RE: Reno Omokri: Trinity: Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?
An open discussion about the God concept is the most standard way of discussing the God that created all humans. An individual that is bold enough to share his “truth” to the public must be ready to receive responses from the public. It is on this note the scriptures say open rebuke is better than secret love (Prov 27:5). Secret love is shown when groups wouldn’t want their knowledge about God to be discussed publicly. Because God is not the property of anyone, Paul shared his knowledge about God with Peter openly for the benefit of humanity (Galatians 2:11-21).
Man is a being that is constantly in search of the spiritual realm. This drive has made man to come up with several religions that are basically set up by man without the influence of God (Isa 29:13). All these religions are geared towards worshiping the same God. Paul met the Athenians who described God as an unknown God. Paul made them realized that they worship God but without knowledge (Acts 17:18-34). The lack of knowledge destroys (Hosea 4:6). Jesus clearly said that God wants to be worshiped with knowledge (John 4:19-24). In this wise the whole of humanity is worshiping the same God. The differences can only be that the worship is through ignorance or through knowledge (Rom 10:1-3). The religions associated to Abraham and his progenies are too closely knitted for anyone to assume they don't worship the same God when in actual sense all religions on earth worship the same God. Circumspection is a tool required in worshiping God in spirit and in truth.
All books ever written to portray the diverse religions on earth are not truthful because the authors say they are. They can only be truthful because the whole of humanity can examine them and not be able to find fault in them. The Torah, the Bible and the Quran are three books associated with Abraham. God exposes his faithful servants to intellectual contest by claiming that no one can find fault in what they say across the world (Luke 21:14-15). The Queen of the south went to Solomon with hard questions to test his claim of having access to God (2 Chronicles 9:1-9). Because Jesus understands God the people around him marveled at his ability to project what is hidden from what is written and yet they can’t fault it (Mark 1:21-22). People could read the word of God and lack the ability to present the consequence of what is written thereby deploying sophistry to derail people (Ephesians 5:6-11). It takes an individual who can be trained by God in the field of intellectualism for such strength to be displayed (2 Timothy 2:15). It is on this note that God and all his faithful servants will encourage people to examine claims made by everyone. Paul taught the people of Berea and gave them the right to examine him before believing him (Acts 17:10-12). Because Paul understood the scriptures, once he speaks other books that form the body of other religions must be desecrated except if arrogance is displayed (Acts 19:13-20).
Is the Bible and the Quran in contention? The truth is that the Bible and the Quran can never be in contention. They could be in contention physically but they are in agreement spiritually. It is on this premise that the scriptures say the letters (physically seen word of God) kills but it is the spirit (spiritually seen word of God) that gives life (2 Corinthians 3:1-6). The physical word of God is designed to be contradictory so that the uncurious that wouldn’t make effort to consult the spiritual database for the consequence of claims will be condemned (2 Peter 3:14-18). People fight over these books because the letter of the word must cause division. Truly Jesus is the son of God but only based on an individual’s ability to access the spiritual realm not based on an individual’s ability to access the physical realm. This is why Jesus told Peter that he could know him to be a son of God because the spiritual realm was open to him (Matthew 16:13-20). There is no contention when the Bible says Jesus is the son of God in the spiritual realm and the Quran says Jesus is not the son of God in the physical realm. God is a spirit and only communicates to the spirit and with the spirit (1 Corinthians 2:1-16). The curious will probe further to know how Jesus became the son of God in the spiritual realm. God is excited when hard questions are thrown at his faithful servants because he has equipped them (Romans 10:12-15).
Does God truly have a name that must not be mentioned here on earth? As far as the earth is concerned, names are terms given to personalities and objects based on their characteristics for the purpose of identification and distinction. Every name ever attached to God is manmade. Man creates languages and also assigns names to everything on earth. This is a privilege God gave to man (Genesis 2:19). Of all the names that can ever be given to God, God only values one name. God respects his name as the word (Psalms 138:1-2). The greatest insult to God is for anyone to mutilate his word. This is why God cautions everyone to ensure that his word is separated from the dreams people have (Jeremiah 23:24-32). The only time the word of God can’t be uttered on earth, it is only when the information is beyond the scope of earth but it is within the scope of paradise (2 Corinthians 12:1-5, Revelation 10:1-4). Education continues in paradise (Rev 7:9-17, John 4:13-14, John 5:24-29). Any information that is within the scope of earth perceived in paradise can be uttered on earth (Rev 22:8-21).
