The question cannot be answered as simple as yes or no. It is true that the Muslim faith looks back to the God of Abraham through Ishmael while Christians look back to the God of Abraham through Isaac. So, in that sense, the answer is yes. The difference is in what we believe regarding God and salvation or eternal life. The two religions differ on this in a way as to where only one can be right.
We, Christians, believe that salvation comes through faith in Jesus and His atoning work alone. We believe, be becasue the Bible tells us this, that no one can know the Father unless they know the Son. This is a major difference. To know of a God or about a God is different than knowing a God and being known by Him. For the Christian it is all about Jesus, Who is God in the flesh.
This is where I must again state that one or the other is right, both cannot be. I follow the path of Christ. I believe it to be true based on His Word and His Spirit. If I am wrong, I will know soon enough (This is not a lack of faith, but inserted as a pragmatic fact for those who argue aginst Christianity). I also recognize that God has given mankind freewill. This means that each person is free to choose their way in life. If they choose wrong they will one day recognize the error of their choice. In the meantime, we are not to condemn others, but rather love them and extend Christ love to them. If they reject Christ He gives them that freedom in the here and now. I also too recognize my right to believe in Christ and accept His way.
Therefore, same God in principle, but different God in understanding and practicality.
Well put, this is how I've always understood the Muslim faith in God and how it differs from Christianity from the time of Abraham and his two sons. Allah is another name for God, but the two religions do differ from practical standpoint and in understanding.
I believe there is only one God. Different religions have different names for God, same as each Christian denomination has different doctrines. I have some very good friends that are Muslim and from talking to them, they also believe in Jesus but only as far as they believe He is a prophet like Mohammed. Most Christian denominations believe that Jesus and God are one and the same. Most Christian denominations pray to Jesus or pray to God in Jesus' name. Allah is one of the Muslim names for God. I think in the Muslim religion there are 100 names for God, very similar to most Christian denominations...ie...Yahweh, Jehovah, etc.. I lived in the Arab countries for awhile so I've learned this from experience.
The muslims believe that we (Christians) are wrong in worshipping Christ as our Savior. They deny worshipping Mohammed but from what I have seen and experienced I believe they do worship Mohammed by giving so much power to Mohammed's teachings. Remember though, it's not our place to judge them because they are as sincere (or maybe even more sincere) in their beliefs as devout Christians are in their own beliefs. Also, remember that they were taught from birth to believe what they do...they are not given free choice. Praise God that Christians are given a choice. We are bound only by our faith...
You are so right, friendship evangelism is what some call it. I like to think of it as being normal for us Christians; we should get our salt and light all over those who are lost.
But we will never have an opportunity if we are judgmental and rude in our relationship with others outside of the faith.
We must never compromise the Gospel in any way and give an impression that salvation is obtained in any other way than through Jesus. We can do this and still not be offensive, although some times it might be, but if we show that our faith causes us to love everyone despite their beliefs, then we are truly being Christian.
hey guys just a thought.. I grew up in a predominantly Muslim part of the Philippines and I have many muslim friends although they know I'm a Christian. I remember an incident between a student studying Shariah(islamic law) and his teacher-Imam in our local university. The student ask the Imam why does it have to be Jesus who would return in the second coming(Koran states that it is Jesus who would return) and not Muhammad. The Imam had no answer. The student said that the christians then have the advantage because Jesus would most likely "save" them first because they worship him and if that's the case I'd better be a christian. Again the Imam offered no answer.
For me that would be a nice "springboard" for evangelism.
And I usually introduce myself as a believer of Isa Al'Masih(Jesus The Messiah) to a muslim because being labeled as a Christian becomes a stumbling block. They think of christians as mostly the infidels and crusaders etc.
Permalink Reply by Alan on August 1, 2008 at 11:50pm
This is an old question post but I did not see an answer to your question so here goes hang on.
The tribes of the desert had 360 gods of which the main god. All was the god of the sword or we would say war and was the most important of the gods. The next is the moon god lllah. To unite the tribes Mohamed combined the two most important gods together to get Allah. That is why there is the moon and the star in the Muslim sign. The Muslim does not believe in a god that takes an active part in the life of the believer. Their god is not interested in the daily activities of his followers. The type of god Allah is does not allow for the mercy and grace that we see in the God of the Christian. There is an extreme amount of violence involved in the service of Allah. There are two houses in the Islamic faith: the house of submission (Islam means to submit not peace) and the house of war. All who do not submit to the will of the prophet and Allah are in the house of war. There is much more to be said of the differences I hope this is helpful. We can talk more about this if you like; remember that if the Jew and the Arab served the same god they would not be fighting over whose god is real.
o.k can i give my opinion Allah is not our God
they are not two different GOD.
