NCCA Conference 2018 Daniel Janosik, Ph.D. Southern Evangelical Seminary • Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect. Understand Defend Refute By Daniel Janosik © 2014 3B. Understand, Defend, Refute • Is God a Trinity? • Is Jesus Christ the Son of God? • Did Jesus die by crucifixion? • Is the Bible inerrant or has it been corrupted? • The core of Islam is diametrically opposed to the core beliefs of Christianity • It is almost as if someone purposely developed a new religion that would specifically counter Christianity “… notwithstanding many apparent similarities, the Allah of Islam as expressed in the Doctrine of Islamic Monotheism (i.e. Tawheed) is the diametric opposite of the Triune Lord God of the Bible – opposite in nature, character, knowability, description, and attributes.” (20) • “The Qur’an, although seemingly innocent, has as its main objective to undo the message and mission of Christ.” (21) Islam Christianity Tawhid Trinity Jesus only a Jesus is God Prophet Jesus taken into Jesus actually died heaven on the cross The Bible has been The Bible is the corrupted trustworthy Word of God “Faulty foundations produce faulty beliefs” Belief Christianity Islam Are Can the God of Muslims worship Yahweh Muhammad be the the God and and Allah Father of Jesus? creator of Jesus, the same? and whom Jesus himself worshipped Belief Christianity Islam Is God a • God is One • God is a monad, Trinity? essence and a singularity; Three persons, a How can Tri-unity; 1+1+1=1? • co-equal, co- • The Trinity eternal defies the laws of nature and mathematics Belief Christianity Islam Is Jesus • Jesus is “true • Jesus was just a Christ the God from true servant of Allah; Son of God;” a prophet, but God? • Jesus is God the not the Son of Son, second God (Q. 5:17); person of the • It is the greatest Trinity of all sins to associate another with God Belief Christianity Islam Did Jesus die • Jesus died on a • Jesus did not die by cross for our sins, on the cross (Q. crucifixion? was buried and 4:147), but was rose on the third raised to heaven day; by Allah (Q. • after 40 days he 4:158); ascended into • How could heaven someone else’s death pay for your sins? Belief Christianity Islam Is the Bible The Bible is the • The original inerrant or has inspired Word of God Scriptures given it been transmitted through to the Jews and corrupted? men. Christians were (2 Timothy 3:16) corrupted; • this is why they contradict the Qur’an, which is the only accurate word of God today. • Nature of God • Nature of • Nature of Jesus Salvation Christ • The Bible • Nature of the • Nature of Holy Spirit Heaven • Nature of Man • Nature of Hell • Nature of Sin • The Future (nature of eternity) Nature Christianity Islam of God • One God • One God • Personal • Impersonal • Triune • Monad • “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” • A.W. Tozer Nature of Christianity Islam God • One God • One God • Personal • Impersonal • Triune • Monad Implication God loves us and A relationship with we can have a Allah is not relationship with emphasized God • The fundamental belief in Islam is “there is only one God” or tawḥīd),) ” ﺗﻮﺣﯿﺪ“ as known is This • the “Absolute Oneness” of God. – God is “One” (Al-ʾAḥad) – God is a “singularity” (Al-Wāḥid) • Allah is “Absolutely Other” • In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful. • 1. Say, "He is God, the One. • 2. God, the Absolute. • 3. He begets not, nor was He begotten. • 4. And there is nothing comparable to Him." • Q. 112:1-4 • Sura 4:171 - 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. • Allah cannot be a Trinity • Therefore, Allah cannot be the same god as Yahweh, for “how can the God of Muhammad be the Father of Jesus?” • The greatest “sin” in Islam, called “Shirk,” is to associate another thing with Allah. • Christians commit “Shirk” with their belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. • This is the one “sin” that can never be forgiven: • Sura 4:48: • “God does not forgive the joining of partners with Him: anything less than that He forgives to whoever He will, but anyone who joins partners with God has fabricated a tremendous sin.” Ontological: Existence of God ”What He does” (doingness) Similarities between Muslims and Christians • Both believe there is One God • Both believe God created the universe • Both believe God is sovereign and omnipotent • Both believe that he will judge the wicked • Both believe that God has spoken to man through messengers (prophets), angels, and the written word Theological Differences (distinguishing traits) “Who He is” (beingness) Essence Allah Yahweh God is a singularity God is Triune (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit); one Tahwid in essence and three in persons Allah cannot have a son (Sura 19:88-92; The Father has eternally begotten the Son 112:3) Jesus is the Son of God and God Himself (John 1:1, 14; Col. 1:15-20; Heb. 1:2-3; 1 John 1:1-3; 4:9-10) Allah sent a written word The Father sent his Son who is the living Word Man must pay for his own sins (Sura 7:8-9; Man can never pay for his own sins, for the 21:47) standard for the God of the Bible is complete perfection (Matt. 5:48; Rom 3:23) Allah does not love those who sin and do Yahweh proved his love for us that while we wrong (Sura 3:140; 4:107) were yet sinners He died for us. (John 3:16) • If you believe in Tawhid, then you cannot believe in the Trinity • If you do not believe in the Trinity, then you do not know the true nature of God • If you do not worship God in Spirit and Truth, then you are not worshiping the True God, but rather a counterfeit God “Faulty foundations produce faulty beliefs” Nature Christianity Islam of Jesus • Son of God; • Prophet; Christ • God himself • Only a man Nature Christianity Islam of Holy • Third • Spirit of Spirit person of God; Trinity • Gabriel; • Fully God • Jesus is the Spirit and Word of Allah Nature Christianity Islam of Man • Created in the • Created; image of God; • Not fallen, only • Fallen forgetful • In need of a • Does not need a savior savior Joint heir with Slave of Allah Christ Nature of Man • “What we believe about God has significant implications for what we believe about ourselves, and vice versa.” James Anderson Nature Christianity Islam of Sin • Rebellion against • Action against God; God; • separates man • Can be forgiven; from God; • Man is born • “original sin” “good” without inherited from “original sin;” Adam – tendency • Equal ability to do towards evil good and evil Nature Christianity Islam of Salvation • Only in Jesus • Submitting to will Christ, who died of Allah; on a cross to • Works; pay the penalty • Correct belief; for our sins against God; • A free gift • No assurance of accepted by salvation faith • Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Nature Christianity Islam of Bible • Inspired Word of • Accept the Tauret God (Pentateuch of • Complete and Moses), Zabur without error (in (psalms of David), original) and the Injil (gospel • (2 Timothy 3:16); of Jesus) in as far as • OT and NT; they agree with the • 66 books; over 40 Qur’an; authors • Muslims believe the Bible has been “corrupted” Nature Christianity Islam of Heaven • Being in the • Paradise; presence of • Allah will not be Jesus Christ; present any • No marriage; more than he is • A place of present on light earth; • A fulfillment of all earthly pleasures Nature Christianity Islam of Hell • Eternal • A place of torment separation from and fire; God; • Not necessarily the • A place of final place for darkness Muslims; • All non-believers (infidels) will be sent here Nature Christianity Islam of Future • Jesus Christ is coming • Jesus is coming again --So again; is the Imam Mahdi and the • There will be a bodily Dajjal (false messiah); resurrection, final • bodily resurrection, final judgment and eternal judgment and eternal destination; destination; • only those who trust in • all Muslims will eventually Christ as their Savior will go to heaven, though go to heaven some must be purged of their sins first; • all infidels (Jews and Christians included) are destined for hell Muslim View Christian View Muslim Mahdi = Messiah Muslim Mahdi = Christian Antichrist Muslim Jesus = true Prophet Muslim Jesus = Christian of Islam False Prophet The Dajjal = Muslim The Dajjal = Muslim Antichrist Antichrist = Christian Jesus Christ (??) “Faulty foundations produce faulty beliefs” • “There is also a coercive religion of the Ishmaelites which prevails at this time and deceives the people, being the forerunner of the Anti-Christ.” • -- Heresy of the Ishmaelites [email protected] danieljanosik.com Coming Soon!.