Christian Vs Hebrew Israelites (Isa 13, 14, 44; Jer 27, 28; Dan 5; 1 Ch 9)

The Black Hebrew Israelites always claim that God is only concerned with Israel and not non-Israelites. They even go as far as to say the word Gentile refers to Israelites who somehow don’t know they are an Israelite and have been living in places in the Bible like Ethiopia, Phenice, Cyprus, Antioch, Seleucia etc. But the Bible is very clear in making distinctions between Israelites and Gentiles.

Passages such as Acts 11 after Peter preached the Gospel to Cornelius a Roman Centurion we’re told that God granted eternal life to the Gentiles in the same way He has given to the Israelites, shows a distinction these Gentiles are not Israelites who were living in these places. That’s not to say there weren’t Jews in other lands but God’s word keeps us from confusion in every occasion when it refers to Jews in another land we read words like synagogue and proceeding are indicators of what land Pisidia in the case of Acts 13:14.

The BHI will refer to Isaiah 14:1-2 and claim that Israelites are going to posses non-Israelites as slaves in the future. Is that what the Bible says, that Israelites will have non-Israelites as slaves or did this already take place? That’s what I’m going to demonstrate here.

Isaiah 14:1-2

Isaiah 14:1-2 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

This is the jumping off text the BHI use for their argument that they will be given slaves. If we read the verse in isolation it does seem to say that Israel will possess non-Israelites as servants, but we must ask the question is did this already take place?

In the Bible we’re told that Israel suffered 3 major captivities, Egypt, Assyrian and Babylonian. The previous chapter in the same book Isaiah gives us the context to Isaiah 14:1-2.

Isaiah 13:17-19

Isaiah 13:17-19 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and [as for] gold, they shall not delight in it. [Their] bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children. And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

Isaiah 13:17-19 says that the LORD “will stir up the Medes against them”, who is “them” in this verse? If we continue on it tells us who the Medes are stirred up against “And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms,”. We learn that the Medes otherwise known as the Medo-Persia kingdom were stirred up against Babylon and that kingdom will be likened to when “God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah”. We’ll see how this comes together in the book of Daniel. Continuing on the prophet Jeremiah made a prophecy concerning the children of Israel going into captivity.

Jeremiah 27:6

Jeremiah 27:6 And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.

Here we have the prophet Jeremiah telling us that the LORD gave the lands to “Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon”. Also, 2 verses down God says that any nation which rebels against God’s will which is that these nations would put themself under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and if they refused they would be punished. How will God punish them? The LORD says that nation will be punished “with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence” until they have been consumed.

Remember king Nebuchadnezzar was a pagan Gentile who ruled over a Gentile nation called Babylon.

Jeremiah 28:13-14

Jeremiah 28:13-14 Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron. For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.

Hananiah makes a false prophecy saying the Babylonian captivity will only last for 2 years and the people rejected Jeremiah as he had told them previously the captivity would last for 70 years. Unfortunately, the people harkened to the false prophecy of Hananiah and suffered for it and Israel went into Babylonian captivity.

Daniel 5:25-31

Daniel 5:25-31 And this [is] the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This [is] the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and [put] a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, [being] about threescore and two years old.

Daniel gives the account of what happened when Israel was in the land of Babylon, in chapter 5 Belshazzar a descendant of king Nebuchadnezzar made a feast. While they feasted Belshazzar commanded that they bring the golden and silver vessels of worship which were used in the temple by the priest of Israel. The golden and silver vessels were then defiled by Belshazzar as they poured wine into the cups and drank out of them, and while committing idolatry as they “praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone”.

The finger of God writes on the wall “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN” and in fear Belshazzar has his astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers to interpret but were unable to interpret what was written on the wall. The queen tells him of Daniel, that he has a gift for interpreting dreams as he has done before for his father Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel is brought before the king and predicts doom for Babylon because of this abomination he committed in desecrating the the golden and silver vessels of the house of God.

Daniel tells Belshazzar his kingdom has come to an end and that the kingdom of Babylon is given to the Medes and Persians. Darius the Median took the kingdom and ruled Babylon once Belshazzar was slain that very night. This was a fulfillment of Isaiah 13:17-19 in which the LORD said He “will stir up the Medes against them” and overthrew them (Babylon) like Sodom and Gomorrah.

Isaiah 44:25-28

Isaiah 44:25-28 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise [men] backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: That saith of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Here’s where it all comes together after the 70 years of captivity king Cyrus a Gentile was raised up by the LORD as a shepherd and by a decree made by Cyrus, the Israelites were allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and city. Not all of Israel chose to return to Jerusalem, Daniel stood behind in Babylon as well as others, only a remnant went back to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the temple.

But not only Israelites returned to Jerusalem, Gentile nations, non-Israelites, would assist returning with them to live in the land. Israel’s former overlords would become bondservants to help in the rebuilding of the city and temple this is recorded for us in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

1 Chronicles 9:1

1 Chronicles 9:1 So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they [were] written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, [who] were carried away to Babylon for their transgression.

The verse here in 1 Chronicles 9 tells us all Israel was “reckoned by genealogies”, those who returned came back in subsequent waves. Here in 1 Chronicles we’re told that “ the first inhabitants” were “the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims”. In Jerusalem we have “Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh” which returned.

Here’s the knock out remember Israel would “possess” servants and handmaids, in Ezra 2 we’re given a long list of the rest of the people who returned but in verses 65 it says “Beside their servants and their maids”. and if we read further down to verse 70 it makes a clear distinction that these servants are Gentiles from the time when Cyrus back in Daniel gave the decree for the Israelites to return to their land and rebuild it.

Ezra 2:70 So the priests, and the Levites, and [some] of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

And those particular servants and handmaids spoken of in Isaiah 14:1-2 at the beginning of this article are these Gentiles here in Ezra 2:65 who cleaved to the house of Israel and helped in rebuilding the temple and walls of Jerusalem. The BHI would try to argue that this is a future event but as we can see through the plain reading of the text this event has already taken place.

Conclusion

This is the deception of the BHI doctrine, they pull a verses out of context and run with it making an erroneous doctrine out of it claiming they will be able to own non-Israelite people as slaves in the kingdom. The BHI is a man made movement which started on 125th Street Harlem, otherwise known as 1West which is in reference to the address where the movement began.

It’s very unfortunate that there are many people who have been deceived into believing that God cares about a persons ethnicity. And if you’re not born in a specific ethnicity then you’re either part of His chosen people or and if not your condemned; this is obviously not the God of the Bible we serve. God is not concerned about what group of people you’re born into. What He does care about is if we’ve placed our faith in the Son of God Jesus Christ.

Next time we’ll take a look at the history of this cult and the different camps which came out of the BHI movement, until then stay in the word of God and be blessed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dialoging with Black Hebrew Israelites

If you’re familiar with this group you’ll know that they claim to be the “true Hebrew Israelites”, perhaps you’ve seen them on the street corner yelling out random Bible verses mostly from the Old Testament. And if you listen closely at some point you’ll hear verses that aren’t so familiar, that’s because they are reading verses from the Apocrypha. At his point you might be wondering what is the Apocrypha?

Unfortunately, most Christians are unaware of the teachings from this cult because they aren’t interested in learning on how to defend their faith from these groups, and sadly there are people falling victim to this racist cult which is only concerned with the colour of their skin. It’s my intention to bring some light to the body of Christ. Black Hebrew Israelites use the books of the Apocrypha in conjunction with the Bible to prove that Blacks are the “real Jews”. They are especially well versed when it comes to the Old Testament scriptures and deceive people into thinking they are Israelites. The Lord Jesus Christ said:

Luke 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am [Christ]; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

The Apocrypha is comprised of the following books: 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Additions to Esther, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Prayer of Azariah, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, Prayer of Manasseh, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees.

The word “Apocrypha” means “hidden, concealed, obscure” and the Black Hebrew Israelites believe these books are on the same level of inspired scripture, even though these books are not inspired scripture and riddled with contradicting doctrines such as necromancy, divination, witchcraft and sorcery. Clearly the Bible is against such teachings found in (Leviticus 19:31; 1 Samuel 28:10-20; Isaiah 8:19; Jeremiah 27:9; Malachi 3:5; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15).

Let’s look at some of the teachings from the Apocrypha and how that contradicts the Word of God.

The Apocrypha Endorses Magic

Tobit 6:7-9 “Then the young man questioned the angel and said to him, ‘Brother Azariah, what medicinal value is there in the fish’s heart and liver, and in the gall?’ He replied, ‘As for the fish’s heart and liver, you must burn them to make a smoke in the presence of a man or woman afflicted by a demon or evil spirit, and every affliction will flee away and never remain with that person any longer. And as for the gall, anoint a person’s eyes where white films have appeared on them; blow upon them, upon the white films, and the eyes will be healed.’”

