Shining God’s Light on the Koran – the Bible versus the Koran, Part 2

Sam continues his on-going series, which contrasts the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Islamic Koran on a variety of topics. He aims the beam of the Biblical laser on the Koran to expose, to reveal what it really says. See his previous articles here.
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The Bible v. the Koran

The question at hand is: Does the word of God change or contradict itself?

THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

The only true religion in Allah’s eyes is Islam (Surah 3:19).

Won’t they then muse on the Koran? If it were from anyone other than Allah: they would have found in it many contradictions (Surah 4:82).

COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

It is expected that those who know of the Koran will think on its writings. This will affect the conduct of those choosing to obey the words of Allah in the Koran. Understanding for their conduct will be gained as one ponders what is written.

Apparently, it is expected that those who write will not be error free and non-contradictory unless the writing is from God. Contradictions in a manuscript are considered a sure sign that God did not write the manuscript. Obviously, it is considered by the Koran that God does not contradict Himself.

If the Holy Bible is written by Allah then why would Allah consider Islam to be the only true religion? Did he not, at least according to the Koran, also found Judaism and Christianity? Is there a contradiction between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity?

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

Psalm 119:89 Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Isaiah 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.

COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

Settled means to be established on a permanent basis, stable, and not given to change. In this case, it is God’s word which is settled and it is forever: for all time and eternity. Since God’s word is settled in heaven it is also settled on earth as well which means that God has thought through what He would say or write and will not change His mind on what He has said or had written.

The living things on earth lose their vitality over time as their life leaves them. The writer of the Psalm gives the grass and the flower as examples of what changes over time for their life cycle is soon over. In contrast to things that die, the word of God is proclaimed as viable forever: for all time and eternity. The word of God is alive and its vitality which is from the Spirit of God energies it at all times.

COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE

The Koran focuses on the desirability of a person to meditate on its writings. The claim is made that people have not been able to find any contradictions in the Koran and this is then given as a proof of the Koran being from God. This denotes a doubt on the part of the writer that the Koran is really from God. Still, non contradictory is a good test for authenticity.

The Holy Bible, Scripture, proclaims itself the word of God with no reservations. It makes its statements in an authoritative way. It is established and unchangeable in heaven and will always be secure.

CONCLUSION

The Holy Bible appears to be more sure of itself as to its authenticity as being from God than does the Koran. The word of God does not change or contradict its self.

REFERENCES

The Koran passages are a paraphrase of several English translations.
The Koran, translated by N.J. Dawood: A Penguin Classic
The Qur’an, translated by M.H. Shakir: Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, Inc.
The Holy Qur’an, translated by Maulana Muhammad Ali: Ahmadiyya Anjumann Isha’at Lahore Inc. U.S.A.
The Koran, translated by Marmaduke Pickethall: Everyman’s Library, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, An explanatory translation by Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall, Dar al-Islamiyya, P.O.B. 45677-1298, Kuwait
The Holy Bible is the King James translation of 1611 from the WORD program by Tom Hills with the New Creations

Shining God’s Light on the Koran – the Bible versus the Koran

Sam continues his on-going series, which contrasts the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Islamic Koran on a variety of topics. He aims the beam of the Biblical laser on the Koran to expose, to reveal what it really says. See his previous articles here.

The Bible v. the Koran

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The Koran contends that the Holy Bible is explained and verified by the Koran. But is it, really?

THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

The only true religion in Allah’s eyes is Islam (Surah 3:19).

You Children of Israel: recall in your mind My (Allah’s) blessing which I graciously gave to you. Fulfill your part of the agreement with Me. I will honor My portion of the agreement with you. Be sure to fear My power (Surah 2:40).

Have confidence in that which I have revealed, they confirm your Scriptures, and be sure to not be the first to doubt them. Do not trade my revelations for a small price. Maintain your obligation to Me, and fear Me alone (Surah 2:41).

Do not confuse the truth by mixing falsehood with it. Also, do not knowingly hide the truth (Surah 2:42).

COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

The Koran claims to verify that what the Holy Scripture says is true. This is what is meant by the word confirm. If this statement is considered true then why are not Holy Bibles sold in Moslem countries instead of being banned as in Saudi Arabia?

By mixing truth with false information confusion is brought to the minds of the people on the receiving end of the message. Truth in this way can be turned into a lie.

The god of the Koran, Allah, is claiming to be the One who made the covenant with Israel and thus, claims to be the God of the Holy Bible: The same God who brought the Children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt and into their promised land.

If the Holy Bible is correct then why would Allah consider Islam to be the only true religion? Did he not also found Judaism and Christianity: At least according to the Koran?

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him.

Proverbs 30:6 Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

Pure, means to be free from any adulterant, without defect, free from impurities, or false doctrine. A defect would be an untruth, error, or misstatement. Scripture says that every word of God is pure. It is not just the sentence or paragraph of words which is pure but each and every individual word itself. The Holy Bible is the word of God, therefore the Holy Bible is pure.

The command is, “Do not add to God’s word.” There are three ways of doing this. The first is to make God’s word say more than it actually says. Second is to make God’s word say less than it actually says. Third is to state something as being from God which God’s word does not say at all.

Reproof for the individual who adds to God’s word is given as a distinct probability. The conclusion could be that God would find a person to be a liar. What do you think God would do with the person who He found to have lied in His name? Would you really want to be such a person?

COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE

The Koran verifies the correctness of the Holy Bible and Scripture says that it (the Bible) is pure and is the word of God. Therefore, the Holy Bible must be a very good book. Study it for yourself.

CONCLUSION

If the Koran confirms and verifies what the Holy Bible says, wouldn’t the two be in agreement in what they say? Why then do Moslems want to kill Christians and Jews? Should not the Moslems believe exactly the same as the Christians and the Jews: if this were true? Is the Koran true? Does the Koran provide eternal life to its adherents as the Holy Bible does to those who believe it?

If you want eternal life, you must believe that Jesus is God in the flesh, and that He received the wrath of God for your sins, and rose from the dead. Right now, you can choose to repent of your sins and invite Jesus into your heart. A sample prayer is, “Lord Jesus Christ forgive me of my sins and come into my heart.”

