Islam 8

Speaking the Truth in Love to Muslims

Jesus is the Only Thing

I. Law and Gospel

Every unbeliever, for that is what every Muslim is, must be made aware of how much God requires for all those who are intent on earning their way to heaven. Every person, by nature, knows of God's law, but the sinful human nature in each one of us waters down the requirements of the law so that we can imagine we are actually keeping the law. That is why every presentation of Jesus to an unbeliever must establish the groundwork that we need a Savior. Without the awareness of that need, they will think they won't need a Savior.

Then, every presentation of the law must be followed by a presentation of the Gospel. The law was not God's final message to humanity. The Gospel is. Without a presentation of the Gospel there is no chance for the unbeliever to be brought to faith, for the Holy Spirit works saving faith only through the Gospel.

Briefly read Romans 1.18-3.26 and answer the following questions.

How does Paul prove the Gentiles need a Savior?

How does Paul prove the Jews need a Savior?

What is the purpose of the law?

How do Jew and Gentile get to heaven?

Why is Romans 3.23-24 the climactic sentence in this passage of Scripture?

II. Jesus, Jesus, Only Jesus

There are a million things to talk about when you are talking religion to someone. In our study of Islam, you have seen a lot of ways in which it is different from Christianity. But no one is going to go to heaven simply by believing the Bible is the real Holy Book instead of the Koran, there are no marriages in heaven and that jihad is not a God-pleasing tool for spreading the faith. It is pointless to argue about such things.

This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17.3

What does it take to get to heaven?

Who does an unbeliever have to know about?

I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2.2

Paul knew a lot of things about God. Yet what did hw do with all that other knowledge he had about God?

How will you keep from getting off on tangents in witnessing to a Muslim in the following instances?

"You Christians are just out to conquer the world and impose your beliefs on everybody."

"Christianity is false because you don't let God run your nation's life."

"Jesus is just a prophet sent by Allah."

Don't think you are the only one who has had to handle objections that threaten to derail a presentation of Jesus. Skim John 4.4-26 and answer the following questions.

What objections does the Samaritan women have that threatens to derail Jesus' Gospel presentation (v. 9, 12, 20, 25)

How does Jesus repeatedly get back to his point of the Gospel presentation?

Why does he ask her about her husband?

Where is the Gospel presentation in these verses?

III. Do's and Don'ts

Do be loving and considerate of the person you are witnessing to.
Do be clear and simple in your words.
Do show what the Bible says.
Do sidestep objections with personal comments. "I can see why you might feel that way." "A lot of people think the same way." "I used to think that way, but now I see things differently."
Do try to present Jesus.
Do include yourself in the presentation.

Don't argue.
Don't try to disprove what the other person believes.
Don't feel superior to the person you are witnessing to.
Don't try to show off.
Don't be fake.

IV. A Simple Way to Share Your Faith: God's Great Exchange

(it would help to have a blank sheet of paper and a pencil to sketch out these diagrams.)

We have a problem.

What does God require?

(Retell the beginning of the story of the Parable of the Good Samaritan) Do this (love God and your neighbor perfectly and you will live. Luke 10.(25-)28

Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. Leviticus 19.2

What God sees in us!

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3.23

Your iniquities have separated you from God. Isaiah 59.2

The wages of sin is death. Romans 6.23

Man-Made Remedies for our Problem.

I'll do more good deeds than bad ones!

We try to balance off our good deeds with bad deeds. But God requires that there be no bad deeds at all!

I'll try harder!

This is a ladder with no end in sight. We keep trying but we never do quite enough or we fall back when we do something bad.

I'll compare myself to others!

A comparison with others who are worse than we are still doesn't excuse the bad things we do. God asks us to compare our holiness to his holiness.

All these ways can only lead to eternal death.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 16.25

Summarize the "We have a problem" section.

God has a solution!

He (Jesus) committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. Isaiah 53.9

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John 1.19

The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53.6

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5.21

God put our sin on Jesus, who paid for our sin in full. God gives us Jesus' holiness so we have what God requires for eternal life! We have fulfilled God's requirements through faith in Jesus. We are going to heaven.

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