II Corinthians 6:14-17) "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." Last Saturday Glenn Beck held a "Restoring Honor" rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. There were crowds that came from all parts of the country. There were speakers speaking at this rally. Two of the most famous speakers were Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck. The rally wasn't a political rally. Beck had told his listening audience to not bring signs to the rally. For the most part there wasn't any signs there. It was a rally invoking the name of God. It was supposedly a type of spiritual event. Beck was speaking of faith when he was speaking and said that America needs to turn to God. Beck had mentioned on his Fox News television program that he was going to bring in a "black-robed regiment" which would include all types of religious figures. There were a host of religious figures at the rally ranging from rabbis to priests to Evangelicals to Imams. With the rally being centered toward America needing God and the rally featuring all types of religious figures in a show of unity makes it an ecumenical rally. That is very disturbing. God warns in his word about being unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Most if not all those "black-robed regiments" weren't even genuinely saved. Why do I make such a statement? Because the religion of most of those religious figures don't teach that the only way a sinner can be saved is through the blood of Jesus Christ. Some of those religions such as the Catholics, the Mormons, and even the Imams don't even use a Bible. They have their own version. There's only one Word. That's God's Word that's preserved in the King James translation of 1611. Anyone religious figure that teaches out of another book other than the Holy Bible is a heretic. There's no truth found anywhere other than the King James 1611. It's not found in the Book of Mormon, the Koran, the Caholic Church teachings, or the teachings of the rabbi. There's only one message from God to man and that comes from the Bible. You don't need any other book. No other book or scripture is inspired by God.
As far as I'm concerned, Glenn Beck was sincere in the purpose of holding the "Restoring Honor" rally. My problem with religious leaders being allowed to come together in unity in this rally wasn't that I questioned Beck's sincerity. Probably most of those that took part in organizing the event were sincere. Sincerity is not the issue. One thing that bothers me was there were two Evangelicals in attendance at this rally that should've known better. They were Pastor John Hagee in San Antonio, Texas, and psychologist Dr. James Dobson. Hagee knows enough about the Bible to know God's people aren't to join up with religious leaders in the name of Christianity. The problem is it's an ecumenical event. What is ecumenism? Ecumenism is the movement where Evangelicals and religious leaders of opposing doctrinal views come together to join in a common cause dismissing theological issues. America has been a part of ecumenical efforts in the past. On March 29, 1994, a group of Evangelicals and Catholics got together in a show of unity for common causes. Chuck Colson headed up that movement. Also, during this time, Promise Keepers sprang up across America. It was a men's movement which reached across denominational barriers that joined men together in unity making a promise that they would pledge to be faithful to their wives. Now Glenn Beck has been trying to bring together religious figures from different denominations for a common cause. On yesterday's program, Beck had different religious leaders on his program such as Dave Roever and a Jewish rabbi, to name a couple. Beck for the last several months has been trying to emphasize America's need to come back to God. He's been trying to encourage Americans to concentrate on faith. Beck has played a role in bringing all these religious leaders together last Saturday. One thing I want to make abundantly clear: I'm not speaking of a political rally or some rally for a political cause. I recognize when a group of Americans assemble together in a political group such as the Tea Party for example, there will be numerous people represented who belong to a number of denominations. However, when you invoke the name of Jesus or spirituality in a particular rally, it takes on an entirely different nature. You're dealing with something totally different when spirituality is involved. When it's about Jesus, we as Christians aren't supposed to yoke up with unbelievers. Yet that's what you're seeing take place in Christendom. That's been happening for years. Years ago the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches was formed to promote ecumenism. Today many Evangelicals are hitching up with the Catholics and Mormons for some specific cause.
Most of those that are saved believe America is in desperate straits spiritually. We would agree that America needs an awakening and the church needs a revival. I don't believe there would be much dispute about that; especially those in fundamentalist circles. However, revival nor an awakening is going to come about with a group of religious leaders coming together setting aside theological differences. The Bible says that God's people must turn from their sin and have their relationship with God make right. II Chronicles 7:14 says that if God's people will turn their face toward Heaven and seek his face and repent of their sins, then God will heal their land. That's not going to happen with a group of religious leaders coming together. God doesn't bless the union of believers and non-believers. What fellowship hath light with darkness? Amos 3:3 says, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" How can preachers that call themselves preachers come together at a rally which supposedly is about America needing to come back to God yoke up with other religious leaders that don't believe the Bible? How can Christians yoke up with heretics for a "spiritual" cause? That's not possible. However, that's what's taking place all the time. America isn't going to come to God when the righteous hook up with the unrighteous. Proverbs 14:34 says that righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people. You won't have righteousness produced when light and darkness come together for a spiritual cause. Any righteousness that's represented will be snuffed out by the unrighteousness. Oil and water don't mix. Righteousness and unrighteousness don't mix. God will not honor nor bless Christians yoking up with unbelievers. It's sin when believers and unbelievers yoke up together.
America needs God desperately. There's no dispute about that. America needs to turn to God. However, an awakening won't come through religious rallies such as the "Restoring Honor" rally. God's people won't turn and repent of their sins by ecumenical rallies. II John vs. 10 states, "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:" We shouldn't allow those to come into our homes such as the Jehovah Witnesses to push their doctrine on us, for example. We're not to mess with them. If we're not to allow heretics such as the Jehovah Witnesses into our homes, then what business do Christians have in yoking up with unbelievers at a religious rally? None whatsoever. The ecumencial movement is not of God. God's will is for the spreading of the gospel unto the ends of the earth (Mark 16:15). The Bible says that the Word of God is to be preached in and out of season. God majors in preaching. God's preachers are to preach the unadulterated Word of God. If America is to experience an awakening, it won't be the result of some religious rally where religious figures come together in a show of unity. America will awakened when God's people recognize they need to draw closer unto God and they plead with God to send revival to the local churches. When God's people are revived then the church can be on fire with the power of God. A revived church will affect the surrounding community. Then that's when America will be awakened. It will be when God's people are living the kind of lives that convict the lost world around them. Living a Godly, consecrated life will do more to awaken our country than religious leaders who don't even preach out of a Bible gather together at a religious rally. God's not the author of ecumenism. God says His people are to be separated and distinctly different from the world. What kind of message are we sending when we join hands with those kind of people? We're saying that the heresy they're propagating isn't a huge deal. It is a huge deal! We lose our ability as Christians to be salt and light when we join up with those kind of people. We'll be ineffective as Christians unless we separate ourselves from this ungodly world. The salt will lose its savor when we join hands with the religious world. Light and darkness don't mix. Our message will be diluted when we are unequally yoked. We'll send the wrong message to the world. What's the purpose of preaching salvation by grace through faith alone when we join hands with those that don't teach salvation by grace through faith alone? We're wasting our time. We're in essence saying we're approving of what they're teaching when we join hands with those that preach heresy. It won't work. God says to come out from among them and be ye separate.
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