REFERENCES

The Koran passages are a paraphrase of several English translations.
The Koran, translated by N.J. Dawood: A Penguin Classic
The Qur’an, translated by M.H. Shakir: Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, Inc.
The Holy Qur’an, translated by Maulana Muhammad Ali: Ahmadiyya Anjumann Isha’at Lahore Inc. U.S.A.
The Koran, translated by Marmaduke Pickethall: Everyman’s Library
The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, An explanatory translation by Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall, Dar al-Islamiyya, P.O.B. 45677-1298, Kuwait
The Holy Bible is the King James translation of 1611 from the WORD program by Tom Hills with the New Creations

Shining God’s Light on the Koran

After a two week absence we continue the Shining God’s Light on the Koran series. Today's article is part of an on-going series contrasting the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Koran on a variety of topics. Previous articles include: "Was Abraham a Jew or a Christian?", "Idolatry 101, 102, 103, Oneness, Unbelievers, God's Character, The Resurrection, The Proclamation, The Judgment, and The Creation of Man.
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The Creation of Woman

Both the Koran and the Bible have much to say about what happened to mankind at and after their creation.

The Koran and the Holy Bible both agree that the woman was created after the man.

The Koran states: “You people? Have fear of your Lord, who created you from a single soul. From that soul He created its spouse, and through them He bestrewed the earth with countless men and women (1).” As far as I can tell: this is a true statement.

Further the Koran states, “He created for your spouses from among yourselves, that you might live in peace with them, and planted love and kindness in your hearts (2).

The Holy Bible is much more exact and detailed in its explanation and description of the creation of woman: “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.’ Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatever Adam called every living creature that was its name. In naming all the animals there was not found a help meet for Adam (3).

“The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh. The rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman and brought her unto the man. Adam said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they two shall be one flesh. They were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (4).”

The Apostle Paul in the New Testament portion of the Holy Bible pointed out, “the man was not created for the woman; but the woman for the man (5). “Adam was formed first and then Eve (6).”

Take note that God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” God made animals from the ground. With them all around man; Adam was still very much alone. An animal cannot fill the role of help meet. In His wisdom and design, God did not create another man for Adam. Another man could not fill the role of help meet. It is said that a dog is man’s best friend. Perhaps, we should think that God created woman to be man’s best friend.

There are people who want to change their sex. Notice Adam was created with precisely the gender God intended him to have. Likewise, Eve was created precisely with the gender that God wanted for her to have. God never designed gender to be optional as some today would have society believe. Adam and Eve had no choice in the matter. Likewise, we have no choice in determining our sex and cannot change it. Gender is determined by our genes and that cannot be changed. No amount of cosmetic surgery or of rhetoric can change our basic nature. The fact that people seek to change or identify with another gender than the one with which they were born is the result of the influence of a person’s upbringing and/or social or environmental influences. One’s behavior can always be changed despite what the psycho-babblists might contend. A person can enhance their physical and mental capacity, however they can never change the fact that they were born male or female.

We should be content with how God made us. We are each unique and special in His sight. We cannot outdo the Master Designer. All that feeble man can do is denigrate, tarnish and blemish God’s greatest creation. He is there to help us accept ourselves as He made us. He has made each of us for a purpose. He has a unique plan for each of our lives. His purpose and plan does not and cannot include a homosexual, transsexual or bisexual or any other so-called alternative lifestyle.

The place to begin in finding God’s purpose for you life is to repent of your sin and invite Jesus into your life. You can pray, “Lord Jesus Christ, forgive me of my sin and come into my heart.


References:

(1) Koran p. 60, paragraph 4:1; p. 322, paragraph 39:5
(2) Koran p. 285, paragraph 30:20
(3) The Holy Bible, Genesis 2:18-20
(4) The Holy Bible, Genesis 2:21-25
(5) The Holy Bible, 1 Corinthians 11:9
(6) The Holy Bible, 1 Timothy 2:13

Shining God's Light on the Koran - Dealing with Stealing

Sam continues his on-going series, which contrasts the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Islamic Koran on a variety of topics. He aims the beam of the Biblical laser on the Koran to expose, to reveal what it really says. See his previous articles here.

How the 'religion of peace' punishes theft. Source.

Theft

People do not like having something stolen from them. Both the Koran and The Holy Bible address this within their texts. God,it seems,does not approve of stealing either.

THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

Concerning theft.

The individual, male or female, who is judged as having taken another’s property stealthily: Cut off their hands as punishment for their crime. This is the penalty commanded by Allah: Who is mighty and wise. (Surah 5:38).

COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

The cutting off of a person’s hands may cut off any further theft by that person. On the other hand, it makes them less able to be self reliant and makes them a burden on society, unless they are allowed to perish. Perhaps the Allah of the Koran does not care if they perish. He does not seem to be very concerned about the individual person.

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

Exodus 22:1-15

1: If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

2: If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

3: If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

4: If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

5: If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.

6: If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

7: If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.

8: If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.

9: For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.

10: If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:

11: Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.
12: And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.

13: If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.

14: And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.

15: But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.

COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

The God of the Holy Bible requires restitution by the thief to the offended party. Compassion is shown on the thief as well as on the offended party.

COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE

Allah of the Koran appears cruel and inhumane, while the God of the Holy Bible is compassionate requiring only what the offense requires. See the contrast, cutting a person’s hands off, as opposed to restitution.

CONCLUSION

For people to fulfill or carry out the requirements of the Koran they must be cruel themselves, lacking in compassion and love.

The Koran promotes cruelty and hatred while the Holy Bible promotes compassion and love.

Likewise, we see an obvious contrast between the barbaric Islamic state’s fundamental rule of law, which is based on the principles, precepts and practices of Sharia Law, versus the exemplary American Constitution, which was originally based on the principles and precepts of God’s law. That law is found in the Judeo-Christian Bible. That is why the two political systems, an Islam nation and democratic republic are so incompatible. The two are as different as day and night, as evil and good.

