Defence of Democratic Principles
In Canada we have a democratic form of government. This government has basic principles by which the governed agree to abide. In this context having meetings that cross denominational lines are not a problem. We all agree that each of us has freedom of conscience. We have have certain rights that are extended to all. When our conscience is at odds with others we are not (usually) compelled to agree. Though Political Correctness is gradually changing that last sentence. Yet our country corrected other actions that in time all deemed as wrong: child labour, torture, denial of the vote to women, etc. For better or worse we are living in a society that is in a state of constant flux. As long as we defend basic democratic principles as we have come to know them we assure our peace.
Broad Common Good Events
The broadest grouping is the federal legislature. It comprises of the largest and perhaps most diverse amalgamation of ideas. The purpose for this gathering and many smaller ones is to formulate plans for the common good. When we take care of our brothers and sisters, our neighbours, we take care of ourselves. Going to an inter-faith meeting for the purpose of coming together to do a good work is an admiral example of co-operation for the common good. Such events we can only hope would be well attended by all.
Unequally Yoked Alliances and Prayers
We can enter into difficulty if during such a gathering we enter into alliances with those who have a different or perhaps hidden agenda. You are known by the company you keep. There is a level of caution that the Christian should maintain when joining with others. What would be the perception of such an alliance? Would God approve of such fellowship? There are obvious connections we should resist.
The same goes when we enter into the realm of prayer. There are more so called gods and goddesses out there that are receiving prayer. I am reminded of Israel falling into disfavour with God because they offered the sacrifices that God required and then would prostitute themselves with a myriad of gods and goddesses on every hill and in every grove. How does the Christian join his prayer to God with another person’s prayer to Belial. Surely we can both carry the same burden for the needs of people without being spiritually yoked in prayer.
In this regard I believe, in many situations, it is possible to go to an inter-faith meeting. It may, however, be inappropriate to attend an inter-faith prayer meeting.
Organized Like Faith Events
So now we enter into a smaller, like minded faith, group of people. They speak a common (spiritual) language. They hold to the same values. It is here that the problem can be addressed more directly. In larger groups even the terms we use have to be double checked to assure we are talking the same “language” and mean the same thing. (I remember when Communism would take our very words of freedom. They would then change the definitions. Even though we sounded the same the resulting vision was far different.) We would not have to worry about the perception of being unequally yoked. We would also know that God could move among us to bring about his purposes and for his glory. We would not share God’s glory with others opposed to him.
Defence of Our Truth
We must defend our democracy and its democratic principles. Yet if the law opposes God we need to stand firm against the whole. In our society we must also be willing to defend the freedom of conscience of other faiths. Except when they oppose democracy and democratic principles. However, we do not need to agree with their vision. Then we must stand firm in our resolve to believe and obey of Saviour and Lord and the revelation given to us. In a country that holds to democracy and democratic rights and principles, we have the freedom to walk out our faith as others do theirs. We have the right to share our faith as do others. We have the ability to gather together for the common good… no matter how small or large the group. Above all we can defend our truth. It is a freedom that must be given to all or it will be given to none.
If people come together and then pray, and one is praying to a false god and one is praying to the God of Abraham Jacob and Isaac, does it really matter? The false god cannot answer. Asking the Holy Spirit to come in and take over that prayer meeting might be a form of spiritual warfare, would it not? Or, is that asking for trouble? Why or why not?
Interesting thoughts Joe. And Laurie, you’ve got a point too!
The meeting we went to today, although called a “prayer” meeting, actually had very little prayer at it. It was mostly a few short speeches, and the speaker who was talking about his experience helping HIV/AIDS patients in Africa.
We found that when a prayer was offered from an entirely different faith than ours, we silently prayed to Jesus, choosing not to let our spirits join in prayer to a false god.
I think if the prayer meeting was an actual meeting of prayer, but inter-faith prayers, that might be a different thing. Just because a god is false doesn’t mean it has no power at all. The Bible says to “have no other gods before Me”.
I wonder what some of the other faiths think about having Christians pray at the meeting?
” Just because a god is false doesn’t mean it has no power at all.”
That’s true – it may well be one of the enemy’s. And we do not want to commune with any of that.
I would (and have) prayed silently to our God.
I don’t mind helping out from time to time. Naturally being in the world we will sometimes do some good things with others who are enemies of Christ. Meetings like that are possible. It is when we move to prayer meetings… an attempt to come together and each of us petition our own gods for help… that the problem arises. We are asking the Spirit and the demonic presence(s) to get the work done. That is a marriage that God could not and would not participate in. Neither should we.
“That is a marriage that God could not and would not participate in.”
Who says it’s a marriage?
How do we know God won’t intervene?
We are not asking demonic presence(s) for anything. Praying to God while in the same room and at the same time as someone else prays to something else, even if it’s Satan himself being prayed to, does not mean that we are also praying to the demonic. We are praying to our God in spite of the demonic; praying to our God regardless of what anyone else does.
And if, for the sake of discussion, we truly are in the presence of the demonic, the best thing to do would be to pray to our God, THE only God. Let the light of the Holy Spirit break through that darkness. Pray for God’s will. Then it doesn’t matter what the other guy prays for.
It’s not us against them; It’s us for God.
Laurie, I would like to understand your position a bit better before I answer. What type of gathering do you think I am referring to? What is the intended purpose for those attending? Under the limited circumstance I was using I thought that “marriage” and being “unequally yoked” was apparent.
I thought you were referring to an interfaith prayer meeting.
I disagreed with the idea that the Christians and non-Christians would be unequally yoked spiritually. My position is that they are not yoked at all because the Christian is praying to the Father and no one else. Therefore, it’s not a marriage or a yoking at all.
