Who worships the same God?

who worships the same God?

  • more narrow

    Votes: 7 20.6%
  • Nicene Christians worship the same God

    Votes: 11 32.4%
  • all Christians worship the same God

    Votes: 4 11.8%
  • Jews and Christians worship the same God

    Votes: 1 2.9%
  • Jews, Muslims and Christians worship the same God

    Votes: 2 5.9%
  • all Abrahamic religions worship the same God

    Votes: 3 8.8%
  • all monotheistic religions worship the same God

    Votes: 1 2.9%
  • All religions ultimately ascribe worship to the same referent of God

    Votes: 3 8.8%
  • more broad

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I don't know

    Votes: 2 5.9%

  • Total voters
    34

DamianWarS

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There are many sects of Christianity, some at opposite ends and call each other heretical. Do all worship the same God or do some worship a false god? Can we say all Nicene Christians worship the same God? Can we say all Christians worship the same God? Who gets to decide?

Does this work outside of Christianity? Do Jews, for example, worship the same God as Christian do, despite their errant views of God? If not, surely at one time they did, so, at what time did this change?

How about Muslims? do they worship the same God despite their errant views of God and that Islam is insufficient for salvation?

This, of course, can go further. All religions will have a creator deity and so when someone says I worship the creator this could be many different answers in different religions and although their understanding may be errant and insufficient for salvation is it the same referent?

At which point is an understanding of God so different that it can no longer be said to be the same referent as the God of Christianity? To be clear I'm not advocating pluralism as salvation remains through Christ alone. What I am talking about is if worship from other religions can be said to be directed to the same referent of the Christian worship to God even if salvation is incompatible with it?
 
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SkyWriting

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There are many sects of Christianity, some at opposite ends and call each other heretical. Do all worship the same God or do some worship a false god? Can we say all Nicene Christians worship the same God? Can we say all Christians worship the same God? Who gets to decide?

Does this work outside of Christianity? Do Jews, for example, worship the same God as Christian do, despite their errant views of God? If not, surely at one time they did, so, at what time did this change?

How about Muslims? do they worship the same God despite their errant views of God and that Islam is insufficient for salvation?

This, of course, can go further. All religions will have a creator deity and so when someone says I worship the creator this could be many different answers in different religions and although their understanding may be insufficient for salvation is it the same referent? At which point is an understanding of God so different that it can no longer be said to be the same referent as the God of Christianity? To be clear I'm not advocating pluralism as salvation remains through Christ alone. What I am talking about is if worship from other religions can be said to be directed to the same referent Christian worship?


The Bible is a collection of stories about how man understands the one true God. On judgment day, God will search the heart of each person and ignore the outward appearances than man sees.

Proverbs 4:23
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Jeremiah 17:10
“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
 
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DamianWarS

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This thread is a minefield for reports and violations... I'll pass thanx
thanks for your non-pass pass. Let's be clear I'm asking whose pointing at the same God but I'm not saying that everyone whose pointing has salvation or even correct knowledge of salvation or of God. In terms of salvation, I affirm that it is through Christ only so most of the guys pointing do so blindly.
 
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Francis Drake

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Christians worship many gods alongside our creator.

The word "worship" basically means to bow before, or to obey. So whilst Christians may have "prayed the sinners prayer", and become a Christian, in most cases they carry on the rest of their lives bowing down to the many ungodly spirits behind the things of this world.
 
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DamianWarS

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Christians worship many gods alongside our creator.

The word "worship" basically means to bow before, or to obey. So whilst Christians may have "prayed the sinners prayer", and become a Christian, in most cases they carry on the rest of their lives bowing down to the many ungodly spirits behind the things of this world.
I think broadly we all are guilty of idolatry from all faiths (or outside of faith). But the ability to worship idols is not the question, those who worship God, do they worship the same referent? If only some, which ones?
 
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DamianWarS

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The Bible is a collection of stories about how man understands the one true God. On judgment day, God will search the heart of each person and ignore the outward appearances than man sees.

Proverbs 4:23
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Jeremiah 17:10
“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Thanks for your input. I do want to be clear I don't want this confused with salvation. It is up to God to judge of course but I am not advocating any another way of salvation other than what Christ reveals to us in the Christian Bible. The Bible tells us "Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" so it is clear there are those who at least claim worship of the same God and do things in his name but are not embraced by God, as Abraham embraces Lazarus in the parable.
 
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StrivingFollower

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When I think of demons, I don't think of frightening ghouls. I think the most common demon is a deceiver. They're not trying to destroy us, they're very satisfied with making us foolish and wasting our time. Because to God, that is the equivalent of destroying us. So these guys that fail to worship God right, would be worshipping some very crafty demons who will do some nice, and intelligent looking stuff for them, but actually feed their pride instead of getting them to buckle down on taming the flesh.
 
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DamianWarS

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When I think of demons, I don't think of frightening ghouls. I think the most common demon is a deceiver. They're not trying to destroy us, they're very satisfied with making us foolish and wasting our time. Because to God, that is the equivalent of destroying us. So these guys that fail to worship God right, would be worshipping some very crafty demons who will do some nice, and intelligent looking stuff for them, but actually feed their pride instead of getting them to buckle down on taming the flesh.
I'm not so sure if i follow you... is your position that outside of Christianity the named God, however similar or close in relation to a Christian perspective, is worshiping a referent of a demon and not God at all? For example, do Jews worship a demon or various demons?
 
