Christians who worshiped with Glenn Beck at his recent Divine Destiny and Restoring Honorevents claim that although Mr. Beck as a Mormon worshiped a false god, the true and living God was honored by the Christians who worshiped Him at the same events. Some further claim that Christians honored God when they publicly approved of Mr. Beck’s words and action, rather than opposing Mr. Beck’s worship of a false god. One Christian friend’s reason is summarized as “It does not dishonor God or compromise one’s faith to be associated with others who are earnestly seeking God, even if some are in error in their pursuit”. Worship of a false god is idolatry, yet my friend approves of Mr. Beck’s idolatry for this reason. Other reasons have been given and these are addressed elsewhere.
The key terms in this summary reason are “association”, “others earnestly seeking God”, and “pursuit”. Since my friend gave the reason in the context of the Beck events, the “association” is worship, that is prayer, exhortations, testimonies, and scripture readings that occured at the events. “Others who are earnestly seeking God” applies to Mr. Beck as someone whose religious vocabulary, ideas, and practice correspond strongly to those typical of true, faithful Christians. My friend does not approve of religious practices such as violence toward the innocent, or blatant idolatry such as voodoo, as he considers these inappropriate to someone “earnestly seeking God”. “Pursuit” includes religious practice such as the proclamations, singing of hymns, and prayers that occurred at the rally.
The Bible does not teach that all associations between believers and idolaters are sinful. However, some are. Certainly marriage between a Christian and an unbeliever is forbidden, as is a business partnership (2 Corinthians 6, 1 Corinthians 7:39). Joining in worship is another sinful association. The scripture makes no exception for idolaters who have external practices that are similar to scriptural practices. The scripture makes no exception for idolaters who we think are possibly seeking the true God. If someone claims to worship a false god, they are an idolater and the Bible prohibits associating with them in worship.
I have examined the scripture passages that prohibit worship with idolaters and will present those, but let’s consider together the general idea of true Christians worshiping together with idolaters and approving of the idol worship. Isn’t the whole idea of becoming a Christian one in which the false ways of false gods and human vanity are gladly tossed aside when one sees the glory of God and experiences the love of Jesus Christ? Didn’t Jesus come to save a people who would worship God in spirit and in truth? Didn’t Jesus come to those who formerly walked in darkness and present Himself as the great Light? If Jesus’ mission was to call idolaters out of darkness, are we not to have the same mission? Are we to celebrate when idolaters worship their idol? Are we to applaud their erroneous pursuit just because we think it’s not as wrong as it could be?
If we really know Christ and know the former darkness, how can we in any way affirm practices that are born of the darkness? Shouldn’t we relish the opportunity to proclaim that “the Light has come!” rather than laugh and applaud idolatrous practices in our midst? Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). How can we rejoice in wrong worship toward a wrong god? If we love an “earnest truth seeker” we will rejoice in the truth of the true and living God, and denounce the unrighteousness of idolatry. Idolatry not only dishonors God, it keeps the worshiper in darkness and misery. Why would we ever affirm this? How could we ever approve?
Now, to the scripture. The entire Bible is the story of God reconciling lost people to Himself; of bringing the lost from sin and darkness into the glorious light of the kingdom of God. It is incompatible with the nature of this reconciliation that someone brought into the kingdom of God would applaud the practices of false religions by people yet outside the kingdom. Indeed, the foundation of moral law is the Ten Commandments and the very first commandment establishes that God alone is worthy of worship and prohibits idolatry of any form. People are not to worship idols themselves and they are not to approve of the idolatry of others. The Ten Commandments are the law of God and are binding on all humanity – Christians and non Christians alike. Romans 8:7 “The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so;” The idolater is unable to keep the Commandments since he is hostile to God. How can Christians applaud an open display of hostility toward God, standing alongside an idolater who is actively breaking the first commandment and offering affirmation and encouragement to the practice? If a Christian is an adopted child of God, can they applaud someone openly hostile to their heavenly Father? Rather, shouldn’t the godly protest when they are in the same room, sharing the same stage and microphone?
Here is the word of God regarding the proper attitude of Christians toward active idolatry. Draw your own conclusion as to whether God wants His people to approve or disapprove of idolatry and false worship, according to these inspired words of the psalmists:
Psalm 119:53 Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked, Who forsake Your law.
Psalm 119:126 It is time for the LORD to act, For they have broken Your law.
Psalm 119:136 My eyes shed streams of water, Because they do not keep Your law.
Psalm 31:6 I hate those who regard vain idols; But I trust in the LORD.
Psalm 97:7 Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images, Who boast themselves of idols;
And here is what God says to the whole world – not just to Christians – regarding the worship that He approves:
Psalm 2:10-12
Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth.
Worship the LORD with reverence, And rejoice with trembling.
Do homage to the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!
Psalm 96:9-13
Worship the LORD in holy attire; Tremble before Him, all the earth.
Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains;
Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy
Before the LORD, for He is coming; For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, And the peoples in His faithfulness.
God commanded these actions of His people when they encountered idolatry: “The graven images of their gods you are to burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it, for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. And you shall not bring an abomination into your house, and like it come under the ban; you shall utterly detest it and you shall utterly abhor it, for it is something banned.” (Deuteronomy 7:25-26). Though Americans do not have the legal right to burn someone’s idol, is it logical that God would now want His people to applaud and laugh at idolaters during their false worship? Or would He expect us to oppose such false worship with whatever means we had? Especially if we were present when idols were worshiped and the idolater asked us to come on stage and pronounce a blessing on the worship? Given such an opportunity, a Christian is surely responsible to promote God’s view of such idolatry – surely not to laugh, applaud, and pray that the idolater would be blessed! False gods are abominable to God and He has devoted every single one to destruction – His people are to have His mind and detest these false gods at all times!
The New Testament confirms that God’s attitudes toward idol worship has not changed. Although Jesus has opened the Kingdom of God to Gentiles as well as Israelites, the warnings against idols and false gods remain in effect. Consider 2 Corinthians 6:14-18: “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, ‘I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,’ says the Lord. ‘AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Though Christians associate with unbelievers in the marketplace or in civil matters, that association does not include participating when idols are worshiped – as we’ve seen clearly in the Old Testament and Psalms and now confirmed here in the New Testament.
1 Corinthians 14 states that unbelievers may be present while Christians are gathered for worship. Clearly this is at an assembly called for the worship of the living God where only qualified, Spirit filled, gifted Christian leaders have the opportunity to lead or speak out. The unbelievers are welcome and may listen, but are not permitted to speak or to lead worship that God says is abominable. An unbeliever with a false message encouraging worship of a false God is not to be tolerated in a meeting of God’s people (2 John 9-11).
The Deuteronomy 7 passage points to a second reason God disapproves of His people applauding the worship of idols. Though Christians may initially recognize the idol and not worship it themselves, their toleration of it can eventually prove to be the snare that turns their heart away from the living God and toward the false idol. In fact, Deuteronomy 7 begins with this very warning: “When the LORD your God shall bring you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and shall clear away many nations before you, … and you shall defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons. For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and He will quickly destroy you. But thus you shall do to them: you shall tear down their altars, and smash their sacred pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire.” Rather than looking for idolaters who seem to be “earnestly seeking truth” and affirming them, God is very clear that no idolatry of any sort is to be approved in any way. The Old Testament is largely a record of Israel refusing to obey God, continuing to mingle with idolaters and show interest in idols, turning away from God, and being punished by God for their disobedience.
Numbers 25 records how the idols of neighbors led Israel astray: “The people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the LORD was angry against Israel.” The Lord’s anger manifested as a plague that killed 24,000 – presumably many more than were actively worshiping idols. The sin of tolerating idols harms the entire people of God.
The Psalms record the tragic record of Israel’s idolatry: “But they mingled with the nations, and learned their practices, and served their idols, which became a snare to them.” (Psalm 106:35-36). First they mingled, then were curious about the idols – not protesting but engaging with idol worshipers in hopes of finding common ground. They inevitably turned from the living God to a false god. The Lord cries out consistenly: “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you; O Israel, if you would listen to Me! Let there be no strange god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god.” (Psalm 81:8)
The books of Judges, 1 & 2 Kings, and 1 & 2 Chronicles are accounts of the many times Israel set aside the clear command of God prohibiting involvement with idols and were drawn away into abominable worship and punished by God. The New Testament is clear that Christians are to learn from Israel’s example and heed God’s commands. 1 Corinthians 10:11-12 “11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
As Israel chased idols, so can members of modern Christian churches. We are not so sophisticated as to avoid false worship and deception in our own strength and wisdom. We feel we will certainly avoid a god of wood or stone. Yet any god that is not the God disclosed in the Scripture – that is not the God that the living God claims to be in His holy word – is a false god. This idol can appear as ‘common ground’ between various religions or ‘the American spirit’ to which American patriots show ultimate loyalty though it require a compromise of their proclaimed Christian faith. Christians can remain faithful only in heeding the scripture and keeping the commandments of God. If we are faithful Christians, we must find all idolatry abominable as God does and we must never applaud idol worship in any form lest our hearts grow hard toward the true and living God.