God our God is trinity ( Father , son Jesus ,Holy Spirit ) God is TREE in ONE
Father who created the earth , human , sky , anymal , like in Genesis
Jesus His Son God himself to become flesh ( human 100 % ) died for us in the cross. The holy Spirit ( conselation ) to help us how to pray ,reveal His vision, mission , plan to us .
The moeslem they didn't accept Jesus like our God they event didn't understand why God have a Son & die in the cross they believe Judas was die in the cross.
Iam Indonesian i have a lot of moeslem family inside my mom's family.
They believe Allah but they are believe Jesus like Muhammad ( profetic ).
GOD is only ONE ( TRINITY Father ,Son Jesus, Holy Spirit ) like human from tree element Body , Spirit , Soul but ONE PERSON
We must be carefull like Christian a lot of religion like budha ,hindu ,moeslem , atheis , they have their god,but theirs god is dies only JESUS true God and still alive .JESUS still manisfest to human & give privilege to everykind of people to accept Him & have eternal life .
JESUS also Our Salvation you can be saved only by His blood .
He was risen & sitting behind the Father pray for all His Children ,
He strengthen us everyday by His Holy Spirit that dwell inside our heart
I hope you understand
Melanny from Italy
To know God must be confess & accept Jesus like theirs God & Saviour
Hi melanny manuputty,
What you are saying is that the only religion that has an empty grave is Christianity. All the others are still buried and waiting for the day of Judgemment.
Ron
im with u..i once used to believe that it was the same God until I read in the Bible that Jesus said that what enters our mouth doesn not make us unclean it is only what comes out that can make us unclean. Moslems believe that eating pork will make them unclean and yet Jesus clearly told us that this simply goes to the stomach and not the heart if we have prayed for it it is made clean..after reading this scripture i was sure that Allah and God are most definately not the same
The muslim god is allah. The christian God( jewish) is YHWH=YAHWEH=JEHOVAH=I AM. History has it that the name allah is one of the 360 gods(idols) that muhammad's people of mecca worshipped. His father as the custodian of these idols named his children after them.eg. ABDULLAH,MOHAMMAD'S FATHER MEANS SERVANT OF ALLAH and his uncle abdul manaf means servant of manaf.That mohammad decided to enthrone allah which his father was named after is not only selfish but an exaltation of one idol over others.
The fact that the biblical prophets never mentioned God's name to be allah nor did Jesus called his father as such means that allah is not our God. Please let us not confuse ourselves with idols of any name. Allah has no son but our God has a son= JESUS CHRIST,EMMANUEL( GOD WITH US). The christian God does not force people to accept him where as the islamic god, allah forces nations and people to be his own. Our God gives peace through his Son( THE PRINCE OF PEACE ) While allah recommends war to win converts.
Let us be wise because the antichrist personified by mohammad is trying to link us to the same root( ABRAHAM) but chose to accept the son of the bond woman over ISAAC, the promised child.
Brothers and sisters, satan is trying to make himself an angel of light by making some believe that allah is GOD.He has not lost his garden of eden antics. Watch out for his subtility. Our God is the Almighty,Everlasting, king of Kings,Father of the spirits,Promise keeper that has promised us eternity in his kingdom and not allah that promised 70 virgins to those who die serving him.Our God makes people worship Him in other tounges and languages but the only language selfish allah believes is arabic.
Your brother in HIM,
inibehe.
I cannot fully understand the muslim God but this example made understand that our GOD is a really GOD.We usually have crusades in and out of the town . Our church is located in the muslim city.Recently we had a crusade , (our crusades are held on open places not inside the buildings). Most of the people who stay within that place are our muslim brothers.On the third day of crusade many people had gathered to listen to the servant of GOD a known prophet of GOD.Then it was around 8pm a young muslim boy ran all the way from the nearby house and threw a rotten egg at the servant of GOD preaching on the pulpit. Luckily the boy was caught by security and locked.Immediately the servant of GOD announced '' whoever had sent this boy to throw rotten egg at us will know tonite that we serve a living GOD'.Simple and clear.We closed the crusade for another day. The following morning very early the servant of GOD was called to the ground of crusade. Why? The muslims sheikhs and young men did not sleep the whole night.'They were being strangled by the unknown'. They asked apology to what they did the day before and six of them gave life to JESUS in the evening crusade.They surely confessed we serve a living GOD- The creator of heavens ,earth and sea.It is too long reply letter but worthy to read