Did I misunderstand you?
See if this helps…
A Christian, a Muslim and a Satanist meet on the street. Each of them says to the other, “come, let us enter this building and pray together.” They then enter the building and proceed to pray. That would be my definition of a spiritual marriage (of the individuals) between the light and the dark.
Would God honour such a gathering… I think not. The question then, “why attend?” To pray against the others? To seek an opportunity to evangelize? To spy out what is happening? How about: to show brotherly kindness or to exhibit compassion?
As God directs you, you should follow. He may lead you into such a gathering for his own purposes. Yet with many, it is a joining together for a common purpose. Those that do so with that intent are yoking themselves together.
Does this help you understand my viewpoint and my concern?
I understand, but I still don’t agree that there is truly a yoking that occurs.
“Yet with many, it is a joining together for a common purpose.” What if the “common purpose” is in accordance with God’s will? What if the common purpose is to stop thugs from beating up the elderly neighbour?
Would God honour that gathering? I cannot answer for Him. I don’t think it’s as simple as yes or no/ black or white, though.
If a Satanist came to a place truly for the purpose of doing something that was in accordance with God’s will, then I would argue that it’s not Satan, but the person who is the Satanist who is attempting to do the thing (whatever it happens to be).
It is not the light that runs from the darkness; It’s the darkness that runs from the light.
Where there is God, evil cannot stand.
Let me see if I understand you.
There are no events, that any Christian, mature or not, knowing the word or ignorant of it, should avoid. Because there is no chance of them unintentionally yoking themselves with the enemy. For God holds every Christian in the palm of his hand and none can be harmed no matter what they do. They cannot be fooled by the enemy into a spiritual “marriage” at any time or in any way.
What I don’t understand is that I have given much room for the Christian to act. I narrowed my topic to a specific about inter-faith prayer. That the conditions for that prayer meeting was narrowed even more.
Yet from your responses you believe it is impossible for any Christian to enter into a wrong relationship that would result in a spiritual compromise under any circumstances. Even in the very narrow example I have been using.
Is this your view?
“There are no events, that any Christian, mature or not, knowing the word or ignorant of it, should avoid. ”
I would disagree with that statement.
” Because there is no chance of them unintentionally yoking themselves with the enemy”
That is not why I disagree with the first statement.
Let’s just deal with these two, for now, if that’s okay.
“There are no events, that any Christian, mature or not, knowing the word or ignorant of it, should avoid. ”
As a Christian, should I engage in adultery because everyone else in my community is “swapping”? No – That’s absurd.
As a Christian, should I engage in a Pagan ritual? No! I will not pray to any other God than our Father, nor will I engage in a ritual intended to honour any other God.
As a Christian, should I pray to our Father in the context of a meeting where others may be praying to false gods? That would probably be a good time to pray to our Father.
” Because there is no chance of them unintentionally yoking themselves with the enemy”
As stated, this is not my reason for disagreeing with the first statement.
Let me also say, that my “position” on what yoking is and is not, is not set in stone. I know that scripture says not to be unevenly yoked. Scripture is right and I will always submit to the authority of the Word.
Having said that, I don’t believe that one can be spiritually yoked to another except through marriage or sexual relations. Even then, I don’t know how that really works.
So, I do not think that by praying to our God in the presence of someone else who is praying to a false God causes me to be spiritually yoked to the enemy.
I do think, however, that the enemy can and often does deceive Christians. I think the enemy tries to deceive us. He is the father of lies.
The protection against that is the full armour of God. For me, I know I need the added protection of the Body of Christ.
This is an interesting conversation. 🙂
I’m looking forward to your response.
Your answer is a bit comforting… and revealing. I am talking about Christians in general. Those who are mature should be able to see the traps and avoid them. Yet I am also talking about the new Christian who has very little knowledge of the word of God… and everyone in between. I am confident that you would not be taken down the primrose path. Yet I have observed time and again some Christians being seduced and lead off the path.
It is a part of the struggle that Jude writes about “Contending for the faith once delivered to the saints.” How Paul writes to the Galatian church asking “who has bewitched you?” Plus the being unequally yoked and the marriage analogy. Do you remember the scripture, “shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Rom 6) Yet there were Christians that actually believed that. The lax sexual conduct of the Corinthian church was a problem. (1 Cor 5)
Let me draw you a picture of being unequally yoked. Two men, one a Christian and the other a pseudo-Christian. They meet on the street and start talking about a problem they both observed. They agree to enter into prayer. Now picture this… There is a cart and inside the cart is the burden they were talking about. Attached to the cart is a shaft that leads to a yoke. It has room for two, one on the left and one on the right. Each of these men take their place beside each other, wearing their part of the yoke. Then they start to pray and the cart moves down the road.
This is the biblical picture of being yoked together. It has spiritual significance and can have spiritual consequences. Now if the Christian is not mature and doesn’t know the word of God or the way of God it would be possible for the clever pseudo-Christian to lead him astray.
Like I said, I have seen this happen too often. That is why I gave these words of caution.
Wow, quite a discussion.
“Yet I have observed time and again some Christians being seduced and lead off the path.”
In my experience, it seems to me that one trap Christians can fall into, is that they step into new ministry space – like an inter-faith prayer meeting, or connecting in powerful conversations with people who are spiritually searching, or developing friendships with people of other faiths, or whatever – but they get so busy doing this wonderful stuff, that they run out of time to stay connected to the Body of Christ.
At the time, it is often unnoticed, and if pointed out, seems trivial – but it’s a subtle killer sometimes.