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Western Seminary

Grace Academy, Charlotte

Daniel Janosik, Ph.D.

Engaging

DanielJanosik,Ph.D.

• Alwaysbepreparedtogiveananswertoeveryonewhoasksyoutogiveareasonforthehopethatyouhave,butdothiswithgentlenessandrespect.

By Daniel Janos ik © 2014

Understand

Defend

Refute3B. Understand, Defend, Refute

• IsGodaTrinity?• IsJesus Christ theSonofGod?

• DidJesus diebycrucifixion?• IstheBibleinerrantorhasitbeencorrupted?

• ThecoreofIslamisdiametricallyopposedtothecorebeliefsofChristianity

• Itisalmostasifsomeonepurposelydevelopedanewreligionthatwouldspecificallycounter Christianity

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“…notwithstandingmanyapparentsimilarities,theAllahofIslamasexpressedintheDoctrineofIslamicMonotheism(i.e.Tawheed)isthediametricoppositeoftheTriuneLordGodoftheBible–oppositeinnature,character,knowability,description,andattributes.”(20)

• “TheQur’an,although seeminglyinnocent, hasasitsmainobjective toundo themessageandmission ofChrist.” (21)

Islam ChristianityTawhid Trinity

Jesusonly aProphet

JesusisGod

Jesustakenintoheaven

Jesusactually diedonthecross

TheBible hasbeencorrupted

TheBible isthetrustworthy Word

ofGod

“Faultyfoundations

producefaultybeliefs”

• “What comesinto our mindswhen wethinkabout God isthemost importantthing about us.”

• A.W.Tozer

Nature of Man• “WhatwebelieveaboutGod hassignificantimplications forwhatwebelieveabout ourselves,andviceversa.”JamesAnderson

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Natureof

Christianity Islam

God

Natureof

Christianity Islam

God • OneGod• Personal• Triune

Natureof

Christianity Islam

God • OneGod• Personal• Triune

• OneGod• Impersonal• Monad

Natureof Christianity Islam

God • OneGod• Personal• Triune

• OneGod• Impersonal• Monad

Implication

Natureof Christianity Islam

God • OneGod• Personal• Triune

• OneGod• Impersonal• Monad

Implication God lovesusandwecanhavearelationship withGod

Natureof Christianity Islam

God • OneGod• Personal• Triune

• OneGod• Impersonal• Monad

Implication God lovesusandwecanhavearelationship withGod

Arelationship withAllahisnotemphasized

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• Thefundamental belief inIslamis“there isonlyoneGod”

• Thisisknownas“توحید ” (tawḥīd), orthe“Absolute Oneness” ofGod.– Godis“One”(Al-ʾAḥad)– Godisa“singularity”(Al-Wāḥid)

• Allahis“Absolutely Other”

• In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.

• 1. Say, "He is God, the One.• 2. God, the Absolute.• 3. He begets not, nor was He begotten.• 4. And there is nothing comparable to

Him."• Q. 112:1-4

• Sura 4:171- Saynot"Trinity" :desist:itwill bebetter foryou:forAllah isoneAllah:Glory betoHim:(farexalted isHe)abovehavingason.

• AllahcannotbeaTrinity• Therefore, Allahcannot bethesamegodasYahweh, for“how cantheGodofMuhammadbetheFatherofJesus?”

• Thegreatest“sin”inIslam,called“Shirk,” istoassociate another thingwith Allah.

• Christians commit “Shirk” withtheirbelief thatJesusChrist istheSonofGod.

• Thisistheone“sin”that canneverbeforgiven:

• Sura 4:48:• “Goddoes notforgive thejoiningofpartnerswithHim:anythingless thanthatHeforgives towhoeverHewill,butanyonewhojoinspartnerswithGodhasfabricated atremendous sin.”

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SimilaritiesbetweenMuslimsandChristians• BothbelievethereisOneGod

• BothbelieveGodcreatedtheuniverse• BothbelieveGodissovereignandomnipotent• Bothbelievethathewilljudgethewicked• BothbelievethatGodhasspokentomanthroughmessengers(prophets),angels,andthewrittenword

Ontological:Existence ofGod”WhatHedoes” (doingness)

TheologicalDifferences(distinguishing traits)

“WhoHeis” (beingness)Essence

Allah YahwehGod is a singularityTahwid

GodisTriune(Father,Son,andHolySpirit);oneinessenceandthreeinpersons

Allah cannot haveason (Sura 19:88-92;112:3)

TheFatherhaseternallybegottentheSonJesus istheSonofGodandGodHimself(John1:1,14;Col. 1:15-20;Heb.1:2-3;1John1:1-3;4:9-10)

Allah sent awritten word TheFathersenthisSonwhois thelivingWord

Man mustpay forhis own sins (Sura 7:8-9;21:47)

Mancanneverpayforhisownsins, forthestandardfortheGodoftheBible is completeperfection(Matt.5:48;Rom3:23)

Allah does not love those who sin anddowrong (Sura 3:140;4:107)

Yahwehprovedhisloveforus thatwhilewewereyetsinnersHediedforus.(John3:16)

Belief Christianity Islam

AreYahwehandAllahthesame?