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SkyWriting

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Thanks for your input. I do want to be clear I don't want this confused with salvation. It is up to God to judge of course but I am not advocating any another way of salvation other than what Christ reveals to us in the Christian Bible. The Bible tells us "Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" so it is clear there are those who at least claim worship of the same God and do things in his name but are not embraced by God, as Abraham embraces Lazarus in the parable.

Those people are legalists who do not accept the Grace of Jesus.
With guidance, they can be saved. (You stayed on the salvation issue)
 
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SkyWriting

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I'm not so sure if i follow you... is your position that outside of Christianity the named God, however similar or close in relation to a Christian perspective, is worshiping a referent of a demon and not God at all? For example, do Jews worship a demon or various demons?
Most jews remain legalists with works for salvation.
 
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Albion

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There are many sects of Christianity, some at opposite ends and call each other heretical. Do all worship the same God or do some worship a false god? Can we say all Nicene Christians worship the same God? Can we say all Christians worship the same God? Who gets to decide?


Re the OP:

Very few heresies deal with the question of who is the true God.
 
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Francis Drake

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I think broadly we all are guilty of idolatry from all faiths (or outside of faith). But the ability to worship idols is not the question, those who worship God, do they worship the same referent? If only some, which ones?
But that is surely the whole point.
Romans1 makes it clear that all creation has had the creator God revealed to them, so they are without excuse.
Thus all regenerate mankind at some level has bowed down to the Lord, but haven't yet departed from their other idols.
The OT describes those who worshipped the Lord at the temple, but also made offerings to their idols.
The NT does similar.
They all would insist that they are worshiping/ believing in the Lord of creation. But their actions show that in life, they serve another god.

In most cases, they believe they are fully serving the creator, but what they have done is dress the Lord up in the attributes of their deity.

Many years ago I was asked to lead a Sunday evening discussion group on "The Character of God" at an Elim Pentecostal Church I belonged to.
Being aware of the stuff I mention above, I decided to expose some of the prevalent falsehood on the subject.
In trying to include everybody, I went around the room encouraging and asking people for their description. By gradually steering the conversation, I finally drew it to the conclusion and spelled out a list of God's attributes which they, including the pastor, all agreed on.

'Congratulations' I said, 'You have just described Allah, the God of Islam!'
They were absolutely horrified and embarrassed.
Their descriptions all sounded good and right but were completely wrong.

It shook many to the core.
 
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Francis Drake

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Or, shall we say, "at least in theory."

There is no way that it can be the same God--from the Christian perspective--if some other religion cuts Christ out from its concept of God.
To the OT men of God, Christ was completely hidden. Yet it cannot be denied they worshiped the same God as we do.
 
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Francis Drake

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Most jews remain legalists with works for salvation.
Many born again Christians also remain legalists with works for salvation.
You see them often enough on the forum!
 
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DamianWarS

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But that is surely the whole point.
Romans1 makes it clear that all creation has had the creator God revealed to them, so they are without excuse.
Thus all regenerate mankind at some level has bowed down to the Lord, but haven't yet departed from their other idols.
The OT describes those who worshipped the Lord at the temple, but also made offerings to their idols.
The NT does similar.
They all would insist that they are worshiping/ believing in the Lord of creation. But their actions show that in life, they serve another god.

In most cases, they believe they are fully serving the creator, but what they have done is dress the Lord up in the attributes of their deity.

Many years ago I was asked to lead a Sunday evening discussion group on "The Character of God" at an Elim Pentecostal Church I belonged to.
Being aware of the stuff I mention above, I decided to expose some of the prevalent falsehood on the subject.
In trying to include everybody, I went around the room encouraging and asking people for their description. By gradually steering the conversation, I finally drew it to the conclusion and spelled out a list of God's attributes which they, including the pastor, all agreed on.

'Congratulations' I said, 'You have just described Allah, the God of Islam!'
They were absolutely horrified and embarrassed.
Their descriptions all sounded good and right but were completely wrong.

It shook many to the core.
I would object to your discussion and I think it's a strawman. It's like playing the Nazi card to win an argument instead you played the Muslim card because you knew everyone would gasp. You will have to give some examples but what sorts of characteristics did you play up as wrong?

Some of these things are language-cultural barriers for examples western Christianity says God gives grace but I speak a language that doesn't have a word for grace and its better translate as mercy. So in this language mercy wins over grace because there is no word for grace.

Miroslav Volf, a respected theologian and intellect, views Quranic Allah and Biblical Yahweh as what he calls sufficiently similar, not for salvation of course but to identify both as the same referent. To him there is enough overlap to call God of the Quran the same as the God of the Bible even though the Quran is an inerrant uninspired text.

Do you think Jews say Christians worship the same God as they do?
 
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DamianWarS

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To the OT men of God, Christ was completely hidden. Yet it cannot be denied they worshiped the same God as we do.
Not only hidden but a suggestion of the trinity would be rejected. The concept of a triune God is too abstract in the ancient world, there is only one God, anything else is polytheism. western thinking is very abstract so we have no issues with the trinity, eastern thinking, like those in the middle east, is far more concrete thinking and even today the trinity is lost because it is too incompatible with a concrete perspective of a monotheistic God.
 
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