Pope Francis contends that despite the differing religious beliefs of all people, everyone is a child of the same God.Are we all the children of God as the pope claims? Tragically, those who do not know the Bible or who refuse to submit to it as the supreme authority for truth, will be deceived by the pope’s latest pronouncement. The Word of God reveals that the human race is made up of people who are either children of God or children of the devil (1 John 3:10). The Lord Jesus soundly rebuked the religious leaders of His day for refusing to believe the truth of His Word (John 8:440-43). Jesus told them that their father was the devil, who is the father of lies (John 8:44).
This remains true today. The god of this world has created a variety of religions to blind all of his children from the light of the Gospel and the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4). So, in one sense the pope is right. Everyone is a child of the “god of this world" until they exchange their religion for a relationship with the one true God through Jesus Christ. Those who receive Jesus by believing in His name become children of God (John 1:12-13).