ChristiansUnite Forums

I have a sincere question.

I have friends who practice all sorts of different religions, from Christianity to Islam to Wicca. All of them believe their faith is right, although some of them believe every religion is a valid way to find God. Is this true?

Also, I was recently reading some books on comparative religion and some of the stuff in the Islam Qur'an seemed really similiar to the Bible. Does this mean Islam and Christianity are the same, or basically similar? Do Muslims worship the same God? Sorry for all these questions, but I really want to know. It's hard for me to be sure what's right, because there are so many faiths out there.

AvenAleuthyra

No this is definitely not true. The Lord Jesus Christ said very plainly: I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO [GOD] THE FATHER BUT BY ME (John 14:6).
There is only one way to God and that is through the Lord Jesus Christ -- His blood and His righteousness. You must believe that Christ died for your sins and rose again to give you the gift of eternal life. You must also turn from your sins and idols (repent) and turn to the true living God. To do this you must receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior by faith (Jn.1:12-13). There is absolutely no other way to heaven or to God.

Muslims do not worship the triune Godhead -- God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Islam has taken elements out of both the Old and New Testaments and perverted the truths contained therein.  For example, Islam teaches that Ishmael [Ismail] is Abraham's son of promise, not Isaac. This is a blatant contradiction of the Old Testament. Islam also teaches that Jesus is just another prophet, while Mohammed is the true and final prophet. Also that God can have no Son, therefore Christ is not the Son of God. This is a direct attack on the deity of Christ. In other words, Islam is a direct challenge to the legitimate claims of Jesus Christ, therefore it is "anti-christ".

Amen & Amen

Greetings AvenAleuthyra,
I am going out on a limb here. Is this your name or user name. I am intrigued over what it means or what nationality it is (if indeed it is your name). I don’t mean to pry if it is something private. Just expressing sincere and friendly interest.

Quote from AvenAleuthyra

What do you believe? Can every faith be true? If there is but one God, and if indeed He sent His only Son, do you really think that there would be more than one Way? As Sower says above quoting John 14:6 – Jesus is the Way. Whatever other faiths say about themselves and other religions, Christianity is either true or false. There is no middle road with us. We went out on a limb by trusting that God sent His only Son to bear our sins and the sins of the world, thereby saving us (1Timothy 4:10).

Quote from AvenAleuthyra

Muslims go to great lengths when speaking with Christians to try to create a link between their holy writings and ours. Once they do, they begin to pick apart our Scriptures, making out like they have become corrupt and that theirs is really the only true uncorrupt writings from God (Allah).

With regard to the fate of your friends, I would advise you to just live a life for Christ and let them see Him in you. Let God take care of those who are outside the Body of Christ. It is not for us to judge them. We have a Judge and He is merciful and full of love. If you love your friends, God loves them even more – He suffered and died for them. Let the testimony of His love for both you and your friends give you peace.

God bless,

John1one

Good answers and posts from sower, ambassador as well as John.....

Mine will be a bit simplistic but in agreement.  God tells us there can be but only one true God. That is the God of Abraham. This same God took on flesh and became man so that all could live eternal with Him.  We dont have to work our way to heaven, "our God" reached down with outstretched arms to gather us to Him. All we must do is accept and believe Him.
God gave us His Word which reveals His love and very nature to us.  It tells of His plan for mankind from beginning to end.  It is all truth and all in harmony despite being written over 1600 yrs by over 40 authors in 3 languages.  That is because God breathed the very words for us. Through the Holy Spirit God lives within each of those who believe on Him, and through this Spirit our ears, eyes and hearts become open to God's message of truth.  We are freed and empowered by God and live for God. It is quite a journey.

John here:
No, is your answer from this end. :)
There is only one true Virgin denomination. And this should be our goal! (see Rev. 18:4)

Now: There are many of God's children in the wrong 'folds' (denomination) Read John 10:16 They are His 'other sheep'!

There are even SAVED SOUL'S in the blind gentile class. If they have died before more 'light' comes, they will awaken from their sleep of death to go to heaven, & did not even know the Master as we have! (see Rom. 2:14-15) Yet, notice that .. "Which shew the work of law written in their hearts, .." Converted, Born Again, and did not even know it! (see 2 Cor. 3:3)

The BOTTOM line is to read Christ's Word prayerfully & OBEY it! (see Matt. 4:4 & *Acts 5:32) It is when one "KNOWS TO DO GOOD AND DOES IT NOT THAT IT IS SIN" (false doctrine & denominations) See Rev. 18:4 for being PARTAKERS OF HER SINS & the [END] result!

---John

to john the baptist. are you saying that we should follow the rcc? btw, rev.18:4 has to do with the end times of babylon. may i ask what is the "denomination" we are not to follow?  you say " there is only one true virgin denomination., and that it should be our goal." would you care to elaborate on this? ty ???

