Muslims: What about them?
Good question.
I had an interesting conversation with a friend many years ago. "Ol' Boy", he began, "has it ever occurred to you that you (meaning Christians) are the only ones who relentlessly attack other religions?"
Although I had been talking to this friend about Jesus, his question was completely unexpected. The only thing that came to mind was simply:
"That's because we are the only ones really sure that we have the right stuff."
Christians do not attack other religions. We simply KNOW that there is only ONE WAY to get to our CREATOR.
"What about the Muslims?", you may ask.
Well, Jesus said:
"I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the father except through me " (John 14:6)
He also said:
"I and my Father are one." (John 10:6)
Once, I had a Muslim neighbor. I tried very hard to get him to go to Church with me. He always said "no". One Sunday, as I was about to ask him again, he said:
"Before you ask me to go to Church with you, let me ask you one question".
"Go ahead", I replied.
"Have you ever read the Koran?", he asked.
"No!"
"So, how do you know what I believe?"
Needless to say that I was logically disarmed.
How do you reason with someone if you do not understand their point of view?
Can you win them by destroying their heartfelt belief or by lovingly getting them to have a meaningful dialog on the subject?
Dialog implies listening and contributing to a conversation. The only way I could hold any form of intelligible dialog on the subject of Islam, was to buy the Koran and read for myself what it says.
It is important to understand that Lucifer's goal is to drag as many people to hell as possible. Millions of people who profess anything outside of what the Bible is teaching are in grave danger.
Why?
Let us review the origin of Islam. (Taken from The Koran, Introduction, Penguin Books):
"Long before Mohammed's call, Arabian paganism was showing
signs of decay. At the ka'ba the Meccans worshipped not
only Allah, the Supreme Semitic God, but also a number of
female deities whom they regarded as the daughters of
Allah. Among these were Al-Lat, Al-Uzzah, and Al-manat,
who represented the Sun, Venus, and Fortune respectively.
Impressed by Jewish and Christian monotheism (the worship of
one God), a number of men know as banifs had already
rejected idolatry for an ascetic (rigid, demanding) religion
of their own.
Mohammed appears to have been influenced by them. It
was his habit to retire to a cave in the mountains in
order to give himself up to solitary prayer and meditation.
According to Muslim tradition, one night in Ramadhan about
the year 610 (AD), as he was asleep or in a trance, the
Angel Gabriel came to him and said:
'Recite.' He replied: 'what shall I recite?' The order
was repeated three times, until the angel himself said:
'Recite in the name of our Lord who created, created
man from clots of blood. Recite Your Lord is the most
Bountiful One, who by the pen taught man what he did
not know.'
When he awoke, these words, we are told, seemed to be
`inscribed upon his heart'. Mohammed, who disclaimed
power to perform miracles, firmly believed that he was
the messenger of God, sent forth to confirm previous
scriptures.
God had revealed His will to the Jews and the Christians
through chosen apostles, but they disobeyed God's
commandments and divided themselves into schismatic
(apostate, dissident, nonconformist) sects.
The Koran accuses the Jews of corrupting the Scriptures
and the Christians of worshipping Jesus as the son of
God, although He (God) expressly commanded them to
worship none but Him.
Having thus gone astray, they must be brought back to
the right path, to the true religion preached by Abraham.
This was Islam - absolute submission or resignation to the
will of Allah."
Apparently, Islam's major gripe against Christianity is Jesus Christ. This is not surprising when one begins to ask questions such as:
- "Which angel planted this idea into Mohammed's mind?
- "What did the angel mean by "Created man from clots of blood?"
Which angel spoke to Mohammed?
First of all, I do believe Mohammed received a message. A good question is: "What was his frame of mind at the time he received the message."
History already told us he was dissatisfied with both the Jews and the Christians. Obviously, Arabian paganism did not offer him any form of truth. Disgruntled, he now seeks a quiet place to meditate or complain to Allah about what he perceived to be a serious problem.
