The Difference Between Christianity and Islam

[The King James Version of the Bible and the translation of the Koran by E. H. Palmer (first published in 1900 and in the World's Classics in 1928—Oxford University Press, London—and  reprinted many times thereafter) are the sources used.]

 

      Because of the terrorist acts of Muslim extremists and fundalmentalists against the United States on September 11, 2001, and against others via suicide bombings and other terrorist activities, I thought it might be of interest to the Saints of the Church of God in Christ (and to all Christians and all people of any persuasion) to take note of some major differences between the BIBLE of Christianity and the KORAN of Islam.  After a careful study of both the Bible and the Koran (both supposedly giving the truth of God), I have decided to share some of these major differences as I see them with all who elect to visit the holylightcogic.com website.  Some of these differences are as set forth below.

 

MAJOR DIFFERENCE NUMBER ONE(1)

     The BIBLE is assumed to have been revealed by God Himself via His Holy Spirit to numerous men, beginning with Moses (circa 1440 B.C.) and ending with the Apostle John (circa A.D. 90), a period of some 1,500 years.  See, for example, II Timothy 3:16.

    

The KORAN is assumed to have been revealed to one man, Mohammed, by an angel (generally considered to be Gabriel) from about 611 A.D. to 632 A.D., a period of some twenty years.  See, for example, Sûrah II.90-94.

 

 

MAJOR DIFFERENCE NUMBER TWO (2)

     The BIBLE DECLARES Jesus to be the only begotten Son of God and to be given all power in heaven and in earth.  He also is to judge both the living and the dead.  See, for example, Matthew 16:13-18, Acts 10:42.

    

      The KORAN declares that God is not the Father of any man, including Jesus, but the Creator of man, that Jesus was only a special prophet given special power of the Holy Ghost to perform miracles.  See, for example, Sûrah V.106-120.  Additionally, Mohammed wrote in the KORAN that if God had a Son, he (Mohammed) would be the first to worship him.  See, for example, Sûrah XLIII.80-84.

 

 

MAJOR DIFFERENCE NUMBER THREE (3)

     The BIBLE declares that no person can be saved except through believing in Jesus Christ and except that he/she be born of water and of the Spirit of God, making such a person a son of God, a new creature in Christ Jesus.  See, for example, John 1:10-13; 3:14-16; 8:24; II Corinthians 5:17.                                          

                        The KORAN makes no mention of being born of the Spirit of God in that the KORAN denies that God has any sons.  The KORAN indicates that believing in what Mohammed wrote in the KORAN, being resigned to God, is the way to be saved.  See, for example, Sûrah XLIV.50-59, Sûrah LXXVIII.1-40.

 

 

MAJOR DIFFERENCE NUMBER (4)

     The BIBLE declares that anyone who believes in JESUS, repents of sins, is baptized as JESUS directed, can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to be able to work miracles to God’s glory in the name of JESUS just as JESUS CHRIST was able to do.  See, for example, Mark 16:15-20; John 14:12-14; Acts 2:38-39.

     The KORAN neither admits to nor allows for men in general to receive the gift and power of the Holy Ghost to work signs such as healing the sick, casting out devils, etc.  The KORAN never mentions where Mohammed was able to work any miracles of God in the way that Jesus could or in the way that any of Jesus’ Apostles could, but that the signs of God were evident in history and in everyday life via calamities, unusual events, etc., which are attributed to God and/or angels, but not via God’s power given to men.  See, for example, Sûrah XLVI.

 

 

MAJOR DIFFERENCE NUMBER FIVE (5)

     The BIBLE  declares that God the Father (with Jesus) would dwell in true believers in Jesus Christ and lead them and direct them via the Holy Ghost in the path of righteousness by being within them.  See, for example, John 14:2-23; Acts 8:14.

     The KORAN declares that resigning oneself to the sayings of the KORAN and to God is the way to be righteous, and that there is no other way to be righteous—that, essentially, God may guide men externally via angels or via other men, but not by being within man.  See, for example, Sûrah XL.

 

 

MAJOR DIFFERENCE NUMBER (6)

     The BIBLE declares that neither is there any sexual activity, nor is there any giving in marriage, nor  is there any marriage in paradise.  See, for example, Matthew 22:23-30.

     The KORAN declares that men will have beautiful girls and sex in paradise.  See, for example, Sûrah XLIV.50-59, SÛRAH LXXVIII.1-40.

 

 

MAJOR DIFFERENCE SEVEN (7)

     According to the BIBLE, all glory, honor, and praise should go to God and to Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.   NEITHER man NOR angel should take any credit for the works of God.  Even Moses got into trouble with God when he took some glory from God via a work or miracle of God.  See, for example, Numbers 20:10-13.  Lucifer, an archangel of God, also got into trouble with God for so doing.  See, for example, Isaiah 14:12-17; Luke 10:17-20.