In Tobit we have a story which takes place in Ninevah, Tobit is wanted by the ruling authorities because of burying Jewish bodies (Tobit 1:17-19). Tobias (Tobit’s son) is to be married to a young woman named Sara. Tobit becomes blind from bird feces falling into his eyes (Tobit 2:10). Then an angel by the name of Raphael helps Tobit to concoct a magic spell to help heal his father’s eyes, as well as drive away a devil from his soon to be bride Sara.

Every child of God recognises that magic is an abomination to Yahweh and should not be practiced. In the OT God tells the nation of Israel in the book of Leviticus “Regard not them that have familiar spirits” if the children of Israel did they would “be defiled by them” (Leviticus 19:31). In the book of 2 Kings we have the account of Hezekiah’s son Manasseh king who did “evil in the sight of the LORD”, he brought back the idolatress high places of worship which his father Hezekiah had destroyed. It says that he “wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.” (2 Kings 21:6).

Praying for the dead

2 Maccabees 12:46 “It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.”

The book of 2 Maccabees is a historical account the first book covers the Maccabean Revolt the book is dated to 100 BC. A Jewish elder by the name of Mattathias leads a campaign against Antiochus Epiphanes IV. The problem with this book is that it promotes prayers for the dead, this teaching meshes with the teachings of the Roman Catholic church promoting the concept of purgatory.

A teaching which is alien to scripture, additionally reading the verse again we see that 2 Maccabees 12:46 also teaches a person who is dead can be loosed from sins. The Bible never tells us that we can pray away someone’s sins, in-fact we see the opposite found in the book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Once a person dies they are subjected to judgement, its this writers hope that the individual has Christ Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Otherwise they will face God not as their Saviour but as their judge at the Great White Throne found in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The Apocrypha gives the false notion that a person can change their standing before God after death, this simply is not the case and therefore we must reject this as the word of God.

Views of the body and soul from a Neoplatonism perspective

Wisdom of Solomon 9:15 “A perishable body weighs down the soul, and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful mind”

The Wisdom of Solomon 8:19-20 “As a child I was naturally gifted, and a good soul fell to my lot; or rather, being good, I entered an undefiled body”

Definition of Neoplatonism: Platonism modified in later antiquity to accord with Aristotelian, post-Aristotelian, and eastern conceptions that conceives of the world as an emanation from an ultimate indivisible being with whom the soul is capable of being reunited in trance or ecstasy.

The view found in The Wisdom of Solomon is that the soul preexisted before before the body came into existence. This cannot be true because our souls had a beginning we are not eternal, only after the soul was created will it live on forever in either of one of two places, heaven or hell.

The thought of a preexistent soul is a foreign concept neither found in the Old Testament or the New. When God created Adam He formed him out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils making him a living soul (Genesis 2:7). It was at that time that man became a living soul and not before, we are not an “emanation” from God as Neoplatonism teaches.

Salvation by works

Tobit 4:10 “Because that alms do deliver from death, and suffereth not to come into darkness.”

Tobit 12:9-10 “For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own worst enemies”

In Tobit these two particular verses of giving alms teach a works based salvation by giving alms “Because that alms do deliver from death” (Tobit 4:10). This is in clear contradiction to what we know from the Scriptures.

The Bible clearly teaches that we are powerless to save ourselves from death or to purge away our sins. In Romans we’re told that the law cannot save us but shows us that we’re sinners.

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.

The Bible also says that the law was powerless to save us in Romans chapter 8, we read:

Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

It’s only through the sinless Lamb of God that we can have our sins purged and we delivered from death through the second birth. This is what the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:1-8. John the Baptist when he saw Christ exclaimed that it was through Him sins would be put away.

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Conclusion

As shown the Black Hebrew Israelites not only twist the scriptures to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16) but they also incorporate erroneous books into their teaching and claim the Apocrypha is the word of God. This can’t be true as we know there are no contradictions in the Bible, therefore, we must reject the teachings of the Apocrypha and Black Hebrew Israelites.

We will continue to dive into other teachings from the different camps of the Black Hebrew Israelites, Lord willing, as their doctrines change from camp to camp. And it’s not my intention to use any straw-man arguments when identifying certain teachings, as I acknowledge that not all Black Hebrew Israelites have the same beliefs.

Answering Muslim Objections (4)

Muslim Argument #1 Accept Jesus Christ from his original teaching. Christianity is all about what Paul preached. Did Jesus Christ demolished circumcision law of Moses and kosher Paul strictly forbade the covenant were Jesus Christ followed all the commandments. JW have their own bible, Jews have their own, Catholic have their own. Theres over 30,000 denominations of Christianity you all have your own way of belief how would you substantiate that? Was 25 December birth of Jesus? Majority of Christians celebrate it. God in the Old Testament is one and only who forgive sins by repentance in New Testament he changes his mode of salvation. Theres three person in Trinity according to Christian scholars each is regarded as God so theres 3 Gods so that makes Christianity an idolatrous faith.

Christian Response: Muslims say Christians believe in 3 gods, this far from the truth. They misunderstand the Trinity and it’s teachings. Christians worship 1 God (Deuteronomy 6:4) and the 1 God is comprised of 3 distinct Persons who share the same Being (essence/substance/nature) seen throughout the Old and New Testament (Matthew 3:16-17). We can explain the singular and plural verses showing there’s One God complex in His unity.

Christianity is all about what Paul preached. The apostle Paul preached Christ who’s the same God of the Torah. In the book of Genesis we have the LORD calling down fire and brimstone from the LORD in heaven (Genesis 19:24). Here we see there are 2 individuals who are called LORD. We also have the child born in Isaiah 9:6 called “the mighty God”. Therefore, Paul preached Christ is God, and we see in the Old Testament the child born of a virgin is called “the mighty God” and “Immanuel” which means “God with us” we’re told in Matthew (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; Matthew 1:23).

“JW have their own bible, Jews have their own, Catholic have their own. Theres over 30,000 denominations of Christianity you all have your own way of belief how would you substantiate that?” First Jehovah Witnesses are not Christian, the Jews share the same Tanakh we Christians have in our Bible. As for denominations that has no bearing on the shared foundational Christian beliefs. Whether they identify as Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal etc they all believe in the Trinity, that Jesus Christ is God, and salvation is only through Jesus Christ alone and in the infallibility of the Bible.

Was 25 December birth of Jesus? Lastly, whether a Christian believes Jesus Christ was born on 25th of December or not is secondary and has no bearing on a person’s salvation. God in the Old Testament is one and only who forgive sins by repentance in New Testament he changes his mode of salvation. In the Old Testament we see that God is complex in His unity as mentioned before in Genesis 19:24 the LORD in heaven rains fire from heaven from the LORD on earth (2 people here). In other passages we have the Angel of the LORD who claimed and did things only God can do like “multiply people”, “and swear by Himself” and is called the LORD.

Genesis 16:10 “the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly” as you can see the Angel of the LORD spoke in the first person saying “I will”. In Genesis 22:11-16 The angel of the LORD said Abraham didn’t keep his son from Him saying “for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son] from me.” Again using personal pronouns in the the first person said “from me”.

Lastly, this Muslim used a straw man argument as Christians do not believe God “changes His mode of salvation” which would be modalism a heretical teaching, as we don’t believe in 3 gods. Muslims don’t understand the difference between 1 God in Being (essence, nature, substance) but the 1 God is comprised of 3 distinct Persons. For example the long buses we have driving down the street can be easily seen as 1 bus, yet this 1 bus has 3 doors in which people can enter and exit. While it’s 1 bus we see it has multiple components while still remaining 1.

Muslim Argument #2 The bible is tampered and altered by the church fathers to support the doctrine of Trinity.

Christian Response: The bible is tampered and altered Muslims are under the assumption that the doctrine of the Trinity was created by the church fathers. They are unaware that we get our doctrine from the scriptures not from the early church fathers, a classic verse showing all 3 Persons of the Godhead is found in Matthew 3:16-17.

There’s no verse in the Quran which states the Bible was “corrupted,” because the Bible and Quran are in contradiction to each other Muslims are forced to claim the Bible was changed. All the while their Quran affirms the Bible was never corrupted. The Quran says that the books of Moses, the Psalms, and the Gospel/Injeel were all given by Allah.

And verily We gave unto Moses the Scripture and We caused a train of messengers to follow after him, and We gave unto Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs (of Allah’s sovereignty), and We supported him with the Holy spirit. Is it ever so, that, when there cometh unto you a messenger (from Allah) with that which ye yourselves desire not, ye grow arrogant, and some ye disbelieve and some ye slay? — Surah 2:87

Lo! We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and the prophets after him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and as We imparted unto David the Psalms; — Surah 4:163

He hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel. — Surah 3:3

And We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, confirming that which was (revealed) before him in the Torah, and We bestowed on him the Gospel wherein is guidance and a light, confirming that which was (revealed) before it in the Torah – a guidance and an admonition unto those who ward off (evil). — Surah 5:46 

Muslims have a dilemma because their own Quran confirms the Bible, but it gets worse the Quran says that the Torah, Pslams and Gospel are the words of Allah and cannot be changed.

