Francis says Muslims, Hindus, Catholics, Copts, are Children of the same God as Christians

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We are not all children of the same God. Muslims reject Jesus Christ as the messiah and the one who sits at the right hand of the Father. Muslims do not at all believe that Jesus was the lamb of God whose blood was shed for our sins.

John 14:6
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Hindus–That is obvious and self-explanatory.

If you reject the Son then you reject the Father. The only way to the Father is through Jesus Christ.

If you do not know Christ then you do not know the Father. **If you have no relationship with Christ as your Lord and saviour, then you have no relationship with God the Father thus—

You are not a child of God.
**
Satanists, Hindus, Agnostics, Atheists, Muslims, Wiccans, etc are not Children of God.

Acts of the Apostles 4:12
There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

Galatians 3:26
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

John 1:12
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

Romans 9:8
This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.

1 John 2:22-23
And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
Clearly, someone cannot be a “child of God” if they have the spirit of an antichrist.

Those who reject Christ are assigned to wrath and you cannot be in the kingdom and under the wrath of God at the same time.

Ephesians 2:1–3
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.* He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

( just in case someone wants to bring up the argument: “what about babies–those who are aborted or children who die after they are born?”
From the context Paul states we came to this condition through
Because of our transgressions and sins
Because we walked according the course of the world
Because we were disobedient
Because we lived in the lust of our flesh
Because we did the desires of our flesh
Obviously, babies and young children or those mentally incapable are innocent)

Only Children of God can see the kingdom.

Matthew 18:3
3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.

All human beings are creatures created in the image of God. This is NOT the same as saying we are all children of God. God is both Father and Creator. If he does not “know” you, then he is simply your creator. Being a creature in the unique category of being in his image (the human race) is not the same as saying you have received divine adoption. I think this is where people get it twisted.

People assume that because we are all a part the human family, we are all God’s children. It is NOT established through the physical. Again, notice that scripture tells us that not even all of Abraham’s physical descendants are considered to be the children of the promise.
 
Have you considered the possibility that the term ‘children of God’ could be meant in different ways depending on the context? There are words such as ‘spirit’ and ‘church’ in the Bible that have different meanings depending on the context.
 
How sad that anyone would think it is not true that all of mankind are children OF God.

They may not all believe in the same god, but to deny they are not children of God is to deny the creative divinity of God.

I hope the OP rethinks the unfortunate understanding they may have.

PEACE AND ALL GOOD!
 
I think you may be confusing the concept of Children of God, and people being Brothers/Sisters of Christ as stated in Scripture about those who believe in Christ. Jeremiah tells us God knew us before He knitted us in our mother’s womb. That references all men & women.

I see this as one more example of taking a loving and unifying statement of the Holy Father and somehow melding that into suggesting the Pope is advocating non-Christian theology or universalism.

Thanks for posting.
 
Humankind was created by God, in His image, but to be Children of God, is to believe in your Father. If you have no relationship with Christ, the Son of God, you have no relationship with God the Father. The Word of God teaches us we are all His creation but it also specifies to whom it bestows the qualification of child of God.

John 3:16-21

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18** He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.** 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.
 
Neofight said:
How sad that anyone would think it is not true that all of mankind are children OF God.

They may not all believe in the same god, but to deny they are not children of God is to deny the creative divinity of God.

I hope the OP rethinks the unfortunate understanding they may have.

PEACE AND ALL GOOD!
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If we are to be theologically precise.

We are all creatures of God.

Only the baptized are his children.
 
The father in the parable did not disown the prodigal son.

The Good Shepherd did not write off the lost sheep.

These lead me to believe that our faith is not a requirement to be a child of God.
 
Francis said it, so that settles it! The way I see it, if we understand the truth of our Faith, and what the Holy Father means, that there is only one God, Father of us all, then this statement should not threaten or offend. It seems to me that people get hung up on the phrase “children of God” as if its some exclusive club. That’s one way to understand it, I suppose, but not, I think, what Pope Francis means.
 
Neofight said:
How sad that anyone would think it is not true that all of mankind are children OF God.
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I see the phrase children of the same God. Is it the same God if one says God is a Trinity, but another says not?
 
Lydie said:
news.va/en/news/pope-francis-gestures-of-fraternity-defeat-hatred

We are not all children of the same God.
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Jimmy Akin has an article defending this video:

Pope Francis on God’s Universal Fatherhood
ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/pope-francis-on-gods-universal-fatherhood/

Here is a relevant portion:
  1. What about the “We are children of God” part? Aren’t only Christians children of God by virtue of their baptism?
No. There are different senses in which one can be a child of God:
  • Jesus is the Son of God in a unique sense shared by no one else.
  • Christians are children of God by their baptism.
  • Other people are children of God in other senses.
  1. Can you back that up?
Yup. Here are some examples from the Old Testament, where Christian baptism was not in view: You are the sons of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead (Deut. 14:1).

Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly; and David said: “Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, for ever and ever (1 Chr. 29:10).

Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation (Ps. 68:5).

For thou art our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us; thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer from of old is thy name (Is. 63:16).

Yet, O Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou art our potter; we are all the work of thy hand (Is. 64:8).

Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? (Mal. 2:10).

For if the righteous man is God’s son, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries (Wis. 2:18). I. Could. Go. On.

The Catechism states: Many religions invoke God as “Father”. The deity is often considered the “father of gods and of men.” In Israel, God is called “Father” inasmuch as he is Creator of the world. Even more, God is Father because of the covenant and the gift of the law to Israel, “his first-born son.” God is also called the Father of the king of Israel. Most especially he is “the Father of the poor,” of the orphaned and the widowed, who are under his loving protection.

By calling God “Father,” the language of faith indicates two main things: that God is the first origin of everything and transcendent authority; and that he is at the same time goodness and loving care for all his children (CCC 238-239). There is thus a sense in which God is the Father of all mankind. This does not take away from the unique sense in which Jesus is the Son of God or the special sense in which we become children of God by baptism, but it is nonetheless true. And there are other senses of God’s fatherhood as well, some of which are listed above.

Read more: ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/pope-francis-on-gods-universal-fatherhood/

I hope that helps. Please let me know if it does. God bless!
 
Tomdstone said:
I see the phrase children of the same God. Is it the same God if one says God is a Trinity, but another says not?
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The Jews in Jesus’ time (think of Judas, a Jew who rejected Christ) rejected the Son of God, the Messiah. How can they know the Father if they reject His Son?

The Prodigal was his father’s son but rejected him, then returned to his father’s embrace, repentant.

We should all help lost sheep back into the fold of the true Shepherd, Christ Jesus, the Only Son of the Living God.
 
Not seeing God in others except ourselves, is the basis for bigotry and intolerance.

God created all humans, so they are all his children.

Jim
 
This entire thread is misdirected. Though it is posted in the Catholic News forum, and a news article is cited, the OP completely ignores Pope Francis’ message, and fixates on one small phrase which one may choose to understand well (with charity) or poorly.

Here are Pope Francis’ beautiful remarks as quoted in the article:
Gestures speak louder than pictures and words. There are, in the Word of God we read, two gestures: Jesus serving, washing the feet … He, who was the “head man”, washing the feet of others, of His own, even of the least; one gesture. The second gesture: Judas who goes to the enemies of Jesus, those who do not want peace with Jesus, to take the money that bought His betrayal; the 30 pieces of silver.
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Two gestures.
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Even today, here, there are two gestures: this, of all of us together, Muslims, Hindus, Catholics, Copts, Evangelical [Protestants] brothers and sisters – children of the same God – we want to live in peace, integrated. One gesture. Three days ago, an act of war, of destruction in a European city, by people who do not want to live in peace. Though behind that gesture, as there were behind that of Judas, there were others. Behind Judas there were those who offered money, that Jesus be delivered up to them. Behind that [other] gesture [on Tuesday in Belgium], there are manufacturers, arms dealers who want blood, not peace; they want the war, not fraternity.
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Two gestures, just the same: Jesus washes feet, Judas sold Jesus for money. You, we, all of us together, of different religions, different cultures, but children of the same Father, brothers – and there, those poor people, who buy weapons to wreck fraternity. Today, at this time, when I do the same act of Jesus washing the feet of twelve of you, let us all make a gesture of brotherhood, and let us all say: “We are different, we are different, we have different cultures and religions, but we are brothers and we want to live in peace.”
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This, then, is the gesture that I make with you. Each of us has a story, each of you has a story you carry with you. Many crosses, many sorrows: but also an open heart that wants brotherhood. Let each, in his religious language, pray the Lord that this brotherhood be contagious in the world, that there be no 30 pieces of silver to purchase a brother’s murder, that there be always brotherhood and goodness. So be it.
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Quibble over “children of the same God” if you like, but don’t miss the point of the homily.
 
dmar198 said:
There is thus a sense in which God is the Father of all mankind.

This does not take away from the unique sense in which Jesus is the Son of God or the special sense in which we become children of God by baptism, but it is nonetheless true.
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I agree with this as this agrees with Scripture.
 
JimR-OCDS said:
Not seeing God in others except ourselves, is the basis for bigotry and intolerance.

God created all humans, so they are all his children.

Jim
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No one has stated that. I do SEE God in all of creation. What is sad is that I see His creation rejecting Him. Hence the urgency and responsibility in sharing the Gospel, the Good News the Buenas Nuevas, that Christ has come to save all mankind, but one must accept this gift, not reject it, to become a child of God.
 
Revelation 3:14-22
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

14 And to the angel of the church of Laodicea, write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the beginning of the creation of God:
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot.
16 But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest: I am rich, and made wealthy, and have need of nothing: and knowest not, that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold fire tried, that thou mayest be made rich; and mayest be clothed in white garments, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear; and anoint thy eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 Such as I love, I rebuke and chastise. Be zealous therefore, and do penance.
20** Behold, I stand at the gate, and knock. If any man shall hear my voice, and open to me the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that shall overcome, I will give to sit with me in my throne: as I also have overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne.**
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
 
Casilda said:
Humankind was created by God, in His image, but to be Children of God, is to believe in your Father. If you have no relationship with Christ, the Son of God, you have no relationship with God the Father. The Word of God teaches us we are all His creation but it also specifies to whom it bestows the qualification of child of God.

John 3:16-21

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18** He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.** 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.
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Thank you. This might be a better quote to use for your point. (From John 1)

"10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own,[c] and His own[d] did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

But as has been stated by others above this response, there are differing ways in which people can be children of God. There is certainly a sense that the Baptized are of a special class, but it does not negate that all people have been made by God or that Christ died for all (though as you pointed out, it is those who have accepted the work done by Christ that will be saved.)

Thanks again for the response.
 
Casilda said:
No one has stated that. I do SEE God in all of creation. What is sad is that I see His creation rejecting Him. .
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But then, those that reject God, do so out of their own poverty.

See their poverty and have compassion for them.

Jim
 
Even today, here, there are two gestures: this, of all of us together, Muslims, Hindus, Catholics, Copts, Evangelical [Protestants] brothers and sisters – children of the same God – we want to live in peace, integrated.
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Francis is quite correct. All of us a children of the same God, whether we know it or not.
 
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