Questions & Answers.

It is time for us to address question that opponents of the Christian Faith have which may seem to produce a hindrance  in them accepting the truth. Let me take up some of the more basic question that Islam has to offer:

(1) Who is God? Jesus. Who is Jesus? The Son of God.

These question may seem to be genuine for one to ask; but there lies behind it a supposition that is faulty to be begin with. It might even be addressing a Christian who hold to the oneness or Jesus Only position which is not anything to do with either:  (a) the biblical witness;  or (b) a majority of the Christian faith. For in both of these cases the position that is held and is biblical is that God has existed eternal as one being and there are three persons. This reality must be held as the truth in all times and places as has for all true Christian from the beginning. 

Let us take these questions and briefly consider them.  No Christian who understands what the doctrine of the Trinity will say that Jesus Christ is the only person that is biblically identified as God. And that is the assumed position and therefore, the straw man being pushed in this line of reasoning. In other words,  how this question starts has already done damage to anyone who is an honest seeker of the truth; and that is because it has been stated in the wrong manner: If it were ask in the reversed fashion than you would have the true statement: "Who is Jesus?  God.  And the reason is simple we are seeking to fairly deal with who Jesus Christ is.

But let us go a little further: Who is Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures?  Then we can answer that He is both truly God by nature; and He is truly man by nature. There exists in this person two distinct natures: one is human and the other is Divine. Think for the moment of the scriptures which speak of his humanity: he got hungry in the temptation; tired on the boat after a long period of time teaching (Mark 1:9-13; 4:35-41; Acts 2:22-24); and His divinity: He is the one who was there with God in the beginning; and He was the one to send prophets and apostles (John 1:1-3; Luke 11:48-50; Ephesians 4:11)  And to both of these matters, we have a plethora of scriptures that make both clear and true. The only reason to deny it is to accept outside authority over the scriptures which can never be a good place to begin with at any rate.

Now let me say something about the term "Son of God"  the term being used is "Huios"  which always means when it comes to Christ:  one who has the sane nature as the Father. He is the unique Son of God.     To phrase this question a little more fairly it would be: Who is Jesus Christ? He is the Son of God; the Second person of the Holy Trinity. 

(2)  Who is the father of mankind? Adam. Who is the father of Adam?  Jesus. Okay then,  who created Mary? God. 

Now we have dealt with the misunderstanding on the part of the person who put this set of question in Answer 1.   Well, then it should follow naturally as to what the error being made here: assuming that the error of a minority is the position of the whole.  Let us make it more easy to see the point. because a subset of Muslims believe that there was a prophet after Muhammad; therefore, all Muslims do.  And of course, this is not true is it?    Now the first question is true. Adam is the Father of all mankind-- that much is seen from read the whole scriptures He is the federal head of both his immediate family; and also the Spiritual head of each member of humanity (Genesis 1-3; Romans 5:12-14) . But just because the person was able to correctly communicate one point-- it does not follow that the other questions are valid. 

The second question is false: the triune God is the creator; and therefore, the father in that sense of Adam.. And it follows by necessity that He is the Father or creator of Mary too. But the person of Christ was not in existence at this time; only the Eternal Son who would take on flesh of Mary at a specific point as we are told:

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Gal 4: 4-7)

This took place in the incarnation (we will return to this matter later); for now the only issue that matters is that no truly informed Christian would ever make such a blunder like this. Therefore, the only conclusion I can come to is that this was not put together on the basis of what Christians have said but because it was taken from another Muslims misunderstanding. And that is something that occurs all too often. 

 

 (3) Who is Jesus Mother? Mary. Does God have a beginning? No.  Then what is Christmas? The celebration of Jesus being born. 

Now we come to the virgin birth; or to be more precise, the miraculous conception of Christ-- because it is not some much the birth that is unique or distinct from any other but the manner in which it all came to be-- the conception. 

But this objection does not so much have anything to do with the virgin birth or miraculous conception; but more to do with how it relates to the fact that the one who would be born in this manner has from all eternity existed as God the Son (not in His humanity but divinity) . Let us be clear that both Christianity and Islam to some degree both celebrate the virgin birth or miraculous conception; though they both diverge as to the backgrounds and the purpose behind this event.  For Islam: the virgin birth was simply one of Allah's mighty miracle and does not seem to beyond that point. Islam lack any real purpose for this particular act of God-- while in many others there is also a reason given. However, in Christianity not only is this a might miracle of the Triune God;  there is a most glorious purpose behind it like in all miracles (Matthew 1: 18-2:12; Luke 2:1-21 . 

Let us just briefly note what this purpose is:  The Lord according to the Christian scriptures is the full and final revealing of God. He is the unique Son of God as I have said before. But here is the key distinctive: the purpose of the miraculous conception was to ensure that this child would be born sinless both in nature and deed; and therefore, he would fulfil the tri-part roles of being the Messiah (Islam lack the reason for Him being the Messiah)-- but here it is: He would the perfect prophet who would be the perfect sac rife; He is the sole means for man and women being reconciled and redeemed back to God after being an enemy  of God and slave to sin from day 1.  

What does this mean?  Only in Christ do wee that God has given us a sufficient basis to believe that he is who he is. Allah is both incompetent and impotent to save people because he does not know how. But also Islam has an insufficient basis for what it means for Christ to be called the Messiah. How do we deal with the idea that Christianity teaches; or at least Muslim believe it does, had both a beginning and an end?  Simple answer: neither is true God is eternal-- and that means each member is too. Only the Son when taken on flesh and becoming a man does we see that the humanity has both a beginning and end; or at least before the resurrection he had an end. 

(4) Does God have an end? No.  Then did he die on the cross? Yes.  Will Jesus be resurrected from the dead? Yes.  Who will resurrect Him? God. 

Now we see the flawed logic in this reasoning-- and it is localised to Muslim; so it would seem. We have already answered the first question towards the end of the last answer. But here is the reason for such a question. It is as if we are being told:  "You Christians agree that God has no end; and yet you think that Jesus is God. do you see the problem we are having with this?"  But such reasons reveals the lack of understand of Christian doctrine and truth.  For one thing, we are not saying there God as to his being has an end. What we are saying is that the Son of God, the second person of the Holy and Divine Trinity became a man for the express purpose of taking upon Himself the sins of His people as we have already noted above. 

  

Take note of the following passage:

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

These words come from Peter's 1st letter-- and take note of the highlighted section because it speaks of God eternal purpose of redemption which Christ came into the world accomplish. And this was done by the "precious blood of Christ" as it was shed upon the cross. And yes-- God was the one who brought this to pass according that eternal purpose. But the same scriptures make it clear all three persons were active in this whole work (John 10; 14-18; Acts 2:22-26; Romans 1:1-4; 8:1-4) .  The scriptures are very clear on this. Faithful Christian teacher are clear on this. It is only false prophets and teachers like Muhammad who spews this babble out which you as a Muslima has brought hook; line and sinker. It is a sad thing.