Dialogue with a Muslim
I wonder how you would respond to this letter from a Muslim. Please add your comments below
My reply:
Dear Friend,
Thank you for your letter and your thoughts about religion.
I agree with you that God created us to worship him, and as a corollary, to know and enjoy him forever. God is eternal, all-powerful, just and kind. God is invisible and we should not make any material representations of him or worship him through images (as sadly some people wrongly do in some Christian traditions like Catholicism). We ought to seek God in truth.
As a Muslim you have been thought that Jesus is not the Son of God, that he did not accept to be worshiped, and that he did not die for our sins.
However you believe that he was a prophet and a good man.
Would a prophet and a good man lie? For Jesus said over and over again that he is the Son of God? Moreover he claimed to be equal with the Father, and received worship from the people, just as he continues to be worshiped today by millions of Christians. See http://www.justforcatholics.org/d09.htm
You said that 'In a court of law you cannot kill someone else for his sins.' True enough. But what if someone else voluntarily chooses to pay the penalty for something that you have done? Once, when I was a young teenager, I drove my father's tractor on a busy public road without a license, and I was involved in an accident with a van. I caused extensive damages that amounted to hundreds of liri. I was taken to court and found guilty and ordered to pay an extensive sum of money.
But at that point my father paid all the fine for me. He, of course, had no guilt. I was guilty. I should have paid. But I did not. He paid on my behalf. And I am grateful for being kind to me.
In the same way, I broke the Law of God so many times by disobeying to my parents, lying, foul language, stealing, immorality and hatred, and I admit that I am guilty before the Judge.
The good news of the gospel is that God the Father sent his Son, who is one nature with him, and he became a man, yet without sin, to take upon himself the guilt and the punishment for my sins. He died on the cross so that I will not be sent to hell forever.
You find that hard to believe, but you shouldn't do since you believe in God who is all-powerful and kind. All all-powerful God could do what he wants -- to show mercy to sinners like me, and to remain just and righteous when he justifies me and frees me from condemnation.
Friend, like me, you too have broken God's Law. Do you know of something or somebody else who is able to cleanse you from sin and take away your guilt? You believe that God is righteous and just, therefore he will not be able to declare you righteous on that Day (even though he desire to show you mercy) if you have the slightest sin. Would you consider a judge at the court of law as good, just and honest if he gives a sentence of 'not guilty' to robbers and murderers because he want to be kind to them? We call such a judge 'corrupt'! We can be sure, however, that God is not corrupt. He is true and honest and just, and he will by no means free the guilty ... unless their punishment has been paid to the full by Someone else.
I read your article and some of the statements are untrue. Because jesus peace be upon him we believe he is a mighty messenger sent by allah . Born miraculously, spoke to men in the cradle, helped the blind and the leper by gods permission. Jesus nowhere in the bible says i am god worship me. As far as his died for peoples sins that is a myth and forgery . In a court of law you cannot kill someone else for his sins. The perfect worship for god is he is unseen , there are no idols of him nor is there anything like him he is one , neither he begets and was begotten he is the creator of all things and humans he does not belong in the creation he is above all things. As a muslim myself this is how god is the perfect creator and owner and master of judgement day. If you are searching for god then research the quran , its not about numbers of catholics or muslims in the world ,but it is the individuals who will stand trial on the day of judgement so we are obliged to seek the truth. Verily god created mankind for the purpose of worship.
My reply:
Dear Friend,
Thank you for your letter and your thoughts about religion.
I agree with you that God created us to worship him, and as a corollary, to know and enjoy him forever. God is eternal, all-powerful, just and kind. God is invisible and we should not make any material representations of him or worship him through images (as sadly some people wrongly do in some Christian traditions like Catholicism). We ought to seek God in truth.
As a Muslim you have been thought that Jesus is not the Son of God, that he did not accept to be worshiped, and that he did not die for our sins.
However you believe that he was a prophet and a good man.
Would a prophet and a good man lie? For Jesus said over and over again that he is the Son of God? Moreover he claimed to be equal with the Father, and received worship from the people, just as he continues to be worshiped today by millions of Christians. See http://www.justforcatholics.org/d09.htm
You said that 'In a court of law you cannot kill someone else for his sins.' True enough. But what if someone else voluntarily chooses to pay the penalty for something that you have done? Once, when I was a young teenager, I drove my father's tractor on a busy public road without a license, and I was involved in an accident with a van. I caused extensive damages that amounted to hundreds of liri. I was taken to court and found guilty and ordered to pay an extensive sum of money.
But at that point my father paid all the fine for me. He, of course, had no guilt. I was guilty. I should have paid. But I did not. He paid on my behalf. And I am grateful for being kind to me.
In the same way, I broke the Law of God so many times by disobeying to my parents, lying, foul language, stealing, immorality and hatred, and I admit that I am guilty before the Judge.
The good news of the gospel is that God the Father sent his Son, who is one nature with him, and he became a man, yet without sin, to take upon himself the guilt and the punishment for my sins. He died on the cross so that I will not be sent to hell forever.
You find that hard to believe, but you shouldn't do since you believe in God who is all-powerful and kind. All all-powerful God could do what he wants -- to show mercy to sinners like me, and to remain just and righteous when he justifies me and frees me from condemnation.
Friend, like me, you too have broken God's Law. Do you know of something or somebody else who is able to cleanse you from sin and take away your guilt? You believe that God is righteous and just, therefore he will not be able to declare you righteous on that Day (even though he desire to show you mercy) if you have the slightest sin. Would you consider a judge at the court of law as good, just and honest if he gives a sentence of 'not guilty' to robbers and murderers because he want to be kind to them? We call such a judge 'corrupt'! We can be sure, however, that God is not corrupt. He is true and honest and just, and he will by no means free the guilty ... unless their punishment has been paid to the full by Someone else.