Christianity Confronting Islam

Marty Ellsworth - Immanuel Baptist Church, Benton, IL
SBFYC 2007 - Seminar 1

1. What is Islam?

- Its history

Began in what is now called Saudi Arabia in Mecca, economic and religious center, polytheistic

570 AD Mohammad, founder of Islam, born in Mecca. Believed himself to be the prophet of God with message received from angel Gabriel. Proclaimed message of one god amongst polytheism.

Day of judgment. Mohammad faced much opposition to his message. Eventually left city in 622 AD for Medina where he was well received. Mohammad and his raiders raided caravans from Mecca. Meccans recognized that Mohammad was gaining followers and decided to make peace with him. However, this did not last long. Mohammad raised army and conquered the city of Mecca. He eventually unified entire Arabian peninsula in Islamic thought. After his death, Islam rapidly spread around the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.

- Its beliefs

The oneness of Allah - God is one. They are radical monotheists.

Angels - good and evil angels

Scripture - the Quran, the final and authoritative revelation to man delivered to Mohammad by the angel Gabriel. Mohammad claimed this came to him audibly and that he wrote it down word for word as he received it. The tablets are eternal in heaven. Jews and Christians have changed and corrupted the Word of God so that it was necessary for God to send His true word to man.

Believe n prophets, including Jesus. However, Jesus is merely a prophet, lesser than the greatest prophet Mohammad.

The final judgment, based upon merit, good works and bad works. Eternal reward in paradise for those whose good works outweigh the bad.

Five pillars of Islam:
1) Profession - "There is no god except Allah"
2) Prayers
3) Alms - giving of money to the needy
4) Pilgrimage to Mecca - once in their lifetime
5) Fasting - obligatory during Ramadan

Muslims are very dedicated to these beliefs.

- Modern-day Islam
Great diversity in the Muslim religion today. Not every person who holds to Muslim faith does not advocate the spread their religion by force. They are not all terrorists. Many Muslims believe that their religion is a religion of peace. However, while they are not all terrorists or condone use of force, it is not a peaceful religion. The Muslim faith often spread by the use of the sword contrary to that of the Christian faith that has spread because of the sword under severe persecution. Islam condones the taking up of the sword.

2. What are the differences between Islam and Christianity?

-God
Islam does not worship the God of Scripture. While they are montheistic, they deny the Trinity and believe that Christianity is polytheistic, worshipping three Gods. This is a misunderstanding of the Trinity (three persons, one God). They also deny the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

- Man
Man is not sinful. They are born innocent. They are misguided and do wrong actions that can be rectified and Allah satisfied by submitting to the teachings of the Quaran.

-Jesus Christ
Muslims believe in the virgin birth, a prophet sent by Allah and able to perform miracles. They believe that Jesus as the Son of God refers to him as the physical offspring of Allah, which they repudiate. However, they misunderstand what the Scriptures teach concerning the Son of God. He is not the physical offspring of God, but the eternal Son of God, God of very God.

-Salvation
In the Islamic religion, man is not a sinful creature by birth. He is basically good, so no atonement is necessary. Salvation is by good works and paradise is gained by these good works. See Philippians 3:7-9, particualarly, "the righteousness from God" that comes "by faith." This faith is in Jesus Christ, who alon satisfied the rightous demands of the gospel. His righteousness is put on those who trust in Him, and their sins are put on Him. In this alone the righteous demands of God's law is satisfied.

Islam shows the bondage that comes with works-oriented salvation. Chrisitanity shows the freedom found in the grace of God alone for salvation.

- Heaven
Islam believes paradise to be a sensual place

Islam and Christianity are on a collision course.

3. How are we to confront Islam?

- We must see Islam for what it is. It is a lie from the father of lies. It is a false religion to be opposed and rejected by Christianity (see Galatians 1:6-9). God is not tolerant with those who oppose His truth. He hates false religion.

- We must love Muslim people. Jesus said that those would come who would persecute Chrisitians and believe they are serving God. We are to love these enemies of Chrisitianity and the gospel. Everyone in the Islam religion is under the power of Satan and the bondage of sin. However, they are no different than anyone who does not know Christ savingly. All are under the power of Satan and the bondage of sin apart from Christ. It is true that they do not deserve God's mercy, but neither did we. Mercy is a free gift of God's grace. The Christian should pray for God's mercy on the Muslim.

- We must remember the power of the gospel and share it with the Muslim. Even though they resisit the gospel, and do so violently, it does not relive us of our responsibility. How?

1) Guard against a critical, argumentative spirit
2) Learn about the beliefs and misconceptions of Islam
3) Deal with them as individuals, not as a group
4) Encourage the reading of Scripture
5) Present Christ to them, taking care not to enter into discussions about His nature immediately. Present Christ as man crucified with the goal of holdong up His deity later.
6) Know the Bible and the doctrines of Christianity

- Remember that God and His Word is going to triumph!