JESUS LOVES MUSLIMS TOO – UNDERSTANDING ISLAM FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE 003 –The Convergence and Divergence of the Principle of Expansion in Islam and Christianity
LESSONS OBJECTIVE
To correct negative stereotypes about Muslims
To better understand the convergence and divergence of the principle of expansion in Islam and Christianity
To appreciate positive aspects of the Islamic religion and culture
To Foster meaningful harmonious relationships between Muslims and Christians
To challenge Christians to break religious and cultural barriers and reach out to their Muslim neighbors with the love of Christ.
MORE THAN JUST A RELIGION
Both Christianity and Islam embrace the fact that they are more than just another religion. Orthodox Muslims teach that Islam is not just another religion , actually a divine principle. And this is the divine principle ; If you want peace in the world; if you want peace in your country and in your community; if you want peace in your heart, then you must submit to the will of God. Two very important words imbedded in the meaning of Islam are peace and submission. Muslims believe this is the only way the world can survive; this is the only means of salvation – complete submission to God’s will.
Likewise Christianity also teaches that not just another religion. “Christianity is not a religion; it’s a relationship”. Therefore Christianity is not a religion. Similarly Christianity promises peace to its followers. “John 14:27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid”. This were the words of Jesus before he was taken up to heaven.
Orthodox Muslims believe that God has revealed His will in the form of rules. He reveal what people must do and what they must not do. God has revealed these rules through His revelations to the human race. These make up the Law of God, the shari’ah. Thus, in orthodox Islam, The Law of God is the basic means of salvation. The Law of God provides people with divine guidance, and with this guidance they can survive and succeed. Without this guidance, people are lost – destined for self-destruction and eternal punishment.
On the other hand salvation in Christianity is obtained only by God’s grace. 1 John 5:11 – 12 “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this eternal life.” The bible teaches that salvation is only by faith in Christ Jesus. It teaches that man’s sinful nature separates him from God. Rom 5:8 “But God demonstrate his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God reconciled mankind from their sinful nature by allowing His Son Jesus Christ to die for humanity as a penalty for their sins. According to Christianity man cannot obtain salvation through human goodness, human works, human morality or religious activity.
The moral man, the religious man, and the immoral and non-religious are all in the same boat. They all fall short of God’s perfect righteousness. The bible teaches that God is holy and perfect and cannot entertain sin. On the same breath it also teaches that God is love and full of grace and mercy. 2 COR 5:21 “God made the one who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” Christians therefore receive salvation not through their acts of righteousness , but by placing their faith in the complete work of the cross. John 3: “For this is the way God loved the world : he gave his one and only Son that everyone who believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world , but that the world should be saved through him. The one who believes in Him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
According to orthodox Muslims, one must first understand the idea of the divine principle of Islam and then he is ready to understand the need for the religion of Islam. The religion of Islam provides a system of justice for those who violate God’s law. Muslims believe God began to reveal His will or His laws in stages. Thus , He revealed major portions of the law in increasing measure to prophets such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Each one of these prophets embraced the principle of Islam; therefore, each one of the prophets was a muslims ( one who finds peace by submitting to God’s will).
Coincidentally, Christianity teaches that the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament. Bible Scholars estimate that more than 350 Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled by the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The prophecies were intended to give God’s people hope and help them identify their Saviour. [Old Testament Scriptures] Gensis 12:3 “ I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”[Fullfilment in New Testament Scripture] Acts 3:25-26 “You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenants which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities”.
[Old Testament Scriptures] 2 Samuel 7:12-13 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” [Fulfillment in the New Testament Scriptures] Matthew 1:1 “The book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.
Muslims hold that prophet Jesus came, and nearly 600 years later the prophet Muhammad appeared. What Jesus received as revelation from God was good and necessary; however according to Muslims, it was not enough – there was more revelation to come through the prophet Muhammad. One day God said something to Muhammad that he did not say to any previous prophet. He said, “This day have I perfected your religion (system of belief) for you and completed (bestowed) my favor upon you in full, and have chosen submission(al-Islam) as the creed for you.” Quran 5:3 . Muslims understand this to mean that the revelation Muhammad received was the final divine revelation. The Quran calls Muhammad “the seal of the prophets””[Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but a messenger of God, and the seal of the prophets. God has knowledge of everything] Quran 33:40. Hence to Muslims there is no need for any other prophet, for Muhammad possessed the completion and perfection of true religion. According to Islam, Prophet Muhammad received the complete teaching of the Law necessary for the salvation of mankind.
In contrast Christianity teaches that the only way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. John 14:6 “ Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Acts 4:12 “ Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name {Jesus Christ} under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
THE COMMUNITY OF ISLAM
Orthodox Muslims regard the followers of Muhammad as the only community qualified to administer God’s laws. In their view, the community of the prophet Moses was good community, but it did not have the complete set of laws. Likewise, the community of Jesus was a good community, but it too, lacked the complete set of laws. According to the Quran, God said to the community of Muhammad , “Of all the communities raised among men you are the best people evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong and believing in God. If the people of the Book(Christians) had come to believe it was best for them; but only some believe, and transgressors are many” (Quran 3:110) .
Christians also believe that belonging to the church is the only way to access the eternal kingdom. John 3:3 “ Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you are born again(become a Christian), you cannot see the Kingdom of God.’
As Muslims searched the Quran for the laws of God, they discovered that while most of the laws spoke in general terms some issues were not even addressed. Orthodox Muslims were concerned that the Quran did not give detailed rules for everyday life; however, they found assurance in some verses that relieved their concerns. For example, “Verily in the messenger of God [Muhammad] you have a good example” (Quran 33:21) also, “……Whatever the messenger gives you, take it. And whatever he forbids, abstain”(from it) (Quran 59:7) and “Say O Muhammad to mankind: if you love God, follow me” (Quran 3:31).
For Christians on the other hand there focus is on Jesus Christ who is there example and role model. The bible teaches that he is the founder of the Christian faith. It further says states that at the end of the world ,He will also be Judge of all mankind. Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Orthodox Muslims believe that God intends for all humankind to become subject to his laws. In other words; God intends for all humankind to convert to Islam. “Quran 9:33 ‘ It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the true faith in order to make it superior to other systems of belief, even though the idolaters may not like it.’ Hence there is an underlying principle for expansion of Islam.
Equally Christianity also has a similar underlying principle of expansion. One of the most profound statement in Christianity is normally referred to as “the great commission”. Matthew 28: 18 -20 “ Jesus came and told his disciple, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Most Muslims are content to let God do this in His own way and in His own time. They believe that one way God will do this is through biological expansion. Many non-Muslims today are content to have only one or two children, but the hadith encourages Muslims to have many children. So if Muslim families continue to have ten children, including the fact that Muslim men are allowed to marry upto to four wives at the same time. That means one single Muslim gentleman can easily have forty children. With this exponential growth within the Muslim population it is logical that in time it will easily exceed the non-Muslim population.
Evangelical Christians on their part depend on the preaching the good news of salvation by grace and mercy of God and not human effort and miraculous signs and wonders being made manifest in current human circumstances. Mark 16 :15 – 20 “ And then he told them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up inot heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.
LESSONS OBJECTIVE
To correct negative stereotypes about Muslims
To better the convergence and divergence of the principle of expansion in Islam and Christianity
To appreciate positive aspects of the Islamic religion and culture
To Foster meaningful harmonious relationships between Muslims and Christians
To challenge Christians to break religious and cultural barriers and reach out to their Muslim neighbors with the love of Christ.
Primary SOURCE : – Muslim Ministry in the African Context by Harry Morin.
Compiled by Pastor Willy Ochieng.