Islam vs. Biblical Christianity
What’s the difference?
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Good morning, I am glad that you are here this morning.
We are at the front end of a series called Faithology that is helping us
to compare other religions to Biblical Christianity and
to help us know the truth of what we believe and
to better be able to communicate with people of different faiths
understanding a bit of what they believe.
Last week on Easter, as we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we looked at the essential beliefs of Biblical Christianity. If you happened to miss that message, the audio is up on our website.
But to recap, we saw that Biblical Christianity teaches that
Jesus is God in the Flesh
Jesus Died for your sins
Jesus Resurrected from the Dead
Jesus is the Only Way to Heaven
Salvation is a Free Gift Received by Believing in Jesus
It is my prayer that each person here know the truth of Christianity and will receive Christ as your Savior by believing in Who He is and what He did and confessing that to the Lord.
Transition
As we seek to grow in our faith, I think it is important that we have some understanding of other religions so that we can be assured of why we believe what we do and be able to help others come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
So, this morning, as we begin looking at other faiths and how they compare to Biblical Christianity, we are going to take a look at Islam.
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Now I believe there are a lot of us who don’t know much about many other religions and specifically don’t know much about Islam other than some of the things we see on TV such as the head scarves and face covering of the women as well as appears as hatred toward the west and Israel.
The world is changing and America is changing and I think as men and women of God, we need to have an understanding of our times and the world we live in if we are going to be wise and know how to best live in this world.
When David was battling against Saul, he had all kinds of men coming to him and volunteering to help him as the Lord led them.
Some of them were men from the tribe of Issachar and it says that these were men “who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” (1 Chronicles 12:32)
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We need to be people who understand the times we live in and know how we can respond
to these times and
to the people who live in these times
to the glory of God.
Now if we are going to understand some of these other religions, it is important that we understand some facts and some history about them.
Facts about Islam
So we are going to take a look at some facts about Islam
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Islam began in 622 AD.
Islam is the second largest religion after those who call themselves Christians
There are over 1.5 billion people in the world who call themselves Muslim compared to 2.1 billion people who call themselves Christian (including 1 billion Catholics)
That is 22% of the world’s population vs. 31% for those calling themselves Christian
It is the fastest growing of the major religions of the world growing at 2.9% vs. 2.3% for Christianity.
Background of Islam
The founder of the Islam is Mohammad.
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He was born in about 570 AD in Mecca in what today is Saudi Arabia
and when he was 40 (610 AD) believed he started receiving revelations from the Angel Gabriel. These revelations continued until his death in 632 AD. It is these revelations that have been gathered together and were written down by those around Mohammad that have become known as the Koran, the Islamic Bible.
When he started to preach these revelations a few years after they supposedly started, he was met by some resistance in Mecca because he was preaching monotheism, one god and one god only vs. a system of polytheism, multiple gods which the people and leaders of Mecca believed in.
After a number of years the resistance and persecution from the people of Mecca, Mohammad migrated in 622 AD to the town of Medina.
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Medina had a significant Jewish population as well as some Christians. Mohammad sought to convince the Jews and Christians that he was a prophet like the Biblical prophets and he even adopted some of the practices such as praying toward Jerusalem. But the Jews and Christians failed to embrace him as a prophet, so he ordered the Muslims to stop praying toward Jerusalem and instead pray toward Mecca, the city of his birth.
His influence and leadership in Medina grew and it was here where he established the first Islamic state and became both its religious leader and political leader.
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Islam calculates its calendar beginning with this migration and this event. Islam grew in Medina and 8 years after migrating there, in 630 AD, Mohammad was able to lead his followers to conquer Mecca, his birthplace.
Islam Grew through the Power of the Sword
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After Mohammad died in 632 AD, the Muslims continued to conquer new territories in Arabia and when they would conquer a people, they would give the inhabitants 3 options: Convert to Islam, pay a special tax, or die. In this way, Islam spread to the whole Arabian Peninsula and beyond.
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You can see from this map that Islam dominates not only the Arabian Peninsula, but also large sections of North Africa, as well as parts of Asia and especially Indonesia which has the largest Muslim population in the world.
Islam’s Beliefs
Ok, so that is some of the facts and background of Islam.
What are the beliefs of Islam?
Its beliefs are best expressed in the 5 pillars of Islam.
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The First Pillar is Creed
The creed they recite is called the “Shahada.”
You are required to state the Shahada passionately and publicly.
“There is no other God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”
This is something you must not only say, but believe wholeheartedly.
Doing this is what converts you to a Muslim.
But it is not being a Muslim that gets you to heaven.
It is being a Muslim and doing good works
What is the good they must do?
That is outlined in the other four pillars.
The Second Pillar being Prayer
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After saying the Shahada, a Muslim is required to pray.
A Muslim has five set times to pray each day facing Mecca.
Prayer times
1. After first light and before sunrise ( Fajr )
2. Between the sun reaching its height and mid-afternoon ( Dhuhr )
3. Between mid-afternoon and sunset ( Asr )
4. After the sun has finished setting ( Maghrib )
5. In the dark of the night ( Isha )
The Third pillar is Alms Giving
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Muslims must give 2½% of their estate to the mosque each year.
The Fourth Pillar is Fasting
Fasting occurs in the middle of Ramadan. During the fast Muslims go without water, food, or sexual relations from sun up to sun down.
The Fifth Pillar is Pilgrimage
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As a Muslim you are supposed to go visit Mecca at least once in your lifetime.
If you do these works, you will gain Paradise.
Now this is pretty straight forward.
Islam believes to be saved you need to believe in Allah and do good works and you will be judged for those works.
Now before I get to comparing some of Islam’s beliefs with Christian beliefs, I want to talk for a minute on Islam’s beliefs about Jesus
Some of you may find it surprising that Islam recognizes Jesus at all.
Well, not only do they recognize Him as a person,
Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet
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Islam recognizes Jesus was real and they recognize Him as a prophet.
In the Koran in Sura 5:75 it says
"The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger before whom many Messengers have passed away; and his mother adhered wholly to truthfulness, and they both ate food (as other mortals do). (Quran 5:75).
Not only do they recognize him as a prophet, but
Muslims believe in Jesus’ virgin birth
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Listen to what the Koran says about the virgin birth of Jesus in Sura 19:16-21
"Relate in the Book the story of Mary, when she withdrew from her family, to a place in the East. She screened herself from them; then We sent to her Our spirit (angel Gabriel) and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said: I seek refuge from you in God Most Gracious (come not near) if you do fear God. He said: Nay, I am only a Messenger from your Lord, to announce to you the gift of a pure son. She said: How shall I have a son, when no man has ever touched me, and I am not unchaste? He said: So it will be, your Lord says: ‘That is easy for Me; and We wish to appoint him as a sign unto men and a Mercy from Us’: It was a matter so decreed" (Quran 19:16-21).
Muslims also believe that Jesus ascended into heaven
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And
Muslims believe that Jesus is coming back to defeat the Anti-Christ
Wow, you say. I didn’t know that. There is quite a bit that Islam and Christianity have in common.
Not only are both Christianity and Islam Monotheistic faiths, they both recognize Jesus as a real person who lived and whom God used.
But here is where Islam and Christianity part ways in regards to their belief on Jesus.
You see, even though they recognize Jesus as a prophet, and as born of a virgin,
Muslims don’t believe Jesus was the Son of God, or God in the flesh
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We saw last week that in the Bible, it says in 1 John 4:2-3
2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.
If Jesus is only acknowledged as a good man or even a prophet, but not God, the Bible says that is not a teaching from God.
But not only, do they not believe Jesus was the Son of God or God, but
Muslims don’t believe that Jesus died on the cross to Pay for their sins
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They also don’t believe that Jesus Resurrected from the dead.
And they don’t believe that Jesus is the Only way to heaven (or a way to heaven at all)
Last week we saw that each of those beliefs is an essential teaching of Christianity and of spending an eternity in heaven.
To be a Muslim according to the teaching of Islam, you can’t hold any of those beliefs and to be a Christian you must hold all of those beliefs.
We have 2 choices here in regards to the beliefs of Islam and the beliefs of Christianity.
Either both are false
Or
One is wrong and the other is right.
Both cannot be correct
So the question is,
How do we determine which to believe?
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This is where we need to ask some questions.
We know that the beliefs of Islam come from the Koran and the beliefs of Christianity come from the Bible, so the logical first question to ask is
Do I believe the Bible or the Koran?
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Well, let’s consider how we have received both of these writings that claim to be the word of God.
The Bible was transmitted by over 40 different authors over a period of 1500 years.
This eliminates the argument that this was some religion started by one man.
The Bible was also confirmed through miracles being performed by the Messiah as well as the prophets and apostles who transmitted the word of God to us.
Maybe you don’t believe that miracles were done, because you don’t see miracle workers today, but realize that these books of the Bible and letters were written to contemporaries who would have seen these things and what we don’t find is other writings saying they didn’t happen.
Listen to what Peter says to the people about Jesus.
Acts 2:22 - 22 "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
Those who were around saw the miracles of Jesus.
The author of Hebrews tells how miracles that they have seen confirm the truth of the gospel in Hebrews 2:3-4 - This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
The Koran
The Koran, however was written during one man’s life through one man.
There were no miracles that accompanied the writing of Koran.
It was just the sayings coming from one man saying that he received this from God.
That leads us to the next question
Do I believe the Apostles or Mohammad?
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What did the writers gain from teaching the things they taught?
The Apostles
The apostles and prophets who proclaimed Jesus as the Christ and his resurrection had no earthly gain, but only beatings, torture and death.
