Are all religions the same?

Are all religions the same?

  • Because God is our Creator, we all seek something or someone to worship.
    • Worship = to bow before, to honor, to pay homage to, to hold in high regard, to esteem
  • A religion is a system of beliefs in reference to worship.
  • Beliefs of a religious system are what determine the differences in religions. These are called the doctrines of that religion.
    • Where doctrine is different, religion is different, because the understanding of the deity is different.
  • Since God is our Creator, He is also the originator of true religion, simply because He is the One writing about Himself. When we try to worship a god other than the God of the Bible, we do so by the writings of God which are different than the god one seeks to worship.  As such, God calls this idolatry. 
    • The first commandment, of the ten commandments, is “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
      • The sin of idolatry is to worship anything, or anyone above the one true God, since God deserves all worship, as He created us and idea of worship in the first place.
        • Colossians 1:16-18, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.  18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
      • When Jesus was ministering to the Samaritan woman at the well, He said this about true worship: “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” John 4:23 
        • This shows us that true worship must be in the right spirit and in truth.
          • To worship the Father in spirit, we must worship the Father via the Holy Spirit as we confess Christ in truth.
            • 1 John 4:1-6, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.  4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.  6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”
          • Any religion that is not derived complete from God’s Word in truth, as led by the Holy Spirit, is a false religion.
            • Colossians 2:6-10, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.  9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”
          • Truth is not subjective.
            • John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
              • There is only one source of genuine truth, and that is God’s Word. It is by God truth that we are sanctified (set apart) from the world.
              • God’s Word is not open for interpretation, God interprets His own Word to us, by the leading of the Spirit of God.
                • John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”
              • If Truth was not knowable, then God would not have told us to prove all things by His truth.
                • 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21, “Quench not the Spirit. 20  Despise not prophesyings.  21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”
              • True religion is not about a system defined by man to express his thoughts and opinions to a deity, nor for man to explain his experience from his perspective.
              • True religion is about the one true God, who seeks interaction and relation with His creation. God defines the terms of true worship, and true religion. 
                • As such, the only religion that is derived complete by God Himself and led the Holy Spirit in truth, is called by God, “true religion”.
              • If you would like more study on this issue, or if you would like to discuss this topic with Pastor Kaiser, please contact our pastor through the contact page of this web site.