As Christians we have many opportunities to come in contact with Muslims, maybe at Starbucks, the grocery store or at work. It is not very tough these days to meet them. They are our neighbors, colleagues and fellow citizen of this great nation. Because so many people from different parts of the world with various backgrounds and different beliefs have come to this country, makes it much easier for us to share what we believe as Christians. We don’t necessarily have to travel abroad on mission trips. I do respect and admire those who do have the calling of God to go out into the world. God has brought many of them right here to America, from Europe, China, Asia and of course the Middle East. In the past I had plenty of conversations with Muslims, some of them were moderates almost secular and some of them very religious following the Quran. It is always exiting and interesting to me, starting up a conversation about God and faith.
I like to share my faith when the opportunity arises, and as Paul said: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Gentiles). Rom 1:16.
In the past I have tried to show them that the Bible is the true word of God versus the Quran. That Jesus was and is more than just a prophet of God. But those conversation never really went anywhere. Most Muslims have made up there mind that the Bible is corrupted and the Quran is the true book and that Muhammad is the greatest prophet of God. Most of these conversations or debates just go back and forth without any real outcome or a changed mind on either side. I believe that we have to go to the fundamentals, one of them is the subject of a just God.
Asking Muslims about Allah and how they view him, they will answer most likely with that Allah is just. Allah is a just god. My second question to them is, I am a sinner and you are a sinner, both of us will die and one day and stand before God to face judgment. If Allah is just, how do you as a Muslim have assurance to make into paradise? If Allah is a just god, he has to punish sin, he cannot let sin go unpunished.
Most likely the answer is that Allah is also merciful. That is what Muslims believe. Allah is just and at the same time merciful. If sin demands justice i.e. the punishment for the offense, how can Allah be just and at the time be merciful. If Allah is just and merciful at the same time, would he not compromise being just?
It would be like a criminal found guilty before the jury for his crime and the judge saying, well I feel really good this morning, I will let you off the hook. That judge would not be just. He would have compromised justice. Some may argue that they can be merciful and just let someone go. That is a human perspective and many people may think that way, but none of them or any of us for that matter know true righteousness. If Allah is a just god, he cannot be just and merciful at the same time. And that in my view is a dilemma for the Muslims.
A dilemma, because Muslims cannot be sure if they are good enough to make it into paradise. There is no loving relationship with Allah. So they try to weigh out the good and bad they have done, in hope that Allah will be merciful and let them into Paradise.
That is another reason that we see so many suicide bombers. For them according to the radical Islamist, it’s a short cut and assured entry into paradise where they will be welcomed by 72 virgins.
Do Christians have the same dilemma as the Muslims? The Bible clearly teaches the God is just and cannot let sin go unpunished. God is also perfect in His Holiness and a perfect God cannot compromise His justness. The Bible declares that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We all have offended God, no matter who we are or from where we are, we all have fallen short i.e. missed the mark. How can God be appeased? How can we get a right standing before Almighty God?
The Bible says that we cannot come before God and stand on our own righteousness or by our works. The Bible also says that the law cannot make us righteous and save us from the wrath of God. What are we to do, how can we escape the punishment for our sins? May I say, nothing? God has provided a way out, and that way is Jesus Christ.
God in His foreknowledge has determined long ago before the foundation of the world that He would send His only begotten Son. Jesus Christ is the propitiation i.e. satisfaction or appeasement for our sins. Jesus who knew no sin became sin for the sinners. He suffered on the cross and paid the penalty that we deserved as sinners with His blood. Justice was served without God compromising His justness, and because the penalty for the sin of the world was paid in Christ, God by His grace showed mercy to those who will believe by faith in His Son Jesus. God loves us so much that He provided, the unblemished passover lamb, the only acceptable sacrifice and payment for fallen man.
The God of the Bible YHWH is truly just and merciful without compromising His perfect Holiness. For a Christian there is no dilemma, God is Holy, just and merciful to those who believe in His Son and His finished work on the cross.
The Islamic faith however has a dilemma, and if you are a Muslim, you have to ask yourself this question: How can Allah be just and at the same time be merciful? Do I have assurance of eternal life?
“He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” 1Peter 1;20, 21
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Eph 1:3-6
Media 4 Life Ministries 
Actually I can just answer it based on Bible itself, no need to open Quran to answer those question. I understand how Christian thinking about Creed, Apologetic. From your statement, I can just figure that you believe in Trinity. For me, Jesus died on cross is very unreasonable and not logic at all. It just like reaction chain to innovate doctrine to make sure Trinity is correct and it keep goes on with salvation and other doctrine. But I just answer based on your question.
