Understanding Misunderstanding

3. Message of Christ- Islam teaches that it was for Jews, and Paul distorted the message in order to give it to Gentiles.

4. Need for a Savior- Persons don’t need a Savior. They just need to ask for forgiveness. The idea that God accepts payment for sin (the cross) is viewed as ridiculous. Revelation is not for salvation, it’s for guidance.

Rm. 3:23-25, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished"

Jn.10:14-17, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me– just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again."

Mt.10:34- "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Mt. 26:52- "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword"

Conclusion:

There’s a lot of misunderstanding, and hatred born from misunderstanding, and killing and destruction born from hatred. Satan loves it! It’s his kingdom. In contrast to Mohammed, the message of Jesus NEVER included exhortation to violence. THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST IS LOVE. Because in some nations Muslims are forbidden to read the Bible, it is more difficult for them to be drawn to Christ via the scriptures. More effectively, they’re drawn by the love of Christ expressed through followers of Christ.

Jn.4:13-24 God reigns! God came to us as Jesus and has shown us the way. People were arguing and fighting about God when Jesus came, they argued and fought about God while Jesus lived, they’ve argued and fought about God since he returned to heaven, sadly they will continue to argue and fight about God until Christ returns. However, all of the misunderstanding, arguing, fighting, discrimination, and killing doesn’t change the fact that God reigns! And, we know God through Jesus Christ!

Phil. 2:9-11, "(because of Christ’s sacrifice) God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."