Faultfinders, take note!
Note that all these took place more than 600 years after Christ. This is very significant because Jesus said:
"No one comes to the Father except through me."
(John 14:6)
Also, Mohammed did not believe in what Christ did for mankind. If he had known Jesus, that whoever believes in Him has access to God (Eph 3:8-12), he wouldn't have founded a separate "sect" which, incidentally, draws a lot of its scripture from the Bible.
I know this is sacred ground I am threading. My aim is not to belittle ones religion or belief. My sincere hope is to cause us all to engage in a meaningful dialog that will help us find God through the WAY He has already provided.
Sometimes sincerity is not enough. If it is revealed to me that my brother is about to turn the ignition of a car that is destined to explode if the ignition is turned, doesn't my love for him compel me to do all that is humanly possible to prevent it?
My love for you compels me to try to save you. Of course I'd love to live to be 120. But if I fail to even make an attempt to warn you of the dangers ahead, then 120 years is infinitesimal, compared to eternity without God.
If someone were to ask me, "Which angel spoke to Mohammed?", my response would be that I do not know exactly which angel gave Mohammed the message he received in that cave.
The one thing that I do know, however, is that the Bible tells us:
And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into
an angel of light. (2 Cor 11:14)
Angel Gabriel, or any angel for that matter, knows that God did not create man from clots blood, but saved him through the blood of Jesus Christ. Satan knows this too, but he has never been interested in the truth because:
"... He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning,
and does not stand in the truth, because there is no
truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his
own resources, for he is a liar, and the father of it."
(John 8:44)
Criminal investigators always look for what they've termed "MO", short for modus operandi, meaning a method, procedure, or a consistent way of doing something. If we examine Satan's MO, we will begin to see a pattern that is well documented in the Bible. The two Bible passages above tell us, in a nut shell, that he distorts to deceive.
Case #1: Satan quotes the Bible, verbatim:
Then he (Satan) brought Him (Jesus) to Jerusalem, set
Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him,
"If you are the son of God, throw yourself down from
here. For it is written: `He shall give His angels
charge over you, to keep you and in their hands they
shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a
stone.' (Luke 4:9-11)
Satan was quoting from Psalms 91:11-12. The problem was, he took the quotation out of context.
Case #2: Satan reveals some truth with ulterior motive:
Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an
unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying,
"Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of
Nazareth? Did you come to destroy? I know You, who are - the
Holy One of God!" (Luke 4:33-34)
Did the demons (Satan's fallen companion angels) know who Jesus was?
Yes, they did. By revealing His identity, before He had a chance to accomplish what God sent Him to do, Satan would have obstructed God's plan to redeem man from sin.
How? If those who crucified Christ knew for sure that He was the Son of God, they wouldn't have crucified Him.
Satan wanted to trade a little truth for Christ's failure to succeed. Jesus dealt with the situation:
But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of
him!" (Luke 4:35)
Where did Satan and his angels get their knowledge from?
The Bible tells us that God created everything through Jesus Christ The Word. This includes Lucifer and all the angels. (John 1:1-3, 14) They've known Him from the time of their existence, hence the question:
"What have we to do with you, Jesus, You son of God? Have
You come here to torment us before the time?" (Matthew 8:29)
Before what time? Recall Jude 6:
"And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but
left their own habitation, He (God) has reserved in
everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the
great day"
Has Lucifer made other deliberate attempts to distort Biblical truth? Most certainly. We face him everyday in various forms. He could use a friend or even a spouse in an attempt to confuse. Is it possible that he is the one who made this statement?
"Recite in the name of your Lord who created, created man
from clots of blood. Recite! Your Lord is the Most
Bountiful One, who by the pen taught man what he did not
know."
Anything is possible. He (Satan) has the power, the means, and the wizardry. Never underestimate him.