But I just answer based on your question. : How can Allah be just and at the same time be merciful?
Allah to Omniscient, He can do what ever he want. To forgive is matter of simple thing.
To be just, God always justice to everybody, he give air to breath, he give food to eat, every body receive a basic thing to life. It just how we life make our self corrupted.
Can God be mercy and just at same time. Yes, He can. Judge can mercy to righteous and justice at same time. For who not obey Him, he is deserve to be punished.
Simple example : A mother love all his kids, she milking his sons, give him foods, give him shelter. But one of his kid is very stubborn, do not want listen to him, talk bad to him, find another parent while his mother given all the needs, burn his houses, make a destruction to furniture. Can this kid be punishes? Can that mother be call injustice?
So here change the word mother =God, son = human, house = earth,
God love all his servant, God give air to breath to his servant, give him foods, give him shelter (earth). But one of his servant is very stubborn, do not want listen to him, talk bad to him, find another Gods while God given all the needs, destruct his earths, make a destruction to others. Can this servant be punishes? Can that God be call injustice?
This is one of basic question in Islamic Creed, and we have branch of studied to answer this question named Tauheed and Akidah.
No point to debate if you do not understand or pretend not to understand about Islam. You can download it here: http://www.kalamullah.com/aqeedah.html Find any books in the link to understand it first.
LikeLike
Think about it Hifzan, if Allah is just and merciful, how does he punish the sinners? Sin is breaking the law and must be punished if Allah is a holy and just god. That is the dilemma for the Muslim. The God of the Bible is a Holy God and He is just and sin cannot go unpunished, otherwise He would not be Holy or Just. Before Jesus who was the passover lamb, the people had to sacrifice animals on the altar that would cover their sins. Blood is required in order to be cleansed from sin. But the blood of the animal could only cover the sins, Jesus by being the perfect and acceptable sacrifice took away the sin once and for all those who would believe in Him. There is no dilemma in Christianity, God gave His only begotten Son. Jesus is God (second person of the triune Godhead). Jesus became flesh and dwelled among us, He died on the cross and shed His blood for us. He was the propitiation that would reunite our spirit with God, that was broken because of sin. Jesus died for all sin and whosoever believes in Him, is justified. None of us is righteous before God, we all fall short of the Glory of God. Thanks to God who provided His own sacrifice just as He promised to Abraham on Mount Moriah when God tested Abraham’s faith and ask him to sacrifice Issac. That was a picture of what God would do 2000years later on the same mountain, Mount Moriah or the temple mount. Why would God give His only begotten Son? Because He loves us so much that He does not want anyone to perish but come to the true knowledge of Him. The blood of Jesus/Issa has cleansed those who believe and we as believers have the righteousness of Jesus imputed on to us. We are forgiven of our sins, we are a new creation, not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus has done for us. Something that we could not do ourselves. Jesus has set us free and He said that whom He sets free is free indeed. As believers in Jesus we can be sure that we will go to heaven, not by works but by faith. Can you say foe sure where you will go? Do you know for sure that Allah has forgiven your sins? Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life, no one will come to the Father but by me. He is the only way. Salvation is only to be found in Jesus and no one else. Just so you know, Christian believe in One God, just as Muslims and Jews. We know God as a triune God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as revealed in the Holy scriptures, but that is another topic, maybe for another time. I hope that you would consider what I wrote. God loves the Muslim people, read the “book” as Muhammad told you and seek Jesus with all your heart and He will reveal Himself to you, just as He does to thousands in the Middle East.
LikeLike
The question should goes to you too.
How can God is just and merciful if He give his only son to die on cross.
LikeLike
Thank you Cindy. Nice to have you on my blog, still trying to figure some things out in my settings for this site, well, it’s a work in progress.
LikeLike
wow! this is an excellent point! i do believe you are right when you say this is the fundamental flaw in the muslim belief system. this is and will be a powerful evangelism tool. the Holy Spririt definitely revealed this to you.
galatians 1:8 says, “let God’s curse fall on anyone, inluding us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.”
this has always made me think of islam and mormonism, both of which were revealed by angels. perhaps muhammad and joseph smith really did see angels, as in the angel lucifer.
bless you in your ministry. everyone needs to hear the truth about Christ!
LikeLike