“For God so loved the world…”
The god of Islam is called Allah. Muslims don’t know Allah as a loving God. Rather, his acceptance of people is conditional and directed toward those who fear him and do good.
The God of the Bible said His name forever is YHWH. (Exodus 3:14-15) While YHWH clearly hates sin, He loves us even when we are “dead in our sins”. (Ephesians 2:4-5 CEV)
Muslims make up over 25% of the world population. YHWH loves them!
that He gave His only Son…
Muslims believe Allah is one, that he is not a father, and that he has no son. They respect Jesus as the prophet Allah gave to the Christians and as a sinless lawgiver who must be obeyed, but they reject the idea that God could come to earth as a human, experience hunger and fatigue, and need to eat and sleep. These are seen as weaknesses incompatible with their concept of Allah.
But YHWH said about Jesus at His baptism, “You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22) Three of Jesus’ disciples saw Him transfigured before them, with His face shining like the sun, and they heard God’s voice from heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” (Matthew 17:2, 5) The Bible says, “He had to be one of us, so He could serve God as our merciful and faithful high priest and sacrifice Himself for the forgiveness of our sins.” (Hebrews 2:17 CEV)
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV)
Islam teaches that Jesus was not crucified because Allah would never allow an honored prophet to be discredited in this way. And it teaches one man cannot die for another’s sins. Allah does not provide a way out for sinners: Muslims hope their works will please him enough to earn eternal life.
But Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) And John the Baptist said about Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) Jesus said He came not to condemn the world, but to save it (John 3:17-18). And He told the thief dying on the cross beside Him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)
WHAT THEN SHALL WE DO?
“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)
YHWH has shone His light in our hearts and illuminated our own darkness. We love His Son and believe He came from God. (John 16:27) Jesus commands us to disciple nations. Therefore,
- We reach out in love to our Muslim neighbors, revealing Jesus living within us.
- We pray for Muslims to know the true Jesus: Messiah, Son of God and Savior of the World.
- We teach about the distinctions between Islam and Christianity and train Christians to talk with Muslims about biblical truth.
- We encourage the Church to put aside fear and apathy and send harvesters into the ripe fields of Islam.