Once again, note that Mohammed knew the Christian doctrine. He understood what the Christians believe about Jesus Christ - that His blood was shed to redeem man from sin.
Could Mohammed have been easily convinced when, "some angel" infused the word "blood" into a message?
Yes.
Was Mohammed justified in the way he interpreted the message?
Yes, based on his state of mind.
The fact still remains, though, God did not create man from clots of blood.
So what role has blood played in the life of man?
That topic is outside the scope of this writing, but if the reader is interested, I suggest the entire book of Leviticus in the old Testament of the Bible. Satan has read it. He knows it by heart.
But in a nutshell, before Christ, if I did evil God would punish me on the spot. Death is usually the ultimate punishment for sin. But, God, in His infinite mercy, accepted the death (blood) of animals as a substitute for mine - the sinner. God gave the Jews specific instructions on how to perform a sacrifice, ensuring that the animal's blood graced the alter.
Jesus came to do away with all that. He was sacrificed for all mankind, including the Muslims. Any one who accepts this sacrifice is reunited with God. His Blood makes us new creations.
I want you to try to see a pattern here. Mohammed received a message that says:
"Lord who created, created man from clots of blood..."
But the truth, the Bible, says:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old
things have passed away; behold, all things are become new.
(2 Cor 5: 17)
We become new creations only after we personalize what Christ has done for us. The blood of Jesus Christ is at the center of it all. The Bible says that we become new creations when we individualize the fact that Christ:
"... once for all took into that inner room, the Holy of
Hollies, and sprinkled it on the Mercy Seat; but it was not
the blood of goats and calves. No, He took His Own blood,
and with it He, by Himself, made sure of our eternal
salvation. And if under the old system the blood of bulls
and goats and the ashes of young cows could cleanse men's
bodies from sin, just think how much more surely the blood
of Christ will transform our lives and hearts. His
sacrifice frees us from the worry of having to obey the old
rules, and make us want to serve the living God. For by the
help of the eternal Holy Spirit, Christ willingly gave
Himself to God to die for our sin or fault."
(Hebrews 9:12-14, The Living Bible)
So once again, the father of lies, Satan, distorts to deceive. Here and there, one sees elements of truth. But half truth is a lie.
If you, reading this material, are a Christian, then pray for the millions of Muslims around the world. If possible, set a special day aside to pray and fast on their behalf. Be genuinely concerned for your Muslim brothers and sisters.
I would like to mention here, in passing, that the Muslims believe that anyone who is not a Muslims must be brought back to "the right path."
By whom?
The Koran did not say - at least I haven't read that far.
They seem to have assumed this role of destroying all non-Muslims. "Infidels" they call them. They also seem to have forgotten what their Koran says - that when Allah decrees a thing He need only say: 'Be,' and it is."
If they truly believe the Koran, then they should be praying and fasting for the lost world, not trying to destroy it. Allah does not need the help of man to destroy anything or anyone. He is quite capable of defending Himself. Strapping a bomb on one's body and blowing up God's beautiful creation (in the name of Allah) sends one to hell not heaven. Satan won't tell you that. He doesn't want you to go to heaven. He wants you in hell with him for all eternity. I realize this is the work of extremists. Most Muslims I know are "good" people.
Having said that, let me quickly add that even as a Christian, I do have problems accepting that God would use man to destroy man. Remember Sodom and Gomorrah? God did it Himself. He did not require man's help to accomplish His will.
Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom
and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens.
So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all
the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on
the ground. Genesis 19:24-25
Now think about the Amalekites.
Samuel also said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint
you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore,
heed the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus says
the Lord of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he
did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he
came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and
utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare
them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing
child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.' " So Saul
gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim,
two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men
of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in
wait in the valley. Then Saul said to the Kenites,
"Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest
I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all
the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt."
So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the
way to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and
utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of
the sword. 1 Samuel 15:1-8
Why would God use Saul and Israel to destroy them, including every woman, child, and animal? Is our God so cruel as want to destroy even "infant and nursing child?"
