COMPARISON OF THE BIBLE AND QURAN - DEBATE QUESTIONS

COMPARISON OF THE BIBLE AND QURAN

DEBATE QUESTIONS

Q.  Between the Bible and the Qur’an, which has the stronger historical corroboration?

A.  The Bible has a stronger historical corroboration because historians have found that there is a lot of connection between what was written in the Bible and what actually happened in history.  The Bible is very specific as to when and how events occurred with Jesus Christ.  We are give a clear picture of his birth, the events that led to his birth, (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:26-31; Matthew 1:18-31), and the way of his life.  Even archaeologists have been able to prove that the stories of the Bible are accurate and true.

For the past 150 years hundreds of brilliant scholars conducted detailed archeological examinations at thousands of sites in the middle-east and have proven that what the Bible states is true and accurate in every area where its statement could be tested.  The Bible was written by many authors inspired by the Holy Spirit.

The Quran on the other hand’s writings was abrogated many times by Muhammad and that is why he never thought of putting it in writing.  A partial writing of the Qur’an took place in Medina which means the Meccan portion of the Qur’an was never written.  The historical annals do not mention the Muslims taking Quranic texts with them during the Hijra.  There are no historical sources mentioning scribes in Mecca.  The Islamic historiographers agreed that the first compilation of the Quran as far as it being written down took place under the supervision of Zayd Ibn Thabit.  He was also responsible for the second compilation.  Uthman had Zayd to get a committee to compile the Qur’an.

Q. Does the Quran and Bible speak of Predestination?

This is what the Bible believes in Predestination:

Predestination is the teaching that God has from all eternity, freely determined whatsoever shall come to pass.  This proof can be found in Ephesians 1:11 which says, “In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will,” (NIV).

The word predestination comes from the Greek proorivzw “prooridzo.”

The word occurs six times in six verses in the New Testament:

Acts 4:28; Romans 8:29-30; 1 Corinthians 2:7; and Ephesians 1:5.

As you look at these verses predestination reveals God’s great sovereignty and right to do with His creation as He pleases.  We see that predestination deals with salvation too, they go together.

Historically, Islam teaches that Allah has decreed all things, good and evil from eternity, all that happens, whether obedience or disobedience, faith or infidelity, sickness or health, riches or poverty, life or death.  This article was not included in the pillars of faith when Muhammad died and that is why there are different beliefs.  Some believe that Allah is in control of everything, others believer that man has free will.

This is what the Quran believes in Predestination:

1.      Everything happens by the will of Allah.  Look at the following verses in the Qur’an to verify this:  S. 3:145; 6:59; 7:188; and 9:51

2.      Allah predestines the fate of every soul.  Look at the following verses in the Qur’an to verify this:  S. 2:272; 2:284; 4:88; 5:18; 5:40-41; 6:125; 7:178-179; 11:34; 11:117-119; 14:4; 17:16; 39:23; 39:37-38; 42:44, 46; 76:31.

3.      Allah predestines whether a person will believe.  Look at the following verses in the Quran to verify this: S. 10:99-100; and 58:22.

4.      Allah predestines our will.  Look at the following verses in the Quran to verify this:  S. 74:55-56; 76:29-30; 81:28-29.

5.      Man is held accountable for what Allah has willed for him since man must will to believe.  Look at the following verses in the Quran to verify this:  S. 4:78-79; 16:93; 18:29; 18:55; and 37:91-96.

Q. Is the Jesus in the Bible the Jesus in the Quran?  NO

1)  The Virgin-Birth of Jesus

a – The Bible:  Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:26-31 and Matthew 1:18-21

b – The Quran:  Surah 3:45-47 and Surah 19:16-22

Why is Mary exalted in the Quran?  It is because she was the mother of Jesus-because she mothered the greatest among men.  Why is this important?  He must be the Son of God.

2) The Sinlessness of Jesus

a – The Bible:  1 Peter 2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21 and 1 John 3:5

b – The Quran:  Surah 19:19

3) The Ascension of Jesus to Heaven

a – The Bible:  Acts 1:9-11

b – The Quran:  Surah 4:158 [Muslims believe that Jesus (Isa) was rescued from the crucifixion and taken to heaven without dying.  Despite the different circumstances, both the Quran and the Bible teach the ascension of Jesus alive and in bodily form, from earth to heaven.

