The Majesty of the Book?

I've heard that Muslims admire the Quran for its majesty. They say it's the most perfect and beautiful of all the world's books. As proof, they quote sura 2:23 (THE HEIFER)  which reads, "And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like these, and call your witnesses "

First, is that any way to assess a book? Many classic tomes have been written over the centuries. Some of those are fiction while others are factual. Does it make sense to claim that the Quran is beautiful because people say it is? Reasonable people understand that lofty language doesn't prove a book to be true.

And shouldn't all verses be definitive if a book is to be believed as being divine? Look at  what sura 3:7 (FAMILY OF IMRAN) says. "It is He who revealed to you the Book. Some of its verses are definitive; they are the foundation of the Book, and others are unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation, they follow the unspecific part, seeking descent, and seeking to derive an interpretation. But none knows its interpretation except Allah and those firmly rooted in knowledge say, '“We believe in it; all is from our Lord.' But none recollects except those with understanding."

Furthermore, I've pointed out in past posts that Muslims believe in the principle of abrogation, that later revelations replace earlier ones. They get this idea from sura 2:106 (THE HEIFER) which reads, "We never nullify a verse, nor cause it to be forgotten, unless We bring one better than it, or similar to it. Do you not know that Allah is capable of all things?"

But does abrogation apply to the Bible? Jesus instigated the new covenant but it never replaced the old one. Instead, our Lord fulfilled it. Matthew 5:17 (KJV) is one verse which explains how. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

As I've written before, Jesus himself explained that the prophets foretold his coming. Luke 24:25 (KJV) says, "Then he said unto them, 'O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:"

And if one wants to read majestic words, none could be moreso than what people call The Sermon on the Mount. Look at how our Lord began his sermon to those following him. Matthew 5:3-10 (BBE) reads, "Happy are the poor in spirit: for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Happy are those who are sad: for they will be comforted. Happy are the gentle: for the earth will be their heritage. Happy are those whose heart's desire is for righteousness: for they will have their desire. Happy are those who have mercy: for they will be given mercy. Happy are the clean in heart: for they will see God. Happy are the peacemakers: for they will be named sons of God. Happy are those who are attacked on account of righteousness: for the kingdom of heaven will be theirs."

And though we have such lofty quotes, the one who made them is far more honoured. Look at what 2 Peter 1:16 (KJV) says. "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty."

Our Lord is truly awesome and far more glorious than what Muslims are taught to believe about him. That's partly why I'm writing my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Our opinions of Christ won't get us into heaven. Only by surrendering our lives to him will open those glorious gates.




On Saturday, I'll be posting about the shadowy world of spy number radio stations and the covert war we believers are fighting. Stay tuned.

Was Muhammad a Real or False Prophet?

Since Christ was more than a mere prophet, though he did hold that office, was Muhammad also God's prophet? Some Christians might be convinced of that but the Bible makes it clear who is and isn't a prophet which he had sent.

First of all, God sent prophets from Israel to the Israelites. As the scriptures in Deuteronomy 13:1-3 state, "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, 'Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;' Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

And as I pointed out before, the Israelites came through the line of Isaac, the child of promise.

Additionally, God gave his prophets the power to do miracles. We see the works of Elijah, Elicia, Moses, and others which verify that those men were speaking for God.

But some spoke from their own notions, as Jeremiah 23:21 (KJV) shows. "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied."

Notice too that when angels appeared to people, they always began by saying, "Fear not." But Muhammad claimed to have seen the angel Gabriel while he was in a cave. According to him, Gabriel never said "fear not," but he pushed him down and said, "Recite."

Additionally, all the prophets sent by God agree regarding what he spoke. Luke 24:25 (KJV) shows just how the message given to them was consistent. As Jesus told two of his followers, "Then he said unto them, 'O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:" Then he explained to them how the Christ had to suffer, die, and rise again.

Since Muhammad was a self-proclaimed prophet with no miracles to his credit, I'll write more about that in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? God never contradicts himself and neither do his messengers contradict what he spoke.

On Thursday, I'll show that it's Islam which is the misogynistic belief system, not Christianity as some feminists assert.

What Does the Resurrection Prove?

Christians around the world have celebrated Christ's resurrection for millennia. Though Christ's rising from the dead is  certainly a wonderful event, what does it mean for Christians?

Our faith isn't in a defeated Lord. If Jesus didn't rise, then everything preached about his resurrection is wrong. And if what we believed is wrong, our hope in being raised to new life is also gone. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:19 (KJV), "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."

Additionally, Christ fulfilled all the prophecies concerning him. Look at what he said to two discouraged disciples. Luke 24:25 (KJV) reads, "Then he said unto them, 'O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?' And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."

And because Christ lives, his followers shall live in incorruptible bodies when he returns. 1 Corinthians 15:42 (KJV) states, "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:" We don't become disembodied spirits floating around forever, as some false preachers teach.

This is such a blessed hope for all of us who trust in Christ, especially for those of us whose bodies are chronically in pain. As Paul aptly put it in 2 Corinthians 5:4 (KJV), "For we that are in this tabernacle do  groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but  clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."

How wonderful that Christ led the way by being the prototype of resurrection to eternal life. As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:10 (KJV), "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:"

Paul also comforted mourners in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 15:54 (KJV) by writing, "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."

My earnest hope is to expand upon this awesome promise of resurrection to eternal life in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Only Christianity promises new, immortal bodies because of Christ's rising from the dead. How I wish people who condemn the faith would come to accept and embrace it.