Everyone resembles the God he worships
You can tell what a person’s God is like by observing the person himself.
There is only one true God of the Bible. God has said that he is God and that there is no God other than him. I [am] the Lord, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God beside me (Isaiah 45:5) There can not be two true gods in this world because there is only one. true God. Therefore, if you do not worship the true God of the Bible, then you are worshipping a false god.
Some false gods are merely lumps of wood, tin, silver or gold that cannot answer nor save them from trouble for they are merely inanimate carvings or mouldings.
Isaiah 45:20 – ….. they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god [that] cannot save.
Isaiah 46:6-7, 9 – 6They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, [and] hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. 7They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, [one] shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble. …. 9…. for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; [I am] God, and [there is] none like me
You might as well be praying to a lump of rock, the sun or maybe the crescent moon for they cannot do anything at all for you. But note that worshipping even inanimate false gods is ultimately serving satan and his demons.
But some false gods are beings who were created by the true God against whom they rebelled, and the name of those false gods are of the many names of satan and his demons. While satan and his demons do have powers to do things to and for the people of earth, their authority is limited by their creator, the true God who will one day confine them to an “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels“. (Matthew 25:41) And those who serve them are destined for that same everlasting fire, unless they repent and call upon the name of the Lord, the true God, to be saved (Romans 10:13).
All who worship any “god”, either the true God or any false god, will be ambassadors for that “god”. They will walk and talk and behave like their “god” whom they worship. In particular, Christians are admonished to be ambassadors for the one they worship. Paul told the Christians at Corinth that they (God’s people, currently the Church but soon to be Israel again) were ambassadors for Christ. He wrote “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20) That means we are to demonstrate to others the one we worship.
It is very true that we will show forth the praises of the one we worship, particularly in living our lives in imitation of that one.
1 Peter 2:9-10 – 9But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10Which in time past [were] not a people, but [are] now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
There are many false gods in the world but only one true God. And every one will demonstrate what their “god’ is like by the behaviour they portray to others around them. So whether you worship the one true God of the Bible, or instead one of the countless false gods, you will imitate the behaviour and attributes of the “god’ you serve.
Everyone serves a “god” of some sort, whether it be your house, car, success in your job, riches in the bank, or the god of a false religion (one that denies the authority of the one true God of the Bible). Everyone worships someone or something. That which is most important in your life is your “god”, your “religion”. For many, the most important thing in their lives is themselves!
Many serve a religion that claims to worship a “god”. This includes those religions that do not specifically lay claim to a “god”; they will still worship a mode of living that is basically their religion and their “god”.
This includes all world religions other than the worship of the one true God of the Bible.
The “god” that you worship will inevitably influence your mode of living, your behaviour. If you worship a musician or actor, you may seek to dress like that person, or wear the same hair style etc. You may put up posters depicting that person. You may also walk and talk like that person and you may like what they like and disapprove of the things they disprove of. In short, you will to some extent represent the style and behaviour of the one you seek to emulate. By your observed behaviour, others around you may gain some idea of the character of the one you “worship”.
In particular, if you worship a “god’ of a religion, you will seek to emulate that “god”. This must include obedience to the teachings of that “god’ or religion.
By your observed behaviour, others around you may gain some idea of the character of the “god” of your religion. You are an ambassador for that “god” you worship.
If you hate all others except those of your religion, then the “god” of that religion whom you worship likewise hates all others except those who worship him. If you seek to destroy all others except those who live according to your beliefs, then your “god” does likewise. If your religion is a religion of hate and intolerance, then you will act accordingly and be a person of hate and intolerance. A religion that wants a monopoly of worship for its “god” alone lacks love for all others. There is no freedom of choice; you worship that “god’ or be destroyed. You cannot love anyone outside your beliefs because your “god” won’t permit it; he hates all others, and so should you!
