Does God Welcome Us on Our Own Terms?

There was a large crowd gathered at the funeral home, including politically prominent men and women, professionals, and working-class folks, to pay their respects. The deceased had been a successful lawyer for decades, even serving in the state legislature, before becoming a circuit judge, where he served with distinction for many years. But time is relentless, and the judge died “in a good old age, full of days” (1 Chronicles 29:28).

As the service began, the distinguished senior minister stepped up to the lectern to give a brief eulogy about the judge. He then launched into his message with this observation: “Many people are puzzled that in Christendom there are many differing ideas and beliefs about how one should worship God. They are troubled by that reality. Doctrinal diversity has never bothered me for I have come to see what God is doing.” He continued, “God allows us to interact with Him in whatever way that we are comfortable. Yes, God welcomes us on our terms.”

Yet accounts from the Old and New Testaments state the exact opposite. For example, the first couple, Adam and Eve, learned that to please God, we must follow His instructions. They didn’t obey His commands and were evicted from the Garden of Eden. Mankind still deals with the consequences of their approaching God on their terms (Genesis 3). The account of Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve, reveals also that one must approach God on His terms. Cain’s sacrifice was rejected because it didn’t meet godly requirements. In his anger at being rejected, Cain became the first murderer (Genesis 4).

After the great flood of Noah’s day, Nimrod, the first despot, did not follow God’s plan. Rather than spread out and fill the earth, many different peoples gathered under Nimrod’s rule and sought to build a mighty structure, a symbol of their defiance. But in dramatic fashion, Nimrod’s dream of a great world-ruling civilization ended when God confused the languages and the nations were scattered (Genesis 10).

Saul, the first king of Israel, began his reign with great promise, but in time was rejected for doing things his own way and not following clear directives from God (1 Samuel 9–13). Then there is the revealing story of Uzza who, with the best of intentions, reached out and touched the Ark of the Covenant as the oxen stumbled while pulling the cart upon which it sat. In doing so, Uzza was struck dead. The Israelites had neglectfully forgotten God’s vital command that the Ark should be carried reverently, and only by the Levites (Exodus 25:12–15)—never touched directly by anyone, and certainly not pulled on a cart by ignorant beasts. This oversight cost Uzza his life.

“Well,” some will say, “That was the Old Testament way of doing things.” Yet, the New Testament has examples illustrating that there are required principles and patterns of worship. The book of Acts tells of Ananias and Sapphira, husband and wife, who made a generous donation to the church but conspired to do it in a misleading way. Peter perceived their deception and confronted them. Sadly, their actions cost them their lives (Acts 5:1–11).

Jesus rebuked the religious establishment of His day for ignoring His instructions; “[W]hy do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). In instructing the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus clearly described what God expects of those who seek His kingdom; “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).

The Apostle Paul sternly warned the Galatians, “But even if we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). He also made it plain that the church should be in agreement on doctrinal matters, writing, “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you may be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

As you consider the cacophony of mainstream religious beliefs and practices, it seems obvious that God is not pleased with mankind approaching Him “on their terms.” Paul explained, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace in all the churches of the saints” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

Not long ago, a syndicated religious columnist wrote about differing ideas for worshiping Christ, stating, “This diversity isn’t something to loath. It’s something to celebrate” (“Christianity has variety, quirks and complexity,” Lexington Herald Leader, May 14, 2019). Statements such as these add to the confusion.

It’s certainly reasonable to think that if the distinguished judge being remembered at the service described above had been asked to decide who was correct in this “case” based solely on the evidence presented, he may well have have rejected the premise that we can “approach God on our own terms.”

If you want to please God and to be in harmony with His Way of life, there are resources available to guide you. Two such resources are the booklets Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity and Where Is God’s True Church Today, available free of charge along with other printed and video materials at TomorrowsWorld.org. Order your copies or read them online today.