In summary, how Islam deals with theft and how Judism and Christianity deal with theft reveal the true nature of the deities, who underpin the faiths. Unlike what Presidents Bush and Obama may think and profess, there are two very different and distinct deities the god of the Koran and the God of the Bible that separate the faiths and make them irreconcilable.

REFERENCES

The Koran passages are a paraphrase of several English translations.
The Koran, translated by N.J. Dawood: A Penguin ClassicThe Qur’an, translated by M.H. Shakir: Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, Inc.
The Holy Qur’an, translated by Maulana Muhammad Ali: Ahmadiyya Anjumann Isha’at Lahore Inc. U.S.A.
The Koran, translated by Marmaduke Pickethall: Everyman’s Library
The Holy Bible is the King James translation of 1611 from the WORD program by Tom Hills with the New Creations Ministries.

Mortality versus Immortality, Shining God's Light on the Koran Series

(SAFFORD, MISSOURI) Sam is on the road this weekend and sends this article from a location just outside of Springfield.

This article is part of an on-going series contrasting the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Koran on a variety of topics. Previous articles include: "Was Abraham a Jew or a Christian?", Idolatry 101, 102, 103, Oneness, Unbelievers, God's Character, The Resurrection, The Proclamation, The Judgment, The Creation of Man, The Creation of Woman, and The Fall of Man: Part 1-The Command, Part 2 – The Disobedience, Part 3 – The Consequence, Part 4 – Its Ramification, and Rightly Dividing (Interpreting) the Word – Part I, Part II, Part III.

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Mortality versus Immortality

Was man created immortal or mortal? This is the question we will be examining today from the Koran and from the Bible. Not surprisingly, the answers differ.

The God of the Koran created Adam mortal. This of course means that Eve was mortal as well. Several passages in the Koran point this out.

THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

“No man before you (Muhammad) have We made immortal. If you yourself are doomed to die, will they live forever? Every soul shall taste death. We will prove you all with evil and good. To us shall you return (1).” This verse shows that Satan is telling the truth in the Koran, from the Koran’s point of view when he said, “God had created man mortal.”

“He (Satan) replied, “I will not bow to a mortal whom You created of dry clay, of black molded loam (2).”

According to the Koran it is at the Judgment that those who have faith and do good will become immortal.

“Paradise shall be brought close to the righteous. We shall say to them ‘Here is all that you were promised. It is for every patient and faithful man, who fears the Merciful, though He is unseen, and comes before Him with a contrite heart. Enter it in peace. This is the day of immortality (3).”

Up until this time all people are mortal. Only the righteous from the Koran’s point of view, are given immortality. The others will maintain their mortality and go to hell.

In the Koran god tells Adam and Eve, “Never approach this tree or you both shall become transgressors (4).”

Here is a breach of logic and non-communication. Adam and Eve, according to the Koran, are already transgressors. They were created that way by virtue of being created mortal. What the Koran does not point out is that sin is what makes people mortal. They were created with sin. They could not become transgressors by eating the fruit of that tree for they were already transgressors by creation.

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

God created Adam sinless and immortal. God warned Adam that the day he would eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil he would surely die (5).

Adam and Eve ate of the fruit and died. This is when mankind became mortal. The Apostle Paul points this out.

“Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin; and so death passed upon all man (6).”

Without sin there is no mortality. The God of the Holy Scriptures did not create Adam sinful but he became that way through disobedience to God.

Isaiah writes, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear (7).”

We are all separated from God by Adam’s sin which we add to as our life goes on. How then can God forgive the sinner, the unjust which includes all of us (8).

We are justified freely by God’s unmerited favor through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ (9).

Jesus Himself bore our sins in His own body on the cross (10). He received the wrath of God, which is separation from God, against these sins (11). In this way He tasted death for all men and women (12).

The Koranic account of tasting death appears different than the scriptural account of tasting death. In the context of the Koran, Muhammad is told that he will die just as everyone else dies. Death then, I suspect, is referring to physical death. In the Holy Scriptures the death being referred to is total separation from God. This, Jesus endured on the cross when it became dark at midday and He said, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me." Jesus as God had always been in perfect fellowship with God the Father. This was broken for the space of several hours. When the infinite God, Jesus, had reduced the world’s sin to zero He could say, “It is finished.” The normal relationship and fellowship with God the Father could then resume. He then gave up His Spirit at the time of His choosing.

This substitutionary death of Jesus gives God the right to forgive mankind. This is not recognized in the Koran. The god of the Koran acquits sinners. Thus, sins go unpunished by the god of the Koran. The God of Scripture is Holy and Just and does not acquit sin or sinners. With Jesus substituting Himself for you and me and all mankind God was able to be Holy, Just and not acquitting sin and at the same time justify the sinner.

For each of us to receive the wrath of God for sin we would be forever under God’s wrath. We are not infinite and sinless as Jesus is (13).

Since Jesus is God the Son He was able to withstand being separated from God and still live. He took away the sin of the world (14).

I ask you, which God is merciful? Is it the one who will make all man taste death, or the One who tasted death for all mankind?

Only in Scripture is one told how to be saved from perdition (hell, or eternal separation from God). This comes through faith in Jesus. Only in the Holy Bible do we find these powerful, hopeful, and redemptive words, “For He (God the Father) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (15).”

You must believe that Jesus is God in flesh. He received God’s wrath for your sins on the cross. He died and rose from the dead. Confess to God you are a sinner and invite Jesus into your heart. As simple sample prayer is, “Lord, Jesus Christ, forgive me of my sin and come into my heart.”

