By the Scripture’s Own Writers
Same God for all
Definition
Belief in the “Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man”, that all men are God’s children and therefore have a common bond and union in Him however differently they may conceive Him. The doctrine that any belief in God is acceptable to Him if practiced sincerely; and, therefore, organizations having differing creeds can unite in order to accomplish a common purpose. A false, misleading conception.
Origin
Effort was made to integrate false worship early in man’s apostasy. Nimrod tried to unite men in a common cause as opposed to Noah’s commission from God to establish seventy patriarchal family units as a token fulfillment of the procreation mandate.
Jehovah God Would Not Sanction Interfaith by Accepting Both Cain’s and Abel’s Worship
Genesis 4:3-7 “And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto Jehovah. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And Jehovah said unto Cain, Why are you wroth? and why is your countenance fallen? If you do well, shall it not be lifted up? and if you do not well, sin couches at the door; and unto you shall be its desire; but you do rule over it.”
Hebrews 9:22 “Yes, nearly all things are cleansed with blood according to the Law, and unless blood is poured out no forgiveness takes place.”
Cain Showed Religious Intolerance by Murdering Abel
Genesis 4:8 “And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”
1 John 3:11, 12 “For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should have love for one another; not like Cain, who originated with the wicked one and slaughtered his brother. And for the sake of what did he slaughter him? Because his own works were wicked, but those of his brother were righteous.”
Jehovah God’s Opposition to Interfaith Demonstrated in Delivering True Worshipers from
Demon-worshiping Egypt
Exodus 8:25, 26 “And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go, sacrifice to your God in the land. And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God: look, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?”
Against the Nile god
Exodus 7:16-18 “And you shall say unto him, Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me unto you, saying, Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto you have not hearkened. Thus says Jehovah, In this you shall know that I am Jehovah: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in My hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall become foul; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river.”
Against Imhotep, god of medicine
Exodus 9:1-3 “Then Jehovah said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus says Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For if you refuse to let them go, and will hold them still, behold, the hand of Jehovah is upon your cattle which are in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the herds, and upon the flocks: there shall be a very grievous murrain.”
Against Reshpu and Qelesh, gods of storm and battle
Exodus 9:22, 23 “And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch forth your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt. And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and Jehovah sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down unto the earth; and Jehovah rained hail upon the land of Egypt.”
Against Thoth, god of the moon
Exodus 10:21-23 “And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; they saw not one another, neither rose any one from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.”
Brotherhood or Compromise with False Worshipers in Promised Land Was Forbidden God’s Own Chosen People Israel
Deuteronomy 7:1-6, 16, 25, 26 “When Jehovah your God shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, and shall cast out many nations before you,… thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire. For you are a holy people unto Jehovah your God: Jehovah your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession, above all peoples that are upon the face of the earth. And you shall consume all the peoples that Jehovah your God shall deliver unto you: your eye shall not pity them: neither shall you serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto you. The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it unto you, lest you be snared therein; for it is an abomination to Jehovah your God. And you shall not bring an abomination into your house, and become a devoted thing like unto it: you shall utterly detest it, and you shall utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing.”
Interfaith Led to Disaster Among Israelites
Judges 2:1-3 “I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I swore unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break My covenant with you: and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars. But you have not hearkened unto My voice: why have you done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.”
Israel’s Wisest Human King Brought Religious Peace to Own Household Through Interfaith, but Failed in Peace with God
1 Kings 11:1-11 “Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, … And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Miicom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and went not fully after Jehovah, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, in the mount that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. And so did he for all his foreign wives, who burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And Jehovah was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Jehovah, the God of Israel, who had appeared unto him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he would not go after other gods: but he kept not that which Jehovah commanded. Wherefore Jehovah said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of you, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely rend the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.”
As a “Jealous God” He Exacts Exclusive Devotion
Deuteronomy 6:5 “And you shall love Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
Psalm 119:113 “I hate them that are of a double mind; but Your law do I love.”
