By the Grace of God I had the opportunity today to read out of the Bible (John 14) in a Muslim mosque
to the imam. We had some discussions about Jesus and about what the Muslims believe and what us Christians believe.
As some of you know there are a lot of similarities between the Islam and the Christian faith. The word ‘Muslim’ actually means “submitted to God” (the same God of Adam, Noah, Moses, David, etc.)
The biggest difference between us is that they don’t believe in the Holy Trinity of God and that the only way they can get in to heaven is through good works and that they only do it out of the fear of going to hell.
They proudly admit that their religion is driven by fear and payment is received through works.
They believe that Jesus was only a prophet and so also their last prophet Mohammed and
that they don’t need to pay for their sins and that God will just forgive their sins when they ask for forgiveness.
There are still a lot of other differences and similarities between the Islam and Christian religions, but I just want to focus on this view right now.
While we were sitting in the mosque and talking to this imam, I couldn’t help the urge to start crying for this man. He thinks he is following God and doing everything that God wants him to do and he has so much love inside of him but he is so lost and actually on his way to hell.
There is so much that God showed and reminded me of today while we were talking to this Muslim man and trying to point him to Jesus, but these few things God came and revealed to me again in a different way than before.
Friends, if we don’t have Jesus in our lives and we are not following Him, we are lost and on our way to hell. John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
If there is any point in our lives that we realize that we are doing anything for God out of fear to go to hell or doing a work or a good deed so that God will like me more or forgive me and accept me... WE MUST STOP IMMEDIATELY!!
Because then we are denying everything that Jesus did for us on the cross, then we are no different than the Muslims.
Isaiah 64:6 “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags”
Everything we do is out of love for God and love for our neighbors, with a thankful hart for God’s grace on our lives
Jesus paid for all our sins!
We do not fear our enemy or death, for our hope is in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ!
We are washed clean with the blood of Christ to restore our relationship with our loving Father so that he can forgive us and accept us!
Jesus Christ our glorious savior!
Through Him everything is already done…