Understanding Islam and Being a Witness

Understanding Islam and Being a Witness

Dr. Bill Barrick

Evangelism to Muslims

Sunday, 10/8/2017

@ Evangel Bible Church of Silicon Valley

Preface 1

Introduction (Luke 5:17–26) 2

I. Characteristics of Islam 5

II. Compassion for Muslims 8

III. Conflict with Islam 9

IV. Concluding Thoughts 11

Preface

I.  Day of Terror, September 11, 2001

II.  Iraq and Afghan Wars

Introduction (Luke 5:17–26)

I.  Power: “The power [dunamis] of the Lord” (v. 17)

A.  Not the power of men.

B.  Cf. Romans 1:16

1.  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes”

II.  Partnership: The unity and compassion of the community for a fellow citizen (v. 18).

A.  Muslim ummah

B.  72 factions

C.  United & compassionate

III.  People: Crowded condition (v. 19a)

A.  Present Muslim nations

B.  Third world countries

C.  Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Malaysia

IV.  Persistence: Persistent men trying to help a brother (v. 19b)

A.  A product of the basic character of Islam.

B.  Islam means submission to the will of Allah.

V.  Priority: The divine priority (v. 20)

A.  Forgiveness.

B.  A greater need than physical healing.

VI.  Polarizing: The religious sensibilities of the Jews were offended (v. 21).

A.  The accusation: blasphemy.

B.  Only God can forgive sin.

C.  Today, Muslims react to Jesus in much the same fashion.

VII.  Proposition: Jesus presented a proposal—“Isn’t it easier to heal than to forgive?” (vv. 22–24).

A.  Jesus challenged their thinking theologically.

B.  Jesus declared His authority (exousia) to forgive sin.

VIII.  Product: Results of understanding who Jesus is and what He came to do (vv. 25–26):

A.  Glorifying God.

B.  Fearing God.

C.  Muslim converts display the same two products of faith in Christ.

I. Characteristics of Islam

A.  Islam means submission.

1.  A Muslim is one who is submitted to the will of God.

i.  For a Muslim it is more important to submit to Allah than to obtain forgiveness.

ii.  Result: Fatalism—submission to kismet (divinely ordained fate).

B.  Muslims are theocentric.

1.  Inshallah: “If Allah wills.”

2.  Bismillah: “In Allah’s name.”

3.  Cf. materialistic orientation of Americans and Europeans.

4.  Presents opportunity for witness.

C.  Muslims view Islam as the final revelation.

1.  Taurat of Moses, Jabur of David, and Injil of Jesus superseded by the Qur’an.

2.  Popular Muslim belief: OT & NT have been corrupted and abrogated.

i.  “Say thou: ‘O People of the Book, ye are [founded] upon nothing, until ye observe [or establish] the Taurat and the Injil and that which hath been sent down unto you by your Lord.’” (Qur’an 5:72)

3.  Muslims acknowledge four sources of authority:

i.  Qur’an

ii.  Hadith (traditions of the prophet)

iii.  Qiyas (analogies by scholars based on first two sources)

iv.  Ijma (consensus of Ummah and Islamic scholars)

D.  Islam is steeped in warfare.

1.  Battle of Badr (624 A.D.)

2.  Lesser Jihad – belief in martyrdom as one of only two guarantees of salvation.

i.  “And if ye are slain, or die, in the way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all they could amass.” (Qur’an 3:157)

ii.  “So those who … fought and were slain, verily I shall remit their evil deeds from them and verily I shall bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow – A reward from Allah. And with Allah is the fairest of rewards.” (Qur’an 3:195)

3.  Osama bin Ladin’s fatwah (February 1998):

i.  “the Americans’ continuing aggression against the Iraqi people”

ii.  “These crimes and sins committed by the Americans are a clear declaration of war on God, His messenger, and Muslims.”

iii.  “We call on every Muslim who believes in God and wished to be rewarded to comply with God’s order to kill the Americans and plunder their money wherever and whenever they find it.”

iv.  Offended by American troops in “the holy land” (Saudi Arabia).

