mi 210 lesson 11..3 theological problems in islam 3
TRANSCRIPT
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Islam – Theological Problems
Dr. Robert Patton
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Basic contentions by Muslims
The Muslim believes the following:
Christians have changed the Bible; therefore it is not the same as the Qur’an
The death and substitutionary sacrifice of Christ never occurred
The trinity means three Gods
The deity of Christ – Christians think that God had sexual intercourse with Mary
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Basic misunderstanding
The absolute holiness of God, and His abhorrence of sin -
If you can go to heaven if your good deeds outweigh your bad ones, then God tolerates sin
Sin can be present in heaven by implication
Remember – Allah can (and does) lie and deceive, and fill hell with persons
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Basic misunderstanding
The need of redemption via a substitute
Man cannot change his nature by himself. He is born a sinner –
This is denied by the Muslim,
who believes that man is good, but weak and forgetful
Man’s basic problem is his forgetfulness and not his sinfulness
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Initial contacts of Muslims with Jews & Christians in the 7th century
With Jews, who also killed Jesus because He claimed to be God (shirk)
The Jews also found Christ crucified a stumbling block
They also contacted aberrant Christians who did not teach good doctrine – off on the trinity & deity of Christ
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Our lives must speak
We must win their hearts with our lives of love to open them to hearing the gospel
Mere facts are not enough – they have been programmed to reject them
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Theological differences
Truth = Qur’an for the Muslim
Truth = total Biblical witness, culminating in Jesus for the Christian
Our lives must verify our beliefs
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Theological differences
God’s mercy = revelation of perfect law for the Muslim; we can obey if we want to – often through fear
God’s mercy = the suffering, redemptive love in Jesus Christ for the Christian – not receiving what we deserve as sinners
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What is missing in the Qur’an??
For the Christian:
God’s holiness
Man’s sin nature which he cannot overcome
God must intervene and save mankind
For the Muslim, these are nonsense, and you end up with a works religion. You can save yourself if you work hard enough, but this is never certain as Allah is unpredictable and can do what He wants
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What is ultimate truth
Qur’an is uncreated and eternal book preserved in heaven – Muslim
Bible is God’s authentic authoritative Word revealed supremely in Christ.
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Do not insult
Muhammad – recognize the good he did, such as reforming from idolatry and protecting certain groups. But he is not our prophet
Talk then about Jesus
Miraculous birth – unlike any other
Miraculous life without sin – unlike any other
Miraculous ascension to heaven – unlike any other, though Elijah & Enoch went directly without dying
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The Qur’an
We appreciate the wonderful things that it says about Jesus
His virgin birth
His miracles
His ascension
His sinless life
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Prophecies of Muhammad vs. Jesus
Some could be thought to refer to Muhammad –Gen 12:1-3; Deut. 18:19, John re comforter
But more than 300 talk about this special prophet, the messiah, who is Jesus
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Deity of Christ – one approach
Starting with common ground
Christ had a supernatural birth with no father. (Adam did too, but his was supernatural too)
Christ did many supernatural acts – healing, raising the dead – so his life was supernatural. Others did some miracles as well
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Christ’s supernatural resurrection
Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and also arose from the dead and conquered death. They may object – but keep going
Then the prophet Jesus went to heaven and there is no grave and no bones to worship
So His death was supernatural
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So His birth, life and end of life
Were all supernatural
What other prophet can say that?
He was the most supernatural person who ever lived
The Muslim agrees with the virgin birth, the miracles, and the ascension of Christ
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Christ as the Son of God
Show that we TOTALLY reject the idea that God had sex with Mary = blasphemy
The Muslim says that the term son must be biological relationship
Son of the road – 5 times in the Qur’an. Does this mean that the road married and made little roads?
Similar fashion – the Bible uses it metaphorically, referring to covenant relationship
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God the Father
To the Muslim, God is far away, and our relationship with him is primarily obedience. He conceives of sonship as biologic
For the Christian, God is close to the individual. The issue is obedience, but also that God has chosen to reveal himself. The son is also eternal, so it is not about procreation but relationship
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Jesus reveals God
Jesus reveals God like a son can reveal the father because he resembles him.
We cannot tell God what to do or how He may choose to reveal Himself.