REFERENCES

1. The Koran Page 229 Paragraph 21:34. 35
2. The Koran Page 185 Paragraph 15:33
3. The Koran Page 336 Paragraph 50:30
4. The Koran Page 13 Paragraph 2d35
5. The Holy Bible, Genesis 2:17
6. The Holy Bible, Romans 5:12
7. The Holy Bible, Isaiah 59:2
8. The Holy Bible, Romans 3:25
9. The Holy Bible, Romans 3:26
10. The Holy Bible, 1 Peter 2:24
11. The Holy Bible, Mark 15:4
12. The Holy Bible, Hebrews 2:9
13. The Holy Bible, 2 Thessalonians 1:8
14. The Holy Bible, John 1:29
15. The Holy Bible, 2 Corinthians 5:21

Shining God's Light on the Koran

This article is part of an on-going series contrasting the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Koran on a variety of topics. Previous articles include: "Was Abraham a Jew or a Christian?", Idolatry 101, 102, 103, Oneness, Unbelievers, God's Character, The Resurrection, The Proclamation, The Judgment, The Creation of Man, The Creation of Woman, and The Fall of Man: Part 1-The Command, Part 2 – The Disobedience, Part 3 – The Consequence, Part 4 – Its Ramification, Right Dividing (Interpreting) the Word – Part I, Part II Part III, Mortality versus Immortality, Worship, Adam or Jesus?, God Begat a Son, and the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.

Does God Love the Wicked?

Here is something with which the Koran and the Holy Bible absolutely disagree.

THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

“God does not love evil doers.”(1)

COMMENTARY ON THE KORAN

The message is quite clear from the Koran. God does not love those who do evil. The wicked are those who do evil.

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

“You have heard that it has been said, You shall love thy neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That youmay be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (2).

Behold, all souls are mine (Gods’); as the soul of father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. (3)

I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saieth the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. (4)

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God demonstrates his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (5)

COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

In the Old Testament we read that God does not delight in the destruction of the wicked. What pleases Him is for the wicked to repent of their evil and do what is correct in Gods’ eyes. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said love your enemies. This is what God does. He is good to the righteous and the wicked alike. Therefore, those who know God are to love their enemies. Do good to those that mistreat them and pray for those who take advantage of them. This is what “being perfect” means. Jesus showed Gods’ love for us in that while we were still sinners He died for us. Jesus died for evil doers.

God is perfect. He loves His enemies; even you and me. Each one of us is God’s property by reason of being created by Him. Death and destruction is separation from God and torment by fire in hell. Death and destruction are followed by judgment by Jesus, banishment and confinement into the Lake of Fire, the second death, forever.

Jesus took our sins in His own body, while on the cross, thus satisfying the justice demanded by God with His (Jesus’) sacrifice. There is no other way to escape the Lake of Fire, which is forever separation from the living God. Perhaps you would like to repent of your sins and invite Jesus into your heart? You can do so right now. A simple sample prayer is, “Lord Jesus Christ, forgive me of my sin and come into my heart.” I urge you to pray this today. Jesus is waiting.

REFFERENCES

1. The Koran, Page 47 Paragraph 3:58
2. The Holy Bible, Matthew 5:43-48
3. The Holy Bible, Ezekiel 18:4
4. The Holy Bible, Ezekiel 18:32 The Holy Bible, Romans 5:6-8

Shining God’s Light on the Koran – God Communicating with Man Part 1D

Sam continues his on-going series which contrasts the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Islamic Koran on a variety of topics. He aims the beam of the Biblical laser on the Koran to expose, to reveal what it really says. See his previous articles here.

God’s Verbal Interaction with Man, Part Four

Moses and Water from the Rock

According to the Koran, Allah is said to not directly communicate verbally with mankind. In the Holy Bible, however, God is said to have verbally communicated with men several times. I would like to consider in this current series of articles, one man in particular, Moses with the Children of Israel at Massah and Meribah.

THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

It is beneath the dignity of Allah to condescend to speak to a mortal with the exception of disclosing information or from behind a covering hidden from view or by dispatching a messenger who reveals with His permission what He pleases; certainly He is Exalted and exercises good judgment (Surah 42:51).

Allah made direct contact with Moses when speaking to him (Surah 4:164).

There is no comprehension of Allah’s character among those who say that Allah has never revealed anything to any mortal human ( Surah 6:91).

When Moses inquired about water for his people, We said: Hit the rock with your staff. Thereupon, out of the rock flowed twelve streams of water, and each one of the tribes knew their proper drinking place (Surah 2:60).

COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

According to the Koran Allah does not lower himself to speak directly to mortals. He may reveal something of new significance to someone, but not usually. He will hide himself behind a sheet or send a messenger to deliver the message he wants to send to people. Such as when Gabriel was sent to speak to Muhammad in order to reveal Allah’s word to him.

The Koran contradicts itself when it says that Allah does not speak openly to mortals. Contradicting itself, the Koran says that Allah spoke directly to Moses. Moses was a mortal to whom Allah spoke without something being between them.

Revelation can take on many forms. Verbal revelation is only one form of revelation from God. The implication that someone may say or think that God does not reveal anything to anyone shows a lack of clear understanding of God on the part of that Individual. God revealed Himself to Pharaoh through the ten plagues on Egypt and the destruction of the Egyptian army. This was not verbal communication from God to Pharaoh. Instead, God made an example of Pharaoh, and in so doing displayed His power for the entire world to see. This is an example of non-verbal communication between God and man.

When Moses came to a place in the desert where there was no water; Moses beseeched the Lord for water: Allah and Gabriel told Moses what to do, which was to hit the rock with his shepherd’s staff. Moses did do this and twelve streams of water flowed out of the rock, one stream for each of the twelve tribes.

BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

All the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched (their tents) in Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink (Exodus 17:1).

Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, “Why do you chide with me? Wherefore do you tempt the Lord?” And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, “Wherefore is this that you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst (Exodus 17:2,3)?”

And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, “What shall I do unto this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the Lord said unto Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you of the elders of Israel; and your rod, wherewith you smotest the river, take in your hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb; and you shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel (Exodus 17:4-6).

He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they temped the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us, or not (Exodus 17:7)?”

COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

Scripture states that there were 603,550 men twenty years old and older capable of going to war (Numbers 1:45, 46). The tribe of Levi is excluded from the count. If these 603,550 men were all married and had an average of three children per family, this would calculate to 3,017,750 people that were with Moses, excluding the population of the tribe of Levi. Have you ever taken your family on a camping trip? Remember the logistics involved? Imagine camping out with a family of over three million people. They follow their leader, who is God, to a place where there is no water. Instead of trusting God to provide; they complain that Moses has taken them out of Egypt into the desert to kill them all with thirst. Moses has the good sense to realize that it is not with him, that they are complaining, but with God. Moses explains the situation to God as being very desperate.

God speaks directly to Moses and tells him to go to a rock on which God Himself will stand, and to hit it with his shepherd’s staff. This he did, in front of the elders of Israel, and out of the rock gushed forth water.

Notice that in complaining about Moses and questioning that God was with them the children of Israel were actually tempting God.

COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE

The Koran and Scripture disagree on who it was that spoke to Moses and told him to hit the rock with his staff. In the Koran it was “We,” that is, Allah and Gabriel. In Scripture it was the Lord, who spoke to Moses, no angel was involved.

The Koran and the Scripture agree that water came forth from the rock. Enough water was supplied to provide amply for the whole congregation of Israel . The disagreement between the two is on the number of streams flowing from the rock. Scripture says water came out of the rock, which is one stream. The Koran, on the other hand, claims that there were twelve streams, which came forth from the rock.

It is interesting that Allah would have twelve streams gushing out of a rock, one stream for each one of the twelve tribes. In Scripture we learn that the High Priest was to wear a breastplate with twelve different stones and the name of each of twelve tribes of Israel on his chest (Exodus 28:2).

CONCLUSION

Which God would you prefer to serve. the one who will not humble himself to meet with mortal man, or the One, who is humble enough Himself to meet with mortal man.

It is possible that the Koran was written on hearsay by Muhammad and not by revelation from an angel. Inaccuracies within the Koran make it appear flummoxed. If the Koran were divinely inspired, then it would have no inaccuracies. In this series I have pointed out several inaccuracies, and expect to find numerous others.

REFERENCES

The Koran passages are a paraphrase of several English translations.
The Koran, translated by N.J. Dawood: A Penguin Classic
The Qur’an, translated by M.H. Shakir: Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, Inc.
The Holy Qur’an, translated by Maulana Muhammad Ali: Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at Lahore Inc. U.S.A.
The Koran, translated by Marmaduke Pickthall: Everyman’s Library
The Holy Bible is paraphrased from the King James Version
The Liberty Annotated Study Bible: Liberty University & Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Shining God’s Light on the Koran: Abraham’s Children

Sam continues his on-going series which contrasts the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Islamic Koran on a variety of topics. He aims the beam of the Biblical laser on the Koran to expose, to reveal what it really says. See his previous articles here.

The Children of Abraham

Abraham had eight children by three women. Ishmael by Hager (Genesis 16:15), Isaac by Sarah (Genesis 21:3), and Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah by Keturah (Genesis 25:1,2). Yet Abraham has more children than these eight. Could you be one of them?

THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

Praise be to God who has given me Ishmael and Isaac in my old age (1)!

Abraham said: ‘Lord, make this a secure land. Preserve me and my descendants from serving idols. Lord, many have they led astray. He that follows me shall become my brother, but if anyone turns against me, You are surely forgiving and merciful (2).

COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

The Koran lists only two of Abraham’s children: Ishmael and Isaac. Those who follow Abraham are then considered brothers of Abraham. Those who turn against Abraham will be forgiven by the god of the Koran who is merciful. This is implied by the phrase, “you are surely forgiving.”

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (3).

For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (4).

It is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewomen. But he who was of the bond-women was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise (5).

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bond woman and her son: for the son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free (6).

COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

Scripture gives the names of the eight children of Abraham along with their mothers’ names. One of the children is a child of promise from God.

The covenant and promise of God with Abraham was carried on to Isaac only and not the other seven children (7). From this covenant and promise arrives the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the blessing to the entire world and to every family on earth. Whoever believes on Jesus becomes a child of Abraham by promise of God to Abraham. That is of course to believe that Jesus is God in flesh, the second person of the Trinity. That Jesus was sinless and lived a sinless life in total obedience to his Father the first person of the Trinity. That Jesus was crucified, shed his blood on the cross, and died on the cross: having taken the sins of the whole world in his own body on the cross. Then He received the wrath of God against himself for those sins, tasting death for each and every person. Jesus was buried and rose from the dead. When one confesses to God that they are a sinner and invites Jesus into their heart; Jesus saves them from perdition.

COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE

In the Koran those who follow Abraham are called brothers of Abraham. In scripture those who follow Abraham are called by God the children of Abraham according to the promise of God.

In the Koran if one curses Abraham then God is merciful and forgiving. In Scripture if one curses Abraham then God will curse those who curse Abraham. It is an automatic response to anyone.

CONCLUSION

If you would like to be a child of Abraham you need to confess to God that you are a sinner, and then invite Jesus into your heart. A sample prayer is, “Lord Jesus Christ forgive me of my sins and come into my heart.”

REFERENCES

1. The Koran, Page 182 Paragraph 14:40
2. The Koran, Page 182 Paragraph 14:36
3. The Holy Bible, Galatians 3:6-14
4. The Holy Bible, Galatians 3:26
5. The Holy Bible, Galatians 3:22,23
6. The Holy Bible, Galatians 4:28-31
7. The Holy Bible, Genesis 29:2-5; 17:21; 12:3; 15:18

Shining God’s Light on the Koran – who is your father?

Happy Father's Day!

Sam continues his on-going series, which contrasts the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Islamic Koran on a variety of topics. He aims the beam of the Biblical laser on the Koran to expose, to reveal what it really says. See his previous articles here.

Is GOD the Father to All Men?

The question at hand is, do all men and women have God as their father? A second question is, how does God become ones Father to those He chooses to save? Thirdly, can anyone become a child of God?

John 3:7, 9
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

John 3:13-16
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:17-19
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

The only true religion in Allah’s eyes is Islam (Surah 3:19).

