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Mike Shreve was a teacher of yoga at four universities. (The portrait above was drawn by one of his students in 1970.) Then a spiritual rebirth brought him into a real relationship with God and drastically changed his heart, his life and his belief system. Read his story here.
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Are adherents of all world religions actually worshipping the same God?Concerning only those religions that acknowledge a ‘Supreme Being,’ the answer to this question is both "Yes" and "No." All who venerate the "Creator," all who express thoughts of adoration toward the "Maker of all things," are, in a very general sense, worshipping the same God. The American Indian who worships the Great Spirit, the Jew who magnifies Adonai, the Hindu who meditates on Brahma, the Muslim who praises Allah, the Sikh who sings songs of devotion to Akal Purakh (Timeless Being), the Christian who magnifies Jesus, and the Zoroastrian who honors Ahura Mazda (the Wise Lord) are all, in essence, generating devotion toward the One they consider to be the Supreme Power of the universe. They may have differing interpretations of God’s character, name and ways, but in a united way, they are all reaching out to the Creator. It is very important to note, however, that all of these ‘Supreme Beings’ are not literally and specifically the same God, since the personality, attributes and names of each ‘God’ are quite different than the others. However, in a broad sense, when men cry out to the Creator, their focus is in the same general direction. Some are worshipping God with understanding, others are worshipping without understanding, but all are worshipping. I believe, though, that even when a person is ignorant of the true nature of Ultimate Reality, genuine love toward God does not go unnoticed in heaven. (Please note: when lesser deities, not considered to be the Creator, are worshipped, this generalization ceases to be relevant.) The essentially important difference is this: even though the devotees and believers of these various religions are all generating worship toward God, except for the Christian believer, they can not be in actual communion with God. I know how hard it is for many seekers to receive this statement. I remember how difficult it was for me to absorb this view as a yoga teacher over thirty-five years ago. I was a sincere lover of God long before I knew him and experienced union with him. I was a "worshipper" of God long before I became a "true worshipper." Jesus explained this mystery to a Samaritan woman many years ago in words that are still profound. He bluntly pointed out, "You worship what you do not know," but then he added:
Worshipping in spirit—In this era, to be a true worshipper of God, a person must first have a regenerated spirit. The biblical view is that man is a triune being: body, soul and spirit. (See 1 Thessalonians 5:23.) The body and soul are the primary functioning parts in ordinary human beings who have not been ‘saved.’ Human beings are "dead in trespasses and sins"—rendering the spirit nearly non-functional. (Ephesians 2:1) (See "Christianity" under The Origin and Nature of Man.) The human spirit is ‘saved’ or regenerated only through the experience of being washed in the blood of Jesus and born again. Only after this ‘rebirth’ of the inner man can a worshipper truly contact the true and living God, for only then does the Spirit of God dwell within. The Holy Spirit that flows into born-again believers, then flows out of them, back to the Father, in the form of worship. Devotees of other religions may be very religious, saintly, loving, humble and even powerful in supernatural ways, but this necessary facet of true salvation is still missing. Worshipping in truth—There are five aspects to fulfilling this requirement. Worshipping God "in truth" involves worshipping the Most High: (1) In sincerity; (2) In honesty; (3) With correct methods; (4) By embracing the true revelation of his name and nature; (5) By walking in the truth of the Bible and applying the truth to our day-to-day lives. As a yoga teacher I used non-biblical methods in trying to reach God. I was a worshipper. I loved God intensely. But I never experienced true communion with the Father—until I approached him using those methods endorsed in the Bible and until I came to him with the true revelation of his name and nature. When I fulfilled these requirements, I was granted access into his presence. It is not enough to be "worshippers"; we must be "true worshippers"—if we are to know the true God and enjoy a true relationship with him. |
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"In Search of the True Light" ©2002 copyright
by Mike Shreve.
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