Does Christianity and Judaism share the same God different from the God of Islam? The Quran has anticipated this question. The Quran stated that the Jews and the Christians will claim to be God’s favourite but punishment will await them (Surah 5:18). At the same time the Quran reported that the Jews will say that the Christians are not faithful just as the Christians will say the Jews are not faithful to God (Surah 2:113). If the Muslims are considered not to share the same God with the Christians because they don’t believe Jesus is the son of God, conversely the Jews should not be seen to share the same God with the Christians because they don’t also believe that Jesus is the messiah. Why the Israelites and John the Baptist doubted Jesus’ being the messiah truly requires demystification. Islam, Judaism and Christianity and the rest of humanity share the same God. Any division between them is manmade and is influenced by their mutual enemy-the devil (John 17:1-26).
Has judgment being made on Islam or other religions? Every day everyone passes judgment. The act of choosing an option is an act of judgment. A man who said Hinduism is the best religion has passed judgment on the rest. Right from the beginning of time, God made it clear that man is a judge but it is good if his judgment is informed (Genesis 2:15-17, Deuteronomy 30:19-20). There is a consequence for uninformed judgment. When the scriptures says do not judge so that you won’t be judged, it is so that the judgment should be informed (Matthew 7:1-6). Jesus passes judgments but he ensures that it is informed (John 5:30). Jesus encourages everyone to make informed judgments (John 7:24). An individual can choose not to mock the judgment of others but he must judge others to take a position (Proverbs 17:5).
Is there Trinity? The author disagreed with the Quran as regards Jesus not being the physical son of God at one point but is agreeing with the Quran at another that there is no trinity. If the content of the Quran is falsely assumed earlier not to be related to the Bible on one claim, it shouldn’t be used as a reference subsequently to support another claim. Trinity is a term which highlights the interaction of three personalities. The account of the creation of man in the Bible and the Quran suggested that there were more than one person behind creation (Genesis 1:26, Surah 15:26). Jesus was the first to introduce tags to the personalities that forms the trinity (Matthew 28:19). The personalities that form the trinity are not equals. Everyone occupies an office with well defined responsibilities. That Jesus said he is one with God doesn’t mean they are equals. A cleaner could actually say he is one with the managing directing in as much as their vision for the company is same. Jesus is by far inferior to the Holy Ghost (Matthew 12:32). The Holy Ghost is by far inferior to the father (Matthew 24:36). The concept of trinity is broad and it highlights how communication occurs in heaven before it gets to earth. It will explain who is God? How Gabriel and Michael relate and if they part of the trinity? How did Jesus become the word of God being the son of God thereby becoming part of the trinity? Etc.
Is King James Version of the Bible erroneous? History has it that King James convened a conference where a new English version was conceived in response to the problems of the earlier translations (Bishop’s Bible) perceived by the Puritans (a faction of the Church of England). A committee was set up with scholars with Puritan sympathies. Instruction was given to the translators that were intended to limit the Puritan influence on this new translation. The Bishop of London added a qualification that the translators should not add marginal notes. The committee worked on certain parts separately and the drafts produced by each committee were then compared and revised for harmony with each other. The scholars were not paid for their translation work. The beauty of the King James Version of the Bible is that different factions were brought under the same umbrella to write a translation without adding their opinion. If the devil will call opposing factions on a subject to agree without coercion and without reward, the product will be truth. The truth is that the message God intends to pass to humanity can be changed by anyone that knows the intent of God. God’s focus and that of his servants is the content of the container but the enemy can only tamper with the container. It is on this wise that Jesus said one should not be bothered by the people that can deform the container but lack capacity to deform the content (Matthew 10:28). King James Version was written to protect the container without the capacity to alter the content.
How can one be certain of entering paradise? Faith is a significant factor in working with God on earth (Hebrews 11:1-6). Faith cannot obtain the promise of paradise for anyone (Hebrews 11:36-40). The disciples of Jesus couldn’t heal the sick, Jesus told them that they lacked faith (Matthew 17:14-21). At another instance, the disciples understood how to use faith but Jesus told them to ensure their names is written in the book of life (Luke 10:17-20). The book of life was already prepared before humanity was on earth. How Jesus as the lamb was slain from the foundation of the earth highlights the strength of the book of life. Only people who overcome the antics of the devil will have their names retained in the book of life (Rev 3:5). This concept will equip people to think God has chosen the people in the book hence everything that occurs is as God has designed it. God did not design anyone to do anything. It is a legitimate question when people ask how God knows events ahead of time. Moses was the first person to signify the existence of the book of life (Exod 32:30-33). The Torah, the Bible and the Quran are books of life. It contains the life of individuals in pictures once an individual goes beyond the physical letters. Only God can show everyone about himself. The Pharisees and the Sadducees held the torah but they never saw Jesus in it (John 5:39). Jesus saw his life in the Torah and the prophets (Luke 24:44). Just as Jesus could not be seen so also it is for Mohammed. Only God can show it in the bible (Surah 26:192-201). If you desire the promise of God, you must collaborate with the holy ghost so as to see your life in the book of life (Isaiah 45:11).