(focus on teachings)
by Howard Watson
The impression which I have received of the Muslim religion is
that it rejects Jesus Christ or limits His saving work, therefore
MAKING salvation from God through Christ Jesus as unnecessary to
Moslems who follow a works method of entrance into heaven with a
great deal of Jewish religious influences going back to Moses and
Abraham. Why the Moslems have such a "thing" about Israel
and the Jews is beyond my sober understanding. It appears to be
a blind type of hatred which is expressed, not only in deadly acts
against Jews, but also against those whom they perceive to be siding
with or helping/supporting Israel, including the United States and
others.
First, we must call upon the Moslems to totally stop this path of
death and destruction, about which they appear complacent. Members
of their own religion make outlandish claims and do insane acts
to their own destruction.
Also, Muslems need to rethink their resistance of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. How is Christ Jesus going to hurt them? Are we or
some others trying to force Christ upon them? Certainly not. The
Gospel of Christ calls for personal repentance and faith. Only the
individual can do that for himself/herself. No Christian or anyone
else can make/force someone to have faith in Jesus Christ.
This fighting against the spread of the Gospel is truly a fight
against the plan of Jehovah God's Son, note Matthew 28:18f. If this
is what the battle's about, Jehovah will give victory.
Second, on the issue of the land, only the Word of God can settle
that. I read that the land is Israel's Gen.12:7f and 13:14f. Since
both the Jews and the Palestinians believe or look to the Bible
for their ground of being, then the land issue is not worth all
the warfare. Let them live in peace and rule under Jehovah God and
enjoy the prosperity. In my opinion, the Jews can be trusted to
rule well with justice to all, allowing freedom of religion for
all to live with full citizenship and participation.
Muslims must renounce religious wars falsely call "holy."
If they don't, then they will perish on the blades of other's swords.
The days of the Saracens are long past.
Christians must preach and witness to the truth, even when others
oppose and threaten harm. Here the true love of God will prevail
because it never fails; see I Cor. 13. We, as Christians, are called
to give our total personal being in sharing Christ with the world,
Romans 12.
FOCUS ON TEACHINGS OF ISLAM
A recent article in the local newspaper contained an interview with
an Islamic cleric, who was quoted as saying that Abraham had not
taken Isaac on the mountain as directed by Jehovah Elohim but had
taken Ishmael. This is a direct contradiction to the Words of Genesis
as found in chapters twenty-one and twenty-two.
God had promised Abraham a son of Sarah not a son (Ishmael) of Hagar
who was a son of fleshly conception.
God's plan of salvation is totally a plan of faith, not human effort
and works. This change made by Mohammed directly changes this plan
at its roots.
Therefore Moslems are not following God's plan of salvation through
Abraham's relationship with Him and through David the king who proceeded
in the promised line and through Jesus Christ who was born of Mary
by the conception of the Holy Spirit as God's only begotten Son.
Jesus died for our sins and was raised for our justification through
our personal faith in Him as our risen Lord and Savior.
Human works, a process of individual fleshly effort to gain forgiveness
of sins and errors, cannot bring us to spiritual holiness and new
life through Christ or anyone else or by any other religious system.
All other systems of forgiveness/cleansing/salvation from personal
sins fail.
I recommend that you check out two websites on Christ and the Muslims.
www.farsinet.com; answering-islam.org.uk.
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