Belief Christianity Islam

AreYahwehandAllahthesame?

CantheGod ofMuhammadbetheFatherofJesus?

Belief Christianity Islam

AreYahwehandAllahthesame?

CantheGod ofMuhammadbetheFatherofJesus?

MuslimsworshiptheGod andcreator ofJesus,andwhom Jesushimselfworshipped

• IfyoubelieveinTawhid, thenyoucannotbelieveintheTrinity

• IfyoudonotbelieveintheTrinity, thenyoudonotknowthetruenatureofGod

• IfyoudonotworshipGodinSpiritandTruth,thenyouarenotworshipingtheTrueGod,butratheracounterfeitGod

“Faulty foundations produce faulty beliefs”

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Belief Christianity Islam

IsGodaTrinity?

Belief Christianity Islam

IsGodaTrinity?

• God isOneessenceandThreepersons, aTri-unity;

• co-equal, co-eternal

Belief Christianity Islam

IsGodaTrinity?

• God isOneessenceandThreepersons, aTri-unity;

• co-equal, co-eternal

• God isamonad,asingularity;Howcan1+1+1=1?

• TheTrinitydefiesthelawsofnature andmathematics

• Forloveto exist,there mustbetwoentities involved, theloverandtheonewho isloved.

• IfAllahisanabsolute singular being,where doesthelovecomefrom?Whowasthere tolovebeforethe creationofman?IfAllah werealone, onwhomdidhebestow love?

• However, intheTrinity,there hasalways beenlovebetweentheFather andtheSonandtheHolySpirit.

• Allah ispureWill rather than love.• PureWilldemands submission,not love.• Islam means “submission,”andaMuslimisonewho“submits.”

• Allah cannever becalled Father, andMuslimscannever beknownas thechildren ofGod.

• Where is the relationship? Where isthelove?

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• Nothing happens unless decreedbyAllah

• Say:“Nothing shall everhappen tousexceptwhat Allah hasordained forus.HeisourMawla (protector).” AndinAllah letthebelieversput theirtrust.

• Sura 9:51

• When theprimeexpression fromAllahishisWill,then theprimemotivation from hisfollowerswilltendtobeFEAR.

• When theprimeexpression fromGod ishisLOVE,then theprimemotivation from hisfollowerswilltendtobeLOVE. “Faulty foundations

produce faulty beliefs”

Belief Christianity Islam

IsJesusChrist theSonofGod?

Belief Christianity Islam

IsJesusChrist theSonofGod?

• Jesusis“trueGod fromtrueGod;”

• JesusisGodtheSon,secondperson oftheTrinity

Belief Christianity Islam

IsJesusChrist theSonofGod?

• Jesusis“trueGod fromtrueGod;”

• JesusisGodtheSon,secondperson oftheTrinity

• Jesuswas just aservantofAllah;aprophet, butnot theSonofGod (Q.5:17);

• Itisthegreatestofallsinstoassociateanother withGod

Belief Christianity Islam

DidJesusdiebycrucifixion?

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Belief Christianity Islam

DidJesusdiebycrucifixion?

• Jesusdied onacrossforoursins,wasburiedandroseonthethirdday;

• after40daysheascendedintoheaven

Belief Christianity Islam

DidJesusdiebycrucifixion?

• Jesusdied onacrossforoursins,wasburiedandroseonthethirdday;

• after40daysheascendedintoheaven

• Jesusdidnotdieonthecross (Q.4:157),butwasraisedtoheavenbyAllah(Q.4:158);

• Howcouldsomeoneelse’sdeathpayforyoursins?

• Andtheysaid,“WehavekilledtheMessiah,Jesus, sonofMary,theMessengerofGod.”Theydidnot killhim, nordid theycrucify him, thoughitwasmadetoappear likethat tothem;those thatdisagreed about himarefullofdoubt, with noknowledgetofollow, onlysupposition: theycertainly did notkillhim--

Belief Christianity Islam

Is theBibleinerrantorhasitbeencorrupted?

Belief Christianity Islam

Is theBibleinerrantorhasitbeencorrupted?

TheBibleistheinspiredWordofGodtransmitted throughmen.(2Timothy3:16)

Belief Christianity Islam

Is theBibleinerrantorhasitbeencorrupted?

TheBibleistheinspiredWordofGodtransmitted throughmen.(2Timothy3:16)

• TheoriginalScriptures giventotheJewsandChristianswerecorrupted;

• thisiswhytheycontradicttheQur’an,whichistheonlyaccuratewordofGodtoday.

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• Nature of God• Nature of Jesus

Christ

• Nature of the Holy Spirit

• Nature of Man• Nature of Sin

• Nature of Salvation

• The Bible• Nature of

Heaven

• Nature of Hell• The Future

(nature of eternity)

• ThecoreofIslamisdiametricallyopposedtothecorebeliefsofChristianity

• Itisalmostasifsomeonepurposelydevelopedanewreligionthatwouldspecificallycounter Christianity

“Faultyfoundations

producefaultybeliefs”

• “There isalsoacoercivereligionoftheIshmaeliteswhichprevailsatthistimeanddeceivesthepeople,beingtheforerunneroftheAnti-Christ.”

• -- HeresyoftheIshmaelites