Hi, John here:
I am a up front kind of a converted Christian! :) The Rev. 18:4 verse is TRUTH regardless of denomination. (If it applies)

If one reads Rev. 12:17 you will see only a 'remnant' of the Virgin woman's seed saved. These HAVE 2 Cor. 3:3's testimony or letter (epistal) of Christ in their heart. And it tells 'all' that they KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. (true Faith, or Belief, do His works because they LOVE their Master!)

OK: so, Hisvessel, that elimates most denominations!

Can you handel this so far?? If you can, let me know & I will give you more evidence of who are the True Virgin denomination. (Eph. 4:5 & John 10:16)

PLEASE TAKE NOTE HERE! TRUE IN DOCTRINAL TEACHINGS *ONLY! Try Matt. 23:3 very s-l-o-w-l-y. Remember that it is their REMNANT that Rev. 12:17 speaks of. It will have the same history as Israel of old! See Eccl. 1:9-10 & Eccl. 3:15! Do you BELIEVE God's Word so far?

---John
******

  Hi...I'd like to respond to the question about whether different religions like wicca and Christianity can be true...
  What I believe is that though they may have some things in common, they both cannot be true. One claims that Jesus is the only way to heaven...the other doesn't make that statement. It may have som etruth in it, but isn't that how satan tried to tempt Jesus...by quoting scripture, yet not with the whole truth in view?
  Simply put, "Jesus is the way, the truth and the light" :)

Of course all Christians are going to say that Christianity is the only true religion. But, if any of the people saying this had been born in a different place, or maybe in a different time, they would be saying something similar about the Shinto Gods, or Allah, or Krishna, or the Great Manitou.

So maybe all religions are true in the way that they help people to try and make some sense of things. Then again maybe none of them are true.

Either God is real, or He isn't.
His word has been spread throughout the entire earth just as He said it would be. It's up to each of us to either accept it or reject it. We must first at least investigate the claims of the major religions in order to decide which one is most credible. The Christian Bible makes very definitive claims about who God is and what He expects from us. We must also consider Jesus, was he an actual living human? most reasonable people who agree that he was. Did he do the things written in the gospels? well, there is credible historical corroboration of some of the events listed in the Bible, some will tell you it's all a conspiracy, that early Christians got a hold of every copy of the historical ancient documents and changed them...hey, believe what you will.
Those who stand for nothing will fall for everything. It's one or the other, it's not "all"
Saying all are true to help us make sense of things, is just another way of saying none are true but if it makes you feel better then go ahead and believe in any lie that suits your particular life-style.

A smart guy once said - Only one thing can be true, if all things are true then nothing is true if Allah is God then Jesus isn't God. There has to be absolutes - to say nothing is true is to say that nothing is absolutely true - but the statement 'nothing is true' is actually what is absolutely true, so you have an illogical statement. So there has to be 'something' absolutely true.
                                  -ex

First of all, the correct way to worship of God is determined by GOd Himself, so it is invalid for people to walk in a way and deem it true. That would be like my saying I don't want to believe in the holocaust, therefore I believe it didn't happen, and then call that truth. Truth is always objective.

Secondly, man is therefore not qualified to make the determination about godly truth. God testifies what is true about Himself, as it is written, no one knows the spirit of a man but the m,an Himself. So you can see that no one can know God but God himself. So when people say Christians are bigoted for not including other religions, there are several serious gaffes with this:
1. That would be determining truth about God based on the emotion of man, the desire for personal affirmation, not upon God Himself. Anything not based upon God Himself isn't about God, and is therefore not the truth. People reject Christianity for one of
two reasons: either there's something they want to do that God does not allow, so they follow a religion where they can do as they please, or they are angry at God.
2. The assumption is that human beings can *determine* truth. We have not seen God, so we cannot determine the truth about Him. He does that.
3. There is a failure to acknowledge the truth that is engraved upon our hearts that we need atonement for our sin. Only Christianity offers this true atonement, for men cannot atone for themselves. In regrads to Judaism, the animal sacrifices were only in expectation of a savior, who has come.

If you'd like to share your experiences, though, I'd be pleased to hear them.

Yes, all religions are basically the same. They were all invented and evolve by the energy of men groping in darkness trying to make sense out of a messed up world.

"The Scriptures tell us, "No one is acceptable to God!
Not one of them understands or even searches for God.
They have all turned away and are worthless. There isn't one person who does right.
Their words are like an open pit, and their tongues are good only for telling lies. Each word is as deadly as the fangs of a snake, and they say nothing but bitter curses.
These people quickly become violent.
Wherever they go, they leave ruin and destruction.
They don't know how to live in peace.
They don't even fear God."
We know that everything in the Law was written for those who are under its power. The Law says these things to stop anyone from making excuses and to let God show that the whole world is guilty.
God doesn't accept people simply because they obey the Law. No, indeed! All the Law does is to point out our sin.

Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him. The Law and the Prophets tell how we become acceptable, and it isn't by obeying the Law of Moses.
God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ.
All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.
But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.

God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life's blood, so that by faith in him we could come to God. And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus." CEV

The truth is, it's all God and not us. God is light, we are in darkness till God shines His light in us. The above words gives  light enough for anyone to see the Truth.

Consider Jesus, turn from the darkness to Him, and be blessed!

asaph

Very nice, asaph.  Thanks.

God's Covenant requirement is..John 3:3! See Heb. 13:20.
Only these are the above He says! See Acts 5:32.
Any others fall in the 1 Jonh 2:4's group... says inspiration!
One did (See James 2:26) try another way! See Gen. 4:7 &??, that was & is, IMPOSSIBLE TO DO! :'( :'(
But don't dis/pare! There is still hope 'if' one is LOVINGLY willing? See Rev. 12:17 & Rev. 18:4!
--John
*****

Hi, I'm new here.
In the Vedas there is the concept that there is one God (the Hindus call Him Braham) but that he has many faces or avatars. He shows to each person the face he thinks that person can best relate to. So, following this way of thinking everyone may be right. God might be showing himself to Christians in the way he feels they will best perceive him; likewise with the Jews, Mormons, Buddhists, Muslims, etc.
Maybe?
Feel free to quote Bible verses but circular argument never proves a point.

LutherHeggs,
Welcome.
They can't all be right.
Mat 7:13  Go in through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that gate.
Mat 7:14  But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it.

If the above verses are true then they prove a point, whether or not it is circular reasoning. Truth is absolute. You make a point that is valid only if what you say is true. If you are wrong then you need to find out if Jesus is right. Why don't you ask Jesus about this issue. Jesus is big enough to answer an honest seeker.

 Joh 10:8  Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them.
Joh 10:9  I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.
Joh 10:10  A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.

Do you believe Jesus?

A native of interior China wanted to become a Christian but couldn't understand how Christianity was superior to Confucianism and Buddhism. One morning he came to the missionary in a happy mood saying, "I dreamed last night, and now I understand. I dreamed I had fallen into a deep pit where I lay helpless and despairing. Confucius came and said, 'Let me give you advice, my friend; if you get out of your trouble, never get in again.' Buddha came and said, 'If you can climb up to where I can reach you, I will help you.' Then Christ came. He climbed down into the pit and carried me out."
It takes the Savior of man to do that. Only a Savior would stoop so low as to save a sinful soul like yours and mine.

None of the religions of the world provide a savior for your soul. But Jesus, who is opposed to religion, came that you might not perish but have everlasting life.

Why not bag your religion and take Jesus as your Savior? Just call out to Him now.

asaph

The very fact that so many religions are contrary to each other (Most of all Christianity and Islam), answers no to the title question.

BTW: asaph, in your first reply:

MUTHALOVINGAMEN!!!!1111hundredeleven!1

 In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma--but never let him be the period. ;D

Hi John.

I question your statement: We can be saved living the TRUTH that we know. Please explain that statement in light of the following verse?

Gal 3:11

(ASV)  Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith;

(BBE)  Now that no man gets righteousness by the law in the eyes of God, is clear; because, The upright will be living by faith.

(CEV)  No one can please God by obeying the Law. The Scriptures also say, "The people God accepts because of their faith will live."

(EMTV)  But that no one is justified by the law before God is evident, for "The just shall live by faith."

(KJV)  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

asaph

*************
Hi, John here:
It is 1:47 in the morning here & I am kind of sleepy eyed! :)

It seems like I gave verses on this before, but one does so many posts? So lets 'see' (?) Hosea 4:6 states that 'if' we reject knowledge God will reject us. Sounds like one needs to & is required to move forward. They cannot be held accountable for what they do not know can they?

Next is the sin question? We are told that 'sin is the trangression of the law. Where there is no law, there is no sin'.
So what is [ones] knowledge of the law?? It sounds like the unlearned & the ones with [your logic], based on keeping a law to be saved?? does find both you & these ignorant ones free of comdenmation! You say you need not worry about any old law, just grace :'(, and they say I don't know anything about any law??

Now, there are others!  :)
To him that KNOWETH TO DO GOOD AND [DOETH IT], TO HIM IT IS NOT SIN! THE REASON IS LOVE! (MOTIVE FOR SERVING THE *MASTER*!) & these other TRUE ones that have the LAW WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS also! See these that you are in bottom line saying are sinning! 2 Cor. 3:3!

