Speaking the Truth in Love to Muslims
A Better Way
If you are attempting to witness to a Muslim, congratulations! You have become a friend to that person. You harbor no stereotypes that would build mistrust and hostility between people. You deeply care for that person and share a lot of values and common interests. You do not want to ruin your relationship with your friend by being holier-than-thou, a Bible banger or too clever by half.
These are essential to witnessing to any person.
But because of your knowledge of your friend and what he or she believes, you have some very powerful points to make, a very attractive welcome mat to lay down before the doorway that Jesus Christ wants to knock on and enter.
Everyone wants what is better. Even if a guy is contentedly driving a Mercedes--oh, OK, I don't want to be biased--or a Hyundai, he is dissatisfied with it when they come out with a newer, better model of his favorite make. New. Improved. Better. Good words in any language.
Instead of tearing down the religion of your Muslim friend, a religion that people have adhered to for almost fourteen centuries, show your friend a better way which will always lead to Jesus.
Undoubtedly you will talk about your respective faiths over a period of time. A lot of times Christians are frustrated because they only have one way of sharing Christ and, "after you've given them 'The Great Exchange' what do you have left?" It is presumptuous to expect the Holy Spirit will work after one presentation. Here are a few approaches that all lead to the same old "The Great Exchange" presentation, but the start is different and that makes all the difference. There are many ways to "The Great Exchange," but you have to get there.
I. A Better Word
A Perfect Word
God speaks to us through his Word. A holy God, unchanged and unchanging, reveals his perfect, imperishable, unchangeable Word to us.
Point out how a Muslim would agree with these Bible passages according to their own understanding.
Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Psalm 119.89
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. Psalm 18.30
The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. Psalm 19.9
All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever. And this is the word that was preached to you. 1 Peter 1.24-35
How does the 1 Peter passage lead well into a presentation of The Great Exchange?
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me. John 5.39
How does this passage lead very well into a presentation of "The Great Exchange"?
A Word that Reveals the Unknown
God speaks to us for a reason. That reason is that we cannot get the information he wants us to have by our own thinking or reasoning. He has to reveal it. God is the God who reveals.
Everybody knows what is right and what is wrong. Everybody knows the good should be rewarded and the evil punished. We don't need a holy book to know that. God reveals to us the things we do not know.
Point out how Muslims would agree with the following Bible passage according to their own understanding.
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him--but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2.9-10
Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. 1 Timothy 3.16
How would you use this last passage as a steppingstone to "The Great Exchange" once your friend agreed that Scripture should tell us something we can't find out anywhere else?
II. A Better Justice
No one praises injustice. Anybody can mention at least half a dozen unjust events that have taken place throughout the world, the Christian or Muslim world. We all long for true justice. God is the seat and source of all justice. He establishes justice for the nations. Any nation that does not live according to God's just standards will fall by the wayside. What is true of nations is also true of individuals. God expects right action and will punish all injustice and sin a person commits. Sin has to be paid for. It would be unjust for God to accept a payment for sin that is inadequate.
What tenet of Islamic belief are these statements addressing?
Explain the progression of thought in these passages and the effect they should have upon your friend.
The soul who sins is the one who will die. Ezekiel 18.4
The wrath of God is being revealed against all the godlessness and wickedness of men. Romans 1.18
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Micah 6.6, 7
No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him--the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough. Psalm 49.7-8
How would you make the shift to "The Great Exchange" at this point?
What were the preceding passages, Law or Gospel?
If your friend is resistant or doesn't want to hear "The Great Exchange" (again!), tell your friend these passages.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. 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 5.19, 21
You know it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1.18-19
Are these passages Law or Gospel?
What events in Jesus' life do these passages especially point to?
Why is it important to "bait the hook" at this point with Gospel?
How would you now make the shift to "The Great Exchange" at this point?
III. A Better Holiness
Just as we desire true justice, mankind yearns for a true holiness. This is what makes everybody feel like a hypocrite at times, what gives us that nagging feeling that even our best efforts are not good enough for God.
For the theologically minded (those equipped with all those big-sounding words you have to go to school years for to describe something that little children readily believe) this discussion will focus on Jesus' active obedience, his holy life led for us.
Tell a story
Be familiar enough with the story of Abraham to tell the story of Genesis 15.1-6. (Skim through it right now!).
What is the most important verse in that story?
What does it mean?
Whose righteousness does Abraham get through faith in the words and promises of God?
How would you now make the shift to "The Great Exchange" at this point?
Paul's experience
Look at Paul's experience. Read Philippians 3.4-11
Put Paul's words into your own words.
What is the verse to emphasize here and why?
Go back to God's demands.
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5.48
What does that mean?
When do I have to be perfect?
Will God's demands be met if I become perfect?
Will God's demands be met if I am striving for perfection?
How can I be perfect?
How would you now make the shift to "The Great Exchange" at this point?
IV. A Better Confidence
Who wants to be uncertain? Whether you will qualify for the mortgage? Whether you got accepted into your #1 choice of colleges? Waiting for test results from the doctor. These are the times which try men's souls. We hate them.
Something more than a home, a college education or your health is at stake when we are talking about God. Our eternal soul is at stake. How tragic to go through life not knowing whether you would end up in heaven or not! Even more tragic would be hoping that you were going to heaven, striving with all your might to get to heaven, but never knowing if you had done enough! That uncertainty would be enough to give you nightmares of being handed the book of damnation in your left hand when you were expecting the book of life in your right.
If God is truly good, it would seem that he could make his followers confident of their eternal destination. Rather than keeping them on edge, he would provide them a sure ground for the confidence that they would be saved.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. Hebrews 11.1-2
What is at the heart of faith?
Is God happy if we "hedge our bets"?
When he asks he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord. James 1.6-7
What is this passage talking about?
Is God pleased by prayers that doubt him or his power to answer those prayers?
What does God look for in the hearts of his followers?
What if we are asking God for heaven? Does he want us to be certain of his answering our prayers or does he want us to doubt?
Tell a story
Be familiar enough with the story of Jesus walking on the water to tell the story of Matthew 14.22-33. (Skim through it right now!)
What did Jesus expect of his disciples?
How were Peter's actions praiseworthy?
How were Peters' actions not worthy of praise?
What is the important point of this story for our purposes here, showing that God desires certainty?
These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20.31
John's conclusion to his Gospel tells us the reason he wrote his Gospel. It could just as well have been written to give us the reason why we have the whole Bible. What is that reason?
How would you now make the shift to "The Great Exchange" at this point?
Is this really a better way? Yes! No Muslim is going to become a Christian the very first time they hear the story of God's love for them in Christ as summarized in "The Great Exchange." Oh, it is possible, but you will be disappointed if that's what you are shooting for. But they need to keep hearing the truths of God's love for them and "The Great Exchange" is as good a summary as any. When all approaches lead to it, we are showing we are resolved to know nothing by Christ crucified to evangelize not only the world, but that close Muslim friend of yours as well. By offering various Biblical approaches that are rich in the Gospel, we are not out-maneuvering or out-arguing them with manipulative methods. We are giving them a fresh look from a new perspective at the Word of Life, which can kindle a desire to learn more about Christ. Rome wasn't built in a day. It takes most people a period of time to let the message sink in. This gives them the time, reviews the pertinent information, and offers them more Gospel information to digest.