“Every child is born in Islam: it is his parents who make him a Jew or a Christian” ((B. 23:179) a saying of the Prophet, commentary on the Quran in “The Holy Qur’an” page 140, by Maulana Muhammad Ali, Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at Islam Lahore Inc. U.S.A.).

Speak positively. Glory be to Allah! He has not obtained for His Own; a son. He has no joint ownership with anyone in His kingdom. He does not need an assistant due to any inability. Announce His majesty and esteem Him highly (Surah 17:111).

He, who is sovereign over the heavens and the earth, Who has begotten no children, and Who has no partner in his sovereignty. He has created everything, and established it all in its proper place (Surah 25:2).

Declare: Allah, He is One: Eternal. On Him all depend. He begets no one, nor is He begotten. There is none like unto Him (Surah 112:1-4).

People say: “Allah has begotten a son.” Nonsense, He is self-sufficient. All that is in heaven and earth belongs to Him. You have no right to make such a statement. Do you speak against Allah what you know nothing about (Surah 10:68)?

COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

According to Mohammad, children are born believing in Islam, which according to the Koran is the only correct religion. Allah is pleased with no other.

Basic in the teaching of Islam is that God, Allah the Arabic word for God, is one person and definitely not a trinity of persons, as is the case of the God of the Judeo-Christian Bible.

According to the Koran, Allah has no children and most surely has not begotten any. There is no one else of equal stature. This means that one cannot be a child of Allah. Believers in Islam, it would appear from the Koran, have no father nor does Allah appear to desire to have anyone as his child. Moslems are apparently fatherless with no spiritual father. It is a father who looks after and cares for his children because he loves them. Allah it appears has no fatherly love for those in Islam. Why then should Allah ever care for them. It is beneath the dignity of Allah to ever be a father.

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

John 1:1-18

1-5: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

1:6-9: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

1:10-13: He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14-18: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Hebrews 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. .
Hebrews 2:16
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Matthew 18:3-5
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receives Me.

Matthew 19:14
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

God does not delight in the death of anyone. Instead He prefers that people repent of their sins and be saved. He is not willing that any should perish. If this is the case why would God save only a chosen few? The fact is He gives the right to anyone, who truly believes on Jesus, to be a child of God and to be saved. One must believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. That He lived a sinless life. That Jesus took your sins in His own body on the cross and received the wrath of God for your sins and all the people in the world. You must believe that Jesus rose from the dead. You must repent of your sins. You need to confess to God you are a sinner, and invite Jesus into your heart.

Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not: For of such is the Kingdom of God.” Jesus said “children”. He did not say: some children or only this child. He said “children” as in all children. No child was excluded in this statement. That means that all children can be saved. Otherwise how could Jesus say, “Of such is the kingdom of heaven”. How else could Jesus say, “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.”?

God’s provision for sin extends to all men and women. When Jesus received the sins of all mankind into His own body on the cross no one was excluded. The Apostle John writes that Jesus is the propitiation, or payment, for sin but not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world. No one is excluded. Scripture says, “That He (Jesus) by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” No one is excluded. Jesus is the only mediator between God and men. This includes all men. Again; none is excluded.

People have a choice. It is written, He (Jesus) came unto His own and His own received Him not, but as many as received Him to them He gave the right or power to become the Children of God even to them that believe on his name (John 1:11, 12). No one is excluded by God but some people choose to exclude themselves. God knew before creation who would exclude themselves and those who would accept His gift of salvation. Those then that He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29).

COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE

In the Koran Allah (God) has no children. Not even you can be his child nor is Jesus his child. Allah of the Koran does not want children and it is beneath his dignity to have children.

In the Holy Bible we read that God is a Father. He is the Father of His only begotten Son and the Father of those who believe on Him. You can become a believer and have a personal relationship with God the Father in heaven and become a part of His family so He can care for you and about you just as a good father whould.

CONCLUSION

You can have God as your Father right now, today if you like, and you will have eternal life given to you by Him.

If you want eternal life you must believe that Jesus is God in flesh, that He received the wrath of God for your sins, and that He rose from the dead. You can repent of your sins right now and invite Jesus into your heart. A sample prayer is, “Lord Jesus Christ forgive me of my sins and come into my heart.”

REFERENCES

The Koran passages are a paraphrase of several English translations.
The Koran, translated by N.J. Dawood: A Penguin ClassicThe Qur’an, translated by M.H. Shakir: Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, Inc.The Holy Qur’an, translated by Maulana Muhammad Ali: Ahmadiyya Anjumann Isha’at Lahore Inc. U.S.A.
The Koran, translated by Marmaduke Pickethall: Everyman’s Library
The Holy Bible is the King James translation of 1611 from the WORD program by Tom Hills with the New Creations Ministries

Shining God’s Light on the Koran - Is it Inspired? Part 2

Sam continues his on-going series which contrasts the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Islamic Koran on a variety of topics. He aims the beam of the Biblical laser on the Koran to expose, to reveal what it really says. See his previous articles here.


Inspiration, Part 2

Moses was inspired to write the first five books of the Holy Bible which are: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. ‘Who gave him the inspiration?’ is the question.

THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

We gave Moses the Book and made it a guide for the Israelites (Surah 17:2).

We gave the Torah to Moses, but contentions arose about it (Surah 41:45).

COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

“We gave” is what both passages in the Koran reports. The recipient was, of course, Moses. The “We” is Allah along with the angels Gabriel and Michael. In the Koran certain of the angels are given a godlike status by being included in Allah’s personal pronoun, “We,” even though they are created beings. For someone who does not need anyone else (Surah 22:64),this really does not make sense.

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out you three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And the three came out. And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they came both forth. And he said, “Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak to him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed (Numbers 12:1-9).

And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face (Deuteronomy 34:10).

And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend (Exodus 33:11a).

COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

Moses, a prophet much greater than even Mohamed, had a most unusual relationship with God in that God spoke with Moses face to face. When Scripture says they spoke face to face it does not mean that Moses saw the person [Exodus 8-10, 20-22] with whom He was speaking. God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and cannot be seen unless He chooses to reveal Himself. This relationship lasted for forty years from the time he was 80 years old to the time he was 120 at his death. People should be fearful of discounting what Moses wrote as unreliable.

COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE

In the Koran it is the “We,” who gave the writings to Moses. These are, of course, the angels Gabriel and Michael and the god of the Koran, Allah.

In Scripture it is the Lord God who spoke directly to Moses and is the one who gave Moses instructions.

CONCLUSION

The Koran is not telling the truth when it takes credit for the writing of Scripture. Do you want to trust your eternal destiny on the writings of the inaccurate Koran?

Shining God's Light on the Koran

This article is part of an on-going series contrasting the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Koran on a variety of topics. Previous articles include: "Was Abraham a Jew or a Christian?", Idolatry 101, 102, 103, Oneness, Unbelievers, God's Character, The Resurrection, The Proclamation, The Judgment, The Creation of Man, The Creation of Woman, and The Fall of Man: Part 1-The Command, Part 2 – The Disobedience, Part 3 – The Consequence, Part 4 – Its Ramification, and Right Dividing (Interpreting) the Word – Part I, Part II.

Rightly Dividing (Interpreting) the Word, Part III

In studying the Koran a reader of AGC … wrote to me that it is good to know the historical, linguistic and theological context to understand the Koran. I would not disagree with this statement. The same is true of the Holy Scripture. One more thing is important for the understanding of the Holy Scriptures. That is the Holy Spirit. He is the one who wrote it through men of old and His enlightenment is needed to understand it.

THE KORAN

Consider a passage of history from the Koran which shows god created the universe in six days.

“It was god who in six days created the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them, and then ascended the throne (1).”

The linguistics of Arabic is beyond my capability. I am confined to English and trust that the translator knew what he was doing when translating from Arabic to English. In the next passage a linguistic difference is found concerning creation versus one solid mass.

“Are the disbelievers unaware that the heavens and the earth were but one solid mass which We tore asunder, and that We made every living thing from water (2)?”

In the first passage it is god, himself, who created. In the second passage it is god with the help of others who tore apart a solid mass which they then used to form the heavens and the earth. Nothing is told of the creation of the solid mass. Did it take six days to make? Did it eternally exist with god? Was it created first? To make the two passages harmonize with each other one would have to say that god first made a solid mass which he and others then broke apart to become the earth, sun, planets, and stars in space. Somewhere in the six days, he made water from which he made living creatures to populate the earth with life. Someone else may come up with a better explanation but the parameters are: six days, one god with helpers, a rock, and all that is created.

Theologically, there is one god. Yet, there are others who are given a god like status; namely Gabriel, Michael, and possibly others. Consider the following passages.

“God has said: ‘You shall not serve two gods, for He is but one God. Fear none but Me’ (3).”
“We created you: will you not believe then in Our power (4)?”

“Say: ‘Whoever is an enemy of Gabriel’ (who has by God’s grace revealed to you (Muhammad) the Koran as a guide and joyful tidings for the faithful, confirming previous scriptures) ‘whoever is an enemy of God, His angles, or His apostles, or of Gabriel or Michael, will surely find that God is the enemy of the unbelievers’(5).”

The term we created means that god alone is not the creator. We tore apart the rock to make earth and heaven means that god did not create by himself.

THE HOLY BIBLE

“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it (6).”

The Holy Scripture has some of the same history in it as the Koran. Creation in six days, but God rested on the seventh day. The Holy Bible starts with the beginning. Before this there was no time or universe. Only God and the angels who were created before the beginning for they sang for joy at the creation and observed what God did (7). In the first chapter of Genesis and the beginning of chapter two God logs a chronicle of His daily activities for seven days (8). He started with nothing to create all that is observed today.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was with out form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (9).”

When God created heaven He created the space to put the universe in. Today the observable universe is 15 billion light years in radius. This is the space with nothing in it except the earth when God created it in verse one. When the earth was in its raw state in verse two the land mass was under water. Without form meant the water was moving changing the shape of the earth. Void meant that nothing was on the earth yet. The Spirit of God was moving on the face of the waters waiting for the next command of God.

“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day (10).”

God defines the term of day to mean an evening and morning which is one rotation of the earth. The source of light must have been fixed to provide the oscillating of night and day. It was on day four that the sun was created (11).

Linguistically there are many helps on understanding the Hebrew. Strong’s Concordance of the Bible is one such help. It has every Hebrew and Greek word in the Bible listed and defined from the original language. The most important word in Genesis chapter one of course is God. God happens to be a plural word. Long before I knew anything about Hebrew I knew God was plural from the English. I knew this from the context in Genesis 1:26 and Genesis 3:22.

“And God said, Let Us make man in our image, after Our likeness: … (11).”

“And the Lord God said, Behold the man is become as one of Us, … (12).”

The Us, Our, and one of Us is not God referring to Himself and the angles but rather the three Persons of the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The Hebrew word translated God from the Hebrew is Elohim which is a plural word and takes a singular verb. God is still one even though He is plural. Do you find this confusing double talk? Consider this; a husband and wife is one flesh even though they are two individuals. God says so (13).

This plurality of the one God is basic theology and shown else where in scripture and is a basic truth in Christianity. The following passage shows the plurality and oneness.

“Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God (14).”

Notice who is speaking: The Lord the King of Israel. This is God the Father. Also speaking is his redeemer the Lord of hosts. This is God the Son before He took on flesh and was called Jesus.

Together they say “I am”, ”me”, and beside me there is no God.

To understand Holy Scripture requires enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Louis Sperry Chafer, D.D., Litt.D., Th.D. President and Professor of Systematic Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary writes in the preface to his eight volume work on Systematic Theology:

“No substitute will ever be found for the knowledge of the Word of God. That Word alone deals with things eternal and infinite and it alone has power to convert the soul and to develop a God-honoring spiritual life. There is a limitless yet hidden spiritual content within the Bible which contributes much to its supernatural character. This spiritual content is never discerned by the natural, or unregenerate man (I Cor. 2:14), even though he has attained to the highest degree of learning or ecclesiastical authority. The natural capacities of the human mind do not function in the realm of spiritual things. The divine message is presented “not in the works which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (I Cor. 2:13), and the Spirit has been given to the regenerate that they might “know the things that are freely given to us of God.” When, on the ground of scholarship, unregenerate men have been permitted to dictate to the church what she shall believe, she has descended from her supernatural character to the level of a human institution, and it is safe to conclude that men are unregenerate who deny the only ground upon which a soul may be saved.”

Acquiring the knowledge of the spiritual content of the Bible is a life task. The great preachers who have moved the hearts of men with divine power have been saturated with Bible truths secured through a first-hand, daily study of its text. General facts of human learning may be acquired by the usual means, but spiritual truths are apprehended only as taught to the individual heart by the Spirit (15).”

Perhaps you would like God to teach you by His Spirit. It begins by receiving Jesus as your Savior. You do this by repenting of your sins and receiving Jesus into your heart. A sample payer you can pray is: Lord Jesus Christ forgive me of my sin and come into my heart.

References

1. The Koran, Page 291 Paragraph 32:4
2. The Koran, Page 229 Paragraph 21:28
3. The Koran, Page 190 Paragraph 16:48
4. The Koran, Page 380 Paragraph 56:57
5. The Koran, Page 19 Paragraph 2:98
6. The Holy Bible, Exodus 20:11
7. The Holy Bible, Job 38:4-12
8. The Holy Bible, Genesis 1:1-2:3
9. The Holy Bible, Genesis 1:1,2
10. The Holy Bible, Genesis 1:3,4,5
11. The Holy Bible, Genesis 1:26
12. The Holy Bible, Genesis 3:22
13. The Holy Bible, Genesis 2:22-24; Matthew 19:4-6
14. The Holy Bible, Isaiah 44:6
15. Systematic Theology by Lewis Sperry Chafer, Volume I page vi

Shining God’s Light on the Koran re: Salvation

Sam continues his on-going series which contrasts the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Islamic Koran on a variety of topics. He aims the beam of the Biblical laser on the Koran to expose, to reveal what it really says. See his previous articles here.


Salvation

“Hell,” an often used word, is a place of fiery torment where the damned go upon death. These people will one day be judged by God and then thrown into the Lake of Fire to burn in torment forever. This is the Christian perspective from scripture (1).

The Koran describes hell as an evil resting place (2) in which a person is subjected to scalding water and fire all around them (3).

Neither of the descriptions of hell from scripture or in the Koran is appealing to me. Still, I have met people who plan to go there. To have a way of escaping from this place, “hell,” and then to actually escape “it” is what it means to be saved.

Both the Scripture and the Koran refer to being saved. However, they differ on how one can be saved. Unfortunately for some people or fortunately for others, only one way of salvation is correct. A wrong course or choice is less than undesirable.

THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

But God will deliver those who fear Him, for they have earned salvation. Harm shall not touch them, nor shall they ever grieve (4).

Such is the Paradise you shall inherit by virtue of your good deeds. Your sustenance shall be abundant fruit (5).

Then he whose good deeds weigh heavy in the scales shall dwell in bliss; but he whose deeds are light, the Abyss shall be his home (6).

COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

In the Koran we read that a person earns their salvation by their good deeds. Good deeds are to be weighed over against ones bad deeds providing more weight to the good side of the scales for salvation. Who knows the weight of one’s deeds whether good or bad? What is the weight value of each deed committed? Is it possible to do more good than evil? Why doesn’t this work in Sharia Law or honor killing? Muslims do not conduct themselves this way in this life. Why should they think the god of Islam will conduct himself this way in the after life? How can a person keep score in order to know if he is saved, or lost? Can anyone have assurance of being saved or does one always wonder, afraid of the unknown?

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

The jailer called for a light, rushed in, and fell trembling at the feet of (the apostle) Paul and Silas. Then he led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved: you and your family.” Then they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in the house. At that very hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; and he and all his family were baptized at once. Then he took Paul and Silas up into his house and gave them some food to eat. He and his family were filled with joy, because they now believed in God (7).

But Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (8)

He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace. He gave us this grace by means of Christ Jesus before the beginning of time (9).

For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (10).

COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

Scripture is quite clear that it is through faith in Jesus Christ that we are saved from the wrath of God to come. Salvation is not something anyone can earn. If it were something to be earned, then people could brag about how good they were. God wants humility not pride in people. God had this all figured out before the creation started. God extends His grace to all people and only those who exercise their faith in Jesus are saved. Until a person believes in Jesus they do not believe in God.

This is shown by the account of the jailer. First, he believes and is saved through faith then he does good works. His good works are the result of his getting or being saved in the first place. Once the jailer believed in Jesus and was saved, he is then considered in Scripture to believe in God.

The people knew when they were saved. They were quite happy when it happened.

Salvation is a gift to you from God which He paid for by the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. You must accept it by faith.

COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE

In the Koran salvation is earned by each individual. There has to be enough good work in your life to out weigh the bad deeds you did in your life. In Scripture salvation is not earned by you, but is a gift from God to you, which you must receive by faith in Jesus. Otherwise you could boast about it.

CONCLUSION

Which situation do you prefer, or which course do you choose to take in your life? On the one hand, you can choose to work for your salvation and never knowing for sure if you are saved. Or the other option, you can choose to accept the free gift, free to you, from God and knowing for sure that you are saved now. If you desire the free gift you can ask Jesus into your heart today. A sample prayer is, “Lord Jesus Christ, forgive me of my sin and come into my heart.”

The Plan of Salvation

REFERENCES

1. The Holy Bible Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:13-15
2. The Koran Page 31 Paragraph 2:206
3. The Koran Page 333 Paragraph 40:70
4. The Koran Page 326 Paragraph 39:62
5. The Koran Page 347 Paragraph 43:72
6. The Koran Page 431 Paragraph 101:5
7. The Holy Bible Acts 16:29-34 TEV
8. The Holy Bible Luke 7:50 TEV
9. The Holy Bible II Timothy 1:9 TEV
10. The Holy Bible Ephesians 2:8,9