So, you can always tell what a person’s “god” is like by observing that person. Everyone who worships a “god” will define their “god” by their behaviour, the way they live. The God of the Bible portrays himself as the one true God and there is none other. Therefore, to worship the God of the Bible you must act according to his nature. God is love; therefore so should we be portraying this love. God is just; therefore we should be portraying this justice to others. God loves all people and forgives and saves to the uttermost all those who call upon his name to be saved. God commands us to love our enemies; Jesus displayed this on the cross when he prayed to forgive them for they know not what they do. God commands us to forgive others who repent just as He forgave His people when they repented.
God is love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control (the fruit of the Spirit as per Galatians 5:22-23). This must be abundantly evident in the lives of the followers of the God of the Bible. If his alleged followers do not evidence this in their lives, then one can logically draw the conclusion that some people might claim to worship him, but by their behaviour they do not worship him.
Isaiah 29:13 – Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.
There is only one widespread religion that actually worships the God of the Bible: genuine Christians who have called upon the name of the Lord to be saved (Romans 10:13). The Old Testament law also specified a religion that enjoined Israel to worship the God of the Bible, but as yet most who claim to be Israel today are not actually worshipping him. Although they may claim to worship him, they do not generally worship him at the moment. However, one day (probably very soon), when the Church is taken home (the Rapture), Israel will return to being God’s people once again. The end times are either already here or close at hand. The war that involves Russia and islamic nations around Israel (Ezekiel 38) does seem just around the corner. In the end times, Israel has just 7 years remaining on God’s timeline before their Messiah returns to save them at the battle of Armageddon. Soon Ezekiel’s prophecy will happen (Ezekiel 37:27 – My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.) Israel will also once more worship the one true God of the Bible.
There are many religions that claim to worship the God of the Bible but by both their statements and behaviour they prove otherwise. Only those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, for the Christian (Romans 10:13) and Israel (Joel 2:32). Many claim that their “god’ will give them paradise (or other equivalent terms) yet unless it is promised by the God of the Bible, then such a paradise will be more like hell! And if they do not act like the God of the Bible, then they certainly cannot be worshipping him.
Many false gods are worshipped allegedly in the name of the God of the Bible, but if they do not truly worship him, then they are worshipping a lie of satan.
Matthew 7:21-23 – 21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Many false religions will make claims that are self-serving for those who worship their “god”. For example, the mormons originally taught that polygamy was essential for salvation, and even today still teach that a woman can only be assured of salvation if she is married to a man who holds a “priesthood”. This was apparently a self-serving rule of men who desired to have multiple wives. So they made their “god’ ordain it!
Matthew 15:9 – But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
However, the God of the Bible never taught this; thus to do so is to twist and distort the image of the God of the Bible.
The islamic religion also worships a “god” other than the God of the Bible. Their “god” allegedly promises paradise with 70 virgins (houris) to all who are allegedly martyred for their “faith”. However, once they get to “paradise”, it’s too late to change if they happen to get it wrong. Certainly, though, the God of the Bible never anywhere promises to grant such a “paradise” to anyone who maims and kills others in the name of their religion, allegedly because the “infidels” (the unfaithful) will not believe in it. If hell is such an evil place, why should anyone delight in sending others there?
Even so-called Christian religions that use their self-serving rules to gain an advantage over others who may believe differently are at fault here. To torture people (often to death) for the crime of not believing everything the catholic church said (as happened in the inquisitions) is not portraying the God of the Bible. And Calvin, who claimed to be reforming the catholic church from such heresy, murdered Anabaptists for the crime of being baptised again as believers. Clearly his “god” also was not the God of the Bible. To murder and pillage in the name of God is to deny that they have any part to play in worshipping the true God of the Bible.
If you hate outsiders, then it’s because your “god” hates outsiders. If you seek to kill outsiders for not believing as you do, then it’s because your “god” seeks to kill all others who do not believe in him. What you are is a reflection of the “god” you worship. And, if it is not the God of the Bible, then it will be those false “gods”, satan and his demons, that you truly worship. You are effectively the image of your “god”.
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