The concept of True God in Christianity

The concept of True God encompasses the singular divine being worshipped across various religious perspectives, emphasizing His unique and exclusive nature. In Christianity, True God refers to the deity acknowledged by the Israelites and identified as Jehovah, contrasting sharply with false gods and highlighting the risks of idolatry and apostasy. This notion persists across different denominations, depicting True God as the source of life, goodness, and ultimate reality, who deserves genuine worship, in stark opposition to other deities or idols.

Synonyms: Supreme being, Almighty, Divine creator, Higher power, Ultimate deity, Lord, Godhead, Deity, Creator, Divine, Holy one, Divine being, Jehovah, Yahweh, Omnipotent

In German: Wahrer Gott; In Finnish: Todellinen Jumala; In Spanish: Dios verdadero; In Dutch: Ware God; In Malay: Tuhan yang benar; In Swedish: Sann Gud; In French: Vrai Dieu; In Finnish: Tosi Jumala

The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference.

Christian concept of 'True God'

Christianity Books

Significance in Early Christian church and writers:
Early Christianity Books

From: Ante-nicene Fathers

(1) The true God is the one that ought to be worshipped rather than judged; served reverentially rather than handled critically, or even dreaded for His severity, and is the one on whom man had alighted.[1] (2) The text explains that heresies form the character, not knowing the true God, implying that those who follow heresies do not have a true understanding of the divine.[2] (3) This is the genuine deity, who is not understood by those who follow vain religions, as stated in the provided text.[3] (4) The divine entity whose name causes these beings to tremble, scream, and admit their actions, is the source of their suffering and expulsion.[4] (5) All things tend towards the unity of the one and only true God, as the text suggests, emphasizing the ultimate purpose of these concepts.[5]

Early Christianity (also known as Early Church) refers to the period starting roughly in the 6th century BC up until 325 A.D. during which year the first council of Nicaea was convened. Popular literature includes the writings by the early Church Fathers which forms the basis of later Christian theology.

Significance in Global Christian community:
Catholic Church Books

From: The city of God

(1) This is the supreme being, who is good, and evil cannot exist without good, because the natures in which evil exists, in so far as they are natures, are good.[6] (2) The text refers to the true God as the one who helped the Romans to raise their empire, even though they did not worship Him.[7] (3) The true God, in whose hand are all kingdoms, vouchsafed to grant social well-being to them that their empire might increase, according to the text.[8] (4) This is a deity that the text states peace is a benefit of, and the text mentions that this benefit, like the sun and rain, is frequently conferred on the ungrateful and wicked.[9] (5) The true God is the supreme God, the Creator of all things, whom Plato speaks of, and who is exalted above all things.[10]

From: Summa Theologica (English translation)

(1) The true God is the actual deity, and when used to signify the true God, the name "God" includes the idea of God when it is used to denote God in opinion, or participation.[11] (2) This refers to the single deity that is worshipped in true religion, which is the appropriate recipient of divine worship, and the worship of others is a form of superstition.[12] (3) The text references the concept of true God in relation to the Son and the Holy Ghost, emphasizing that they are not merely creatures, which contradicts the understanding of procession as an outward act.[13] (4) The ultimate deity who is incorporeal and cannot be represented accurately by any physical image.[14] (5) The genuine divinity of Christ affirming His divine essence.[15]

From: The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi

(1) This is the only one who is full of goodness, is the ultimate good, and is the source of all mercy, grace, glory, and the object of worship.[16]

The Catholic Church is a global Christian community with over a billion members, rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ. It is led by the Pope and emphasizes the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist. Catholicism is a denomination centered on the teachings thereof. It has a rich theological and cultural heritage.

Significance in Christianity (general):

From: A Cyclopedia of Biblical literature

(1) The author of the Chronicles was directed to record the reformations effected by godly kings and the disastrous consequences of forsaking the true God.[17] (2) The text uses the phrase 'the true God' to emphasize the concept of apostasy, as adultery in the Old Testament represents a turning away from the worship of the true God.[18] (3) However, to fix the meaning of this image as a symbol of the true God, Aaron was careful to proclaim a feast to Jehovah for the ensuing day.[19] (4) The only true God had his peculiar worship and highest honors in a land, which contrasts with the practices of offering children in fire.[20] (5) The worship of idols was associated with the worship of the true God, illustrating the mixed religious character of the people.[21]

From: Bible cyclopedia, critical and expository

(1) The true God, Jehovah, is referenced as the theocratic king of Judah, and recognition of the true God was a key factor in Judah's survival longer than the northern kingdom.[22] (2) The knowledge of the one true God was not restricted to Abraham's descendants, according to the information provided.[23] (3) Present, rather than invisible and future, sanctions were best fitted at that time to establish the superiority of the true God before Israel and heathendom, and this was present.[24] (4) Aaron's words show that he did not mean an open apostasy from the Lord, but rather a concession to the people's sensuous tastes, in order to avert a total alienation from Jehovah.[25] (5) This refers to the term used to express the correct divinity, especially when the falsely called Elohim of surrounding nations began to be honored in Israel.[26]