Jesus is like the veil being opened or removed.
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The trinity
Muslims hold
The sovereign will of God
The eternal uncreated words of God – Qur’an
The argument: Then you have 2 uncreated things, thus 2 gods. When they object, point out that we have 3 uncreated things, the persons of the trinity.
This contradicts the contention of Tawhid – or the absolute unity of God. One Muslim scholar was beheaded for claiming that the Qur’an was eternal
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The trinity is accepted by faith
The word trinity is never found in the Bible
The fact is that three persons listed in the trinity show the characteristics of God in essence
Eternal existence
Omnipotence
Omnipresence
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The trinity is accepted by faith
There is a difference between being or essence, and that of personality
The Godhead has one essence or being, but expresses itself in three persons
It is this trinity that makes relationship possible throughout eternity
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The trinity is accepted by faith
Trinity is ONE GOD – but existing in three persons
It is taught in the Bible
It is accessed by faith – and has been a challenge for Christians in the past
Not 1 + 1 + 1 =3, but 1x1x1 = 1
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Allah versus Yahweh
Allah can lie; Yahweh cannot lie because it is against His character
Allah is not holy – Yahweh is holy
Allah is ONE but Yahweh is three persons in One God
Allah is pure transcendence – Yahweh is also immanent, and interacts with his creatures
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Allah versus Yahweh
Allah hates transgressors; Yahweh loves sinners, and died for them
Allah’s relationship with believers is as master to slave
but Yahweh’s relationship is as a father to a son
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The problem of holiness
The Muslim needs to see that even a little bit of sin is an affront to a holy God
One way is to offer a contaminated drink (showing them the contamination) to illustrate that a little poison makes the whole thing unacceptable.
Adam sinned once, but was punished by God
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Works do not provide holiness
Only Christ can remove sin
Heaven is holy and we cannot enter with sin in our lives.
Animism cannot give power over sin, but Christ can do so
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Four areas of vacuum in the Qur‘an
A loving God
A personal God
The assurance of forgiveness of sins
The assurance of eternal life
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Impersonal God
Muslims do not pray to God for personal things
They feel that he is transcendent, and may pray to saints, etc for personal things
We can pray for them
Main things: LOVE AND PRAYER
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Is the Bible corrupted?
The problem –
Christians: The Bible is God-breathed and inspired by God and cannot be changed: 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Rev. 22:18-19
Muslims: The Qur’an is the mother of books on the throne of God
But in many places there are differences!
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The answer from the Muslim
The Qur’an is the FINAL revelation which is to all people
The Muslim accepts the law of abrogation, where a more recent writing negates earlier ones to explain the inconsistencies of the Qur’an
Thus they would state that the Bible has been changed by Christians or Jews
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The Qur’an and the Bible
The Qur’an gives encouragement that the Bible is the Word of God: 5:68; 21:7
The Qur’an states that God’s Word cannot be changed: 6:115; 10:64
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The big question
Then when was the Bible changed – before or after Muhammad?
If before – then Muhammad was a false prophet
If afterwards – we have many manuscripts that show no change. Furthermore, there was no change dating way back to the second century!
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Then ask…
Who changed the Bible?
When was it changed?
How can they change God’s Word?
Is God so weak that He cannot preserve His word?
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Who dares to change it?
Jews would not dare change the Bible – warned in Deuteronomy x2
Jews made every sort of effort – counting letters, speaking each word before writing it, etc.
Christians have severe warnings not to do so –Revelation 22:18-19
Jesus said that his words would never pass away
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Consistent over the years…
Dead sea scrolls about 100 BC are virtually identical with translations in 10th century
Itala & Syrian translations in 2nd century are the same as KJV
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What about translations?
The translations are somewhat different, but also there are a number of translations of the Qur’an. They do not invalidate the Qur’an
I have looked at three different English translations, and there are minor differences between the three
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What about translations?
There are 40 authors of the Bible vs. one for the Qur’an
The Bible, when studied properly, is internally consistent – not allowing abrogation
5000 copies available to cross-check
There are a few copies of the Qur’an, but cross-checking destroyed by Uthman when he burned other translations
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Muhammad vs. Jesus?
Jesus was born of a virgin; Muhammad had a human mother and father
Jesus was sinless; Muhammad was told to ask forgiveness of sins, and had no assurance of going to heaven
Jesus treated women with respect, but had no wives; Muhammad had at least 10 wives and sexual relationships with slaves as concubines
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Muhammad vs. Jesus?
Jesus did many miracles, including raising the dead; Muhammad did not – claimed that the Qur’an was his miracle
Jesus went to heaven bodily; Muhammad’s bones are still in the grave
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Muhammad vs. Jesus?
Muhammad claimed that he was prophecied in the Bible but Bible was changed – Deut. 18, Jn. 16, and a few other locations. But Deut. 18 was about a Jewish king; John 16 is about the Holy Spirit, and cannot be Muhammad
Many very specific prophecies (total of 300) were fulfilled by Jesus – O.T. spoke a lot about him.
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Important prophecies of Christ
His family – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, David
His birthplace – Micah – in Bethlehem of Judah
Virgin birth – Isaiah 7:14
His birth as God’s son, etc – Isaiah 9:5-6
His crucifixion – Psalm 22
His death for us, burial & resurrection – Isaiah 53
His resurrection – Psalm 16
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Jesus vs. Isa
Both were born of a virgin, did miracles (although Isa was reported to speak from the cradle, and to make a clay bird and give life)
Both were sinless and went to heaven
But – Isa never died, but went direct to heaven. Isa will return as a Muslim, deny he ever claimed to be God, fight against Christians and Jews, and make everyone become a Muslim; he will marry & have children, die after 40 years
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Jesus vs. Isa
Jesus claimed to be God several times
Many references in John
But also in Mark – The prophecy of Isaiah 40
Jesus pointed to Daniel 7 when challenged by the High Priest
The Jews killed Him for that – shirk
Jesus accepted worship on several occasions
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Crucifixion and resurrection
Best-documented fact in ancient history
Four accounts cross-verify each other and show no collusion – they do fit together
The lives of the disciples were transformed – they were bold and all persecuted – 10 died as martyrs; John they tried to kill without success
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Crucifixion and resurrection
Predicted in detail in Psalm 22 – 800 years before the first crucifixions were carried out
Death location and reason, resurrection outlined in Isaiah 53 – so accurate Jews call it the forbidden chapter
No rotting in the grave – Psalm 16
Jesus predicted this on several occasions although the disciples did not understand
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Resurrection
Predicted in detail in Psalm 22 – 800 years before the first crucifixions were carried out
Death location and reason, resurrection outlined in Isaiah 53 – so accurate Jews call it the forbidden chapter
No rotting in the grave – Psalm 16
Jesus predicted this on several occasions although the disciples did not understand
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Resurrection
If the crucifixion and resurrection are true, then Christianity is true, and Islam is a false religion
If the crucifixion and resurrection are false, then Islam may be true, but certainly Christianity is false, because the resurrection is key to Christianity
Evidence of the resurrection is more solid than any other fact of history using historical criteria
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Helpful hints
Do not ridicule or condemn Muhammad, but raise up Jesus as Lord
Avoid calling Islam a religion of words or the mechanics of Muslim prayers
Remember that Muslims do believe in God’s laws and have a fear of God
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Helpful hints
Muslims are aware of sin and ask for mercy, though they have no assurance of forgiveness
Appeal to their conscience and need of a Savior
Tell the about our beliefs in Jesus Christ
Our behavior must back up our belief
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Helpful hints
Our message will be evaluated on the basis of the character of the messenger.
Show true love in the face of bitterness. You may be tested
Start with truths that the Muslim knows – that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, that He is known as the Word of God (Kalimat Allah)
Rely on the Holy Spirit
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Helpful hints
Discuss with the same sex only.
Men – not into a home where no man is present.
Women, dress modestly & avoid all men groups
Don’t argue; praise the Lord Jesus
Do not insult Muhammad, Islam or the Qur’an
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Helpful hints
The Muslim handles the Qur’an with great respect – the highest place in the house, only holy hands may hold it
We need to be careful about the Bible – not placing it on the floor or flinging it to the back car seat. Be careful about taking notes in the Bible itself – may be considered disrespectful