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Recently, when I gently but firmly sought to explain to a young black male why I as a Christian would not march with black Muslims in a "10 Million Man March," he became very angry. He retorted, "Aren´t they (Christianity and Islam) the same?" He stormed off when I told him no! Instantly in the power of the Holy Spirit I cried out after him and to the 4 to 5 young black men including a Muslim who stood nearby quoting the main portion of Romans 1:16. One of the men was so affected he came over to thank me for sharing.
I have been hearing a lot lately about how the God of the Bible is the same as Allah of Islam´s Qur´an. I have heard this not just from black Muslims but strangely, from young black males whose lifestyles would suggest no allegiance to any religious system with moral standards. Nevertheless, my heart grieves for them because this destructive lie is being presented unchallenged in the community and even embraced by some professing Christians for the sake of racial and religious unity.
While I realize some of the young men I´ve talked to were using the argument of sameness to ward off hearing a presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, others were genuinely confused. Whenever there is deception and spiritual confusion, the Bible teaches Satan is afoot since, "…he is a liar and the father of it" and "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace…," (John 8:44c; I Corinthians 14:33, NKJV).
Indeed, this purposeful deceit and confusion about God and Allah, Jesus Christ and the prophet Mohammed, the Bible and the Qur´an has all of the telltale signs of corrupt, satanic cooking. Take the honorable desire of black Americans to walk in unity; mix in some shared family and moral values; add a pinch of mutual victimization, spiritual sensitivity and the emotional power of religion. Now, shake together vigorously then bake with the charismatic leadership of men like the Muslim Minister Louis Farrakhan and presto, you have compatible religions!
This is America. The Constitution allows men to practice just about any religion that springs out of the human heart. In the marketplace of ideas, even religions that espouse hate are free to express it. This open environment affords distinctly different belief systems such as Christianity and Islam the opportunity to fairly compete for the hearts and minds of the people. Our citizens in turn are free to pick and choose which (if any) of the thousands of religious and secular ideas being promoted they will select for themselves.
It is expected in this grand democratic experiment that the competitors for the hearts and minds of the people will be respectful of each other yet, no doubt offer spirited defenses of their respective propositions. Debate by its very nature arises because of clear differences in points of view. Even the 8th century BC Jewish prophet Amos, asked rhetorically, "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed," (Amos 3:3, NKJV)? Christianity and Islam (along with all other religions of this world) cannot walk together because we could never agree on the most basic of issues: who is Jesus Christ?!
Without hesitation or equivocation, born again followers of Jesus Christ affirm He is God´s one and only begotten Son, who was miraculously incarnated and born of a Jewish virgin. He died on a Roman cross for the sins of the world and was resurrected bodily from the dead on the third day after. He is the unique God/Man forever who ascended to heaven 40 days later and is presently seated at God the Father´s right hand until He returns to establish His kingdom on earth as only the Old Testament prophets of the Bible foretold!
So, what could ultimately be the motivation behind attempting to make Christianity and Islam, particularly as practiced by black Muslims, essentially the same and different only in the ways Christian sects might differ? Isn´t it the same motivation Satan has had since the first century to blind men to the way of true salvation and personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ alone (II Corinthians 4:3-6)?! Hence, the enemy of all men has not ever allowed Christians to compete fairly in the marketplace of ideas in proclaiming our message because it´s light is too winning!
You see, as it concerns the thousands of competitors with Christianity, it is really not some warm, fuzzy and friendly competition between human ideals that is taking place. But it is a deadly serious spiritual war between the God who loves and sent His Son to save men and Satan, the condemned, fallen angel who wants to destroy them by any possible means including using the tactics of deception and confusion!
To Be Continued Next Issue
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