Courtesy of Hedieh MirahmadiAs a comparatively new believer in Christ, who spent over two a long time as a devout Muslim, i'm often asked for the most excellent approach to introduce the Gospel to Muslims. there are many opinions on this topic, ranging from the usage of apologetics to simply being a "good Christian." notwithstanding most Christian's herbal inclination in drawing near Muslims is apologetics, it often turns into arguments about doctrine and hurling insults about Islam that alienate the listener. I agree with the true energy lies within the truth of the Trinity-- God the Loving Father, His most effective begotten Son Jesus Christ, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
God is Love. In over 20 years of being a religious Muslim, I by no means heard God called being love or commanding us to love others. Islam teaches that God is merciful and kind, however the note love is never outlined. A Muslim should worship and sacrifice for a God that doesn't ever let you know he loves you. You can't count on him to console you in times of main issue, and he turned into primarily there to choose you. somewhat frankly, it changed into tremendously miserable considering that I may never hold the countless set of guidelines and legal guidelines that demanded strict obedience.
examine that to the Bible, God's infallible, dwelling observe the place God describes Himself as love.
And so we be aware of and depend on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in them. 1 John 4:16
In a life filled with disappointment from americans who claim to love you and a God that would not consider love colossal ample to mention, the simplicity of this reality become very appealing. Our Heavenly Father is the originator and fulfiller of everything we understand and journey of love. He so adored humanity that He sacrificed His simplest Son to rescue us. now not most effective does God lengthen His love to His children, however love for Him and people round us is the basis of our faith.
Love the Lord your God with your entire heart and with your whole soul and with all of your intellect and with all your power.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There isn't any commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31
Being cherished unconditionally and studying to like others the identical manner has brought me astounding pleasure. by no means underestimate the energy of explaining to a Muslim how significant love is to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is God incarnate. In Islam, you by no means basically understand if your decent deeds are ample to enter God's Heaven. On the Day of Judgement, God will make a decision in case you were "first rate adequate" and that terrified me. What if there turned into one huge sin He could not forgive despite my hundred acts of obedience? It changed into very unsettling to live every day, wondering no matter if i'd spend eternity in hellfire. Then I discovered that God would assure a spot in His everlasting Heaven if I put my trust in Christ as God incarnate. I essential to accept that Jesus turned into God wrapped in flesh, who got here to Earth and died on the move, then rose once more from the grave to pay for my sins.
The Divinity of Jesus is probably the most significant aspect of competition between Islam and Christianity. besides the fact that children, in case you know all the excellent traits Christ has in Islam, unpacking what they feel took place on the pass may be the important thing to their salvation. All Muslims consider Jesus became born of a virgin delivery because of God's Divine Spirit impregnating Mary. They understand Jesus healed the ailing, raised the dead, and carried out countless miracles all the way through his existence. They additionally trust Jesus ascended to Heaven and will descend from Heaven in the end instances to defeat the Anti-Christ. despite the fact, Islam claims Jesus didn't die on the go. as an alternative, they claim Judas Iscariot's soul was placed inside Jesus' body so people would believe it changed into Jesus, however God took him to Heaven. So, Muslims attribute many Divine skills and manifestations to Christ but only deny the crucifixion because His death and resurrection would prove the integrity of the Bible. when you state these information to most Muslims, it immediately leads them to question their understanding of Jesus. How can they consider that he had so many God-like capabilities, but he isn't God incarnate in accordance with some illogical reason behind who died on the pass? for this reason, planting the seeds of doubt about how Islam portrays the crucifixion is simple.
Receiving the Holy Spirit. In Islam, it says God is nearer to you than the veins in your neck, but he'll no longer communicate at once to you. actually, it claims it is not befitting of God to accomplish that. There isn't any intermediary between the Muslim and God, but prayer is a one-manner verbal exchange. As a Muslim, I had no approach of knowing whether he ever heard me and even approved my prayers and pleas of repentance. There changed into no conversation between us. Conversely, once we settle for Christ as our Lord and Savior, God dwells inside the believer within the sort of the Holy Spirit who speaks at once to us, consistently.
...he'll offer you a further Helper, that He may also abide with you always—the Spirit of actuality, whom the world can't acquire because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; however you understand Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. i will not leave you orphans; i'll come to you. John 14:16-18
once i used to be saved and baptized, i was excited for what would occur next. I kept asking my mentor, "so now what?" She would lovingly however consistently hold saying, "wait to listen to from the Lord." I had no concept what she meant through this. I did not comprehend how to talk with God, and i obviously did not predict Him to talk back! It was not unless I studied what it meant to get hold of the Holy Spirit that it made sense. learning and experiencing the Holy Spirit's assistance inside me is how i know that i'm in a relationship with the one genuine God. Many Muslims haven't any thought that accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior results in God's indwelling throughout the Holy Spirit. It basically piques their curiosity to feel they would be able to hear from God without delay.
make certain it is apparent the Trinity is three manifestations of the one true God and never three separate gods. we've God the father who loves us; He came down in His Son to shop us and leaves us His Holy Spirit to book us. Muslims accuse Christians of being polytheists because they don't bear in mind this, and alas, many Christians cannot safely articulate it.
Having left Islam, it saddens me to listen to even Christians make the false declare that all of us worship the same God and each non secular path can cause the "actuality." do not be content material to give false or at ease types of a "actuality" that leaves the particular person devoid of salvation and the love of God that comes via faith in Christ. The listener might also now not readily accept it, however that is not our situation. There is only one God, and no person will attain His presence except through faith in Christ. I take into account and believe that now however I didn't think that as a Muslim. I hope a person would have had the courage to say it to me earlier in my existence.
at last, I always conclusion the discussion, challenging a Muslim to pray for God to display Himself and the fact of Jesus Christ. Their mind may also battle the fact of what you have got instructed them but when it's His will, believe within the energy of our God to steer them.
Hedieh Mirahmadi became a religious Muslim for 2 decades working within the field of national safety earlier than she experienced the redemptive vigor of Jesus Christ and has a new ardour for sharing the Gospel. She dedicates herself full-time to Resurrect Ministry, an online resource that harnesses the power of the web to make salvation via Christ purchasable to americans of all international locations, and her every day podcast LivingFearlessDevotional.com.
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