Mohammad
Mohammad, gained power and influence due to his teaching.
He also gained multiple wives. After the death of his first wife, he married at least 12 more, 9 of who were living at his death. One of those was only 7 at the time of marriage, but at least he waited until she was 9 or 10 to consummate the relationship.
Which to believe?
Well, let’s ask another question.
What are the effects of the teachings in life?
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Christianity teaches that when we have received Jesus as our Lord, and received God’s love through Jesus, we are to share that love with others.
John 15:12-13 - 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
But we are told not only to love our friends but our enemies as well.
Luke 6:35-36 - But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
The only way this is possible is through the indwelling Holy Spirit who comes into our lives and lives in us and enables us to love like this. Listen to what Jesus says in
John 15:5 - "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Paul tells us that he now lives by the power of the Spirit that indwells him in Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
So after receiving Christ as Savior, we are told that we should love others including our enemies and this can only be accomplished as the Spirit works in us and through us.
Is this what we see for Christians?
Let’s be honest here.
We do not always see this from those who claim Christianity.
We have seen people who claim to be Christians do awful things to people.
But I want to ask you, what do you see from the people who have completely sold out for Christ?
I would argue that when you find a person like that, they are willing to sacrifice wealth and comfort to be able to share with others the love of Christ and the gospel of salvation.
Missionaries – Jim & Elisabeth Eliot
Consider the countless missionaries who have been killed over the years trying to share Jesus Christ.
Consider Jim Eliot and his friends who gave their lives trying to reach the Waodani tribe in Ecuador. Later one of the missionaries sisters and Jim’s wife, Elisabeth, were able to share the love of Christ with many in the tribe and see them receive Christ as Savior.
Imagine the people who killed your husband and brother, sharing with them love.
Imagine Jesus Christ dying on the cross and saying
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)
About those who are doing the crucifying.
It is only through the Spirit of Christ that that kind of love and forgiveness can be offered and we actually see that on those who are fully devoted followers of Christ.
Islam’s teachings and effects
What about the teachings of Islam?
Well, there are those who say that Islam teaches peace and love and that Allah is merciful.
And you can find verses in the Koran that speak about the mercy of Allah.
And I know that there are people who call themselves Muslims who are kind and peaceful.
However, the effects of the teachings of Islam for those who are fully devoted followers of Allah point to something different than a religion of peace and love.
As we have talked about already, for those who are completely sold out for Christ, we find a willingness to sacrifice their own life and own comfort
to be able to share the love of Christ with those who don’t know Jesus yet.
For those who are completely sold out for Allah, we do find a willingness to sacrifice their lives, but it is not to share the ‘love of Allah,’ it is to wage jihad for the cause of Allah and to kill those who do not believe in Allah.
They do this because the effects of the teaching of the Koran that says they are to fight until religion is only for Allah
Qur’an (8:39) - "And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah"
And they are to fight against those who do not believe in Allah, especially Jews and Christians.
Qur’an (9:29-30) – 29 “Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgement of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.” 30 "And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!"
They are being taught that if they die in the cause of Allah, they will immediately receive forgiveness and receive a great reward in heaven.
Qur’an (4:74) - "Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fighteth in the way of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, on him We shall bestow a vast reward."
So we are left with 2 questions to answer.
You need to decide which you believe?
Do you believe that the true God is the God of Christianity or Islam?
I believe that the evidence for belief and the reality of the effects of those beliefs weight heavily in favor of believing in the One True God who sent His Son to pay a price you could never pay because of His great love for us.
He is a loving and a just God who came and became a man, lived a perfect life, died a brutal death to pay a price we could not pay, and then defeated death by rising from the dead to offer us eternal life as we put our trust in Jesus, in who he is and what He did. When we do that, He gives us His Holy Spirit and transforms to live a joyous life of self sacrifice for His glory and honor.
If you have never received Jesus Christ by believing in Him and confessing that heart belief, I will lead you in an opportunity to do that in a moment.
The second question is
How should we respond to and treat Muslims in our life?
We respond to them with truth.
We respond to them with prayer.
We respond to them in the power of the Holy Spirit to love them in sacrificial ways.
Perhaps some of you know some Muslims. Love them. Pray for opportunities to speak truth to them.
Ask them about their beliefs about Jesus.
Ask them about the claims that Jesus made to be God and how he can be a prophet of God and make those claims without being God in the flesh?
It is only by the power of the Spirit of God that any of us can come to belief. It is only by the Spirit of God that Muslims will come to a belief in the one, true God who became a man, and died for their sins, and rose from the dead to offer them eternal life.
Conclusion
If you have never received Jesus as Savior why not confess your belief to Him now as I pray.
And if there are Muslims that the Lord has placed in your life, pray for them for their hearts to be softened and ready to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.
Pray.