     In the KORAN, the revealer, supposedly (as is even indicated in the Koran) the archangel Gabriel is always taking credit and some glory for the works of God including the making of man, the sending of Moses and the prophets, and even the sending of Jesus by stating most frequently what “we” did and using the first person plural forms “us” and “our.”  See, for example, Sûrah XLIII.44-64; Sûrah XLVI.1-9.

     I hope that the above information will be of value to all readers in these last and evil days when the anti-Christ spirit fights so hard against the fact that JESUS OF NAZARETH, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY, IS THE CHRIST AND THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF THE LIVING GOD, and that he shall return to the earth to receive his CHURCH according to his promise.

Bishop Juan O. Lawson

 

January 2008

JANUARY 2008

TOPIC:

VISION AND POWER FOR REALIZING, ACTUALIZING, AND OPTIMIZING OUR GOD-GIVEN PRESENT AND FUTURE.

 

SCRIPTURES:  LUKE 12:13-21

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  THANK GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST FOR ALLOWING US TO SEE ANOTHER YEAR.  MANY WERE CALLED OUT OF THIS WORLD JUST IN THE PAST WEEK.  JUST A DAY OR TWO AGO, VERY CLOSE TO MY HOUSE, ONE YOUNG WOMAN, A TEENAGER, I BELIEVE, SEEMINGLY OBEYING THE TRAFFIC LAWS, WAITING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT TO CHANGE, WAS REAR ENDED BY A SPEEDING, DRUNKEN DRIVER.  THE DRUNKEN DRIVER WHO WAS IN THE WRONG SURVIVED THE COLLISION; UNFORTUNATELY, THE YOUNG WOMAN DIED NOT TOO LONG AFTER THE COLLISION.  I DON’T THINK SHE EVER SAW THE DRUNKEN DRIVER.  SHE PROBABLY HAD NO IDEA, NO VISION, OF HER IMPENDING DEATH.  NEITHER DID SHE HAVE ANY POWER WHATSOEVER TO PREVENT WHAT HAPPENED CONSIDERING WHERE SHE WAS AT THE TIME SHE WAS THERE.

 

ALTHOUGH THE ABOVE-MENTIONED INCIDENT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME, I SPENT SOME TIME THINKING ABOUT IT, IT DID BRING INTO FOCUS WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT—VISION AND POWER FOR REALIZING, ACTUALIZING, AND OPTIMIZING OUR GOD-GIVEN FUTURE.  EACH ONE OF US HAS A FUTURE.  WE HAVE A FUTURE ON EARTH, AND WE HAVE A FUTURE AFTER OUR EARTHLY LIVES HAVE COME TO A CONCLUSION.  GOD GIVES US OUR FUTURE.  I THINK THAT WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OUR FUTURE IS FOR 2008 AND BEYOND.  IN ORDER TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT OUR FUTURE AND TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE OUR FUTURE THE BEST POSSIBLE, WE NEED TWO THINGS:  VISION AND POWER. 

VISION IS THE ABILITY TO SEE THE FUTURE, BUT ALSO, CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, IS THE ABILITY TO SEE OR UNDERSTAND THE PAST AND THE PRESENT.  ABILITY TO SEE OR UNDERSTAND THE PAST IS NECESSARY TO PROPERLY INTERPRET AND UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT AND TO PLAN PROPERLY FOR THE FUTURE.  VISION CAN COME FROM NATURAL ABILITY, BUT THE BEST VISION COMES FROM GOD.  IF WE DON’T HAVE THE VISION THAT COME FROM GOD, WE PERISH (AS INDICATED BY PROVERBS 29:18). 

POWER IS THE ABILITY TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES THAT MIGHT PREVENT A GOOD PRESENT THAT GOD WANTS US TO HAVE AND A FUTURE THAT GOD WANTS US TO HAVE.  WE MAY HAVE NATURAL POWER, EVEN ENOUGH TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD.  BUT WITHOUT THE POWER THAT COMES FROM GOD, WE MAY LOSE OUR SOULS.  

 

LET ME SAY THIS BEFORE I CONTINUE.  NATURAL VISION COUPLED WITH NATURAL POWER MAY GAIN US MUCH NATURALLY FOR THE PRESENT AND FOR SOME UNCERTAIN FUTURE ON EARTH.  BUT SUCH A COMBINATION IS USUALLY ALMOST ALWAYS SELF-CENTERED WITH THE PERSONAL WILL DOMINATING.  SPIRITUAL VISION COUPLED WITH SPIRITUAL POWER WILL GAIN US WHAT GOD HAS FOR US NATURALLY AND SPIRITUALLY ON EARTH AND WHAT GOD HAS FOR US IN THE NEXT LIFE.

 

IN THE STORY WE READ, THIS MAN HAD NATURAL VISION AND NATURAL POWER.  HE SAW UNDERSTOOD ABOUT REAPING AND SOWING NATURALLY.  HE SAW UNDERSTOOD THE HISTORY OF IT.  HIS UNDERSTANDING OF IT ENABLED HIM TO OPTIMIZE HIS NATURAL PRESENT.  HE LIVED THE “GOOD LIFE.”  HE ALSO HAD NATURAL POWER.  HE USED HIS NATURAL VISION AND UNDERSTANDING COUPLED WITH HIS NATURAL POWER IN SEEING HIS NATURAL FUTURE AND PLANNING TO PROVIDE FOR HIS NATURAL FUTURE ON EARTH.  HE MADE THE MISTAKE, HOWEVER, OF RELYING ON THE ACTUARY TABLES, CONSIDERING AVERAGE LIFE SPANS ON EARTH, VISUALIZING AND THINKING THAT HE HAD A LOT MORE TIME TO LIVE ON EARTH, CONSIDERING HIS GOOD HEALTH, GENETIC MAKE-UP, FAMILY HISTORY, MEDICAL CARE AND INSURANCE, ETC.  BUT HE MADE WHAT HAPPENED TO BE A FATAL ERROR.  HE LEFT GOD OUT OF HIS PLANS, AND GOD CALLED HIM ON IT BY SAYING TO HIM, “THOU FOOL, THIS NIGHT THY SOUL SHALL BE REQUIRED OF THEE: THEN WHOSE SHALL THOSE THINGS BE, WHICH THOU HAST PROVIDED?  SO IS HE THAT LAYETH UP TREASURE FOR HIMSELF, AND IS NOT RICH TOWARD GOD.”

 

I WANT US TO CONCENTRATE ON RECEIVING AND UTILIZING VISION AND POWER THAT GOD HAS FOR US.  THEN WE CAN REALIZE, ACTUALIZE, AND OPTIMIZE OUR GOD-GIVEN PRESENT AND FUTURE. 

IF WE SEEK AND RECEIVE THE VISION THAT GOD WILL GIVE US, THE FOLLOWING WILL HAPPEN:

1. WE WILL SEE THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE THE WAY GOD SEES THEM.  GOD WILL GIVE US PROPHECY.  GOD WILL GIVE US UNDERSTANDING.  GOD WILL GIVE US DISCERNMENT.  GOD WILL GIVE US WISDOM.  GOD WILL GIVE US KNOWLEDGE.  GOD WILL LEAD US VIA HIS HOLY SPIRIT INTO ALL TRUTH.  JUST CONSIDER THE GIFTS OF GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT. 
2. WE WILL BE MOTIVATED TO ACT.  HE WILL BE IN US, AS JEREMIAH SAID, LIKE “FIRE SHUT UP IN OUR BONES.”
3. WE WILL BE INSPIRED TO ACT BY FAITH ON REALITIES NOT SEEN NATURALLY AS ABRAHAM, JOSEPH, DAVID, PETER, PAUL, AND OTHER GREAT PEOPLE OF GOD DID.
4. WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE OURSELVES IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT, MORE IN THE WAY GOD SEES US.  WE WILL SEE OUR ABILITIES, OUR GIFTS, AND OUR LIMITATIONS.  WE THEN WILL BE MORE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH WE NEED GOD IN OUR LIVES TO HELP US REALIZE, ACTUALIZE, AND OPTIMIZE OUR GOD-GIVEN PRESENT AND FUTURE.

THEN, AFTER WE HAVE GOD-GIVEN VISION, WE NEED POWER TO ACT ON THAT VISION.  WHEN WE RECEIVE POWER FROM GOD:

1. WE WILL BE MORE ABLE TO OVERCOME THE ODDS AGAINST US.
2. WE WILL BE SUSTAINED IN DIFFICULT TIME AS SATAN TRIES TO PREVENT US FROM HAVING WHAT GOD HAS FOR US IN THE PRESENT AND IN THE FUTURE.
3. WE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP OTHERS IN MORE MEANINGFUL WAYS AS PETER AND JOHN WHEN GOING TO PRAYER WERE ABLE TO HELP THE CRIPPLED BEGGAR IN TELLING HIM, “MONEY WE DO NOT HAVE, BUT SUCH AS WE HAVE, WE GIVE TO YOU:  IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, RISE US AND WALK.”
4.  WE WILL HAVE THE BLESSED ASSURANCE THAT WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD WHO CANNOT BE PLUCKED FROM JESUS’ HAND; THAT WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE NOW BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN JESUS AND WE LOVE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS; THAT JESUS IS WITH US NOW IN THE HOLY GHOST AS WE LIVE OUT OUR GOD-GIVEN PRESENT AND FUTURE ON EARTH, MANIFESTING HIMSELF TO US, BUT NOT UNTO THE WORLD; AND THAT WE WILL ONE DAY SEE JESUS AS HE IS, FOR WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM.