Posted on 04/02/2005 11:38:43 AM PST by quidnunc
Does Muhammad fulfill and complete the mission and ministry of Christ? Muhammad answers with an emphatic yes.
Basic Islamic theology teaches that since Allah sent Gabriel down with the Quran to Muhammad the messenger of Allah, Muhammad and the Quran fulfill and complete the mission of Christ and the New Testament. Muhammad seems to recognize the value of the Bible (Suras 4:47; 4:136; 4:163; 5:44-48; 5:82-83; 6:92, 154), but ultimately Christianity and the New Testament must yield to Islam and the Quran, the new and superior revelation.
Sura (Chapter) 5:15-16 illustrates Muhammad's viewpoint. In the context of Muhammad's distortion of the Christian doctrine of the Sonship of Christ (v. 17), and in the context of his asserting that Jews have been cursed (v. 13), this passage in the Quran (representing others) says that Christians (and Jews) have been walking in darkness until Muhammad came:
5:15 People of the Book [Jews and Christians] … a light has now come to you from God, and a Scripture [the Quran] making things clear, 16 with which God guides them who follow what pleases Him to ways of peace, bringing them from darkness out into light, by His will, and guiding them to a straight path. (Haleem) (cf. 4:157)
A Bible-educated Christian today immediately recognizes the imagery of light. Jesus says that he was sent down from heaven as the light of the world, and Christians have passed from darkness into the light (John 1:4-5, 8:12, 9:5, 12:46; 1 Peter 2:9). Now, however, Muhammad claims that Christians had been living in darkness, and he has come to clarify matters for them, as if things had been muddied. The Quran offers guidance along a "straight path," a theme often repeated in the Muslim Scriptures (e.g. Sura 1) and makes "things clear." Verse 16 is likely one of the verses a Muslim has in mind when he points out that Islam is a religion of peace. But is it?
A devout, Bible-educated Christian in no way believes that Islam is superior, so how do we break this deadlock? Ignore it? Given recent events like 9/11, this is no longer feasible. Do we pretend that all religions are the same? But this forces us to deny some basic, non-negotiable doctrines that all religions have and that cannot be reconciled. So do we argue over these abstract doctrines?
Debating abstract ideas like the Unity or the Trinity of God has a place in the Christian-Muslim dialogue, but neither claim can be proven by simple observation. The Quran everywhere affirms the strict Unity of God, whereas the New Testament everywhere affirms the divinity of Christ and the personhood of the Holy Spirit. So we have merely pitted one sacred text against another, and to break this deadlock we must go down still other paths. (For more information on the reliability of the New Testament, visit this site; for the problems inhering in the Quran, go here.)
Since Muhammad lays down a serious challenge to Christ and Christianity, we Christians must answer him. What would Christ say? As it turns out, he has given us a clear teaching on how to evaluate a prophet who comes after him in history, especially if the later prophet asserts his superiority over Christ: call it fruit inspection.
-snip-
Muhummed took one of the Christian heresies floating around at the time and twisted it, along with Jewish precepts, forming a political movement for his own twisted ends...islam is nothing more or less than a cult - a very successful one in fact and mainly owed and continues to owe its success to the lack of Christian unity and strength.
I agree with all that, but I'm at a loss as to what that has to do with my post #50 or anything else I said?
Yeh like Hitler and Stalin were improvements on the Kaiser/Czar.....
Well, actually, Catholicism is a heresy of true Christianity. Sorry, but that is the truth. Catholicism says Mary was sinless. Only one person in the history of the world was sinless - the Lord Jesus Christ. Mary was not sinless. And nowhere in the Bible will you find it to say so. "Pope" means "Father." Jesus said to call no man your father (I take this to mean in a spiritual, reverential sense that should be only used to address God). Catholicism encourages praying to saints. Where does the the Bible teach this? Catholicism dictates that you have to do certain things to "become" a saint. The Bible teaches that anyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ is a saint. In fact, I am a saint. And I have never participated in Catholicism at all. Catholicism teaches that "the Catholic Church" is the only true church. So this makes one tend to believe that all other churches are false churches. And where exactly does the Bible mention "The Catholic Church" anyway? Catholicism teaches that Peter is "the first Pope." Where in the Bible does it say that Peter - or anyone else for that matter - is a "Pope"? Catholicism also makes a huge deal about relics. Hmm...sounds like idol-worship to me. Catholicism, undoubtedly, has good things. But many of its teachings (such as those noted above) are corrupt. I will probably get plenty of negative posts on this, but reality is reality. And something that will not go away just because we wish it to be so.
Let me close with this quotation from Joseph Ratzinger at the memorial service: "None of us can ever forget how in that last Easter Sunday of his life, the Holy Father, marked by suffering, came once more to the window of the Apostolic Palace and one last time gave his blessing "urbi et orbi." We can be sure that our beloved Pope is standing today at the window of the Father's house, that he sees us and blesses us. Yes, bless us, Holy Father. We entrust your dear soul to the Mother of God, your Mother, who guided you each day and who will guide you now to the eternal glory of her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."
"The Holy Father"? There is only one Holy Father, and His name is God. And why "entrust your dear soul to the Mother of God, your Mother, who guide you each day..."? That, my friend, is heretical. We have one guide, Jesus Christ.
I know I will make many people mad by this post, but that is emotion, not fact. And I understand. But truth is truth. And that truth can only be found in the Bible. I assert that Catholicism has far exceeded that boundary.
you mis-state me. I said wasn't Budha BEFORE Jesus? I in no way meant to imply anything about Budha. Jesus is Christ.
"How can Islam improve on Christianity when Mohammed is Satan and Allah is just part of Satan's imagination"
Your guessing here, right? But one thing's for sure: the Bible says by it's fruit you shall know it; and the fruit of Christianity is Western Civilization, the fruit of Mohammadism is, well, they are still in the stone age 2000 years later!
Christ did one better,..he named that tune in one word,..."TETELESTAI"
In order for Islam or any system of relationship with God to improve upon His relationship with man through Christ, one must first look at what "Christianity" implies. To the unbeliever, does it make it any better than to simply have a non-meritorious faith in Christ? For the believer, does it improve upon our ability to confess our sins and repent from them in order to return to fellowship with Him and continue in sanctification?
Even if one believes there is any improvement with respect to man, the more powerful question would then be how such a change could exist and God to remain Holy?, i.e. perfect righteousness and justice in all things if there were any discounting of Christ's faith (Acts 3:22-24)
On the contrary, giving up on Islam merely means giving up on legalism for peace. Seems like the Islam has far less to offer either in practice and in giving it up.
Well, let's see: Kill your enemies instead of forgiving them? Kill or enslave anyone who will not follow Mohammad's teachings, instead of praying for those who will not follow Christ's teachings?
Uuhhh...NO!
1 John 2:18-19
18 Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, "Antichrist is coming," even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.
Christianity was corrupted early on. Its decline in spirituality can be observed by anyone. Vain attempts at propping up the decayed cross are of no avail. Faith without works is dead. This is the crux of the matter. Why show hypocrisy to others by being vain? Christians should practice what their religion teaches. That will make its teachings clear to others beyond a shadow of doubt.
Matthew 7:3
Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but don't notice the log in your own eye?
Obviously people who are hypocritical need to be reformed. The approach of Jesus did not produce a significant following among the Children of Israel, whom he considered his audience. Paul founded the religion practiced by Christians, not Jesus. The perversion of Jesus' teachings are clear. Islam definitely improves on Christianity. Hence the antagonism towards Islam.
Islam definitely improves on Christianity. Hence the antagonism towards Islam.
John 3:16- For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Christians believe that Jesus Christ died for the salvation of all humankind, who need only to believe and accept his gift. Hypocrisy is part of the human condition, one of the sins for which we need forgiveness.
God's covenant with the Jews was not cancelled, to my knowledge. But their path to salvation appears more difficult to this outsider.
Islam does not accept His sacrifice, and requires the Muslim to lie to, enslave or kill those who do not follow its teachings (infidels, which includes Christians and Jews). True Christians pray for the Muslims and all other believers (of other "gods") and non-believers, that they might find their way to salvation through Christ.
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