“Rejected were the messengers before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those messengers,” — Surah 6:34

“The word of thy Lord doth find its fulfillment in truth and in justice: None can change His words: for He is the one who heareth and knoweth all,” — Surah 6:115

“For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present and in the Hereafter; no change can there be in the words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme felicity,” — Surah 10:64

When a Muslim claims the Bible was altered they are denying their own Quran as it affirms the Bible saying it cannot be altered. Why then are Muslims telling us that the Bible is corrupted? Because the Quran contradicts the Bible in many ways especially when it comes to the Person of Christ. The Quran denies Jesus Christ is God and the Death, Burial and Resurrection found in Surah 4:157 and Christians are told to judge by things in the Gospel

They claim there’s only 1 Quran yet there are more than 40 Arabic Qurans and are they the same? Majority of Muslims use the Hafs Quran version more specifically the 1924 Cairo edition. Here’s an example of 2 different Qurans the Hafs and the ibn Jamaz

Surah 18:86

Hafs Quran: hami’atin “murky”
Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of MURKY WATER: Near it he found a People: We said: “O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness.”

ibn Jamaz Quran: haameiyatin “Extremely hot”
Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of EXTREMELY HOT WATER: Near it he found a People: We said: “O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness.”

Q: Does the sun set in murky or extremely hot water? There’s quite a difference between dark and gloomy, and extremely hot water.

Muslim Argument #3 Typical Christian dispute when you cant substantiate the errors and contradictions in the Bible and according to JW theres over 50 thousand errors in the bible. As far as the Quran is concerned there are different pronunciation and dialect but over all the message is intact. Scholars from different faith acknowledged the Quran is in its original form.

Christian Response: Interesting that Muslims would appeal to a non-Christian cult like the Jehovah Witnesses as they have misrepresented the Bible by adding words into their own translation in order to promote their own theology. Notice the Muslim says “different pronunciation and dialect” there’s a double standard here. Muslims are quick to point out that there are “multiple versions of the Bible,” this statement is incorrect there are multiple English translations of the Bible but there aren’t “multiple versions of the Bible”. If there were this would imply the underlining text of Hebrew and Greek had multiple versions which they don’t. Therefore our Bible has not changed, additionally, notice the Muslim says “over all the message is intact” how can this be if there are multiple Arabic Versions which is the underlining text the Quran is founded upon?

Thank the LORD we don’t have this problem with the Bible. But why do Muslim say the “overall the message is intact” for the Quran when it’s not yet they don’t hold the same standard for the Bible. Our English translations may phrase a verse slightly different but as they claim the “over all the message is intact” and what message is that? It’s the Good News of the Death, Burial and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ who has procured salvation by His perfect work at the cross of Calvary.

The claims of “50 thousand errors in the bible” is unfounded and not provided by Muslims and hasn’t provided any scholars who claim “the Quran is in its original form”.

“Scholars from different faith acknowledged the Quran is in its original form” On the contrary Muslim scholars are starting to say the opposite here are 2 well known Muslim scholars who have contradicted themselves.

Contradicting Quotes from Muslim scholar Dr. Sheikh Yasir Qadhi on the preservation of the Quran: “So the Caliph Uthman standardized the copies of the Quran. And therefore, from his time up until our time there has never been two copies of the Quran that are different even in one letter or one word and this is because of the farsightedness of the Caliph Uthman” — Dr Sheikh Yasir Qadhi

“ah and the Quran ah there’s only one Quran there are no various versions or whatnot its one standard copy of the Quran across the Muslim world…and uh there’s really not been any variants versions of the Quran the Quran is the Quran for all sects and schisms and groups of Islam…and we also all Muslims take pride in the fact that there is but one Quran there’s no variants of the Quran” — Dr Sheikh Yasir Qadhi

“And when we say the various different ways to recite the Quran we’re not talking about different voices or different styles we’re talking about slight differences in pronunciation slight differences in letters. Especially those who have been exposed to some of our brothers who live Algeria or Morocco or other north African countries they recite the Quran in a slightly different way. Not just a voice or not just a speaking style but also changes in letters and words and Harakat” — Dr. Sheikh Yasir Qadhi

“The standard narrative has holes in it” — Dr Sheikh Yasir Qadhi

According to Dr Yasir Qadhi the first quote says there has never been two copies of the Quran which are different in one letter or word, he goes unto say in the next quote there’s only one Quran with no variations without any variants, then he says there’s different pronunciations and different letters and changes in words and Harakat.

Another Muslim scholar who has changed his view over the course of time it seems is Dr Shabir Ally from Toronto here are some of his quotes concerning the preservation of the Quran. Contradicting Quotes from Muslim scholar Dr. Shabir Ally on the preservation of the Quran:

“Today most Muslims read the Quran in a text that is referred to as the Egyptian edition of 1924. That’s how scholars refer to it most Muslims may not realise that this is the designation for that manuscript for that text to Muslims, in general, this is simply the Quran. But this is not the only text of the Quran that is read throughout the world in North Africa there is a slightly different text that is based on a slightly different reading and then to in some parts of Africa there is another reading of the Quran and a matching manuscript that is prevalent and here too we find some slight variations that do not affect Muslim beliefs and do not affect Muslim practices in any significant degree.” — Dr Shabir Ally

“how do we make sense of all of this? We want to retrace the history of how these manuscripts became divergent. How is it we have a variety of readings of the Quran and manuscripts to match?” — Dr Shabir Ally

Here we have another scholar who is confessing there’s different Quranic text read in different parts of the world, he goes onto say that the Quranic manuscripts became divergent and they have a variety of readings. This destroys the claim that there’s only one Quran with no change in letters or words.

Muslim Argument #4 The verses are clearly states the event authored by God himself. Yasir Qadi spoke about the pronoun-citation and dialect not holes in the content. You are trying to hang on every straw you should listen to Tovia Singer and Bart Ehrman.

Christian Response: Pronoun-citation there’s no such word that exist, the word is pronunciation. As shown above their own scholars admit there’s different versions of the Quran. Tovia Singer denies “Isa” (Islamic Jesus) now Muslims are going to bed with Jews who reject Jesus Christ and Muhammad.

Bart Ehrman the Muslims favorite agnostic said the Muslims are wrong about Paul in that Muslims claim Paul invented Christianity, he (Ehrman) said “some people say that Paul invented Christianity and that can’t be true, Paul was persecuting Christians before he became a Christian and so if he invented Christianity he would have nobody to persecute”. As you can see how this argument from Muslims backfire on them.

Let’s see what your other scholars say about the preservation of the Quran.

Muslim Argument #5 Tovia Singer’s believes in monotheism and rejects NT as man written fabrication. Again different variations and dialect which do not effect Muslim practices and for your information the ideology of Jesus Christ remains intact. Bart Erman brings out the falsification if his statement overwhelms you then be it. God is God and man is man only relation is creator and creation period.

Christian Response: Tovia Singer’s believes in monotheism It seems Islam stops the brain from working, Christians also believe in monotheism. Tovia Singer is against Jesus Christ, he doesn’t believe Isa is the Messiah which the Quran says Jesus (Isa) is the Messiah. Therefore, Muslims who appeal to the Jews are refuting their own beliefs as their Quran affirms Jesus is the Messiah.

“Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. … — Surah 4:157

Appealing to Jews who in actually don’t agree with the Muslim position is illogical. And once again Christians believe in 1 God and 1 God only. The problem is Muslims don’t understand what the Trinity doctrine is this is why they’re confused.

As for Bart Erhman, he doesn’t deny the Bible, he’s an agnostic who believes the historical facts of the Bible. What he denies is if God exist. Those are 2 different subjects, he believes in the historical aspect of the Bible, but in terms of God he doesn’t know if God exist.

Congrats to Muslims proving Islam is false appealing to to men who: (1) Denies Jesus is the Messiah, even though Muslims believe Isa is the Messiah (Surah 4:157), but they don’t know what the word Messiah means. (2) A man who rejects the notion of the existence of God, even though Muslims believe in Allah “the god”. Can they not see how these 2 people refute the Muslim position? As a Christian we don’t need to appeal to an Atheist and Jesus rejecting Jew to prove our position.

Answering Muslim Objections (2)

Muslim Argument #1ilah ilah why have you forsaken me God killing himself. What a cruel Father brutally murdered Son over someone else disobedience. Do you really believe thats a merciful God? Would you let your son punished for your crime? Trinity is the most illogical ideology majority of Christians become atheist. We Muslim follow and honour Jesus Christ. Who was a prophet of God and ascend to heaven alive.

