Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible presents God as one, yet existing in three Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This Triune God is revealed throughout Scripture, with each Person playing a distinct role in creation, redemption, and sanctification. The Old Testament hints at God's plural nature, while the New Testament explicitly reveals the Trinity. Scripture emphasizes God's relational nature, His sacrificial love as demonstrated through Christ, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in believers. These fundamental aspects of God's nature, particularly the deity of Christ and the concept of the Trinity, are not present in the Islamic view of God.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Genesis 1:26: "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.'" This verse hints at the plurality within the Godhead by using plural pronouns.
• Isaiah 9:6: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." This prophecy about the Messiah attributes divine titles to Him, pointing to Christ's deity.
• Isaiah 48:16: "And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit." This suggests a distinction between the Lord, the speaker (often interpreted as the pre-incarnate Christ), and the Spirit, hinting at the Trinity.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Matthew 28:19: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Jesus denotes all three Persons of the Trinity in His Great Commission.
• John 1:1, 14: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." These verses affirm Christ's deity and His incarnation, central to Christian theology.
• Second Corinthians 13:14: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." Paul's benediction invokes all three Persons of the Trinity, showing their equal divine status.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

While both Christianity and Islam are monotheistic, the fundamental differences in their understanding of God's nature clearly indicate that they are not worshiping the same deity. The Christian concept of God as Triune, with Jesus Christ as the incarnate Son of God who died for humanity's sins, is incompatible with the Islamic view of Allah. Christians should be clear about these unique aspects of their faith, particularly the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Christian understanding of God as relational, self-sacrificing, and intimately involved in human affairs through the incarnation and the indwelling Holy Spirit offers a distinctly different view of deity than that found in Islam. This distinction reveals the importance of a correct understanding of God's nature for personal faith and salvation. The Christian belief in Christ's deity and sacrificial death is central to the gospel message of salvation by grace through faith, which differs significantly from the Islamic concept of earning paradise through good works and submission to Allah.

UNDERSTAND

• Christians believe in the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), while Muslims emphasize God's absolute oneness.
• Christianity holds Jesus as divine and central to salvation, whereas Islam regards Him as a prophet, not divine.
• Christianity includes the Holy Spirit as part of God, while Islam does not recognize the Holy Spirit in this way.

REFLECT

• How does understanding the Trinity, as described in Christianity, impact your view of God's nature and relationship with humanity?
• How does the concept of Jesus’s divinity influence your understanding of salvation and its assurance?
• How does the role of the Holy Spirit in Christianity shape your perception of God’s presence and action in the world?

ENGAGE

• What are the key differences in how Christianity and Islam view Jesus's role and nature, and how do these differences impact the concept of salvation?
• There are major differences between the Muslim and Christian views of God that cause these faiths to collide. Both of these faiths cannot be true in their concept and view of God. There is only one God who answers and solves the problem of sin and provides the remedy for it. This is the God of the Bible. Christians can help Muslims see the God of the Bible by sharing their personal experiences of God's love and grace as revealed in Scripture, and by engaging in respectful dialogue about the nature of God as presented in the Bible. Demonstrating the practical outworking of biblical teachings through acts of compassion and living out Christian values can also provide a tangible witness to the character of the God Christians believe in.
• The Christian view of the Trinity is often offensive to Muslims because it seems to imply a division in God's unity, which conflicts with Islam's strict monotheism and the belief in Allah's indivisible oneness. Christians can connect with Muslims and share their faith by emphasizing common values, such as the belief in one God (even if they do not think we only worship one God) and focusing on the shared principles of compassion, justice, and love while gently explaining the significance of Jesus's role in salvation.
• INCLUDE ARTICLE LINK: https://www.compellingtruth.org/Christians-Muslims-same-God.html