Saturday, December 26, 2009

What are you worshiping?

There is a myth causing considerable confusion in the Body of Christ originating from the greatest threat to the Christian Church today. Sadly this myth is believed, and passed on, by many who should know better, but have failed to think the issue through or have simply failed to properly weigh the claim.

First, however, let us anchor our thoughts together by considering the biblical account of the events that unfolded concerning Moses and the Children of Israel recorded in Exodus 31.

Moses had been called to commune with the Lord on Mt. Sinai. He had experienced The Lords’ terrible yet compelling presence. He had received from the very hand of God two tablets of stone that had writing engraved on both sides by the very finger of God.
Meanwhile the Children of Israel, in Moses absence, guided in deception by Aaron, were instructed to bow down to a golden calf, which he had crafted.
Now God could see what was happening, He told Moses that the people had corrupted themselves and were bowing down and worshiping an image and not God. The Lord was very angry and decided to destroy them all and start again to build a righteous nation beginning with Moses.
Moses pleaded with God and reminded Him of the covenant He had made with the patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob concerning a people and a land of promise. So the Lord changed His mind, and sent Moses down the mountain to correct this abominable behaviour. Clearly these descendants of Abraham were no longer worshiping God

Today millions of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are behaving in a similar way.
They bow down five times each day to a black cube in Mecca called the Ka'bah. From God’s perspective they are similarly corrupted.
It is what people do that reveals what they worship, not what they say.
Muslim commentators try to explain the phenomena as simply reverence for Allah’s house. Ironically some traditions suggest that Mohammad consecrated this stone as a memorial to end all idolatry. How clear it is that this is not the worship of the God of Israel who commands that we direct our worship to Him alone.

That leads us to the myth that some believe, and even teach – that the God of Israel and the god of modern Islam, Allah, are one.

The primary scripture that guides Allah worship is the Koran. The Koran records that Allah is the author of evil. (Surah 91:7&8) The Koran records that Allah commanded Satan to worship Adam.(Surah 2.32) Islamic worship is characterized by repetition and the image attributed to their god is one who is distant and impersonal, uninvolved in the detail of life and leaving human affairs to fate.

Christians are guided in behavior by the Bible. The Bible teaches that God is Holy and Righteous and that Satan authored evil through prideful disobedience. The Bible consistently condemns any worship not directed to Him. The Bible teaches against vane repetition and encourages prayer to a Personal Loving God who understands and personally changes life circumstances as supremely demonstrated by Jesus.

In no way do I judge these children of Abraham who have become loyal to death to a scripture and tradition that has departed from the direct worship of the God of Israel. Like Moses I plead for their turning back to the Worship of the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. May they no longer be corrupted, and may the church no longer be silent, but bring a message of liberation to these cousins of faith.

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