Christian Response: To the Muslim, God is cruel because they don’t understand the grace God has given to us guilty sinners. He didn’t have to send His Son to be subjected to a gruesome death, to save us leaving us to a fate of eternal death without any hope. But because the True God loves His creation He made a way out of the condemnation.

Muslims point to what Christ said on the cross in Matthew 27:46 “EliEli, lama sabachthani?” or Mark 15:34 “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” (Aramaic for the phrase “my God”) insinuating that the Lord Jesus was referring to “Allah”. Is this the case? Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani is the Hebrew form, as in saying Elio, Elio, etc. This is the Syro-Chaldaic language (use by the Jews in the time of Christ) its referenced in Psalm 22; which means “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

They fabricate that the word Eloi to mean “Allah”. Muslims will try to find a word in the Bible which sounds similar to an Arabic word, in this case the Arabic word ilah > becomes Eli > which is reinterpreted by Muslims to mean Allah.

They fail to realise the New Testament was written in Koine Greek not Hebrew. ἠλί ēlí, ay-lee’; of Hebrew origin; my God:—Eli. In Hebrew אֵל ʼêl, ale; shortened for strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity):—God (god).

Do some digging on the Muslim site corpus.quran.com and come across the word ilah, you’ll see it doesn’t mean what they’re trying to convince Christians of. I looked up the word on the mentioned site and it states the word is used “147 times as the noun ilāh but more specifically “my God” is not found. The closest you’ll get is ālihatī (my gods). And to top it off the word “Allah” means the god, it’s a name, its only a generic term.

The Muslims claim the Jews said they killed Jesus Christ but that He was not killed, they refer to Surah An-Nisa.

And [for] their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. — Surah 4:157

The problem the Quran has is the Jews wouldn’t say they killed “the Messiah” as they don’t believe Christ is the Messiah. The second issue is the Jews were not in the position to carry out the crucifixion, it was the Romans who crucified the Lord Jesus, not the Jews. Crucifixion was the Roman’s way of carrying out capital punishment and they were specialist in what they did as professional killers. The Quran also gets that wrong.

In the Bible we read how the Romans cast lots for the vesture of Christ.

Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

John 19:23-24 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also [his] coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

The Lord Jesus rose from the dead and therefore He’s alive. We see that Christ spoke of this (HIs resurrection) all throughout the Gospels. (Matthew 20:19, Mark 10:34, Luke 18:33, Luke 24:7). And He ascended into heaven shown in the book of Acts.

Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

If Muslims truly honoured Jesus Christ they would be called followers of Christ which means they would be called Christians. Also, they wouldn’t try to claim Christ was never crucified, by saying so they are calling Jesus Christ a liar because Christ Himself said He would be killed. Lastly, they would be bringing the Gospel message of Christ but they don’t, they follow Muhammad and not Jesus Christ.

Muslim Argument #2 So tell me you don’t do good deeds? “Is that why crime rates are high in, out of all monotheistic faith you’re the odd one out. Incest becoming normal, fornication become norm.”

Christian Response: Muslim don’t know how many good deeds will get them into Jannah (Paradise), not even Muhammad knew if he would make it to Jannah. In the Quran it says:

… you have no power to help me against Allah. … Say: ‘I am not an innovation among the Messengers, and I know not what shall be done with me or with you. …

Surah 46:8-9

Also Abu Bakr, the first Muslim leader after Muhammad’s death, was unsure for his own eternal destiny?

…Whenever he was reminded of his position in Allah’s sight, he would say: ‘By Allah! I would not rest assured and feel safe from the deception of Allah (la amanu limakr Allah), even if I had one foot in paradise.’”

Khalid Muhammad Khalid, Successors of the Messenger, Abu Bakr Has Come, p. 99

Muhammad and Abu Bakr were unsure of their salvation? Muslims will also claim without giving proof from the scriptures concerning the above claim of “Incest becoming normal, fornication become norm” among Christians. Just because a person claims to be a Christian and commits such acts doesn’t prove they were a Christian to begin with. We know the Bible speaks against all forms of fornication (Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9; Acts 15:20; Acts 15:29; Romans 1:29; 1 Corinthians 6:13; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Corinthians 10:8).

It seems the truth is Islam teaches fornication, there’s a practice in Islam called Mu’tah Marriage. It’s a temporary marriage two parties make an agreement to have sexual relations for a short period of time. It was also practised by men at the dawn of Islam during trips.

Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.a.) said: “Temporary marriage was at the beginning of Islam. A man comes by a town where he has no acquaintances, so he marries for a fixed time depending on his stay in the town, the woman looks after his provisions and prepares his food, until the verse was revealed: “Except to your wives or what your right hands possess.” Ibn ‘Abbas explained that any relationship beyond this is forbidden. [narrated by Tirmidhee]

On these grounds, Mut’ah marriage IS CONSIDERED TO BE ZINAA (ADULTERY OR FORNICATION), even if both parties consent to it, and even if it lasts for a long time, and even if the man pays the woman a mahr. There is nothing that has been reported in sharee’ah that shows that it may be permitted, APART FROM THE BRIEF PERIOD when it was allowed during the year of the conquest of Makkah. That was because at that time there were so many people who has newly embraced Islam and there was the fear that they might become apostates, BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN USED TO COMMITTING ZINAA the Jaahiliyyah. So this kind of marriage WAS PERMTITED for them for three days, then it was made haraam until the Day of Resurrection, as was narrated by Muslim, 1406.

Narrated Abdullah: We used to participate in the holy battles led by Allah’s Apostle and we had nothing (no wives) with us. So we said, “Shall we get ourselves castrated?” He forbade us that and then allowed us to marry women with a temporary contract AND RECITED TO US: — ‘O you who believe! Make not unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, but commit no transgression.’ (5.87) (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 13o)

Muslim Argument #3 I’ll give you clear response. ‘Atone of sins ‘cause of misconducts. All prophets brought one core belief of oneness of God depending on age and time of people of that time which majority of the message was corrupted. Mohammed is one of the successful messenger that his people followed him to every jot and title. Yahweh was not a specific name given to people when Moses asked God said I AM WHO I AM!

Christian Response: The Oneness of God is a huge teaching in Islam, but the argument says: “All prophets brought one core belief of oneness of God”, this is not true the Prophets in the Tanakh spoke about the people turning to God from their sins. The “Oneness of God” was not a major theme found in the scriptures.

The Bible speaks mainly about how the nation of Israel in the Tanakh continued to fail in worshipping God, they were committing Idolatry and other acts of sin. It also speaks of mankind’s standing before Almighty God as sinners in need of salvation. It also speaks about the One who would come to give Himself as a sacrifice (Atonement) for our sins that we may have forgiveness with God, theses are the main threads running through the scriptures; starting from Genesis—Revelation.

Some scriptures to consider are found in Genesis 22:1-18, Exodus 12, Psalms 22, Isaiah 53, also Zechariah 12:10, Hebrews 11:17-19. The whole reason God instituted the sacrificial system was to point to Christ as the Lamb of God first found in the book of Exodus when Moses told the Israelites to put the blood on the door post. Lastly, Christians have always said that God gave His name to Moses saying I AM THAT I AM in Exodus 3:14. The Muslim says that God’s name is I AM THAT I AM then why use Allah, which means “the god”? This shows Allah and Yahweh are not the same.

Muhammad died like a false prophet according to the Quran which would destroy the claim that he was a successful messenger.

And if he (Muhammad SAW) had forged a false saying concerning Us (Allah), We surely should have seized him by his right hand (or with power and might), And then certainly should have cut off his life artery (Aorta), — Surah 69:44-46

Muhammad ate poisoned meat and was suffering he said to his child bride Aisha.

Narrated ‘Aisha: The Prophet in his ailment in which he died, used to say, “O ‘Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel as if my aorta is being cut from that poison.” — Sahih Bukhari 5:59:713

We can only come to the logical conclusion that Muhammad was a false prophet because he died like one.

The Quran Misunderstands The term “The Son of God”

If you’ve had the pleasure to speak with Muslims about who is Jesus Christ, you’ll hear them say things like “we love Jesus”, “we have an entire Surah about his mother Mary” or “Jesus was a prophet”. This is typically the response you’ll receive on the deity of Christ.

They’ll respond with specific questions to attack the biblical position of who is Christ. This article will answer some of the questions posed by our lost Muslim friends.

Muslims reject Jesus Christ as God is because of the term “The Son of God”, they think Christians believe that Christ was produced by sexual relations because the Bible uses the term “The Son of God”. This of course is preposterous, the confusion stems from reading Surah 6:101 which says:

Sahih International: [He is] Originator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a son when He does not have a companion and He created all things? And He is, of all things, Knowing. — Surah 6:101  

The Tafsir (commentaries from Muslim scholars) Ibn Al Kathir says: “(How can He have children when He has no wife) for the child is the offspring of two compatible spouses. Allah does not have an equal, none of His creatures are similar to Him, for He alone created the entire creation”.

