ISLAM & CHRISTIANITY: ACCORD &
DISCORD
In the first part, the pertinent
teachings from both the worldviews (Islam and Christianity) were presented. The
next logical step is to observe the areas of accord (agreement) and discord (disagreement)
between these major world religions.
ACCORD IN ISLAM & CHRISTIANITY
Islam and Christianity are theistic
religions, believing in the existence of God.
The scriptures – the Quran and the Bible, are considered to be God’s revelations to mankind. These
revelations affirm that Satan is the
author of evil and sin entered the earth
through him.
The sovereignty of God, especially with reference to the final judgment of sins is affirmed by both
the scriptures. The reward for
belief and punishment for sin, whereby believers gain paradise or heaven (eternal life) and unbelievers
the hell (eternal death), is clearly
emphasized in these worldviews.
DISCORD BETWEEN ISLAM & CHRISTIANITY
Even though Islam and Christianity
have the same belief with respect to a few points related to sin and salvation,
it is to be affirmed that there are disagreements also. Islam and Christianity
differ and contradict each other on many counts.
Let’s consider five points of disagreement between Islam and
Christianity:
First:
The First Sin. A conflict occurs as early as in the account of the first
sin. Even though the Quran records that Adam and Eve sinned, it also records that
they realized their sin and pleaded to Allah for forgiveness (Surah 7:23). As a
result, Allah forgave them (Surah 2:37) and Adam was accorded the status of a
prophet.
On the other hand, the Bible does
not record this instance of repentance and forgiveness. The Bible states that
Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden and were forbidden to eat of
the tree of life.
Islam believes in salvation by works that is initiated by
man, so it records in Adam’s account that Allah will only forgive those who
truly repent. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that Adam was banished and
forbidden to eat from the tree of life. This sets the scene for God to initiate
salvation by grace, so that only
those who truly repent and believe in Christ are saved.
Second:
The Transmission of Sin. The Quran teaches that sin is not transmitted into
posterity because “all people are born as true Muslims, innocent, pure, and
free (Qur’an 30:30).”39
The Biblical teaching thoroughly
disagrees with this line of thought. The Bible teaches that man is inherently
sinful, sinful at the time of his birth.
This disagreement implies that a
Muslim will be forgiven by Allah if only he realizes his sinfulness and asks
for forgiveness. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that man can only be saved
by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose one-time
perfect sacrifice gained salvation to all those who truly believe in Christ.
This leads us to one of the core disagreements
between Islam and Christianity, which pertains to one’s salvation.
Third:
The Means of Salvation. Islam is a proponent of salvation by works theology, whereas Christianity unquestionably
asserts salvation by grace through faith.
These teachings radically oppose each other.
Either a believer believes in his
works (salvation by works) or he believes in God’s work (salvation by God’s
grace). The finitude of a believer whose logical implication is imperfection
can never offer perfect works during his lifetime. A man cannot believe in both
God’s work and his work, for the one denies and nullifies the other.
If a believer cannot offer perfect
works to the perfect God, then God, if HE chooses to accept the imperfect works
of man, devoid of another equivalent act of making the imperfect perfect, then
God would reveal an innate form of injustice - not a hallmark of a perfect being.
The metaphysics of God would not
allow God to accept the offer of imperfect sacrifices from man. God, who is
ontologically perfect, cannot accept/tolerate imperfection of any manner or
kind, whatsoever. Salvation by works
would therefore be metaphysically impossible doctrine.
Even the grace of God cannot compensate for man’s imperfect works. For grace
is an attribute of an ontologically perfect God. Perfection is God’s ontic
essence, whereas grace is an attribute of God. Metaphysically, any attribute of a perfect being
should complement its ontic essence and shall not be in conflict.
Fourth:
The Means of Salvation – the Persons of Mohammed and Jesus Christ. This discord revolves around the central
figures of Islam and Christianity – Prophet Muhammad and the Lord Jesus Christ,
respectively. As the prefixes indicate one is a prophet and the other, God.
Islam claims that Prophet Muhammad
is the final prophet and an intercessor. Christianity asserts that Jesus Christ
is fully God and fully man, and the Savior of mankind.
Salvation within the Christian
framework is personal, for a man is saved by the grace of God through faith in
the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Salvation in Islam is entirely
dependant on a transcendent God, but not dependant on the person of the prophet
Muhammad. A Muslim’s focus is more on the law than the person of God.
A Muslim grows in the law, whereas a
Christian grows into the likeness of the person of his Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. A Muslim knows his law, which supersedes the person of the Prophet
Muhammad, whereas a Christian knows his Lord Jesus Christ.
Fifth:
The Assurance of Salvation. Islam
does not seem to provide its believers with complete and convincing assurance of their salvation. A Muslim is always dependent on his
transcendent God, who decides the eternal fate of a Muslim.
But Christianity provides complete and a convincing hope for the believer’s presence with
God (Rom. 8:38), through the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
CONCLUSION
Given the points of agreements and
disagreements, a logical conclusion is that the points of discord far outweigh
those in accord.
Islam and Christianity differ in the
basic foundational aspects of the topics of sin, salvation, and assurance. In
fact, we are well aware that Islam and Christianity do not worship the same God.
So Islam and Christianity do not teach the same truths.
However, it is interesting to note
that both religions claim their Scriptures to be divinely revealed or
inspired. Because of the prevalent fundamental and foundational contradictions,
it is only plausible that a person will go to God through either the Islamic way or
the Christian way, but certainly not through both the ways.
Given this situation, it is the
reader who should make a choice. But how would we make a wise choice if we do
not read our Scripture completely, or even think our faith through?
Let’s pray that every seeker of the
truth would be humble and honest in his endeavor. The living God would illumine
every seeking soul with the knowledge of his presence and the understanding of HIS
truth.
Even as I researched and authored
this document, I should confess that my faith and conviction in Christ has only
been strengthened. My love for Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away my sins,
has only increased.
The
brutally profound words of Millard Erickson present an apt conclusion, “…throughout
life, a person says to God, in effect, “Leave me alone.” Hell, the absence of
God is simply giving that person at last what he or she has always asked for.
It is not God, but one’s own choice that sends a person to hell.”40
So it is only through belief in the
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that one would gain eternal life. The loving and
the living God will act according to his good and perfect will to continually
draw his people closer towards him. Amen.
Endnotes:
39Badru D. Kateregga,
and David W. Shenk, A Muslim and a Christian Dialogue, (Scottdale: Herald
Press, 1997), 45.
40Millard J. Erickson,
Christian Theology, (Michigan: Baker Academic, 1998), 456.
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