THEOLOGY & APOLOGETICS

Do All Religions Basically Worship the Same God?

A quick look at some of the major religious movements of our world reveals this is an inaccurate assessment. For example, Jews worship one God—the Lord as revealed in the Hebrew Bible. Jews reject the concept of the Trinity that accepts Jesus as God. Christians, in contrast, worship God as Father, Son, and Spirit.

Muslims also worship one God—Allah—yet define him much differently than the God of the Hebrew Bible or the Triune view of God presented in the Old Testament.

Hinduism teaches that there are more than 300 million deities. In addition, both Hinduism and Buddhism hold to the pantheistic idea that all is God—rocks, animals, people, and all things are part of the One.

Wicca teaches there is both a god and a goddess in addition to often revering additional deities. Shinto believes in a spirit world and the supernatural, yet does not accept Jesus as divine.

What about the teachings of the Mormon Church? While there are many similarities between historic, biblical Christianity and Mormon teachings, Mormon teachings reject the belief of the Trinity. It also teaches that Jesus was a created being as well as the eternal progression of man—that good Mormons have the potential to become gods themselves in another life.

Jehovah's Witnesses likewise reject the historic Christian teaching of the Trinity and teach that Jesus is a created being. The Holy Spirit is also merely a "force" rather than divine.

Native spirituality, whether in Asia, Africa, or the Americas, teach that that there are many gods or spirits. Even if a supreme God or Being is accepted, there is widespread belief in many deities.

And of course, agnostics reject whether God can be known while atheists reject belief in God at all. To say all people worship the same God or even a similar view of God is inconsistent with the facts.

While many religions share traits such as helping the poor, love for neighbor, or other such values, each religion holds a significantly unique view of God. In Christianity, the Bible's authoritative teaching is that that there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) who exists in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). All three have existed eternally, are all-powerful, omnipresent, and all knowing. Further, the Bible teaches there is only one way to know God, through faith in Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Believing in Him offers a person forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God (John 3:16).

Image Credit: Ned Trifle; "Inter-faith prayer room, Highcross, Leicester"; Creative Commons

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Published 5-14-13