From: A Dictionary of the Bible (Hastings)

(1) This is a reference to the deity worshipped by a group of people, and the practices that were forbidden because they were deemed unfitting for the group.[27] (2) It was inconceivable to them that this should be other than ultimately triumphant, as is shown in the prophecy of Balaam and the expectation of ‘the prophet’.[28] (3) The deity that the Israelites worshipped, and the text mentions that either the inappropriate worship of the true God, or the appropriate worship of false gods, was a possibility.[29] (4) The ultimate divine being, to whom El Elyon was eventually applied, as opposed to the original Canaanite deity, representing the correct object of worship.[30]

From: Expositions of Holy Scripture

(1) The only true deity whom Jesus acknowledges and desires to make known through His mission.[31]

Significance in Protestantism (Christian movement emphasizing faith and scripture):
Protestantism Books

From: The Existence and Attributes of God

(1) This is the deity who should be worshipped without vain imaginations or fantastic resemblances, and is to be adored without unworthy ingredients in religious services.[32] (2) This is the God of Israel, the God blessed for ever, for this incommunicable property, whereby he flies above the wings of the wind, the understandings of men and cherubims.[33] (3) The authentic and ultimate deity whose commands and words must be believed.[34] (4) The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, distinct from idols and false deities.[35] (5) The singular divine being recognized by the Jews, noted for their resilience despite being conquered.[36]

From: The Second Helvetic Confession

(1) The only deity that should be worshipped and adored, as the prophets have stated and as it is taught in the text provided.[37] (2) This phrase emphasizes that Christ is not only divine in name or through adoption, but in substance and nature, sharing the same essence as the Father.[38]

Protestantism (or simply the protestant church) is a major branch of Christianity originating from the Reformation in the 16th century, led by figures like Martin Luther. It emphasizes salvation by faith alone and the Bible as the ultimate authority. Variants of Protestantism include Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglicanism, Methodism and Presbyterianism, each with unique practices but generally united by these core principles.

Significance in Eastern Orthodoxy (or the Eastern Orthodox Church):
Eastern Orthodoxy Books

From: The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite

(1) The true God is the one Head of all, and the Angels direct each nation, conducting those who follow them, and Melchizedek is considered a Hierarch of the truly most high God.[39] (2) The man was turned aside from the strait way leading to this, and subjected to destructive and evil-working multitudes, naturally forgetting that it was worshipping, not gods, or friends, but enemies.[40] (3) This refers to the actual deity, and the Monks are recognized for their pure service and fervent devotion to this God, and their undivided and single life.[41]

Eastern Orthodoxy, or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Christianity. It consists of independently governed churches with strong cultural ties to Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Eastern Orthodox theology focuses on the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Believers strive for theosis, or becoming closer to God, through grace and spiritual practices.  

Significance in Church of the East (or the East Syriac Church):
Church of the East Books

From: The Kebra Nagast

(1) The deity associated with Israel, distinguished from the sun and other objects of worship mentioned by the Queen.[42]

The Church of the East emerged in the 5th century and separated from the Roman Empire's state church by adopting Nestorianism. It emphasizes the distinct human and divine natures of Jesus Christ. It is also called the Assyrian Church, Nestorian Church or the East Syriac Church.

Gnostic concept of 'True God'

Gnosticism Books

Significance in Gnosticism (Mystical or Esoteric Christianity):

From: Fragments of a Faith Forgotten

(1) The ultimate creator of the noumenal world, which contains the archetypal forms that shape the phenomenal world.[43] (2) The True God is described as invisible yet revealed, representing ultimate reality and the source of truth, love, and divinity accessible to believers.[44] (3) Refers to the ultimate divine being invoked during the rituals, representing the source of all light and spiritual power.[45]

The concept of True God in local and regional sources

History Books

"True God" pertains to the deity in Christianity, distinct from pagan gods. It emphasizes the transition from animal sacrifices to worshipping God over the Devil and symbolizes the Christian faith preached by Paulinus against idolatry.

Significance in India history and geography:

From: Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England

(1) The deity to whom the animals should be offered in sacrifice, replacing the practice of offering them to the Devil, allowing for a gradual transition in their worship.[46] (2) This refers to the deity worshipped by Christians, and it is contrasted with the pagan gods.[47] (3) The God being preached by Paulinus, representing the Christian faith as opposed to idolatry.[48]

From: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

(1) The Thakurs, misunderstanding the situation, prostrated before the statue of Yejid, declaring him to be the true God.[49]

Plural form: True gods.