Not the same God?

[puzzleannie]

My husband is a Lutheran and he was deeply offended when I told him that Catholics have a different God than Lutherans have because the way I saw it, there was no way it ever could be the same one, the qualities are too disimilar.

I am sorry there is only one God, and all Christians who profess belief in Christ therefore also embrace belief in the Trinity, one God in Three Divine Persons, and therefore believe in the same God. Yes their understanding of who God is, and how God acts in the lives of individuals and in the Church may differ, but that in no way changes the fact that they worship the same God. Your husband is right to be disturbed. Sounds like you both need more in depth study of your respective faiths.

 

[JonNC]

I am sorry there is only one God, and all Christians who profess belief in Christ therefore also embrace belief in the Trinity, one God in Three Divine Persons, and therefore believe in the same God. Yes their understanding of who God is, and how God acts in the lives of individuals and in the Church may differ, but that in no way changes the fact that they worship the same God. Your husband is right to be disturbed. Sounds like you both need more in depth study of your respective faiths.

And maybe each other’s, too.

Jon

 

[Matthew_Holford]

I don’t think I am wrong. Listening to their teachings proves as much.

I don’t think they believe in a different Christ. Except for some of the more esoteric, questionable so-called Christian denominations, most believe in the Christ in which we believe. Rather than a belief in another Christ they misunderstand and distort his teachings. Thus while having the same Christ as us they are mistaken in their acceptance of divorce, contraception, gay “marriage”, etc. Their Christ is our Christ but they lack the fullness of the true Faith so their knowledge of that Christ and his teachings are distorted. We also shouldn’t lump all Protestants together as many are against these things.

 

[jamesguy]

The same God!
The same God!

And I think those who follow the Jewish religion, the Buddhist religion…etc…that is the same God, too.
Not sure what others here think on that? Or what the, um, “official” position is on that?

After all, if we are taught there is only one God, then there is only one God. Period.
Even if someone else has a different way of trying to get to that God…it’s still, just one God, is it not?

God is God. No matter how differently someone wants to dress Him up or give a different name to call Him…

interesting…yet, yes god is god. however, in the christian and judaic context, god is first-one god. also, god, and re: jesus is seperate from “paegen and heathen gods”,that is an important distinction. i ve been roaming around islamic test,and hindu- re: yes, there are/can be similarities to/for the major religions. in a general sense, god is god. moral and spiritual strength,can be got from other religous faiths. however, as a christain, i maintain that christ himself is god and creator, thus making a distinction.

 

[CopticChristian]

Greetings~
Well, here I am in a mess again.
My husband is a Lutheran and he was deeply offended when I told him that Catholics have a different God than Lutherans have because the way I saw it, there was no way it ever could be the same one, the qualities are too disimilar. Protestants are too quick to say we make everything up.
It’s a bit strange because if our God *is the same *then either we are all going to hell or they are all going to hell. Better choose wisely. I knew I needed to find out for sure…
My husband said oh sure, go to CAF and ask the Catholics but I told him that the people on these forums are completely unbiased and have schooled me when I have been wrong and enlightened me about things when I needed to know the truth. So that’s why I posted here again
Thanks so much for reading this thread,
Jen

Change the paradigm. Paul says in the letter to the Romans to the Jew, that God is God of all Jew, Greek, Barbarian, Gentile…God is impartial…for don’t you know that we are children of Adam…if so then

Sometimes children are not all that keen on recognizing what their parents have done and sometimes rebel…and sometimes do not see them as others see them…

It’s all about the view from one perspective or another…

 

[kelman]

Would have thought Protestants and Roman Catholics worshipped the same God, however, it appears we do not. I worship God as He is revealed in Scripture - not the Koran. Pope Paul VI stated that he worships the same God as do the Muslims.

According to the Bible, no one can honor the Father if He doesn’t honor the Son which puts all other religions outside the worship of the true God.

John 5:23 **That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. **

It cannot be said that those who do not render proper homage to Jesus Christ worship the true God.

 

[Izdaari]

As a wise man once said, “will the real Slim Shady please stand up”

I have my doubts as to how wise or enlightened Eminem is. But clever and talented, no question.

 

[JRKH]

Would have thought Protestants and Roman Catholics worshipped the same God, however, it appears we do not. I worship God as He is revealed in Scripture - not the Koran. Pope Paul VI stated that he worships the same God as do the Muslims.

According to the Bible, no one can honor the Father if He doesn’t honor the Son which puts all other religions outside the worship of the true God.

John 5:23 **That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. **

It cannot be said that those who do not render proper homage to Jesus Christ worship the true God.

Or put another way - that they do not worship the True God in the proper way.

The Jews, our elder brothers in faith, and whom have worshiped the one God - the Father - for some thousands of years before the coming of Christ…Do you believe that they too do not worship the “True God” because they do not accept the Son?
Or would you rather say that they worship the True God, but not in the proper way - or perhaps they worship him in a way that is less enlightened…

Peace
James

 

[JustaServant]

All Christians, regardless of the name in front of the Church tend toward wanting to worship a god who looks and acts pretty much like ourselves. I call it the god of our imagination. We want God to fit into our box, share our opinions, have a personality just like ours. A lot like the lie of Genesis 3…
It is inherent in our sin nature. We want a god we are comfortable with.
The True God, is just too scary…

 

[ConstantineTG]

I don’t think they believe in a different Christ. Except for some of the more esoteric, questionable so-called Christian denominations, most believe in the Christ in which we believe. Rather than a belief in another Christ they misunderstand and distort his teachings. Thus while having the same Christ as us they are mistaken in their acceptance of divorce, contraception, gay “marriage”, etc. Their Christ is our Christ but they lack the fullness of the true Faith so their knowledge of that Christ and his teachings are distorted. We also shouldn’t lump all Protestants together as many are against these things.

And that is what the point of St. Paul was. The real Christ is known in the real teachings. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Therefore a Jesus with distorted teachings is not the same Jesus who is the Only Begotten Son of God who became Man and conquered death by death.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

And that is what the point of St. Paul was. The real Christ is known in the real teachings. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Therefore a Jesus with distorted teachings is not the same Jesus who is the Only Begotten Son of God who became Man and conquered death by death.

The Christ is the same. It is the understanding of Him that varies.

 

[Portrait]

Would have thought Protestants and Roman Catholics worshipped the same God, however, it appears we do not. I worship God as He is revealed in Scripture - not the Koran. Pope Paul VI stated that he worships the same God as do the Muslims.

According to the Bible, no one can honor the Father if He doesn’t honor the Son which puts all other religions outside the worship of the true God.

John 5:23 **That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. **

It cannot be said that those who do not render proper homage to Jesus Christ worship the true God.

Dear kelman,

Cordial greetings and a very good day. Hope all is well.

Muslims do indeed worship the true God, but in the wrong manner. Clearly, no man with a sense of logic and a knowledge history could accept Islam as a religion revealed by God. Mohammed founded a religion of his own, which was an amalgam of Jewish, Arabic and Christian elements. Moreover, many of Islam’s doctrines and its religious history cannot possibly claim a divine origin and protection in the light of critical analysis.

Whilst Islam, along with Judaism and Christianity, is one of the three great monotheistic religions of the world, all looking to Abraham in one way or another as the founder of their faith, there are many serious problems with this man-made religion. Fundamentally, Muslims reject belief in the Holy Trinity, plus many other core Christian doctrines, the Divinity of our Blessed Saviour, Jesus Christ, among them.

Surely Pope Paul VI would have been fully aware of all this and much more. Moreover, I am certain that he would have realized that any stable, effective religious collaboration between the Catholic Church and Islam was jolly problematic, to say the very least.

Warmest good wishes,

Portrait

Pax

 

[ConstantineTG]

The Christ is the same. It is the understanding of Him that varies.

If the understanding of Christ varies, then each variation is an understanding of a different Christ. Remember, Jesus is not a mere human being who people can have different understanding of. Because God is more than we can comprehend, we cannot have any other understanding of God other than what He has revealed to us. If despite the revelations we think differently, then we are following the wrong Jesus.

 

[JonNC]

If the understanding of Christ varies, then each variation is an understanding of a different Christ. Remember, Jesus is not a mere human being who people can have different understanding of. Because God is more than we can comprehend, we cannot have any other understanding of God other than what He has revealed to us. If despite the revelations we think differently, then we are following the wrong Jesus.

If the understanding of Christ vaies, that doesn’t mean that Christ varies or there is different Christs. It means we understand Christ differently. He remains one Christ. SOme follow Jesus the wrong way, but its the same Jesus.

Jon

 

[ConstantineTG]

If the understanding of Christ vaies, that doesn’t mean that Christ varies or there is different Christs. It means we understand Christ differently. He remains one Christ. SOme follow Jesus the wrong way, but its the same Jesus.

Jon

You are right, Christ does not vary. Read my earlier post, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. That is why if the view of Jesus is different, then it is not the true Jesus that one is following.

 

[JonNC]

You are right, Christ does not vary. Read my earlier post, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. That is why if the view of Jesus is different, then it is not the true Jesus that one is following.

I would say it is not the truth of Jesus that one is following.
So, to answer the OP, it is the same God.

Jon

 

[SteveVH]

I would say it is not the truth of Jesus that one is following.
So, to answer the OP, it is the same God.

Jon

I agree completely. From a Catholic point of view I believe that we possess the fulness of truth, but even then, not all Catholics possess this fulness of truth unless they inform themselves of that truth. So do uninformed Catholics worship another Jesus? No. They just lack understanding. Sadly, this situation is all too common.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I would say it is not the truth of Jesus that one is following.
So, to answer the OP, it is the same God.

Jon

There is no truth OF Jesus. Jesus is the Truth. So if you don’t follow the truth, you don’t follow Jesus.

 

[ProdigalAnglicn]

Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants all worship the Triune God as interpreted by the Nicene Creed.

This of course excludes Jehova’s Witnesses and Mormons, the former are modern-day Arians with an apocalyptic bent and the latter are crypto-polytheists. I’m not even convinced the latter worship the God of Abraham at all.

Speaking of the God of Abraham, this gets more complicated when you bring Jews and Muslims into the mix. A good analogy, though I’m sure it’s an imperfect one, is that Jews and Muslims are seeing God through a 1950s black-and-white TV and we are seeing God through a 52-inch HDTV with surround sound.

 

[AngelRose81]

I think we do, but Protestants as well as other Christians know a little less about that God than us

I completely disagree with this statement, and until you attend another Christian denomination for some time, I don’t think you should generalize them all. Many Protestant denominations know quite a lot about God and more so that some Catholics.