Islam and Christianity

HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM

Jesus was crucified in AD 30. His kingdom spread not by the sword but through the suffering and death of his followers. Emperor Constantine (AD 280?-337) declared Christianity to be a legal religion. Official persecution of heretics and non-Christian religions developed later.

Muhammad died of natural causes in AD 632. By AD 732 Islam had spread by the force of arms across formerly Christian North Africa and into Spain. In that year, its advance was stopped by Charles Martel at the battle of Tours in central France. Other Muslim armies spread across the Middle East to the Indus Valley in India. For a time, the Byzantine Empire was able to resist Muslim aggression, but in AD 1453 Constantinople (now Istanbul) fell to the Ottoman Turks.

SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES

1. The Person of Christ

The Bible: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (John 1:1 & 14; Colossians 2:9).

The Koran: Unbelievers are those who declare: “God is the Messiah, the son of Mary” (Sura 5:70--75).

According to the Bible, Jesus Christ is both God and man. According to the Koran he was a prophet, even the Messiah, but not God.

2. The Death of Christ

The Bible: I make known to you, brethren, the gospel . . . that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

The Koran: They denied the truth and uttered a monstrous falsehood against Mary. They declared: “We have put to death the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the apostle of God.” They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but they thought they did (Sura 4:157-158).

According to the Bible, salvation comes through Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection. Islam denies that Jesus died on the cross, so they do not view Him as the Savior. Muslims believe that God would not allow a true prophet to be defeated and killed, so they claim that they honor Christ more than Christians do. Islam has no Savior, for Muhammad claimed only to be a prophet.

3. Salvation

The Bible: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The Koran: Those whose good deeds weigh heavy in the scales shall triumph, but those whose deeds are light shall forfeit their souls and abide in Hell for ever (Sura 23:102-103).

According to the Bible sinners receive the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ. Good deeds flow out of salvation and demonstrate that faith is genuine. In Islam salvation is based on the relative weight of good and bad deeds. Entering Paradise is based on works and Allah’s inscrutable will.

4. Holy War

The Bible: But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-28). Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm" (John 18:36).

The Koran: Fight for the sake of God those that fight against you, but do not attack them first. God does not love aggressors . . .. Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God’s religion reigns supreme (Sura 2:190-195). When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they repent and take to prayer and render the alms levy, allow them to go their way. God is forgiving and merciful (Sura 9:5). Fight against such of those to whom the Scriptures were given as believe in neither God nor the Last Day . . . and who do not embrace the true Faith, until they pay tribute out of hand and are utterly subdued (Sura 9:28-30).

The only holy war commanded in the Bible occurred when God told the Israelites to kill all of the Canaanites and to take possession of their land. God specifically said that this was a judgment for their sins (Leviticus 18:24-28). Jesus taught His disciples to forgive their enemies and not to return evil for evil. Muhammad, however, commanded his followers to fight with the sword. He
personally led raids against Meccan caravans and led his armies to capture Mecca in AD 630. Thus, the Crusades of the Medieval Church were clearly in disobedience to the command and example of Christ. Muslims who wage war against “the infidels” can justly claim support from the example and teaching of Muhammad. Fortunately, most Muslims only want to live in peace. I know several delightful Muslim people, whom I would gladly have as neighbors.

5. The Bible

The Bible: All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Koran: Many among the People of the Book wish, through envy, to lead you back to unbelief, now that you have embraced the Faith and the truth has been made plain to them . . .. The Jews say the Christians are misguided, and the Christians say it is the Jews who are misguided. Yet they both read the Scriptures (2:109-114).

The Bible constantly presents itself as the word of God. Even though it was written by over forty men during a period of 1,500 years, it exhibits a divine unity of theme and outlook. The Koran also acknowledges that the Scriptures of Jews and Christians are from God. They are “People of the Book.” However, Muslims insist that the Bible has been corrupted and that only the Koran remains the true Book of God.

WHY CHOOSE CHRISTIANITY?

The Koran tells Christians to read the Gospel in order to see that Muhammad’s teachings are true. “After them We [Allah] sent forth Jesus son of Mary, confirming the Torah already revealed, and gave him the Gospel, in

which there is guidance and light, corroborating what was revealed before it in the Torah: a guide and an admonition to the righteous. Therefore let those who follow the Gospel judge according to what God has revealed therein. Evil-doers are those that do not judge according to God’s revelations (Sura 5:45-47).

We have many manuscripts of the New Testament from the time of Muhammad and earlier. These manuscripts demonstrate that the Gospel Muhammad wanted Christians of his day to read is the same as our present New Testament. Although these manuscripts differ from each other in small details, none of the well-supported variant readings affects one single doctrine of the Christian faith. Our modern New Testament contains exactly the same message as the original documents penned by the disciples of Christ. Although Muhammad respected the sacred books of the Jews and Christians, the Koran says that he had not read them. Never have you [Muhammad] read a book before this, nor have you ever transcribed one with your right hand (Sura 29:247-250). Muhammad apparently thought that the Gospel would confirm his teachings. It does not. It refutes them entirely.

I urge you, dear reader, to trust in Christ as He is revealed by the New Testament. He alone can save you from your sins.

Note: References to the Koran are only approximate
because my edition breaks down the Suras (chapters) into paragraphs rather than into separate verses.

The Cross and the Crescent