Believers in the Messiah, Jesus, have many beliefs and
values in common with Muslims, not only concerning
faith-related issues but also moral values. People from
both faith communities agree that our world has become
a dangerous place. Believers in Jesus and Muslims can
both be in agreement concerning the following text in
2 Timothy 3:2-5:
“... Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers,
without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors,
headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers
of God.”
Believers in the Messiah and Muslims share similar
common values for daily living: faithfulness (to
God and in relationships), honesty, compassion, honour,
humility, chastity, self-sacrifice, mercy and love.
Muslims and Christians believe that there is one
God, but are we worshipping the same God in word
and deed? One might also ask: In a time when many
people think that all roads and all religions lead to the
one true God, why should one pray for Muslims to come
to salvation? Does it make any difference? Are they not
already accepted by God?
Certainly Muslims are loved by God. Without doing
anything they are loved by Him. God counts Muslim
children and adults as precious. He loves every aspect of
their languages, food, attitudes and daily life which are
truly good and right. However, this does not mean that
Muslims have entered into eternal life or have had their
sins forgiven.
Muslims are not inspired by the hope of a new world
in which Jesus, the crucified and risen Messiah, reigns
as King. Most Muslims have actually been trained not
to believe that Jesus died and rose again. In general they
know little of His forgiveness. They believe that Jesus was
a prophet sent from God but they generally never think of
Him as God’s appointed King who reigns over the nations
(Mt 28:18-20). It is precisely “believing the Gospel of the
Kingdom” which is a problem. Like all people everywhere
and in all cultures, Muslims are called to turn from evil
and believe the Gospel of the Kingdom. Most Muslims
around the world have not even had an opportunity
to hear the Good News of Jesus’ death for sins
and His resurrection, which liberates us from the
power of sin, death and demonic bondage.
For various reasons which will be discussed
later in this booklet, Muslims do not believe that
Jesus is the Son of God. Believers in the Messiah
are always rejoicing that “God has sent His only
begotten Son into the world, that we might live
through Him. In this is love, not that we loved
God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be
the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-
10).
Jesus has come so that we can have life and
have it in abundance ( John 10:10). Therefore let
us pray for Muslims so they can enter into that
life in the Messiah’s eternal kingdom.
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