Should Seventh-day Adventist Collaborate in Interfaith Endeavors?

Editorial | Advent Messenger

Seventh-day Adventists are working together with the leadership of other faiths to help promote faith and peace. But do these interfaith relationship undermine the Seventh-day Adventist mission and message?

We know that no one can prevent believers from expressing their faith or from participating in worship or evangelism. Both the Bible and the US Constitution defends the rights of the people to not just practice their religion but also we have the right to talk to people about our faith.

But what about interfaith collaborations? Are we obligated to engage in collaborations or religions ceremonies which aims to mix between religions in a way that can harm the believers of our faith? Obviously, this must not be allowed to take place.

Freedom of religion protests the faith of people. Freedom from interfaith collaborations also keeps the faith pure and avoids problematic situations for the believers.

“It was by associating with idolaters and joining in their festivities that the Hebrews were led to transgress God’s law and bring His judgments upon the nation. So now it is by leading the followers of Christ to associate with the ungodly and unite in their amusements that Satan is most successful in alluring them into sin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 458.

“God requires of His people now as great a distinction from the world, in customs, habits, and principles, as He required of Israel anciently. If they faithfully follow the teachings of His word, this distinction will exist; it cannot be otherwise. The warnings given to the Hebrews against assimilating with the heathen were not more direct or explicit than are those forbidding Christians to conform to the spirit and customs of the ungodly.” Ibid., p. 458.

Many feel that our historic faith, with its special truths, has been lost or even distorted due to our involvement in interfaith collaborations. The interfaith movement seeks to find agreements between religions and conditions participants to develop a non-threatening, non-judgmental attitude. Interfaith relationships tend to avoid proselytism and leaved people where they are.

This uniform, ecumenical spirit has been embraced by the whole world. Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, pagans, the New Agers, Buddhists, and even atheists have embraced interfaith collaborations and ecumenism.

The spirit and message of ecumenism is a call to everyone to “Come in.”

That message goes against the clear call and mission of the Seventh-day Adventist people. The very heart of the Three Angels’ Messages is the call to Babylon to “Come out!”

This is why we even have a Seventh-day Adventist movement. It is because our Pioneers were obedient to this call and preached this message with power. Are we to now silence the voice of the angel?

“I was shown three steps—the first, second, and third angels’ messages. Said my accompanying angel, ‘Woe to him who shall move a block or stir a pin of these messages.’ ” Early Writings, p. 258.

The reason for the Second Angel’s Message is so that God’s people can worship Him and keep His commandments. How can we continue in the fellowship of Babylon and keep the Sabbath? It is impossible. God’s people must come out so as to worship God in spirit and in truth.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.” Exodus 8:1.

We cannot serve God or worship Him as long as we are in an “Egyptian” or “Babylonian” captivity. God wants us to be free and the Sabbath is a sign of freedom from the bondage of Egypt and sin.

“And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.” Duet. 5:15.

The interfaith movement will entice you to come in. Just as the serpent seduced Eve with fair speech, in he same way the ecumenical movement will tell you that you can keep your Sabbath and still be part of them. And we have fallen for this deception. We have joined them even though we still keep our Sabbath.

But we have forgotten that we are not just commanded to keep the Sabbath day holy. Revelation 14:6-12 tell us that we must also PROCLAIM the seventh-day Sabbath truth to all the world. And when we fulfill this part of the work, that of proclaiming the truth, that will bring an end to interfaith collaborations. Either God has called out a people to proclaim these messages to the world or He hasn't. And our understanding and response to God's call must demand our complete attention as we enter the final crisis of these last days.