Muslims actually think the term “the Son of God” means we’re talking about a biological son the same way us humans are born. This is completely wrong, Christians do not believe that.

Muslims think Christians believe God had sexual relations with His “wife” and produced Jesus Christ! This is in-fact an erroneous misrepresentation of the biblical belief of Christianity. Let’s answer some of their arguments.

Muslim Argument #1 You worship a man who was a baby in the womb of his mother and the mother used to clean your god, and breastfeed him when he cried out of hunger!

Christian Response: Muslims cannot grasp that The Word (Jesus) is God (John 1:1) was made flesh (John 1:14) through the virgin birth of Mary (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Jeremiah 31:22; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:35).

Jesus Christ while He is God was “made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:5-8). He is truly a Man “yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Christians have always held to the doctrine that Christ is both fully God and fully Man (called the hypostatic union). God became a Man and as a human He experienced the same as we do including birth. As a Man He became hungry, ate, slept etc. While never losing His deity.

The Bible never speaks of Mary “cleaning” or “breastfeeding” Christ as a baby. We do know that human baby’s do need these things to grow, therefore, if Christ was truly Man He also would have went through the process of human growth just as we. There’s no shame in this as God created women to care, nourish and comfort. These are necessary for human growth.

There’s nothing here which takes away from the Lord Jesus as God just because He experienced what we humans do. This makes Christ unique because He can relate to us, Allah cannot relate to humans and remains distant in every way. But the Christians God has compassion and love, our God wants a relationship with us.

Muslim Argument #2 How can Jesus be God when he said the following clear statement in the Bible John 8:40 “but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.”

Christian Response: If context means anything our Muslim friends would see in this same chapter the Lord Jesus in speaking with the Jews declares His deity. The context is Christ is speaking to the Jews in the temple telling them if they keep His saying they will never see death.

John 8:51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

The Jews at this time accuse Jesus Christ of being possessed by a devil, which is tantamount to blaspheming the Holy Spirit. They go onto ask if Christ thinks Himself to be greater than Abraham and the prophets, and ask the Lord Jesus to give a testimony to His claims.

John 8:52-53 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

The Lord Jesus answers telling them He’s not honouring Himself, but His Father does honour Him who is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He then tells them the Jews don’t know Him (God) but if Christ would say He also didn’t know the Father He would be lying which He cannot do; because He keeps the Father’s words.

John 8:54-55 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

Here’s the crucial part in which the Muslim argument fails miserably. The Lord Jesus says Abraham was looking forward to see Christ. And He did which means that Christ is saying in the Old Testament He was there and Abraham saw Him. We know that Abraham saw the LORD God, and here we have the Lord Jesus saying Abraham saw Him.

John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.

The Jews couldn’t understand this they knew Abraham lived many hundreds of years before their time, yet Christ is saying Abraham saw Him, how can that be?

John 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

Here’s the main point, Christ then says to the Jews.

John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

This caused the Jews to want to stone (kill) Christ, why, what’s the significance of saying “Before Abraham was, I am.”? Well the Jews knew He was claiming deity, Jesus Christ was saying He’s the same I AM THAT I AM found in the book of Exodus 3:14 who spoke to Moses out of the burning bush which says: “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

This caused the Jews to be infuriated therefore they wanted to kill Him. Our Muslim friends are using 1 verse to try to dispute the deity of Christ and in doing so they went to a very powerful chapter which proves that Jesus Christ is God.

Muslim Argument #3 The Bible says that at times of weakness angels strengthened Jesus. God, however, does not need to be strengthened. Humans need to be strengthened; God does not because God is All-Powerful. If Jesus had to be strengthened, he must not be God. ‘An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him – in the garden of Gethsemane’ (Luke 22:43) ‘Then the devil left him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him’ (Mark. 1:13) ‘And he was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to him.’ (Mark 1:13)

Christian Response: Its truly amazing how Muslims fail to realise that Christians believe Christ has 2 natures, He’s God (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:8-12), and He’s truly Man (Hebrews 3:3; Hebrews 7:24; Hebrews 10:12). When ever Christ is being considered we must always remember as a Man Christ became hungry, tired and slept. He said things like “I can of mine own self do nothing” (John 5:30) or “for my Father is greater than I” (John 14:28). Yet we’re told that Jesus Christ “created all things” (Colossians 1:16), “created all things by Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:9).

Muslims shoot themselves in the foot when they claim Jesus is not God. In their own Quran “Jesus” also called Isa by Muslims can create the same as Allah. We read the Jesus created birds of clay when he designed them and breathed on them. It also says Jesus spoke to people while He was in the cradle etc. The Quran actually plagiarized many teachings from other books.

The mention of Jesus speaking from the cradle as a baby was taken from the apocrypha, more specifically the Gospel of Thomas. The apocrypha is not inspired by God, therefore, we reject the Apocryphal Accounts, but it shows how the Quran did take stories from books such as the Talmud, Targums, Apocrypha as well as from the Torah and New Testament (Gospels).

Sahih International: [The Day] when Allah will say, “O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind and the leper with My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you came to them with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among them said, “This is not but obvious magic.” — Surah 5:110

The Quran takes the account from the The Infancy Gospel of Thomas.

“Then he took from the bank of the stream some soft clay and formed out of it twelve sparrows; and there were other boys playing with him. But a certain Jew seeing the things which he was doing, namely, his forming clay into the figures of sparrows on the Sabbath day, went presently away and told his father Joseph, Behold, your boy is playing by the river side, and has taken clay and formed it into twelve sparrows, and profanes the Sabbath. Then Joseph came to the place where he was, and when he saw him, called to him, and said, Why do you that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day? Then Jesus clapping together the palms of his hands, called to the sparrows, and said to them: Go, fly away; and while you live remember me. So the sparrows fled away, making a noise. The Jews seeing this, were astonished and went away and told their chief persons what a strange miracle they had seen wrought by Jesus.” — The Infancy Gospel of Thomas

Conclusion is we can determine that Muslims are completely wrong about the deity of Christ Jesus, the Bible proves He is God, we also can prove from the Quran itself that their version of “Jesus” can create life out nothing (clay birds). We also see how the Quran plagiarized teachings from other books. Our dear Muslim friends, Muhammad is a false prophet, the Quran is a false book and Allah is a false God. The Lord Jesus Christ has His arms open ready to welcome you, if you come to Him you will be saved and have everlasting life.

Answering Muslim Objections

When dealing with Muslim arguments we must keep in mind that context is key to understanding any verse, as they’re not to be taken in isolation of others verses. Muslims learn from early on to attack the Bible, Islamic apologist such as Ahmed Dedat, Dr. Zakir Naik, Shabir Ally have been leading the way and we as Christians need to know how to respond to such arguments.

Unfortunately, many Christians are not learning how to refute these arguments. It’s important to know what you believe and why you believe it. Below are some Muslims arguments and the response to those arguments.

(1) Muslim Argument: Jesus said: I came only for the lost sheep of Israel. (Jesus says, ”I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel”— Matthew 15:24) Christians say No, you came for all mankind.

Christian Response: Matthew 15:23 tells us that Jesus’ disciples came and urged Him to send her away. In the previous verses we see this was a woman of Canaan who came to Jesus asking for help because her daughter is grievously vexed with a devil (Matthew 15:22).

The Lord Jesus was quiet at first not saying a word and the disciples asked to send her away. This is when Christ says “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”. What did this mean exactly?

The plan of God was to first bring the good news to Israel, but this in no way disqualifies the Gentiles from salvation. Christ came to save sinners, which includes both Jew and Gentile but in keeping with the plan of God He makes it known that He did not come to the Gentiles He came to the nation of Israel first. The Lord Jesus was fulfilling all the Messianic Prophecies.

He knew that He was to be rejected of His own people (Israel). But Christ came to be the Saviour of the world which includes Gentiles.

Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him.

Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

She was not upset by this response. Ceasing to use the title Son of David, as this title was typically used by Israelites not Gentiles. She worshipped the Lord saying, “Lord help me!” (Matthew 15:25) If she didn’t come to Him as a Jew to her Messiah, she would address Him her Creator.

(2) Muslim Argument: Jesus said: the only true God is the Father. (“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent,” (John 17:3).) Christians say No, your are also the true God.

Christian Response: A favourite verses of mine which proves the Deity of Christ as God. The Bible is originally written in Hebrew (Torah/Tanakh) and Greek (Injeel/Gospel). The Greek construction uses the copulative kai which conjoins the Father and Son in this verse as being the “the only true God”.

αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ αἰώνιος ζωή ἵνα γινώσκωσιν σὲ τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν θεὸν καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν

In other passages, we see that the Son is equal to God the Father (John 5:18), also in John verses (John 1:1-3) were told that Jesus was πρὸς τὸν θεόν face to face with the Father as infinitely far back as you can go Ἐν ἀρχῇ before creation existed, then it says καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος and God was the Word the Word being another name for Jesus Christ.

v2 tells us that He (Jesus) was with God (the Father) in the beginning, v3 says that all things were made by Jesus Christ, including the Muslim.

(3) Muslim Argument: Jesus said: I on my ownself can do nothing  (“By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me”-.John 5:30) Christians say No, you can do everything.

Christian Response: How is it Muslims quote verses partially, on the surface it seems like it proves their point but it actually doesn’t. At first “I can of mine own self do nothing” seems to say that the Lord Jesus did not have the power to do anything by Himself. However, this is not the case. The thought is that Christ is so closely united with God the Father that He could not act by Himself. He could not do anything outside of God’s authority, if He did that would be an act of disobedience which would be sin. And the scriptures say that God cannot sin.

John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

There’s no possibility of unwillingness in Christ. He perfectly obeyed God the Father in the fullness of fellowship and harmony. This verse is often used by false teachers to support their claims that Jesus Christ was not God. They say that because He could not do anything of His own self, therefore, He was only a man, but the verse proves the opposite.

Men have the choice to do the things they want, whether, in accordance with the will of God or not. But because of who Christ is, the Lord Jesus couldn’t act in disobedience. It was not a physical impossibility but moral impossible. He has the power as God to do all things, but He wouldn’t do anything that was wrong. And it would have been sin for Him to have done anything that was not His Father’s will.

(4) Muslim Argument: Jesus said: the lord our God is ONE. (The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one”-Mark 12:29) Christians say No, The Lord our God is 3 in one.

Christian Response: We believe: There is one God, who exists as three co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial divine persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit God is sovereign and self-existent, and is perfectly omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, immutable, holy, righteous and loving. (John 1:1, Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 1:11, 1 John 1:5, 4:16)

Muslims don’t understand that Christians believe in 1 God, not 3 God’s. Nobody deny’s that God the Father is God. The issue is when talking about Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. As demonstrated John 1:1-3 says Jesus made all things, again in the book of Colossians it says speaking of Christ “all things were made by Him”.

Colossians 1:16-17 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Note: it says everything was created by Christ, both visible and invisible, things in heaven and earth. This is more proof of Jesus Christ as the Creator. In Hebrews there’s another passage which says:

Hebrews 1:10-12 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

Note: Jesus Christ is attributed as the One who “in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth” He also created the heavens which says “and the heavens are the works of thine hands:”. Only God created the heavens and the earth, and here it says Jesus did it. And it also says that Christ is immutable when it mentions the earth and heaven will pass away (wax old/perish) but He remains “but thou remainest” and He will always remain “but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.”

This passage in Hebrews is also a quote from Psalms 102 which says:

Psalm 102:25-27 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens [are] the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou [art] the same, and thy years shall have no end.

The same words spoken of Yahweh are later attributed to Jesus Christ.

(5) Muslim Argument: Jesus said: if you want eternal life then keep the commandments. (“Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments”-Matthew 19:17) Christians say No, if you want eternal life then believe that Jesus died for your sin.

Christian Response: This is one of the most misunderstood passages, many who deny the deity of Christ will claim Christ is saying He’s not good. By reading the context we know this is not the case. This passage is known as The Rich Young Ruler. This young man came to Jesus asking what must He do “what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

The young man was relying on his good works, like Muslims. The problem is that none of us are perfect and God requires perfection. The Bible says:

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Psalm 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are [all] together become filthy: [there is] none that doeth good, no, not one.

We all are in the same boat as guilty sinners, in the book of Isaiah it says that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” basically all our good deeds are like a menstrual rag in the sight of God.

The question from the rich young ruler showed his ignorance of the identity of Christ and the way of salvation. He called Jesus “Teacher” placing Him on the same level as other men. And spake of meriting eternal life as a debt rather than as a gift from God.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

As for Jesus saying there is none good, the Lord examined him on 2 points. Asking “Why do you call Me good? There is no one good but One that is God” Jesus was not denying His own deity, but was providing the man with an opportunity to profess, “That’s why I call You good—You are God.”

Testing him on the way of salvation Jesus said: “But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” The Lord wasn’t saying that it’s possible to be saved by keeping the commandments, rather, He was using the Law to bring forth conviction of sin in the rich young ruler’s heart. The man was still under the delusion he could be saved on the principle of doing. The Law was made as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

Galatians 3:24-25 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Therefore, the rich young ruler misunderstood, he thought just as Muslims do that it was possible to keep the commandments for eternal life, but it’s not. Only Jesus Christ was able to do it because He alone is sinless because He is God.

(6) Muslim Argument: Jesus said: I cry and pray God to save me from death and God hear my pray. (Psalms 86:1-17) Christians say No, God didn’t saved him.

Christian Response: This Psalm is entitled “a prayer of David;’ probably it was not penned upon any particular occasion, but was a prayer he often used himself, and recommended to others for their use, especially in a day of affliction. Many believe David wrote this prayer as a type of Christ, “who in the days of his flesh offered up strong cries,’ Hebrews 5:7. David, in this prayer.

Christians do claim that God saved Christ, the Psalmist David wrote concerning Christ being raised from the dead saying:

Psalm 16:9-11 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fulness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.

This quote from Psalms is restated in the book of Acts from the apostle Peter when he said: “For David speaketh concerning him” (Act 2:25).

Acts 2:26-28 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

(7) Muslim Argument: Jesus said: my father is greater than I. (John 14:28, “The Father is greater than I.”) Christians say No, Father is not greater than Jesus. They both are the same.

Christian Response: lastly another greatly misunderstood verse. The Hypostatic Union informs us that Jesus Christ has 2 natures, He’s both fully God and fully Man. He created all things as God, yet when He became a Man in the incarnation (virgin birth) He took on our human nature, and as a man He got tired, ate food, slept etc.

At first there seems as if this verse John 14:28 contradicts everything Christ taught concerning His equality with God the Father. But there’s no contradiction, and the passage explains itself. When Jesus was here on earth He was surrounded by enemies, He was despised, hunted, persecuted and pursued. Men blasphemed Him, reviled Him, and spat on Him. He was surrounded by His enemies.

God the Father never suffered such rude treatment from men. He dwelt in heaven, far away from the wickedness of sinners. Therefore, the Father was “greater” than Jesus Christ at that time because He (Father) sat in heaven in a greater position. But in essence, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equal sharing the same in being/nature/essence. All 3 are the 1 God in being.

Humans have the same in nature, they’re both humans with the same nature, but still are 2 distinct persons. As God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are 3 distinct persons but have the same nature/essence/being.

Jesus Christ was rejected of His people and this parable found in the book of Mark speaks of it.

Mark 12:1-9 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A [certain] man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about [it], and digged [a place for] the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught [him], and beat him, and sent [him] away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded [him] in the head, and sent [him] away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed [him], and cast [him] out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

The parable speaks of the prophets (servants) who were sent by God to Israel (husbandmen) in delivering a message. But the people of Israel didn’t listen they “beat” them and “cast stones” at them and “they killed” those servants (prophets).

It says this man (God) had a Son (Jesus) and sent His Son to the husbandmen (Israel) saying “They will reverence my son” or respect my Son. But the husbandmen killed Him (Jesus).

When knowing the background and context of passages in scripture we can effectively answer the Muslim arguments brought about by Muslim apologist.

When You Live Your Life Apart From God

apart from God

When you live your life apart from God…

You may seem like you have things under control. You feel like you don’t need Him, because you can’t see Him, and if you can’t see Him, then you don’t need Him. You trust in yourself and what you can do. Your heart feels like an empty pit of darkness and purposeless because you walk around this earth not even knowing why you have breath in your lungs. You spend your life trying to fill that emptiness you have with things like sexual immorality, pornography, gambling, drinking, money, or even good things such as family, security, job, and staying busy. Family is one of the most beautiful things given to us by the Lord in this life, but if you have a family without God? Meaningless. It’s all meaningless without God. But with God, everything is meaningful.

Yet apart from God, no matter what you turn to, whether it be something dark and sinful like pornography, or something “clean” and seemingly fulfilling such as family, your strivings to fill that void within your soul are in vain because you realize at the end of the day, you’re still empty. You yourself can never fill that void, nor the things you try to fill it with.

You thought climbing up the ladder socially, financially, educationally, and occupationally would give you the “perfect” life and the ultimate happiness. The American dream, right?

Wrong. Because in this quest for total life fulfillment you failed to turn to the only One who can give your heart and soul purpose, the only One who can give you fulfillment and satisfaction, the only One who can save your soul. You spend your life denying God and His existence, yet you seek lesser and temporal joys that always leave you more and more empty. You realize you have it all on the outside but are still empty in your heart.

When you live your life apart from God…

You fall into to addictions such as drugs, prescriptions, pornography, and alcohol because that desire to fill that void inside of your heart and soul became out of control and the need to fill it was unquenched, so thus began the seed of addiction. Your need to be filled has spiraled into complete uncontrollable urges to keep up with that dopamine hit and that rush. But it always leaves you feeling empty and in despair, once it is over. And, it will always end. It is temporal and leaves you more shattered every single time you indulge in these things, because even though these things may give you a pleasurable hit, it is devastating to the well-being of your soul.

When you live your life apart from God…

You are walking on this earth and your eternal destiny is hell. You work and work and work to get ahead in this life and stock up the riches and the big family and the big house with a pool, only to die and live in eternal judgement where none of the things you acquired on this earth will even matter to you in the slightest, because it’s all over. You spent your life seeking everything but God, and now it’s too late and there are consequences. You will live your life apart from God, and then die and see His glorious face in judgement. There, you will realize that your entire life was spent in vain and you will weep and gnash your teeth and cry for a second chance…but there will no longer be any chances.

for God

When you live your life for God…

You recognize that you are a sinner and you have sinned against a holy, righteous, perfect God. You recognize that God is just and good, and that you will be judged because you have broken His law. You recognize that you are completely useless to try and save yourself or win God’s favor by anything you do. You recognize that all of your “good works” are filthy rags because everything you do is tainted by sin, and God sees all things – even a grain of impurity. You recognize that because of this, you are destined for eternal punishment in hell because just like a just judge in a courtroom will not let broken laws go unpunished, a holy God even more so will not let those who broke His perfect law go unpunished. You realize, with fear and trembling, that Hell awaits you once you die. And you turn to Him.

When you live your life for God…

You become helpless to do anything to go to heaven yourself. You recognize that you are desperate for a Saviour, and it is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ, the One true God. You recognize that He is absolutely perfect, lived the perfect life you cannot live and kept God’s law perfectly the way you would never be able to. You recognize that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, shedding His perfect blood for you, and rose again three days later.

And you put your faith and trust in Him, letting go of everything and falling into His eternal arms, trusting in His forgiveness and love and mercy and grace. When this happens, your soul is saved for all eternity.

When you live your life for God…

You realize that your time on earth is short, but you are on your way to Heaven. Death no longer scares you, and you know that you are loved immensely by the God who made you. You now have a desire for Him, to talk about Him, read His word, preach the gospel – you live, breath, and live more for God! He captures your every thought, and He fills your mind. You fall in love with Him as you see His creation as a display of His own beauty. You live your life with the burdens of sins on your shoulders lifted. You live your life with your soul satisfied knowing you have a personal relationship with Christ that will never, ever, ever end. You know that whatever happens, God is in control. You have peace that any hardships that occur, God will work it out for your good. You know that the things of this world are only temporal, so you don’t put your heart or trust in them. You are free from the bondages of this world to live for Christ and Christ alone, and you have the love of God in your heart for the first time – a love that is so immense that it takes your breath away.

When you live your life apart from God…

You are dead.

When you live your life for God…

You are truly living.

bible

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 1:1-2)

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13.50)

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2: 1-10)

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (Matthew 22:37)

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Examining Cults (Christadelphians)

Christadelphians_into

Jude 1:4 – For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

WHAT IS A CULT?

First, we need to understand what’s a cult, a cult is a group which deviates from God’s word, denying the foundational biblical truths once delivered to the saints by our Lord Jesus Christ, the prophets and His Apostles. Cults have many different beliefs which would be too many to list here but we will take a look at each of them, Lord willing as this series “Examining Cults” continues.

Many cults exist today Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Christadelphians, Christian Science, Oneness Pentecostals, Seventh Day Adventist, church of god etc. And while they have a set of different beliefs they all share the same beginnings and heretical teachings, that’s the denial of who the Lord Jesus Christ is God in the flesh just as the word of God says 1 Timothy 3:16 “…God was manifest in the flesh…”. Let’s take a close look at one of these cults called the Christadelphians. 

EARLY BEGINNINGS

As with all cults they always have a founder(s) or a group who claims to have new revelation from God which, they try to add to the scriptures and at times will even say that their teachings are equal with God’s word or higher which is utter blasphemy. The Christadelphians founders are two men one called John Thomas and the other Robert Roberts. He (John Thomas) was a London born physician turned “Bible teacher”, they both denied the teachings from the bible of eternal damnation and punishment along with eternal reward. They also taught annihilation of the soul in which the soul is completely destroyed ceasing to exist. 

These two men also denied the Godhead (Trinity), the Deity of Christ and His pre-existence from eternity and the existence of the Holy Ghost. If you’re a little familiar with cults you’ll notice similarities, we’ll touch upon some of those shortly. But first, let’s look a little more closely as to how the Christadelphians came to be. 

John Thomas (Christadelphian)John Thomas M.D., born in Hoxton Square, Hackney, London, on April 12, 1805,[1] was the son of a Dissenting minister, also named John Thomas. He traveled overseas to Cincinnati, Ohio where he became convinced by the Restoration Movement of the need for baptism and joined them in October 1832. He became involved with Alexander Campbell, a prominent leader who encouraged him to become an evangelist. He then traveled around the eastern States of America and eventually settled down as a preacher in Philadelphia.

Dr. Thomas was the editor of the Apostolic Advocate in May 1834. This is where he began to propagate his teachings. devoting himself in the interested of prophecy and biblical eschatology. During this period is when he generated the foundational beliefs known as Christadelphianism. He also believed orthodox Christian beliefs were blatantly wrong. Thomas eventually rebaptised himself and rejected his former beliefs and associations, he was formally disfellowshipped in 1837.

Robert Roberts (Christadelphian)Robert Roberts, Aberdeen, Scotland, was the son of a captain of a small coasting vessel. His mother was a strongly religious Calvinistic Baptist, school teacher. He was raised in a well disciplined, and strictly religious environment. His mother took him as a boy of 10 to hear John Thomas speak in Aberdeen, Scotland. He formally and briefly, became a member of his mother’s church at age 12. Shortly afterward he came across a copy of a magazine, belonging to his sister, entitled the Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, by Thomas, who knew Roberts’ mother.

Roberts then began his Bible studies in earnest after reading Thomas’ book Elpis Israel, he became convinced of its soundness, and ceased attending chapel with his family. He was baptised in 1853 aged 14 as part of the “Baptised Believers” (11 years before the name ‘Christadelphian’ was coined by John Thomas; he was re-baptized in 1863 “on attaining to an understanding of the things concerning the name of Jesus, of which he was ignorant at his first immersion”).

Two quotes from these heretics against the doctrine of the Trinity are:

“Moses and the prophets do not teach that “there are three persons, three essences, three somethings, or three anythings, in the Godhead; and that these three distinct units, or unities, constitute only one unit or one Unity — and that that Tri-Unity is the God of Israel.” They do not teach this. This is the foolishness of the Old Man of the Flesh.” – John Thomas

“The endeavour is to show that they are not three co-equal powers in one, but powers of which one is the head and source of the others. The Father is eternal and underived, the Son is the manifestation of the Father in a man begotten by the Spirit, the Holy Spirit is the localisation of the Father’s power.”- Robert Roberts 

It’s important to note that most of these cults which deny the deity of Christ all stem from the heresy of Arianism. An influential heresy which denies the divinity of Christ, originating from the Alexandrian priest Arius. Arianism maintained that the Son of God was created by the Father and was, therefore, neither coeternal with the Father, nor consubstantial.

Arius (Arianism) Arius was a pupil of Lucian of Antioch at Lucian’s private academy in Antioch and inherited a modified form of the teachings of Paul of Samosata. He taught that God the Father and the Son of God did not always exist together eternally.

Arians taught that the Logos was a divine being begotten by God the Father before the creation of the world, made him a medium through whom everything else was created, and that the Son of God is subordinate to God the Father. A verse from Proverbs was also used: “The Lord created me at the beginning of his work” (Proverbs 8:22–25).

Therefore, the Son was rather the very first and the most perfect of God’s creatures, and he was made “God” only by the Father’s permission and power. Is any of this starting to sound familiar? These same beliefs are held by Jehovah Witnesses as well as Christadelphians and have perverted God’s word. Let’s not stop there because just like because they also share a common theme, just as Charles Taze Russell the founder of the Jehovah Witnesses had his start as a Millerite, so does the founders of the Christadelphians also. 

In 1843 Thomas was introduced to William Miller, the leader of the Millerites. He admired their willingness to question orthodox beliefs and agreed with their belief in the second coming of Christ and the founding of a millennial age upon His return.

