of going to heaven, he specifically said that he was speaking to the Christians, and not to anybody else that was there of another religion, whether Catholic, Jew, Muslim, etc. Why? Because he wanted to please men, and not offend anyone else of a different religion. Therefore, he must not believe John 3:16, because by his actions, he at least implied, that there is a real hope apart from the Lord Jesus Christ.

    What are we to do? What saith the Scriptures? Well, let us read what they say: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Now, this Scripture alone is sufficiently clear to show  the believer what is their responsability and obligation what they are to do in a situation as was presented at the National Prayer Service held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on September 14, 2001. Again, if this had been a "political rally", I would not have any problem with it. But as everybody knows, it was not that, since it was called a "prayer service"; and to whom would everybody there be praying to, if not to "God"; yet in reality, it was a praying to the "gods" because of the different religions represented there. That being the case, the true believer, then, is to "come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord" (v.17).

    Why? Because we are not to be "unequally yoked together with unbelievers". Generally, we use this text to show young believers why they are not to marry non-Christians. If we consider that human relationship serious enough to not have believers marrying unbelievers, how much more serious is it for a believer to come before the true living God in Christ Jesus for worship and prayer with an unbeliever? Imagine an unfaithful wife coming to her husband asking for reconciliation and forgiveness with her lover hand-in-hand, do you think that her husband would receive her? Even so, God will not receive a "Christian" that comes "unequally yoked" with an unbeliever. Remember that every true believer has taken the "yoke" of Christ (Matthew 11:29), so how a professing believer presume to "yoke" Christ to the unbeliever? "Touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (v.17) we are commanded.

    Consider why we are not to come to God "unequally yoked together with unbelievers". First, "what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness"? In other words, what kind of "participation" can there be between that which is "right" and that which is "not right"? None whatsoever! You see, Jesus Christ is "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah 23:60), and "the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9). But He "of God is made unto us...righteousness" (1:30), and God has made us "the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore, "what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness"? Again, NONE WHATSOEVER! That's why we are not to "fellowship...with unrighteousness", i.e. we are not to hold a companionship, a participation or intercourse, with unbelievers; especially moreso, we should not come into the holy presence of God with the unrighteous, and expect for Him to receive us in "fellowship" with Him, unless we come to Him with our "advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous", who "is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:1,2).

    But then, "what communion hath light with darkness"? Again, none whatsoever! We are told "that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5); and at one time we "were sometimes darkness, but now (we) are light in the Lord", so we are to "walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). Consider this: There is no way that light and darkness can exist at the same time in the same place. In fact, light repels, or rejects, darkness. That is always true; but in the other hand, "the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not" (John 1:5). Now, since "God is light" and we "are light in the Lord" because Jesus Christ, Who is "the light of the world" (John 8:12), is our Light, how can we presume to bring darkness in communion, i.e. in partnership with us as if we shared in common both light and darkness, to pray to our God, in Whom there "is no darkness" ? THERE IS NO COMMUNION WITH THE GOD OF LIGHT AND THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS!!!

    Also, "what concord hath Christ with Belial"? Amos 3:3 asks the question, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed"? Every true believer is in covenant with God in Christ Jesus, i.e. is in accordance, or in agreement with Him. But note that to empahsize the seriousness of this "concord", the comparison is made between "Christ with Belial". Do we dare to imply, perhaps not directly with our words, but by our actions, that there is a "harmony" between Christ and Satan? Can we believe that there is some sort of "sounding alike together" with the religion of Christ, and the other religions of the world? There is no way, according to God's Word, that a believer in Christ Jesus can come in "concord" with an unbeliever before God in prayer, since Belial is an enemy of Christ!

    Futhermore, "what part hath he that believeth with an infidel"? If there is a great distinction between the believer in Christ, and an unbeliever, it is in their faith in Him, or the lack thereof. A believer has ALL of, from, and in Christ; whereas an unbeliever has absolutely nothing! That's why it is said of them they are "without Christ...having no hope, and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12). But note that the comparison is made from the believer to the unbeliever. If you are a Christian, what are you lacking in Christ that makes you think that you have a "part", i.e. a "portion" with the unbeliever? The unbeliever is of the world, but the believer is no longer of the world; although we are in the world. In Christ, the believer has ALL in Him in order to approach God with the assurance to be, not only of being received because of being "made accepted in the beloved" (Ephesians 1:6), but to be heard as promised in John 16:23 - "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you". Not so with the unbeliever: There is no hope of being heard by the true living God! So you can see, then, that your Portion is in the Lord Jesus Christ, and not with the unbeliever.

    Finally, "what agreement hath the temple of God with idols"? One of the greatest sins that brought God's judgment and wrath upon Israel of old was the bringing in of idols into the temple of God. You can read of this in Ezekiel and of the prophets. Now, is the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., supposed to be a Christian house of worship? Is it suppose to represent "the temple of God", i.e. "the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)? Is it a place of worship where anyone that comes into it, will hear "the gospel of Christ", that "it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16)?; or it is a place where the Word of God and the Gospel will be compromised in order to bring it into "agreement", i.e. in accord with "the idols" of false religions? What I saw and heard was professing Christians voicing their sentiments in company with those whose religion is an abomination to God! Do you think that our most holy God heard the "prayers" in such a gathering?

