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Who Is God? Part 3
Good Morning from the Bitterroot Valley
The sun is gone and a winter storm is moving in this morning. High clouds are overhead and the front has covered Saint Mary’s Peak in shades of white and gray. 
This series of devotionals has turned into quite an endeavor and as usual anytime you start teaching something you usually learn a whole lot more than the one that are following.
I have been doing a lot of reading of Islamic materials the last couple of days. Like most religions there are a variety of sects, divisions and offshoots that teach differing doctrines. In this series the question has been “who is God?” and ultimately that the question that has to be answered to decide whether they are on the right path.
Islam does not recognize the Trinity or three aspects of God. They do not accept that Christ is God but only a prophet. Many people say that the God of Islam is the God of the Jews and Christians. Where does that path lead?
I don’t want to appear to be singling out Pastor Rick Warren and the Saddleback Church as they are certainly not the only church or denomination that is going down this road; however they are definitely the most recent to make headlines in recent weeks.
And article in the Orange County Register[1] was published on February 23 2012 and updated on the 27th has some interesting information that I would like to share.
The Rev. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest and one of America’s most influential Christian leaders, has embarked on an effort to heal divisions between evangelical Christians and Muslims by partnering with Southern California mosques and proposing a set of theological principles that includes acknowledging that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.
I believe that this is a dangerous and unbiblical direction that not only Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California has chosen but many other denominations and churches. The article continues: Read the rest of this entry
Who is God? Part 1
Good Morning Regular Joes and Janes
I have been reading a lot lately regarding the Muslim religion of Islam and it’s effect on the Western world. Courts in this country are beginning to allow defense motions of Sharia law arguments in trials. Churches and major denominations are talking about “merging the best of Islam and Christianity in harmony”; known as Chrislam. A lack of sound doctrine and knowledge of Islam is at the root of all of this.
This week I would like to do a series of devotionals around the topic. To really understand the issue we first need to look at who God really is.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The Creation of Adam
In the beginning of the world, God already existed and created it all. In the rest of Genesis chapter 1 the creation is explained. It says that He created it in six days and rested on the seventh. The Hebrew text uses the word for 24 hour day, and verse 5 says: God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning–the first day. Now I am not going into a long argument on Evolution vs Creation here this morning. I just have a few points to make.
- When the Bible is talking in allegory it is made clear.
- The first chapter of Genesis is given as actual events not an allegory.
- If each ‘day were thousands or millions of years then half of each of the period was dark and half was light; not to good for living things.
- Chapter 1 of Genesis argues for a “hands on” God. He was personally involved in each aspect of the creation and as He completed it, declared it to “Be Good”, in other words that He had done a good job on it.
At the conclusion of Chapter 1 are these verses:
28 God blessed them and said to them, ”Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground–everything that has the breath of life in it–I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning–the sixth day.
On the sixth day God gave all a command to be fruitful and multiply and also to fill the earth and subdue it. We are to rule over every fish of the sea and bird and every living creature. It also states that every living plant and tree is under our control. God placed man and woman here as tenants to care for the earth and that all these things were created for our pleasure and use.
Tomorrow and in the rest of the week I will cover more on who God is and who “Allah” of Islam is. What does the Bible say are the characteristics of God and what does the Quran say the characteristics of Allah are. The big question is are they two different names for the same Creator or not? I have a link for an article regarding the move to merge Christianity and Islam below; and if you think this is an isolated case, think again. I have been surprised at the names that I have found related to this movement.
Rick Warren builds bridge to Muslims – ZIONICA.com.
Image via Wikipedia
Now don’t get me wrong! I am not saying we should be hating muslims who follow Islam. What I asking is are they fellow worshipers of the one true God or should we be witnessing to them about the one true God. Without understanding who our God is and who they are worshiping, you can’t answer this question.
Regular Joe
Quote of the Day;
“If you are not prepared to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism.”
Thomas Sowell
