Shining God’s Light on the Koran

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This article is part of an on-going series. See previous articles: "Was Abraham a Jew or a Christian?", "Idolatry 101, 102 and 103.

Oneness

The Koran teaches that the eternal God is One. He has no equal. He was never begotten nor did He beget anyone (1). Compare this with the Shema in the Torah which states, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord (2). While the Shema appears similar to what the Koran says, in that God is one. The Shema neither says that God did not beget a Son, nor that God was never born.

Jesus did not speak when He was brought before the High Priest at the time He was accused of wrongdoing. In desperation the High Priest said to Jesus, “ I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You (are) the Christ, the Son of God (3).” Jesus said to him, you got that right. Nevertheless I say to you. After this you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the High Priest tore his (own) clothes, saying, He (Jesus) has spoken blasphemy. The High Priest added “What further need have we of witness.” To the elders Caiaphas said, “You heard Him. What do you think? The elders answered and said, “He is guilty of death (4).” The high priest and the elders of Israel rejected Jesus as being the Son of God. Yet, they were looking for the Son of God for they asked Him if He was the Son of God.

In the book of Isaiah Scripture says, “A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel, which means God with us (5).” Isaiah writes, “…Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulders; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace (6).”

Moses referred to this in the Torah when he wrote, “The Lord your God will raise up unto you a prophet from the midst of you of your brethren, like unto me, unto Him you shall hearken (7). At the time of Moses’ death there had not arisen anyone like Moses who knew the Lord face to face (8).” God spoke of this person when He told Eve that her seed would bruise the head of the serpent and the serpent would bruise the heel of her seed (9).

In the Koran the term “one” is represented as being only a single person. In Scripture it not only can represent a single entity, but also unity. The Hebrew word “one” the Shema is also found where God says “the people is (are) one” (10).” In this instance many individuals is referred to as one. It is the same Hebrew word where God says, “they have all one language (11).” The language is a single entity. God then says, “Let us go down, and there confound their language (12).” God reveals Himself as more than a single individual as represented in the term “Us”.

Indeed, the Hebrew word translated “God” in the book of Genesis, chapter one, is “Elohiym” which is a plural word (13). God had a conference before creating man and said, “Let us make man in Our image, and after Our likeness (14). Again the words “our” and “us” denote more than a single individual in referring to God. It cannot refer to angels since they are created beings and God is not created, but self-existent and eternal.

God took the rib of Adam and made a woman. Thus, they were one flesh, yet two individuals (15). This is why when we use the term man it often means both male and female.

Jesus spoke of God the Father saying, “I and my Father are one (16).” The Father is in me and I am in Him (17).” Notice that they are two individuals, yet, they are one. In the upper room where Jesus ate the Passover He prayed for His followers that they would be one as Jesus and the Father are one (18). Further in the prayer Jesus prays that His followers may be one in Us (19). There are millions of followers of Jesus and He prays that they would be one in Him and the Father. Notice that Jesus refers to Himself and the Father as Us even though they are one. This, there can be a oneness in the plurality of persons in Scripture. However, Koran does not recognize this.

The apostle Paul writes, “…We have many members in one body…every one members one of another (20)… By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body…and all have been made to drink into one Spirit (21).” Please notice there is one Spirit, which makes the many one. This is shown when Saul was on the road to Damascus to persecute the Christians there. Jesus confronted Saul and said to him, “Why are you persecuting Me?” Also notice that Jesus did not say “Why are you persecuting My followers, but He said “Me.” This shows that His followers are one with Him. In the same way God is one with three persons – God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit.

If you desire to be one with God you can do so right now. Repent of your sins by confessing to God that you are a sinner and invite Jesus to come into your life and heart (inner being). Pray something like the following: “Lord Jesus Christ forgive me of my evil and sin and come into my life.”



References:

(1) Koran p. 434, paragraph 112:1, 112:4
(2) Deuteronomy 6:4
(3) Matthew 26:59-63
(4) Matthew 26:64-66
(5) Isaiah 7:14
(6) Isaiah 9:6
(7) Deuteronomy 18:15
(8) Deuteronomy 34:10
(9) Genesis 3:15
(10) Genesis 11:6
(11) Genesis 11:6
(12) Genesis 11:7
(13) Genesis 1
(14) Genesis 1:26
(15) Genesis 1:21-24
(16) John 10:30
(17) John 10:38
(18) John 17:11
(19) John 17:21
(20) Romans 12:4 5; 1 Corinthians 12:12
(21) 1 Corinthians 12:13