Many errors in the Bible

"It has been proved that there are many errors and discrepancies in the Bible". So said one Muslim to me today.
Now of course I can answer him. But what is the best way to handle this statement. I find that God has been leading me and giving me answers for these people. But I still find that I have to cast myself into the arms of the almighty and trust only Him to enlighten these people who have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. I feel that I must continually pray that God will open their eyes to the truth.
But this does not release us from the responsibility to give them an answer of the hope which is in us. So how would you answer this person? As I said, I can answer him, but not in any concise way. I am careful not to speak against the Quran or Muhammed. If I do this I would lose their respect. But most of the stuff they say about the Bible is always second hand. They never seem to check up on the information they read from well known Muslim writers.

 

Thank you. I like the "one bite at a time" approach. I have found that most times they have absolutely no knowledge of these things themselves. Only those things that they parrot from Muslim critics of Christianity. This is usually an advantage for me because they only read those scriptures that they think support the Quran or prophesy about Muhammed. One of the texts this man quoted was from Deuteronomy 18:18

My reply to that was that this is a reference to Christ and I showed him the reference in Acts 3:22.
They contend that the brethren of the Israelites were the Ishmaelites. To which I pointed out that verse 18 was a reiteration of verse 15 and that the brethren of the Israelites were the Israelites. For Israel was the name that God gave to Jacob. Also Ishmael was not the brother of Jacob, but the half brother of Isaac. Jacob's brother was Esau. I also challenged him to show exactly where this verse applied to Muhammed. But I did emphasise strongly that the New Testament writer understood that this was a reference to the coming Messaiah.

 

Yes I do that. I insist that if I hold to that rule then so should they. The majority of them do and the administrators and other moderators defend me and even ok'd me to use the Bible and quote from it as being my right in that forum. But I still refuse to critisise Muhammed or the Quran. When some of them keep saying that the Bible is full of mistakes and errors and that they will not honour Christ, I am able to remind them that they owe me respect by not speaking against those scriptures that I consider to be God's word and are therefore holy to me. One or two have even said things like, "Do not blaspheme Muhammed if you want us to repect the Bible". So I challenge them to show me where I have done so. Of course they can find nothing where they can accuse me of such things and I want to keep it that way. But it is becoming very difficult to answer from the Bible where the Quran contradicts it, which is almost everywhere.
I have to keep praying that the Lord will show me ways of saying things which are challenging, yet respectful towards the Quran. I must remember His promise, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
I will try the bit by bit approach and if I get into difficulties I will publish their questions here if I may? There seems to be some knowledgable folk here. :smilewinkgrin:

 

Isn't it strange that so many Christians I know are as harmless as serpents and as wise as doves. :laugh:
I try to remember the words of James (James 3:13) "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom."

 

I find a couple of them obnoxious, I must admit and they get my goat sometimes and I must admit also that I do not answer this kind of person in a kind and understanding way. I have even rebuked them.
As on one occasion I recall, one said, "I cannot think of anything so rediculous as God subjecting His son to torture and death and that this torture and death can somehow pay for the sins of the world". I admit on that occasion I told them that they were sailing pretty close to blasphemy. I think I also reminded them that Muslims also believe that Abraham offered up his own son as a burnt offering to God, as God commanded him. Did he consider it a rediculous thing? I think this person deleted his post.