Not in tables of stone any longer, BUT IN THE FLESHY TABLES OF THE HEART. (mind) Recreated, Born Again, see Acts 5:32 & John 3:3-8. Now my *FRIEND, appy the Words CHRIST, my  MASTER, He says.. "IF (conditional) ye LOVE ME KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS"!

Now for the class of some MORE SINCERE SAVED ONES, SAVED WHERE THEY ARE AT IN SINCERE GROWTH. (See these also in John 10:16-Rev. 18:4)
In Rom. 2:14-15 we see a class of 'Born Again & re/created ones knowing nothing about the Master in 'your profession' of ONLY BELIEVE. These ones actually have never even heard of the Savior as we know Him! All thatthey had ever understood of Him was through nature Paul tells us under Inspiration. Now for the PROOF POSITIVE part of their lifes profession??

ACTION! WORKS! James states also under INSPIRATION that BELIEF (faith) without WORKS IS D-E-A-D being ALONE! Workless in other words.

Notice the Word's WORDING... "Which SHEW the WORKS OF THE LAW WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS."

And it is very true that only the Son of God can save anyone, it is also VERY TRUE that ones works of [Obedience] testify to this, their sincerity of that profession! This group found Christ in nature & will not know about Him in person until their resurected life above!

Now lets do one more of Pauls Truths! Lets not be like the ones Peter speaks of in 2 Peter 3:16 though! '.. which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as do they also THE OTHER SCRIPTURES, unto their own destruction'. OK?

In Rom. 2:13. "For not the hearers of the law shall be just before God,... (we will continue on, but first what does this mean? Faith? I Believe only, Lord? My Loving Works are unsless? These Works of OBEDIENCE are not needed? Lord, I LOVE YOU IN WORD'S, THAT IS ENOUGH?? Hardly! ok, now the rest of Pauls inspiration) ...  but the [DOERS OF THE LAW SHALL BE JUSTIFIED.]"  Try Rom. 8:1 Who are "[IN] CHRIST JESUS"? See Acts 5:32!

If one knows enough to surrender the 'stuborn will' to Christ & then will not use the PROVISIONS TO WORK [OBEDIENCE] TO HIS WORDS?? HE [IS] A D-E-A-D 'EPISTLE' of CHRIST and will be SPEWED OUT! Rev. 3:16! The Provisions are there! Phil. 4:13 & 2 Cor. 12:9. The using of these are up to the SAVED ONES LOVE!

Hope that this finds you 'awakened' this early morning ;),
---John

PS: And yes, Lord, 'i' realize what 4th commamdment it is that the devil really want to void out!

 

John,
What about the dead letter and dead works? How to you tie that into the teaching that we are to keep the law of Moses? It seems the Jews, for the most part, could not make the transition from the Law of Moses to Christ. Therefore their works were dead works, though they kept the Law of Moses. The written Law was dead letters to them because they did not see Christ as the fulfillment of the Law.
The one who follows Christ keeps the Law, not by focusing on the various parts of the Law but by virtue of fixing his eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. The one who abides in Christ does not kill because of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made him free from the law of sin and death. The one who abides in Christ does not have any other gods before him because the anointing remains in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God. The one who abides in Christ does not commit adultery because he has been espoused to Christ as a chaste virgin.
When one takes his eyes off Christ and begins to focus on the details of the Law, one enters into dead works, holding on to dead letters. One becomes like the pharisees of old who kept the Law of Moses but had no relation to Christ. If we return to the letter of the Law of Moses we are fallen from grace and in peril of eternal damnation.
Please do not try to steal away from me my devotion to Jesus by replacing Him with dead letters. I keep the Law through my Jesus. There is no other way. It's not Jesus + Law, but rather it's Jesus=Law. He is the fulfilment of the Law of Moses. He is the Spirit of the Law.
 Act 15:5  But some of those from the sect of the Pharisees rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."
But Peter said-
Act 15:10  Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Act 15:11  But through the grace of the Lord Jesus, we believe that we will be saved in the same manner as they."

I hope this finds you "awakened" this lovely Sunday morn. 8)

asaph

PS: And yes, Lord, 'i' realize what 4th commamdment it is that the devil really want to void out!

My friend John. Christ is the 4th commandment. Time and place matters not. We worship in Spirit and Truth. I think I will keep the 4th commandment 24/7 by abiding and resting in Christ 24/7. Christ is the 10 commandments. I think I will not look at a woman with lust by abiding and resting in Jesus 24/7.
And should I slip away from Him I think I will repent and turn back to Him and return my devotion to Him. Only in this way do we keep His commandments. Do you love Jesus with an unending devotion? If you keep your self in His love you will keep His commandments but if you focus on His commandments you will surely break them. Are you greater than Paul who said-
Rom 7:9  For I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, but I died.
Rom 7:10  And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.
Rom 7:11  For sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, deceived me, and by it, killed me.

 Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

asaph