God of Islam vs. God of Christianity

Below are some comparisons between Islam and Christianity. I am putting this up because I think it is important to look at the differences and also, because there seems to be more attention given lately to the Muslim faith being that of peace and loving. Now there may be some people that are peaceful and loving in Islam, but when you read these comparisons, you make the decision about the two faiths. Also, amazing how they can have a prayer function for Islam that receives all kinds of attention, but when the Day of Prayer was canceled, not too much, but I digress.

As you will see the comparison's are taken from a book, which is a great read, and all that I pulled was verses that compare to one another. Just to think about.

GOD OF ISLAM VS GOD OF CHRISTIANITY

Below list is taken from a book entitled, “Islam Unveiled,” by Abdullah Al-araby.

The God of Christianity

Christianity believes in a one triune God, while Islam rejects this concept as blasphemous.

• “They do blaspheme who say Allah is one of three in a Trinity, for there is no god except One Allah.” Surah 5:73

It seems that Islam’s understanding of the Trinity was derived from a Christian heresy which existed in Arabia at the time of Mohammed. This heresy taught a trinity consisting of God the Father, God the Mother (the Virgin Mary), and God the Son (Jesus). The Qur’an says:

• “And behold! Allah will say: O Jesus the son of Mary didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah? He (Jesus) will say: Glory to thee, never could I say what I had no right (to say).” Surah 5:116

You would need to lead them to Matthew 28:19-20

• “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
• No sign of Mary anywhere and it still shows that the Son has authority and power.

The Father

Islam does not know a loving Father. An intimate relationship is foreign to them and is also condemned by the Qur’an.

• “(Both) the Jews and the Christians say, ‘We are sons of Allah and His beloved.’ Say: why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay, you are but men of the men He has created.” Surah 5:18

Compare to:

• “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. . .” Matt. 6:9
• “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:1-2

The Son

Islam does not accept the role or deity of Jesus Christ.

• “O people of the book! Commit no excess in your religion: nor say of Allah aught but the truth, Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him. So believe in Allah and His Messenger. Say not ‘Trinity’: desist! It will be better for you. For Allah is One Allah. Glory be to Him: (Far exalted is He) above having a son.” Surah 4:171
• “In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: who then hath the least power against Allah if His will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all – everyone that is on earth? For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is in heaven. For Allah hath power over all things.” Surah 5:17

“The God of Islam possesses all power over all things, including the power to erase sin if He so desires and when He so desires. This is completely different from the God of Christianity who is just and merciful, and who must work within the plan of salvation, to satisfy both His mercy and justice. The plan cannot be carried out without the sacrifice of Jesus, the Son of God, on the cross, on our behalf, in order to pay the penalty of our transgression.”

Compare these two verses:

• “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
• “That they said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus, the Son of Mary’,,,but they killed him not, nor crucified him.” Surah 4:157

The Holy Spirit

Islam views the Holy Spirit as an angel.

• “Say the Holy Spirit (The Angel Gabriel) has brought the revelation from they Lord in truth.” Surah 16:102
• “Then We (God) sent to her Our Angel (in the original: Our spirit), and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.” Surah 19:17

Compare to

· “Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:3

· “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Romans 8:16-17

You Are Remembered!!!

Church Pickin

“One of the objectives of the church is to make their commitment to holiness so crystal clear that people don’t join on their own initiative. But today that notion has been turned on its head in our society, and in our brand of evangelicalism.” – John MacArthur

The past couple of weeks I have been reading a book that talked about the church and now our Pastor is talking about the church. While listening to the sermon I started thinking about what we should look for and what not to look for when you are trying to figure out what church to make your home. Or, maybe you are first time church goers and are looking for a church and wonder what to look for, and this is my list. I built this list from many different areas of Scripture, but specifically the Pastoral Epistles and the areas in Matthew and Acts that talk about the church. The part of Matthew that I looked at was Chapter 18 and discipline of brothers and sisters in Christ.

One of the first things that hit me was there is never mention of picking a church based on the style of music played. Where we can choose different types of worship, it should not be the end all to the church that we choose. Singing regularly prior to a message, or as some call it “worship” was not even a regular part of the church service until after the 13th Century. Music should not be the reason you choose or leave a church, because it is not the important aspect of the service. Singing hymns will not hurt you, and enjoying a contemporary song will not cause you to lose your faith.

A good story teller also is not a reason to pick a church. The pastor being known to make the congregation laugh and tell stories with a dynamic quality is also not a reason to pick a church. That just makes them a good story teller and not necessarily a good leader of the church. It is not a bad thing, but should not be in your first consideration of why you choose or leave a church. That is just entertainment you are looking for then and not the delivery of God’s Word.

Size and type of population are not reasons either. Where you might feel better in a large or small church, it does not make it the best reason to choose a church. It is not necessarily a better church because it is bigger, and it actually may be worse based on that simple matter. The health and wealth preachers are proof of that, as they get a lot of people, but preach a different gospel then the true Word of God. Going to a church because that is where the “wealthy or poor” go is not a reason to go either, as that is just trying to make yourself feel one way or another. Trying to be part of a group based on the economic status or reputation of people is a terrible reason to pick a church. People will always disappoint you.

