Should We Pray With The Orthodox?
Hi Is, Was and Will Be Team,
Thank you for all your messages. They are helpful. I can’t seem to find an answer to a question I have on praying with the orthodox family. Should we kneel together to pray with the orthodox believers as they pray in the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost?
1Co 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol [ is] nothing in the world, and that [ there is] none other God but one.
1Co 8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
1Co 8:6 But to us [ there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [ are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [ are] all things, and we by him.
1Co 8:7 Howbeit [ there is] not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat [ it] as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
1Co 8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
1Co 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.Or should we Refrain?
2Jn 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [ your] house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.AND
1Ti 5:21 I charge [ thee] before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
1Ti 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.For if some seeing us praying with those that have not the doctrine of Jesus Christ, then engage us in conversation and we get on the subject of the Trinity and lo, and behold, we declare that we do not believe in the Trinity; is this not a cause for confusion?
1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
Please advise.
Thank You,
L____
Hi L____,
Thank you for your question. You ask:
Should we kneel together to pray with the orthodox believers as they pray in the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost?
The short answer is that there is nothing at all wrong with going to funerals and weddings and bowing your head as the orthodox minister prays a prayer “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
But Christ has plainly informed us that if we are faithful to His words we would be “cast out of their synagogues”.
Joh 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
Mat 10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
Mat 23:34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and [ some] of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
The reason for this is the fact that God’s elect are faithful to Christ’s doctrine and are not faithful to the false doctrines of the Babylonian, orthodox Christian church, symbolized by Judaism and its synagogues. When we go along to get along and follow the orthodox mantra of “Agreement in the essentials and tolerance in the nonessentials”, we are doing nothing less than denying Christ. You have very well covered the applicable verses such as this one:
1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
To which I will add:
1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
If the apostle John had been around during the inquisition, he would would have been assassinated for his rank heresy in denying the trinity as he does in these two verses. But God’s elect are not intimidated with the threat of physical death, and do no bow down to the idols of the heart of the modern Babylon. Here is the attitude of God’s elect when it comes to handling heretics and their heresies:
Dan 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
Dan 3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [ well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who [ is] that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Dan 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [ are] not careful to answer thee in this matter.
Dan 3:17 If it be [ so], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver [ us] out of thine hand, O king.
Dan 3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
“Nebuchadnezzar” is any local orthodox minister, and “the golden image” is all the “idols of the heart” created and worshiped by your local ‘Nebuchadnezzar’. What is the answer to all such pressure put upon God’s elect? “Be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”
Here is one more verse which is germane to this question:
2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [ your] house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
I challenge any orthodox minister to show me any “nonessential” words in the Word of God.
Do not think that Christ came to bring peace on the earth outwardly at this time. That is but one of the many false doctrines of Babylonian orthodoxy. Christ did not come to send peace on the earth. He actually came to turn our families against us. That is just how serious Christ is about who is His elect:
Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
I hope this helps you see that we must stand for Christ and His words, or we are no different than all the harlot daughters of “Mystery Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the world.”
So bow or kneel at a family function that occurs only once in a lifetime, but let it never be even remotely assumed that you are in agreement with any of the false doctrines of orthodox Christianity which are contrary to “the doctrine of Christ.”
God bless you as you face the trials that are ahead of you; as you decrease and He increases, and as you die daily.
Joh 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike
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