Isn't Christianity Simply Polytheism?
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9 Again the Lord said to me, “A conspiracy exists among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant that I made with their fathers. 11 Therefore, thus says the Lord, Behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they cannot escape. Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they cannot save them in the time of their trouble. 13 For your gods have become as many as your cities, O Judah, and as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to shame, altars to make offerings to Baal.
Central Idea/ Thesis:
Polytheism does not describe Christianity, it is mans attempt to escape the rule of the one true God.
Introduction:
To answer Christianity’s critics today we will discuss 3 objectives:
What is Polytheism?
Christianity is not Polytheism
Beware of developing idols
From time to time man will create from his imagination a means to regulate his fears and his vices.
Mankind does not want to be told what to do nor how to do it.
We feel that somehow we our restricted by rules and guidelines not of our own making.
So we replace those things that do not agree with us with something that does.
Critics say Christianity is Polytheistic
because there are so many religions and Christianity just stands with the multitude
because of a misunderstanding of the Trinity/ God Head
because they want to tear down Christianity and religion in general
What is Polytheism?
What is Polytheism?
Polytheism. Polytheism is the worldview that many finite gods exist in the world.
There are differing versions of polytheism. In some forms, all the gods are more or less equal. Each has a personal sphere or domain. In others, the gods form a hierarchy. Henotheism has a chief god, such as Zeus. In some forms, such as the Greek and Roman pantheons, the number of gods is limited. Mormonism supports an indefinite number of gods. Some forms of polytheism stand alone, unconnected with any other worldview. In Hinduism, however, polytheism and pantheism go hand-in-hand with one impersonal Brahman and 330 million-plus personal manifestations of the one impersonal ultimate Reality.
Geisler, N. L. (1999). Polytheism. In Baker encyclopedia of Christian apologetics (p. 602). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Polytheism is on the rise.
As Judeo-Christian views decline in our modern world, Polytheism is experiencing a revival.
In a world where there is no objective reality;
where there is no single objective truth;
where everyone has their own truth;
it becomes easy to morph into a belief in many Gods.
What makes Polytheism possible?
What makes Polytheism possible?
Polytheism characterizes virtually all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which share a common tradition of monotheism, the belief in one God.
Failure to accept the truth
Acceptance of many realities
Superstition and Ignorance of our world
A fear and rejection of consequences and judgement of one’s actions
A fear and rejection of Hell as an eternal destiny
Christianity is not Polytheism
Christianity is not Polytheism
Because the world does not accept truth, it is very easy to see how they are confused on Christian monotheistic claims.
The Christian God seems to them as just one more deity to add to the others.
However that is not our teaching
Early and consistently Polytheism was taught against
ex 20:1-6
1 And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Moses was used to reveal to us this important truth
Isaiah expounds on the idea that not only are there no other Gods, but no one or nothing is like God...
Because God exists it makes things like science possible
The one designer and creator of our world allows this world to be sustainable and knowable
We can go to the moon because the attributes of the natural are consistent
Consistency allows us to measure and formulate in a trusting way where by we can build a knowledge base that allows us to travel the stars.
consider the words of the Prophet Isaiah...
21 Declare and present your case;
let them take counsel together!
Who told this long ago?
Who declared it of old?
Was it not I, the Lord?
And there is no other god besides me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none besides me.
22 “Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
Unfortunately we have taken the knowledge that comes and exists because of God and we have created idols and ideals that serve ourselves.
Polytheism is a means of comfort,
a way of lessening God to make him more like us
and therefore controllable
and not so intimidating.
We must be careful that our fear is healthy and produces reverence and superstition.
Man’s fear out of control produces idols to control his world
Beware of developing idols
Beware of developing idols
idols are the creation of mini gods
The early Church was commended when it shed it’s idols
9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
The church at Thessalonica was able to come to the true God because they left their many gods
Jesus spoke against many gods in a very simple statement...
13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
God is not the creation of man
nor can He be contained by the making of our hands
24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,
Conclusion:
Polytheism is not what Christianity is or has ever been.
Christianity from the beginning has revealed and confirmed that there is one God and that besides Him there is no other.
In fact scripture reveals that there is no one like our God
Adding up all the other gods made up by men would still not equal the God of the Bible.
If we are not careful, we would create idols to replace God and start living in a Polytheistic way
Like the Prophet Isaiah prophesied, turn to Him and be saved for there is none like Him...
Invitation: