|
About Jesus - Steve Sweetman
The difference between Islam and Christianity is as different as black is from white. Despite the prevailing deception, the two religions are light years apart. Consider this one fundamental difference. A
serious study of Islam tells me that it's a combination of Mohammed's polytheistic pagan background, Judaism, and
Christianity. Mohammed
incorporated certain elements from each of the above and fused them
into his brand of monotheism. One
pagan influence on Mohammed was
the tribal warfare that was commonplace in
seventh century Arab culture.
Mohammed continued in the tradition of pagan military conquest as
he and his army fought their way across Northern Africa and
the
Middle East
in an attempt to create his Islamic theocracy.
To be blunt, Mohammed was just as much a military general as he was a
religious leader. It
is said that he killed as many as 600 people with his own hands.
Unlike
Mohammed, Jesus was not a military general.
He refused his followers' demands to be their king
(John 6:15). He had no
desire to become the public figure His brothers encouraged Him
to be (John 7 :4). His
mission was to conquer the hearts of both men and women through
selfless acts
of love. Jesus
killed no one. He had no
one killed on His behalf. Instead, He was killed by those He loved. Unlike Mohammed's followers, Jesus' apostles did not conquer their way across the landscape with the sword. They preached good news throughout the known world and left it to the Holy Spirit to conquer people's hearts.
Unlike
western democracies Islamic nations have never separated religion from
state. It seeks a
world wide Islamic theocracy known as an Islamic
Caliphate.
Biblical Christianity has no such aspirations, despite
the unbiblical attempts by so-called Christians in the past.
As Christians we anticipate a heavenly city that is yet to come
(Hebrews 13:14). We don't
seek to establish a Christian
Caliphate. We seek to bring individuals to Jesus,
who in His good time will establish His earthly theocracy. That's
Jesus' job. It's not our job. Islam has, is, and will, attempt to spread its way around the world through various overt and covert means. That was the goal of Mohammed. It's the teaching of the Koran, and, among conservative to moderate Muslims today, allow me to suggest that it's their mission as well. This should cause those of us in the western world to soberly reflect on current events. Our democratic freedoms don't exist in an Islamic Caliphate, a caliphate that many Muslims desire to see implemented in the western world.
Our western secular culture won't admit this, but Biblical Christianity has paved the way for our present western world freedoms. Now that Christian influence is being pushed aside in western society we should realize that nothing exists in a vacuum. Something else, Islam included, stands prepared to fill the vacuum. Christians can't expect a secularized culture to do much about filling this vacuum. That's the responsibility of our western, and I'm sorry to say, weakened church. That which we call church must repent and return to Biblical faith, values, and practice. As seen in the first generation church, we must preach the good news of the love of Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to win the hearts of those to whom we preach, and that includes our Muslin neighbors.
|