Exodus 20:5 “You shall not bow down yourself unto them, nor serve them; for I Jehovah your God am a jealous God.”
Indifferent Compromise Is “Fence-straddling”
Revelation 3:15, 16 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or else hot. So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.”
Uniting for a Common Purpose Brought No Real Unity to Religious Sects of Jews
Acts 23:6-10 “Now when Paul took note that the one part was of Sadducees but the other of Pharisees, he proceeded to cry out in the Sanhedrin: ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Over the hope of resurrection of the dead I am being judged.’ Because he said this a dissension arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the multitude was split. For Sadducees say there is neither resurrection nor angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees publicly declare them all. So there broke out a loud screaming, and some of the scribes of the party of the Pharisees rose and began contending fiercely, saying: ‘We find nothing wrong in this man; but if a spirit or an angel spoke to him,—.’ Now when the dissension grew great, the military commander became afraid that Paul would be pulled to pieces by them, and commanded the force of soldiers to go down and snatch him from their midst and bring him into the soldiers’ quarters.”
Jesus’ Permitting Separate Works in His Name Before Pentecost Not Advocating Separate Religious Organizations
Mark 9:38-40 “John said to Him: ‘Teacher, we saw a certain man expelling demons by the use of Your name and we tried to prevent him, because he was not accompanying us.’ But Jesus said: ‘Do not try to prevent him, for there is no one that will do a powerful work on the basis of My name that will quickly be able to revile Me; for he that is not against us is for us.’ “
Not all believers in Jesus worked along with apostles
Mark 5:18-20 “Now as He was boarding the boat the man that had been demon-possessed began entreating Him for permission to continue with Him. However, He did not let him, but said to him: ‘Go home to your relatives, and report to them all the things Jehovah has done for you and the mercy he had on you.’ And he went away and started to proclaim in the Decapolis all the things Jesus did for him, and all the people began to wonder.”
Jesus not at that time building congregations; commissioned followers only to preach, going into synagogues and private homes
Luke 4:15, 16 “Also He began to teach in their synagogues, being held in honor by all. However, He came to Nazareth, where He had been reared, and according to His custom on the sabbath day He entered into the synagogue, and He stood up to read aloud.”
Matthew 10:1, 5-7, 12-14 “So He summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, in order to expel these and to cure every kind of disease and every kind of ailment. These twelve Jesus sent forth, giving them these orders: ‘Do not go off into the road of the nations, and do not enter into a Samaritan city; but, instead, go continually to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, preach, saying, “The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” When you are entering into the house, greet the household; and if the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it; but if it is not deserving, let the peace from you return upon you. Wherever anyone does not take you in or listen to your words, on going out of that house or that city shake the dust off your feet.’ “
Luke 10:1, 2, 16 “After these things the Master designated seventy others and sent them forth by twos in advance of Him into every city and place to which He Himself was going to come. Then he began to say to them: ‘The harvest, indeed, is great, but the workers are few. Therefore beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest. He that listens to you listens to Me too. And he that disregards you disregards Me too. Moreover, he that disregards Me disregards also Him that sent Me forth.’ “
Jesus Did Not Accept and Overlook “Differences” as Petty, but Thoroughly Condemned Them
Matthew 23:1-3, 23, 24, 33 “Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses. Therefore all the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but do not perform. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you give the tenth of the mint and the dill and the cummin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, namely, judgment and mercy and faithfulness. These things it was binding to do, yet not to disregard the other things. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat but gulp down the camel! Serpents, offspring of vipers, how are you to flee from the judgment of Gehenna?’ “
Jesus Would Not Recognize Religious Leaders as “Brothers”
John 8:42-44 “Jesus said to them: ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for from God I came forth and am here. Neither have I come of My own initiative at all, but that One sent Me forth. Why is it you do not know what I am speaking? Because you cannot listen to My word. You are from your father the devil and you wish to do the desires of your father.’ “
Hebrews 12:4-11 “It is for discipline you are enduring. God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is he that a father does not discipline? But if you are without the discipline of which all have become partakers, you are really illegitimate children, and not sons. Furthermore, we used to have fathers who were of our flesh to discipline us and we used to give them respect. Shall we not much more subject ourselves to the Father of our spiritual life and live?”