The denomination unfortunately today gives little reason to pick a church, as sin is running rampant within the leadership of just about every type of denomination. Some are allowing perfectly clear sin within the walls of their denomination and you should look at what is going on within those walls before choosing the church. If they are allowing apparent sin, just read the Pastoral Epistles, Romans or just about any other book, and not dealing with it and instead allowing it or rationalizing it away then you do not want to be part of it.

Then why should we choose a church? What makes a healthy church that one would want to be part of and held accountable within? First and foremost in my opinion, and I think based on 2 Timothy 3:16 and others, that they should believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God and not just the infallible Word. If a church does not believe the Word of God is inerrant then all else collapses, because how can you trust the Bible. It is just based on the human leader’s opinion and not on God’s. Infallible can only be if inerrant. If you do not see it stated, then ask if the leadership/church believes in inerrancy.

The essentials of their doctrine should line up with what Scripture says in context. Meaning that they are not just pulling verses out of the Bible and using them to rationalize what they want to believe instead of using them to truly believe what the Bible says. Though eschatology is not an “essential” in the doctrine of salvation, they should explain what they believe as it does move into how they will interpret certain aspects of the Scripture. Ask to review the doctrine of the church.

The pastor teaches Scripture and does not just lace verses within topics or stories that are of interest to them. This is nice once in a great while, but church is where we go to learn the Word of God and be fed by it. To come together as the body of believers and listen to the pastor teach us about the truth of the Bible, and not just to be entertained by stories. The pastors, elders and deacons are living what is being taught from the pulpit and held accountable to the truths within the Word. If one is not following then they are disciplined and removed if necessary. If Word and accountability by the leadership is not being done at the church, then you will want to find another church.

The entire Bible is preached from the pulpit and not just the easy parts. The parts regarding sin and the hard lessons are also preached. The pastor is not afraid to convict the congregation, nor afraid to make unbelievers uncomfortable because they are in the house of God and hearing the Word of God that is convicting. The church is for believers and not unbelievers and what they hear from the pulpit should make them uncomfortable, as they are not saved.

The Church should honor the things of God no matter how hard it is. If it is between hurting a congregant or God, then you choose the congregant. The Church realizes it is not the elders or the pastors or members, but God’s and then live in that fashion.

These are just some of my personal thoughts on the subject and we should all reflect on why we go to the church we do. Loyalty to God or something else? If it is something else then you are at the wrong church, no matter what that something else is.

“One of the objectives of the church is to be so committed to holiness, so committed to purity, so committed to virtue, so committed to righteousness, and that the commitment to these things is so clear and so obvious, that people who are not interested in those things won’t show up.” – John MacArthur

Another Brainwashing Scheme for Our Children!

Here is another video that is making it's rounds in elementary schools. If you think they are not after our kids, you are fooling yourself. This stuff is crazy. Every parent needs to be asking what is being shown to their children in the schools, regardless of whether it is secular or religious.

This video sounds nice in parts, but listen to the whole thing and see what is really in between the lines and especially at the end. I pledge only to God, never to a President. The pledge is "One nation under God." Not one nation under Barack Obama. I am not for stem cell research in the fashion that is typically proposed, and they want our kids to pledge to it. I want to buy whatever car is best for me and my family. The whole toilet pledge is just ridiculous and unsanitary.

Look Out -- They are Coming after Your Kids.

Read this link then read what I say below: Obama Speaks to Children. Click Here

This is nothing short of continuation of utilizing the communist manifesto. Read the report closely. "Why is it important that we listen to the President and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor? Why is what they say important?" How about the opposite question as well, "When is it important not to listen to the elected officials?" I can think of a few: abortion, Obamacare, taxing people more, and so on. This is teaching kids not to question the government. It is basically how they teach in communist China, Russia and Muslim countries. This is not how we teach in America.

If they are going to read books about the President, are they going to read the ones that are against what the President is doing, or will they be limited to just how great Obama is? Again, same for every President, as they are not perfect. Only one is perfect, Jesus Christ.

Yes, we are to teach our children how to live in society and that rules are good, but there are certainly times that our representatives do not represent a Christian Biblical view, or just any appropriate moral view for that matter. If we are teaching children not to question early on in life, then what will happen in the future. They blindly follow anything.

Parents should have been informed and I already know a few parents that are not informed about this. Why? The school should have informed the parents to see if they want to be part of it with their students, or maybe they don't want their children to participate at all.

Are they going to give other opinions to the President's after he speaks, or are the children going to be made to believe what he says is what their parents say. If the President is going to speak to the children then maybe the speech should be sent home to parents ahead of time for scrutiny.

This has me enraged and I think every parent should be in the classroom with their child to watch this. Call your teachers and schools to see if they are showing this and then attend and if you are not allowed to attend then I would not let your children be part. We are to protect our children and sometimes that is from a government gone crazy.