Know Your Bible

VOL. 14 November 15, 2015 NO. 35

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IS ISLAM COMPATIBLE WITH CHRISTIANITY? 5

As pointed out in the previous issue, Muslims know they cannot deny that Jesus Christ lived. In fact Jesus Christ is mentioned nearly 100 times in the Koran. While admitting He lived, they deny His Deity. They seek to shape Him into simply one of the prophets and messengers of Allah, but not as great as the prophet Muhammad. The Koran (Qur’an) their holy book, teaches that Allah (the one they call god) inspired many of the Biblical prophets. Adam, the chosen of Allah shares the highest honor of a prophet with five others. Noah, the preacher of Allah, Abraham, the friend of Allah, Moses, the speaker of Allah, Jesus, the word of Allah, and Muhammad, the apostle of Allah, who is venerated to the extent that he is referred to as “Savior of the world” and “Lord of the universe.” In fact, to Islam, Muhammad is “the seal of the prophets” - the final prophet, superior to all other prophets including Jesus. One Muslim writer, Sir Muhammad Iqbad, even wrote, “You can deny God, but you cannot deny the Prophet!”

But, when one takes the time to honestly compare the life and teachings of Muhammad (the founder of Islam) as recorded in history, their Koran and Hadith (a book they revere just behind the Koran) with the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (the founder of Christianity) found in the Bible, the only conclusion to be reached is that Muhammad as the founder of Islam is an “antichrist,” i.e., one who opposes Jesus Christ.

Note, I wrote, “an antichrist, not “the antichrist.” Read 1 Jn. 2:22; 4:3; 2 Jn. 7. Some think John was writing of one specific individual who was to come and establish himself as a great ruler who will ultimately lead the world into the battle of Armageddon, but this is a misinterpretation of what the Bible really says. Read carefully what the apostle John wrote, he said there would be many antichrists, not just one. Anyone, or any movement that denies the deity of Christ and His work on behalf of mankind, can be truthfully called an antichrist, and Islam certainly fits that category.

Why is Islam an antichrist?

The Islam religion claims to honor Jesus as a prophet. But what kind of honor can it be when they repeatedly deny His Deity? In Jesus’ advent into the world, He was said to be God, the Son of God Lk.1:35. Matt.1:23. He admitted to being God, the Son of God, equal with God the Father (not in authority, but in character and attributes)? Jn. 5:18; 10:30-31; 36; Lk. 22:70. He challenged the people of His day when they denied His Deity by asking, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” Matt. 22:41-45.

But Islam teaches that Jesus, if He made such claims, would be a blasphemer (one who speaks evil of, or contemptuously defames or defiles God and other sacred things). So, instead they say He was simply confused when He claimed to be the Son of God. In fact it is considered a sin called Shirk – the association of another god with Allah, which will condemn any Muslin unless they repent Surah 5:72-73.

Now recall what the apostle John wrote. Anyone who denied Jesus’ claim to be Deity were liars, deceivers and antichrists 1 Jn. 2:22; 4:3; 2 Jn. 7. This includes Islam since they deny the basic fundamentals of the Gospel of Christ, the foundation of Christianity, Note that Paul wrote that the central theme of his preaching was “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” 1 Cor. 2:1-5; Eph. 2:20; 1 Cor. 3:10-11; Jn. 14:6. Each of the basic tenants taught in the Bible about Christ is denied by Islam. So how can they say they honor Christ when they say He was only one of many messengers from God and that He was confused when He claimed to be the Son of God? This is much the same doctrine taught by the JWs who deliberately added the adjective “a” in Jn. 1:1 making Him the first of created gods. See also Col. 1:16. “Firstborn” does not refer to Him being created (born to the Father), but refers to His preeminence and authority, Him being subject only to the Father 1 Cor. 15:27-28. In the last issue I pointed out that Jesus was part of the triune Godhead, not three different Gods, but One God (plural Elohim) in three persons, all acting as One. Acts 17:29; Rom. 1:20; Col. 2:9. Jesus possesses all the attributes that make God, God. Jesus is referred to as God in Heb. 1:8. John declared Him to be God Jn. 1:1-4; 14. In His preexistence state with the Father He helped to create all things Jn. 1:1-4; Col. 1:15-16. As God the Son, He received and accepted worship Matt. 2: 11; 4:10; 14:33; Rev. 22:9. He died on the cross by the predetermined plan of God and shed His blood for our sins Acts 2:23; Matt. 26:28; Heb. 9:28. He will not return to win the world to Islam. He will come in judgment Acts 1:11; 2 Pet. 3:10-11.

Another point that can be made is contrasting how the Islamic religion is advanced and how Jesus taught His disciples to advance His kingdom. The nature of the kingdom of Islam is earthly, sensual and violent. Muslims advance their cause by the use of force and the sword. One is given the choice, either conform to Islam or die. This is seen at the present time in the Mid-Eastern countries, and as they invade other countries. Today they are known as a religion of war, violence and terrorism. But Jesus told His disciples to put up their swords and advance His cause by preaching the gospel. The disciples of Christ carried the gospel to the whole world in about 30-35 years, and turned the world upside down with just the word of God Acts 8:1-4; 17:6; Col. 1:5-6, 23. (To be continued.)

—Tommy Thornhill

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DO WE “LAY IT TO HEART”?

Every parent knows the difference in “Do I have to go?” and “Do I get to go?” “Do I have to go to bed?” means the child wants to stay up. “Do I get to go to the show?” means the child wouldn’t miss it for anything.

Isn’t it strange that some of us will wave those same clear signals with reference to the Lord’s service, and not see that we are being just as transparent as our children? “Do we have to go to Bible study?” says the same thing about our desires as it does when voiced by our child. When one asks, “How much must I give?” he is saying clearly, “I do not want to give anything, and would like to know how little will pay the bill.” Either that, or he has failed to grasp the most fundamental and essential element in the spirit of acceptable service unto God.

There can be no coming to Christ except we deny or give self (Matt 16:24). Translated into the context of “doing” this means we must first want to do all possible (100% committed) to serve the Lord. The proper spirit must motivate the doing, or it is shallow and empty --- may even be an abomination in His sight (Hos 6:6). God told the priests of Judaism, “If ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name...then will I send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart” (Mal. 2:2).

Lay it to heart! That means truly respect God; take Him seriously. The priests had offered polluted bread on the altar (1:7); offered blind and lame animals as sacrifice (1:8). They said of the worship, “What a weariness it is!” (1:13-14). To make this current, they said, “Do we have to go to worship?” “How much do we have to do, or give?” “Do it any old way, just get it over with; we want to go home to the TV.” And to top it off, when rebuked, they acted so innocent and said, “When did we ever do that?”

“Oh that there were one among you that would shut the doors, that ye might not kindle fire on mine altar in vain” (1:10). Better to close up shop - call it off - than to play at worship, and not “lay it to heart.”

—Robert Turner

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