As a result of the wars and bloodshed occasioned by strife among the various religions in the world, a movement has arisen that preaches tolerance and promotes “interfaith dialogue” to discover common ground and work together for the sake of humanity. As part of this movement, it is being postulated that every religion essentially worships the same God, yet in a different way. Interfaith meetings have been convened to encourage research which would lead to “cooperative resourcing” to help every religion. Even among Christians, this movement has had a certain appeal and is gathering strength, especially among those who have suffered, either directly or indirectly, from religious dissension. Miroslav Volf, a prominent theologian at Yale Divinity School, has written a book, “Allah: A Christian Response,” in which he argues that the Muslim god “Allah” is the same god worshipped by Christians. Having seen serious religious conflict in his native Yugoslavia, he argues that “having common values will make it possible to negotiate differences.” Let us examine all this in the light of the Word of God.
At the beginning of man’s existence in this world, God revealed Himself to him and desired his company. But man chose to disobey God and, by bringing sin into the world, estranged himself from God. After allowing man to see the end result of his being left to himself, God destroyed the world with a flood, but saved eight people in the ark, who were then used to repopulate the earth. At this time, they all clearly had the knowledge of the true God. But what happened then? We read in Romans that “when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Rom. 1:2121Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21)). As a result, because they “did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind” (Rom. 1:2828And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (Romans 1:28)).
Idolatry
There does not seem to have been idolatry before the flood of Noah, but afterward it developed very rapidly. Man did not want the true God, for his sinful heart wanted to indulge itself in things which his conscience, in God’s presence, would condemn. Instead, man’s imagination, energized by Satan, created gods everywhere and of every kind, for man in his nature has a spirit — a God-conscious part to his being. Immense systems were established, and the plethora of gods and religions that abound today are the result of all this. There have been variations over time and in different cultures, but there is a common theme to all false gods and false religions. These are gods suited to man’s own sinful heart — gods which he can manipulate to suit his sinful purposes. Although it may be glossed over with high-sounding moral principles, man-made religions are associated with the most frightful degradation into sinful lusts, for men make gods who will allow them to gratify their passions. To quote J. N. Darby, “Man seeks in vain to satisfy the need of his heart by means of objects which degrade him and which ultimately make him forget the true God.”
God’s Revelation
Into all this comes God’s revelation of Himself, first by His power in creation, then in His Word, and finally by sending His Son into this world. God cannot be known except by His revelation of Himself. But He has revealed Himself to us by His Word in the Old Testament, and then in a fuller way by sending His Son. The one true God has been revealed as a triune God; a God of truth, but also of love and grace. It is one of the perfections of Scripture that this has also been associated with the revelation of goodness in God, so as not to occupy us with evil, although the Word of God judges evil in its moral character.
The One True God
When all these things are carefully considered, it becomes clear that false religions do NOT worship the same God as the Word of God reveals. Rather, man has invented what suits his lost condition, although, in many cases, borrowing from divine revelation in order to try and give some legitimacy to the false systems he has set up. The Word of God is clear: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)). There need be no investigation of what is false, nor can there be any “negotiation” between the false and the true. “For and if indeed there are those called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, (as there are gods many, and lords many,) yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom all things, and we for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him” (1 Cor. 8:5-6 JND). On the one hand, we are to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph. 5:1111And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. (Ephesians 5:11)), while on the other hand, we must remember that “our Saviour God ... desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-4 JND). “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isa. 45:2222Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22)).
W. J. Prost