E.  Pillars of Islam

1.  Faith — Shahada

2.  Prayer — Salat

3.  Almsgiving — Zakat

4.  Fasting — Sawm

5.  Pilgrimage — Hajj

? Holy War — Jihad

II. Compassion for Muslims

A.  Hope: “Abandon All Hope”

1.  1 Peter 3:15

B.  Grace & Forgiveness

1.  Every sura but one begins with, “In the name of God, the gracious, the merciful.”

2.  Allah’s benevolence or providential care, not His gracious mercy.

3.  No close relationship with Allah—too distant and impersonal, powerful and sovereign.

4.  Forgiveness is earned, not granted.

i.  “Those who believe, and adopt exile, and fight for the faith, in the cause of God as well as those who give (them) asylum and aid, -- these are (all) in very truth the Believers! For them is the forgiveness of sins and a provision most generous.” (Qur’an 8:74)

5.  Allah’s forgiveness is inscrutable

6.  In Islam, no one will be certain until the Day of Judgment.

7.  No example of a direct confession of sin in the Qur’an.

8.  No developed personal analogies (e.g., Prodigal Son).

III. Conflict with Islam

A.  Different viewpoints.

1.  Converts to Christianity are thought to have thrown off all moral restraints.

2.  Islamic culture threatened by degenerate Western cultural influences (TV, movies, music, and lifestyle).

3.  Influence of MTV

4.  To Muslims, America is inconsistent in the judgment of terrorists.

i.  Irish Sinn Fein, IRA

ii.  Israel

iii.  American white extremist militias

5.  According to the Hadith, Muhammad ordered the killing of those who opposed his teaching. (al-Bukhari 1:13)

i.  In the OT, David was not allowed to build the Temple. (1 Chron 28:3)

ii.  In the NT, Christ declared that He did not come to destroy. (Luke 9:55-56)

B.  Comparative World Views

Concept / Muslim / "Christian"
Unity / Emphasize—ummah. / Only if pragmatic.
Time[1] / Respect past. / Orientation to future.
Family / Solidarity. / Individualistic.
Peace / Integration, external. / Contentment, internal.
Honor / All important. / Not the priority.
Status / Family, name, age. / Wealth, accomplishment
Individualism / Subordination. / Independence.
Secularism / Unacceptable. / Largely acceptable.
Change / Undesirable. / Desirable.
Efficiency / Little or no concern. / Imperative.

IV. Concluding Thoughts

A.  Forgiveness

1.  What the Muslim desires deeply.

2.  What is exceedingly difficult to obtain in Islam.

B.  Assurance

1.  What the Muslim lacks completely.

2.  What can be obtained only by death in either jihad or hajj.

C.  Compassion

1.  What Muslims need as evidence of Christian faith.

2.  Priority of hospitality.

3.  “Yankee, go home!” and “Take me with you.”

D.  Time

1.  What it takes

i.  to understand,

ii.  to trust, and

iii.  to harvest.

2.  Indian college president:

i.  1st time Christ came to India—in the company of a trader.

ii.  2nd time Christ came to India—flanked by a diplomat and a soldier.

iii.  3rd time Christ came to India—as an uplifter of the outcast and poor—as an educator, relief worker, and doctor.

iv.  4th time Christ comes—disentangled?—nothing but the Gospel and forgiveness. The door will open.

3.  Secret Missions? (1 Thessalonians 2:1-7)

i. 
Confirms Muslims’ suspicions

ii. 
Ignores Muslim respect

iii. 
Produces persecution

iv. 
Gives in prematurely

v. 
Fails to be opportunistic

E.  Scripture

1.  “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

11

[1] He in whose heart no history is enscrolled,

Cannot discern in life’s alloy the gold.

But he that keeps the record of the Deed,

Adds to his life new lives a hundred-fold. (Arabic poet)