Ever since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, some have been encouraging Christians to find a common ground with Muslims. After all, both believe in one God, share some common moral values, and claim the same spiritual ancestors in Abraham and Moses. Islamic clerics insist they have a high regard for Jesus as a miracle-working prophet. So recently the media has featured numerous stories of Christian ministers and Islamic clerics holding joint worship services and of Muslims and Christians who have intermarried with apparent positive results.
Christians should be tolerant toward people of other religions. We are commanded to love all people – even our enemies. Any kind of ridicule or harassment of Muslims is contrary to the will of God who loved Muslim people so much He sent His Son to die for them. We also should love them, befriend them, minister to them, and seek ways to introduce them to the Christ of the Bible.
But a genuine Christian and a devoted Muslim differ on key points. The differences are so pronounced and contradictory that spiritual fellowship is impossible. We differ on the source of authority (The Bible or the Koran), the nature of God (faithful or capricious), the deity of Jesus (God in the flesh or a human prophet), the way of salvation (works or faith), the status of women (equal or inferior), and treatment of enemies (forgiveness or retaliation).
The most significant difference between Christianity and Islam concerns the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. The Bible teaches that Jesus’ death on the cross is foundational to the Christian faith. Paul identified the death and resurrection of Jesus as the heart of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
But the Koran teaches that Jesus never died! Oddly, Muslims teach that Jesus was born of a virgin, performed miracles and ascended into heaven without ever dying. They believe that Jesus will one day return to earth, rid the world of all crosses, turn His followers to Islam, marry, reign for forty years, and then be buried next to Mohammed.
Dr. Taha Jabir Al-Alwani, Director of the Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences, Falls Church, Virginia, said the following about the atonement of Christ: “That means we believe God is thirsty for the blood. And He wouldn’t give forgiveness to anyone except He sees the blood, and the blood of whom? His son. It is ridiculous, really, for me…forgive me, I can’t buy it in any mean.”
The Apostle Paul predicted, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). While Christians should be kind to Muslims, we cannot share Christian worship, fellowship, or marriage vows with anyone who denies that Jesus is the Son of God who died on our behalf.
“…we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).