4) Jesus the Messiah

a – The Bible:  Over 300 Old Testament prophecies speak of the coming Messiah (“Christ”) and describe Him as a man that stands above all other men including the other messengers of God.  Look at the following scriptures:  Matthew 16:16; John 1:49; Mark 1:1; John 11:27; Matthew 26:63; Luke 4:41.

b – Jesus alone is called the Messiah in the Quran.  No other prophet, patriarch or priest is given this title.  By saying that Jesus is the Messiah, the Quran has duly given Jesus a title which implies that He is the very person that the Quran is otherwise at such pains to deny-the Son of God Himself.

5) Jesus as the Word of God

a – The Bible:  Revelation 19:13; John 1:1-2 (In the beginning); John 1:14 (The Word became flesh).  Jesus Himself is God’s final message to mankind.  Being the Word of God, Jesus Himself is the final and complete revelation of God to the human.

b – The Quran:  In Surah 4:171, Jesus is called, “His Word”.  In Surah 3:45 the Quran states that the angels, when announcing the unique conception of Jesus to Mary, told her that Allah was giving her good tidings “of a Word from him.”  Note – Jesus is the only human being who ever lived who is called a Word from God.  The title Word of God  is interchangeable with the title Son of God.

6) Jesus as the Spirit of God

a – The Bible:  Judges 6:34; 13:25; 1 Samuel 16:14; 2 Samuel 23:2; Luke 4:18 etc. [Spirit of the LORD]

b – In Islam, Jesus is given the title, Ruhullah, meaning “Spirit of God.”  It comes from the same text, Sura 4:171, where Jesus is called wa-ruhun-minhu, “a spirit from him.”  The same structure is used as for “the Word of God:  ruh (spirit), min (from), hu (him).  Nowhere else in the Quran does this expression occur.

In the Qur’an the Holy Spirit is identified as the Angel Gabriel.  Yusuf Ali implies that this Spirit of God is greater than Gabriel.  It is the divine spirit.  In the Qur’an is the only other place where this expression occurs, applies this same divine title to Jesus.  In Surah 4:171 the third title is –spirit of God – which attributes divine features to Jesus just as the titles Messiah and Word of God do.

Jesus was not just another prophet called to office at an appropriate time.  He is the message of God, He came from God, His very spirit is the Spirit of God.

The Quran not only affirms the deity of Jesus, it also affirms the Christian understanding of the Trinity by its use of the expression ruhun-minhu!

Surah 58:22  defines the Spirit of God in terms synonymous with those applied to the Holy Spirit in the Bible and Surah 4:171 expressly nominates Jesus in the same way.

7) Implications of the Uniqueness of Jesus

He pre-existed His earthy life.  He had come into the world from heaven and had assumed human form.

A Common Ground is a noble idea.  Why can’t it be pursued honestly?  Is there a Common Word Between Us and You?

Building bridges or relationships that are more acceptable and favorable toward Islam groups will eventually lead Christianity into a pitfall.  This will lead to rejecting the whole counsel of God’s Word.  Christ continues to be the stumbling block, The Stone that the builder rejects!

Exclusive Bridge Building – It seems Islam wants to find some “common ground” and build bridges primarily with the West only through the Western liberal media looking for ways to bring “world peace.”  Why is there no “Bridge Building” in Muslim areas of the world?  On the contrary, bridges are being blown up!

If you look in Quran 3.64-71, this section of the Quran is a condemnation of Christianity and Judaism and it really is a call for conversion.  Looking at S.3:64, why would anyone think this verse is a call for peace and understanding between Islam and Christianity?  The Muslim knows the context of 3.64 and its true message and that is why they included it.  These verses invite Christians to accept Islam.  The people of the Book verse, (the Jews), have been invited to give up their sinister ways and accept the divine Guidance.

This fits with the traditional Islamic view that Christianity and Judaism are not religions of true monotheism because, according to the Prophet Muhammad, they worship those other than God, in conflict with the call in S. 3.64.

