answer to Dillah (United States) statements

Submitted by mohammad waqas raja (Pakistan), Jan 15, 2008 at 02:42

Before we discuss ‘the concept of God in Christianity', I would like to make a few points clear. Islam is the only Non-Christian faith, which makes it an article of faith to believe in Jesus (peace be upon him). No Muslim, is ‘a Muslim' if he does not believe in Jesus (peace be upon him). We believe that he was one of the mightiest messengers of Allah Subhana Wa Taalah - of Almighty God.

We believe that he was born miraculously, without any male intervention, which many modern day Christians do not believe. We believe that he gave life to the dead with God's permission. We believe that he healed those born blind, and lepers with God's permission. The Christians and Muslims, we are going together hand in hand, but there are parting of ways. There are many Christians who say that ‘Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), he was Almighty God, he himself claimed Divinity'. Infact, if you read the Bible, there is not a single uneqvivocable statement in the whole Bible, where Jesus (peace be upon him) himself says, that ‘I am God', or where he says ‘Worship me'.

I would like to repeat that statement that there is not a single uneqvivocable statement in the complete Bible, where Jesus (peace be upon him) himself says that… ‘I am God' or, where he says… ‘Worship me'. Infact if you read the Bible it is mentioned in the Gospel of John, Ch.No. 14, V.No.28, Jesus (peace be upon him) said – ‘My Father is greater than I' In the Gospel of John, Ch. No.10, V.No. 29 ‘My father is greater than all'. In the Gospel of Mathew Ch.No.12 V.No.28 "I cast out devil with Sprit of God'. Gospel of Luke, Ch. No. 11 V.No.20 "I with the finger of God, cast out devils'. Gospel of John, Ch.No.5 V.No.30 ‘I can of my own self do nothing - as I hear I judge, and my judgement is just, because I seek not my will, but the will of thy Father, who has sent me'. He never claimed Divinity. Infact he came to testify the pervious law. And he mentions in the Gospel of Mathew Ch.5 V.17 to Verse No. 20, ‘Think not that I am come to destroy the law and the Prophets - I am come not to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till the heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall not pass away from the law, untill all be fulfilled. And whosoever therefore, shall break one of the least commandments and teach men to do so, will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. And whosoever shall keep them, and teach them so, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For verily, unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and the Pharasees, in no way shall you enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

So Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) said, ‘that If you people want to enter Heaven, you have to keep each and every commandment of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). You have to follow each and every law given in the Old Testament, including the verses I quoted earlier that ‘there is one God, and you should not do idol worship, you should not make any graven image of Him'. Jesus (peace be upon him), he never said that he was God. Infact he said ‘He was sent by God. He was a Prophet of God'. It is mentioned in the Gospel of John, Ch.No. 14, V.No.24, ‘The words that you hear, are not mine, but it is my Father's, who has sent me'. Gospel of John, Ch.No. 17, V.No.3 ‘This is eternal life, so that you may know there is one true God, and Jesus Christ, who Thou has sent'. And it is mentioned in the Gospel of Mathew, Ch.No.19, V.No.16 and 17, that one of the persons approaches Jesus (pbuh), and says ‘Good Master, what good things shall I do, that I shall attain eternal life'. Jesus (peace be upon him) replies in V.No.17 of Gospel of Mathew, Ch.No.19 – ‘And Jesus said upto him, ‘Why thou callest me good? For there is none good, except One, that is God –

And if you want to enter life, keep the commandments'. Jesus (peace be upon him) never said that if you want to go to heaven, you consider me as Almighty God. He never said that you believe that I will die for your sins – In fact he said, ‘You keep the commandments'.

It is further mentioned in the book of Acts, Ch.No. 2 V.No.22 "O men of Israel, hear this, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God, amongst you, by miracles, and wonders and signs, which God did by him, in your presence, and you were witness'. It says, ‘Jesus of Nazareth a man approved by God, by miracles and wonders, which God did by him'. And when Jesus (peace be upon him) was asked, that ‘which is the first of the commandments'? he repeated verbitem what was said earlier by Moses (peace be upon him). It is mentioned in the Gospel of Mark, Ch. No. 12, V.No. 29, he said ‘Shama Israelo, Ada Ilahaino Ada Ihad' It is a Hebrew quotation which means, ‘Hear Oh Israel, the Lord our God, is in one lord'.

So if you read the Bible, you will understand the concept of God, in Christianity. It reminds me of an incident where Maulana Rahmatullah Karanvi - he was having a discussion with a Christian missionary, who was trying to prove to Maulana Shahib that ‘Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) is God Almighty, and that Jesus (peace be upon him) died for the sins of human beings'. After a great deal of time, without any results, the discussion was continued. Later on, the servant of Maulana Shahib, he comes and whispers something in the Maulana's ears. The Maulana's face becomes sad - he starts crying. The Christian missionary asks, ‘Maulana Shahib, ‘what is the bad news?'. The Maulana Shahib said in a very sad tone, ‘My servant, he just gave me information, - he brought news, that Arch Angel Gabriel - he died'. The Christian missionary began to laugh loudly. ‘Maulana Shahib, you being such an intelligent person, how can you believe in such absurd things - Can Angels die?' The Maulana Shahib said, ‘When God can die, why can't Angels die?' And the Christian missionary, without speaking a single word, he left – It is a battle of wits.

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