    Again, we ask, what is the believer to do? Well, praise God, because He didn't leave it up to us to try to figure it out. He tells us in our text what the believer is to do. This, of course, will show where we stand and in whose side we're on. This will be a very difficult decision for many, because of the high cost one will have to pay in order to be obedient to the Lord. But I have to say that there is no option; for how clearer can it be than what the Lord says: "Therefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing" (v.17). In other words, we cannot continue being "unequally yoked together with unbelievers" in "fellowship", in "communion", in "concord", in "participation, and in "agreement" with them, but we are to "be...separate", i.e. to be set off by the boundary of who, and whose, we are in Christ Jesus from other religions. We are a "distinct" people according to 1 Peter 2:9,10: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy". Therefore, we are not to come in contact with a religion that "contaminates" our relationship with our God by touching "the unclean thing", whether it be by false doctrines, or false practices.

    Remember when God brought His people of old, i.e. Israel into Egypt, He did not permit His people to live with the Egyptians, but kept them separated in the land of Goshen; and we are even told that He Himself would make a difference between His people and the Egyptians (Genesis; Exodus). That is still true today for God's people! Note that there are two reasons for this: First, "Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (v.16). Then, secondly, after we are told what we are to do, He further adds: "I will receive you, and I will be a Father unto you,and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (v.17,18). But note that the first reason describes our spiritual relationship and fellowship with God, i.e. that true believers are "the temple of the living God"; in other words, He dwells "in them", and will "walk in them" so that He says that He "will be their God", and that the belivers "shall be my people" (v.16). That means, then, that God does not have this kind of relationship with the false religions in the world, including the ones that met at the National Cathedral for the National Prayer Service; no matter how sincere they were! No one, apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, has this relationship; and so therefore, that being the case, their prayers are not heard by "the living God"; for it is only in, through, and by, His Son, that He hears our prayers. So again, do you think that "Christians" who came together with other religions in this "prayer service" (?) to pray before "God", especially if those "Christians" believe that they ALL are praying to the same "God", will be heard? I believe that the answer is very obvious!!!

    But to prove the seriousness of the question, consider the second reason, where "the Lord Almighty" says, "I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters" (v.17). Here we see the filial relationship between a Father and His children, i.e. the relationship that exists between believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Father. Nevertheless, note that although this is a precious promise of God to the believer of being received as His child in Christ Jesus, yet it is also a warning; for consider that because of our spiritual relationship with God we are to "come out,...be separate,...and touch not the unclean", then He will receive us as His children. But if one who claims to be a "Christian" determines to stay among them, and be not separate, but touch the unclean of the false religions, then such a "Christian" will not be received by God, but will bring judgment upon them. That's why in Revelation 18:4 we read of "another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues". That's why God's people are not to come together with apostates, false "Christians", false religions, etc., because there is the danger of being deceived and coming under the awful fiery judgment of God; "for our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29).

    Perhaps some might think that I'm overdoing it, and being too critical of those that claim tobe "Christians" for participating in the so-called "interfaith prayer services" that are being held, but it seems to me that one would have to, not only to twist, but to deny the Holy Word of our God in order to justifiy the National Prayer Service on September 14, 2001. It's now been two weeks since the tragic events of September the 11th., and I'm still hearing of, and seeing, interfaith prayer services in various cities. There's still the very serious error of professing Christians believing that they can unite with unbelievers to pray to God, and expect for Him to respond to their prayers. I'm afraid that they have missed the whole point of what happened to the WCT towers, and to Pentagon.

    Now, my argument in this article is not to answer the quesions of why God permitted it, or where was He when all of this took place, or why didn't He prevent it some way or another, but to show the danger there is in the unity that is being promoted. Yes, we are to get together as Americans and do our best for the good of our country, and even for the world. But when it comes to praying to my God in the Lord Jesus Christ, then I dare not, and will not by His grace, unite with any false religion, and dare to imply that it doesn't matter, and that all religions are just different ways to the same God. GOD'S WORD MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT THEY ARE NOT!!!

    I know that in writing the things I have written many will accuse me of many things, and call me all kinds of names, but is that any surprise? Anytime that a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has declared, and stood up for, the truth, they have always been persecuted, and even killed for doing so. But if we love the souls of the lost, and truly believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the ONLY HOPE for them, then we cannot compromised "one jot or one tittle" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ just so that people won't get offended. When the prophets of the Old Testament proclaimed the Word of the LORD, they told the people of Israel of the danger they were in because of being "unequally yokde together with the unbelievers", i.e. with the pagans and their idols; and then when the apostles went to the Gentiles, esp. Paul in Athens, he didn't compromised at all, he didn't in any way implied to the heathen that their religion was just another way to God. Read what he did in the Acts.

    No, my beloved brethren, we cannot, and must not, be dragged into this "apostasy" that is taking place before our very eyes; for as far as I know, the great majority of professing Christians believe that there is suppose to a One-World Religion established before the Lord Jesus Christ returns, and I believe we are seeing that today. The Pope has already said that Muslims are going to heaven their way; and even Billy Graham has been quoted as saying that other religions can also get to God apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. "Who is on the LORD'S side"? (Exodus 32:26) is the CALL AT THE MOMENT!!! Let us be faithful to our God and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; for that is the ONLY HOPE, not only for us, but for the whole world! Amen.

1. The Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, is the only One who came into the world to save sinners.

2. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who died for sinners on the Cross at Calvary.

3. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who shed His Blood for the forgiveness of our sins.

4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who was buried, but rose from the dead on the third day.

5. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who ascended back to heaven and sits at the right hand of God.

6. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who is coming back again in the clouds, just as He went to heaven.

7. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who is coming back for His people, and to judge the world. "When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day" (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).