S. 3.64 – And if they turn away, then say:  Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him).

Loving God and Neighbor Together

We are not to say “You have a prophet we have a prophet.”  You have a prophet who says “love your enemies” we have a prophet who says “love your enemies.”

When you speak of the love of God and quote 1 John 4 and don’t take into account the very next verse where the love of God sustains us Christians which is the love of God that sent the Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to be the propitiation for our sins, that’s the next verse but not the one that is quoted in the document.  We are not being honest saying to the world who is reading  this document that God is  love  and the love of God uniquely expressed through Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our sins because He died on the cross and rose again.  All those things Islam radically rejects shows they do not believe in the God we believe in.  They don’t believe in the Son of God that we believe in.  They don’t believe in the propitiation that he made for us.  Even though they talk about the love of God they are deceiving us.  It’s not the same God they are talking about.

Jesus is clear when He says, “if you reject me, you reject the one who sent me,” (Luke 10:16).  Muslims do reject Jesus Christ as the Son of God, Son of Man, crucified, risen savior of the world.  They reject Him and therefore they are rejecting God.  We don’t stand together on a common love of God or a common understanding of God.  They don’t’ worship the true God according to Jesus. He who has the Son has life.  He who does not have the Son does not have life.  The Bible is clear that Jesus is the litmus paper as to whether or not we are talking about the same God.  [THE LITMUS PAPER – LOVING THE TRUE GOD means to worship, know, love and honor JESUS CHRIST.  Islam denies JESUS CHRIST.]

Here’s a scenario you can think about:  You have two people arguing about their classmates from thirty years ago.  And they started to wonder if they were talking about the same person.  Finally some said open the yearbook.  One person says there she is and the other person says no and points to another girl.  Now it’s clear they were not talking about the same girl.

Jesus Christ as revealed in the New Testament is the yearbook.  You open the yearbook and say, “Is that your god”? And the Muslim is going to say, “No, that is not our God” and you’re going to say “Then we are not talking about the same God.”  Jesus’ disciples asked Him to show them the Father and Jesus said to them, “If you seen me you seen the Father”.  We don’t have a common vision of love because we don’t have a common vision about God.  This document “Loving God and Neighbor Together” is not true.  We want to put Jesus Christ as clear and lucid, unique, and distinct and necessary like He should be right in the center of the document who He is, Son of God, Savior, Son of Man, Sovereign King of the ages.  We want Christ to be the bases of tolerance.  We do not want strife.  We do not want war.  We do not want violence.  We do not want hatred.  We want to exalt Jesus Christ as the Son of God, as the ground of why we don’t kill.  We do not come killing as a way to win disciples.  Jesus said, “if my kingdom was of this world.  My disciples would fight.  My kingdom is not of this world therefore.  My disciples are not fighting.”

Christians don’t fight to get people to believe in Jesus.  That would contradict the very nature of the voluntary nature saving faith in the Son of God.  We want to commend Christ to the Muslims. 

We are not going to smooth things over saying we have the same God and the same love of God or call Muhammad or Jesus a prophet and quote selective scriptures to sound like the Quran.  We are not going to do that.  God granted His Church today to be faithful to Jesus Christ as the Son of God, crucified, propitiation for our sins, justifying and giving righteousness to those who have faith in Him.  And rising from the dead and reigning over the world and coming again and one day every knee will bow before Jesus Christ and confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father and those who have not bow their knees before Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior and the unique representation and embodiment of the divine in whom famous of deity dwells bodily, those who haven’t bowed their knees will be cast out into outer darkness.

The Church is to be faithful to the witness of Jesus Christ.  It’s the only loving way to lead people out of destruction and into everlasting life.  For the sake of Christ, and the sake of the lost, we are to speak the truth about the glory of the deity and the crucifixion and the death  and the resurrection and the unique saving power of Jesus Christ.

PREDESTINATION – THE CROSS

ACTS 4:27-28

Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles and Jews gathered together in the killing of Jesus.  You have God’s plan and hand predestined the most horrible sins ever committed.