Sorry! I just do not see my God that way.
It may be a matter of simply resolving to live in complete obedience to God. Saul had other agenda - Pride, Spoils of war. Complete obedience was not one of them. Abraham, on the other hand, was determined to obey God's command to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Complete obedience was his agenda. God saw that and intervened.
Would He have intervened if Saul had the mind of obedience? I don't know.
I guess what I'm saying is, I can find possible explanations for discrepancies between what we believe to be the age of our world versus what archeological evidence shows. But I cannot find a good explanation as to why God, Who has infinite powers, has to use man to destroy.
Again when it comes to extremists, the Muslims are not alone. When people who call themselves Christians kill another, and say they do it for God, they lie. God will deal with doctors who perform abortions in His Own way. Your job, as a Christian, is to pray in the Spirit.
In order to submit, absolutely, to the will of Allah, the Muslim must first have access to Him through Jesus Christ.
There is no other way.
Friday is Muslim holy day. If you (the Christians) care, set this day apart and pray for them. It is the only way to break Satan's hold on anything because...
"... The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails
much." (James 6: 16)
If you have committed your life to Christ, then you are righteous:
For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for
us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
(2 Cor 5:21)
If you are a Muslim, I do not want you to get the impression that I am putting your belief or religion down. The fact is, God (or Allah, as you know HIM) created you in his Own Image. Based on that alone, I can confidently say that we share a common dream. That dream is to please Him Who brought us into existence.
A very sad fact is that Satan has used (and still uses) false prophets to drag millions of souls to hell.
How do you inherit eternal life?
From the book of MAIDA (or TABLE SPREAD or The Feast) in the Koran we read the following:
5:46 And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of
Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We
sent him the Gospel: Therein was guidance and light, and
confirmation of the Law that had come before him: A
guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.
5:47 Let the People of the Gospel judge by what Allah
hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the
light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better
than) those who rebel.
5:48 To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming
the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in
safety: So judge between them by what Allah hath
revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging
from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you
have We prescribed a Law and an Open way. ...
The Koran is quite right. The birth of Jesus was a confirmation or fulfillment of the law. Through Him we are justified in the sight of God. The birth of Jesus was also a confirmation of what the prophet Isaiah had foretold:
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:
The virgin will be with child and will give birth
to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isa 7:14)
Yes, Jesus is the Way. He, Himself, said so:
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one
comes to the father except through me " (John 14:6)
The Koran is a book full of good moral teachings. There is no question about that. What matters is having access to God. Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through HIM.
Helping people is good, BUT, without Christ in your life, you would be trying to buy your way to Heaven. God says that: "
"... we are all like an unclean thing, and all our
righteousness are like filthy rags..." (Isaiah 64:6)
Furthermore, when you do good on your own, it comes to a time when you feel you are being used. You give up. In effect, you get "used up". Search yourself and see if this has become true in your life. If so, you must commit your life to Christ. You must drink of His Nature. Jesus says:
"...but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him
will never thirst. But the water I shall give him will become
in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting
life." (John 4:14)
This means that you will be able to give, indefinitely, and will never, ever run dry.
The Nature of Christ will be active in your life and you will never again feel used by anyone. That's because you are constantly replenished from the Eternal Source.
Incidentally, the Koran recognizes that many Christians do not live by what they read in the Bible. The Koran refers to the Bible as the "Wise Book".
What is written in the Pages of this Wise Book is really all you need to be reunited toyour Father and mine.
I am uncertain about a few things. However, I will never question God. He has His agenda, I have mine. Mine is to be with Him in the end. I have to. I need answers to lots of things.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 1 Cor. 13:11-12
Until then, I know I have access to Him through the ONE FILTER that he can see me. For God, this Filter removes my bad nature and, in its place, magnifies the righteous nature of Him Who died on cross - Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
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Comming up: Buddhists, Hindus: What about them?