Early Christians Resisted Efforts of “Interfaith” by Emperor
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said: ‘I shall reside among them and walk among them, and I shall be their God, and they will be My people.’ ‘Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah, ‘and quit touching the unclean thing,’ ‘and I will take you in,’ ‘And I shall be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me,’ says Jehovah the Almighty.”
“Many Roads, One Destiny” a False Religious Principle Proved disastrous to those not true Christians, while sincere converts took right course
Acts 19:13-20 “But certain ones of the traveling Jews who practiced the casting out of demons also undertook to name the name of the Lord Jesus over those having the wicked spirits, saying: ‘I solemnly charge you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.’ Now there were seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, doing this. But in answer the wicked spirit said to them: ‘I know Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul; but who are you?’ With that the man in whom the wicked spirit was leaped upon them, got the mastery of the two of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled naked and wounded out of that house. This became known to all, both the Jews and the Greeks that dwelt in Ephesus, and a fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus went on being magnified. And many of those who had become believers would come and confess and report their practices openly. Indeed, quite a number of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them up before everybody. And they calculated together the prices of them and found them worth fifty thousand pieces of silver. Thus in a mighty way the Word of Jehovah kept growing and prevailing.”
Merely taking name of God not sufficient for approval
Matthew 7:20-23 “Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men. Not everyone saying to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of My Father who is in the heavens will. Many will say to Me in that day. ‘Master, Master, did we not prophesy in Your name, and expel demons in Your name, and perform many powerful works in Your name?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you at all. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness.”
Matthew 25:40, 45 “And in reply the king will say to them: ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Then he will answer them with the words: ‘Truly I say to you, To the extent that you did not do it to one of these least ones, you did not do it to me.’ “
Matthew 12:30 “He that is not on My side is against Me, and he that does not gather with Me scatters.”
Christ opposed to mingling of faiths; was building a new system that was no part of religious system of Jews
Luke 5:33-39 “They said to Him: ‘The disciples of John fast frequently and offer supplications, and so do those of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.’ Jesus said to them: ‘You cannot make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? Yet days will come when the bridegroom will indeed be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.’ Further He went on to give an illustration to them: ‘No one cuts a patch from a new outer garment and sews it onto an old outer garment; but if he does, then both the new patch tears away and the patch from the new garment does not match the old. Moreover, no one puts new wine into old wineskins; but if he does, then the new wine will burst the wineskins, and it will be spilled out and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins. No one that has drunk old wine wants new; for he says, “The old is nice.” ‘ “
Matthew 15:14 “Let them be. Blind guides is what they are. If, then, a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
Matthew 16:6-12 “Jesus said to them: ‘Be on the alert and watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ So they began to reason among themselves, saying: ‘We did not take any loaves along.’ Knowing this, Jesus said: ‘Why are you doing this reasoning among yourselves, because you have no loaves, you with little faith? … How is it you do not discern that I did not talk to you about loaves? But watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ Then they grasped that He said to watch out, not for the yeast of the loaves, but for the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Galatians 5:9, 10 “A little yeast ferments the whole lump. I am confident about you who are in union with the Lord that you will not come to think otherwise; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, no matter who he may be.”
Paul showed unity of thinking among Christians was essential
1 Corinthians 1:10-13 “Now I exhort you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among you, but that you may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought. For the disclosure was made to me about you, my brothers, by those of the house of Chloe, that dissensions exist among you. What I mean is this, that each one of you says: ‘I belong to Paul,’ ‘But I to Apollos,’ ‘But I to Cephas,’ ‘But I to Christ.’ Does the Christ exist divided? Paul was not impaled for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”
Only two roads to follow—a right and a wrong
Matthew 7:13, 14 “Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it.”
Luke 13:24 “Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to get in but will not be strong enough.”
Proverbs 16:25 “There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
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