While it may have been the Apostle Paul who first preached the unadulterated gospel in Arabia and Damascus (Gal. 1:15–17), the following centuries witnessed the introduction of various brands of Christianity ranging from orthodoxy to a number of heretical sects.
Indeed, Eastern Christianity prior to the arrival of Muhammad—the prophet of Islam—was afflicted by internal divisions, theological disputes, and worship of saints and relics. Muhammad was exposed to unorthodox Jewish and Christian beliefs and practices already in existence in Arabia and later through his trading activities with Christians in the north.
Consequently, he drew his conclusions about Christianity from distorted sources: Jewish heterodoxy and a mixture of Christian materials from biographies of saints and martyrs as well as the Apocrypha. What is more significant is the fact that Muhammad and many generations of his followers have not had the Bible in their own language, and so they have not fully understood the message of the gospel. Instead, his colossal misunderstanding of true Christianity has been detrimental to the relationship between Islam and Christianity and has continued regrettably to our day.
In addition to these unfortunate factors, millions of Muslims are exposed to some ailing theological and spiritual teachings and practices of certain brands of churches in our day. So, it’s no wonder that Muslims look upon the Christian faith and the Word of God with suspicion. It is the task of Christians to remain true to the gospel as the Apostle Paul was, so that by God’s grace they might come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment