Islamic thinking on sin

In Christianity, no one, at any time 'pays' for their sin or sins. That was taken care of by Christ.

However we all do experiences consequences of our decisions and actions, for better or for worse, and that is different. That part has no relation to anyone's theology, that's just the way it is.

The person who wrote is right in that if we do not get things straightened out in this life, we will have eternity to suffer. But it is not a matter of payment for sin. It is, rather, a matter of what we choose to do about Jesus Christ, who paid for our sin for us.

In Christ, justice was satisfied and atonement was made entirely. However forgiveness is a personal thing between the individual and God and is only available through Christ Jesus. Forgiveness has to do with a personal relationship with God Himself, something Islam does not allow in its theology, but that very something is what is at the core of the Bible.

For a born again Christian, it is rarely a matter of guilt, and certainly not of long-lasting guilt, for we long to restore our closeness with God when we know we have sinned and created a distance between us and Him. Rather, it is a matter of deep awe and humility before God as well as the peace and joy only He can give -- and does give.

Yes, the Bible does show human nature as it really is, both the good and the bad sides. Nothing is whitewashed. People can be pretty rotten.

The Bible's point is that God is above that and also able to fix it. The Bible's point is that God actually loves us. And this, again, is something Islam does not have in its theology.

 

My first thought on what you quoted is that this person is equating "Catholic" with "Christian". His idea of what Christianity is is based on Catholicism. I might not mention that to him, but it might be a help to remember that when you do reply.

 

Amen! Keep using the Scripture, brother, for it is "quick, and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword." I've seen an agnostic come to Christ after just ten minutes of Scripture, and God can do the same thing with a Muslim, of course!

 

Here is a link with testimonies of ex-Muslims who converted to Jesus Christ - maybe you can find some of these helpful:

http://www.answering-islam.org/Testimonies/index.html

 

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The point of the quote is that the god of Islam is that they serve an impersonal god, while the true God of Christianity is very personal, immensely interested in every thought and deed of every detail of your life. He knows how many hairs are on your head (even if you are bald!) He cares for you (1John 5:7 and asks that you cast all your cares upon him. He asks that we address him as Father, which is anathema to the Islamic mind, yea even blasphemy.

The Muslim mind cannot conceive of a personal God who is interested in the affairs of mankind. He is impersonal, capricious, fatalistic, and one only knows the fate of his salvation once he faces Allah. It all depends on Allahs will (or even his mood) on whether or not one might enter into heaven.
Thus sin might be against the majesty of Allah; but it cannot "break the heart of Allah. It is not personal. It will not break the realtionship we have with Christ.

Psalm 66:18 would make no sense to the typical Muslim:

Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Sin separates us from God, because sin is personal

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
--Neither would this make sense. How could a Muslim come to an impersonal god for forgiveness. He can't. There is no guarantee for forgiveness with Allah. It is all fatalism.
One must start with the how and why of forgiveness. Only Christianity has those answers.

 

I'm certainly no expert on Islam, but I believe I've read that the Allah of Islam in some of the statements in the Koran often allows what the Bible calls sin. Thus, the God of the Bible is holy, with absolutely no taint of sin, but the Allah of Islam has somewhat of a situational ethics stance. If it profits Islam (lying, killing, stealing) then it is okay, in particular if the Muslim is lying to, killing or stealing from a non-Muslim, who are not considered equal in any human way to a Muslim, but are inferior beings (especially Jews).

So it seems to me that teaching a Muslim about the perfect holiness of the God of the Bible might prick their hearts with conviction.

 

When Muslims say Allahuakhbar they mean god is great.
So, as a Christian, I will say:

JEHOVAHUAKHBAR !!:godisgood: :godisgood: :godisgood:


don't know if that is grammatically correct, though.