William Miller (Millerites) William Miller was born on the east coast of the United States. As a young man he was a farmer and during the war of 1812 served as a captain in the American armed forces. In 1833 is when he started his preaching. After studying the Bible for two years, in 1818 Miller announced that in 25 years (March 1844) Jesus Christ would return to the earth.

At the height of his ministry, Miller gathered a large following, who’d also became known as “Adventists.” When March 1844 came and went with no sign of Jesus Christ’s return, Miller recalculated the new date to October 22, 1844. When Jesus Christ did not return on that date the entire Millerite movement ended as his follower’s faith was destroyed. Miller revamped his doctrine to say that Christ had returned, but that Miller didn’t understand that Christ first had to come to the “Heavenly Sanctuary,” and cleanse it. Once the Lord Jesus cleansed things in heaven, He would come back to the earth.

The remaining faithful bought into this lie formed the Advent Church and in 1845 Miller became its first president. The name was later changed to Seventh Day Adventists and after the death of Miller in 1849 a new false prophet came on the scene, Ellen G. White. With a fair enough background in understanding how the Christadelphians came to be lets now examine their beliefs to see if they hold up to the truths of God’s Holy word. 

WHAT DO CHRISTADELPHIANS BELIEVE?

Christadelphians say: They believe the Bible is the infallible and inerrant word of God, if this is true why do they not have the same beliefs or anything closely resembling orthodox Christianity?

Answer: The Christadelphians do not believe God’s word to be infallible and inerrant (without error) by following man’s tradition namely John Thomas and Robert Roberts. In the mind of a Christadelphian, these two men who’s beliefs are radically opposing and contradict the Lord Jesus Christ own words.

Matthew 4:4 “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”

Here are scriptures which are in direct opposition against Christadelphians (Psalms 12:6, 119:89, Isaiah 8:20, 40:8, Matthew 4:4, 5:18, 24:35, John 17:17, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:14-15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 6:18, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Revelation 22:18-19)

Psalms 12:6 “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”

Psalms 119:89 “LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”

Christadelphians say: They teach that Jesus had a sin nature.

Answer:  Christadelphians think because of the virgin birth through Mary He (the Lord Jesus) was somehow given a sin nature, that’s blasphemous and completely erroneous. What does the Bible say about Christ Jesus?

John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

1 John 3:5 “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.”

More scriptures which speak on the perfect Lamb of God the Lord Jesus Christ who has no sin and never will (John 14:10, Romans 6:23, 8:3, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 5:8-9, 9:14, James 1:13, 1 Peter 1:19, 2:22).

It’s abundantly clear that the Lord Jesus is sinless, spotless and without any sin so why do the Christadelphians teach anything otherwise? It’s because of ungodly men who have turned the grace of God into lasciviousness as the epistle of Jude mentions (Jude 1:4).

Christadelphians say: teach that Jesus needed to save himself before he could save us.

Answer: To say that the Lord Jesus needs salvation is complete utter blasphemy and it’s certain the 2 founders of this cult are in hell if they never repented of their wicked ways; these 2 men are dragging others into the pit of hell along with them. The Lord Jesus is both fully God and fully man is without any sin and never needed to be saved as the Christadelphians would teach. He (Jesus Christ) is the Saviour of the world, the Holy One, the great I AM. The Lord Jesus said no man takes His life from Him in the book of John:

John 10:17, 18 “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”

The Lord Jesus is the Prince of Life death can never have hold or dominion over Him, He defeated death and is forever victorious (Acts 3:15, 4:12Revelation 1:18).

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Christadelphians say: They believe that there has been an apostasy and that Christianity is a false religious system.

Answer: This is the kettle calling the pot black, while there are those who may not have a complete solid biblical foundation. Cults always will state that they are the “only truth” and that all others are false, the Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventist all claim the same. The Lord Jesus rebuked this line of thinking called sectarianism.

Mark 9:38-40 “And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.”

Luke 9:49, 50 “And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”

Christadelphians say: They believe annihilation of the wicked.

Answer: The Bible says that the wicked will be tormented in Hell for all eternity if the wicked are to be annihilated as Christadelphians claim then they’re calling God a liar, and God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). The book of Revelation their torment will be for ever, the book of Matthew mentions everlasting punishment and fire. Seems the teachings of Christadelphians directly contradict God’s word tremendously.

Matthew 25:41 “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”

Matthew 25:46 “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

Revelation 14:11 “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

Christadelphians say: They believe that baptism is necessary for salvation.

Answer: If baptism is necessary for salvation then what would Christadelphians about the thief on the cross who never had a chance of being baptised? What would they tell the Lord Jesus who told the thief:

Luke 23:42, 43 “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Christadelphians say: They believe that it is possible to lose one’s salvation.

Answer: The Bible is clear that salvation is everlasting, forever then how can they say you can lose it, that would make it not everlasting. The Bible says anyone who’s born again has eternal life and they shall never perish, we can have full assurance of salvation (John 17:3, 20:31, 1 John 5:13).

John 10:27-29 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”

Christadelphians say: They deny the doctrine of the Trinity.

Answer: The Apostle John warned us of those who would deny the God that we would know those who deny the Son (the Lord Jesus) are anti-christ. When a believer comes to know the one true God they would never go against the deity of Christ because they love Him with all their heart and know Him.

1 John 2:22, 23Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”

Most are familiar with the word Trinity (biblical word for Trinity being Godhead), while the Bible never uses that word it does show all throughout the scriptures this wonderful truth (Genesis 1:26, Matthew 3:16-17, John 1:1-51, 10:30-36, 14:16-17, 15:26, 1 Corinthians 8:6, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 4:4-6, Philippians 2:5-8, Colossians 1:15-17, 2:9, 1 Peter 1:2, 1 John 5:7-8).

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

John 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

What’s a Christadelphian to do with all these scriptures which proves the doctrine of the Godhead? Well just like all cults do they just blatantly deny the truth through their unrighteousness; if they continue to follow these ungodly men they will die in their sin and will be condemned. Of course, I wish that those deceived by this cult would wake up and come to Christ Jesus our Lord for salvation. Let’s continue.

Christadelphians say: They deny that Jesus is God in flesh.

Answer: We can easily prove this to be untrue through God’s word, the book of John, Timothy and Titus straightly gives us the truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ as God. When the Apostle Thomas saw the risen Lord he said:

John 20:28 “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”

There are also scriptures which plainly state that the Lord Jesus Christ is God, how can anyone calling themselves Christian flat out deny these truths? I’ll tell you how because they’re not of God, they are of their father the devil just as the Lord Jesus proclaimed.

1 Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

Titus 2:11-13 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

Christadelphians say: They deny that Jesus existed prior to his incarnation.

Answer: God’s word says that many would be deceived following false prophets and vain philosophies, how true this is when someone looks to deny the plain truth of the Lord Jesus Christ’s pre-existence. He being God 1 of the 3 persons of the Godhead was never created He’s always existed and is before all things. The most obvious scripture is the first verses in the gospel of John.

John1:1-3In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

It’s really sad that a person can look at this simple plain truth try to deny His deity. You littery have to suppress the truth in unrighteousness as the book of Romans states (Roman 1:18). Verses all throughout scripture speak of the Lord Jesus Christ being eternal without beginning or end.

John 1:30 “This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.”

John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

Colossians 1:15-18 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

Here are a few more scriptures proving He’s God (Isaiah 9:6, Daniel 7:9, John 17:5, Philippians 2:6,7, Revelation 1:8, 22:13). Christadelphianism is definitely not of God it’s a cult and those who are trapped in this deception need to come out, no one who denies the Lord Jesus has salvation that’s just the truth.

Christadelphians say: They deny the personhood and deity of the Holy Spirit.

Answer: The Holy Spirit is God, the 3rd person of the Godhead. The scriptures speak of not grieving the Holy Spirit, not to blaspheme the Holy Ghost. The scriptures prove He is a person that speaks. The book of Acts shows that the Holy Ghost was lied to by Ananias; only a person can be lied to.

Acts 5:1-4 “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”

He (the Holy Ghost) speaks only a person can speak, therefore we must admit the personhood of the Holy Spirit the 3rd person of the Godhead.

Acts 13:2 “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”

Hebrews 3:7-11 “Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)”

The Lord Jesus said that when He goes away He would send the comforter (Holy Ghost) and that He (the Holy Ghost) would bring all things to remembrance. Only a person can be referred to as He.

John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

John 15:26, 27 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.”

John 16:13, 14Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to comeHe shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

(Matthew 3:16, Luke 3:22, John 1:32)

Christadelphians say: They deny the substitutionary atonement of Christ.

Answer: The denial of the Lord Jesus’s sacrifice will send all those who don’t receive the free gift of salvation straight to hell, that’s one of the foundational primary truths of the Bible. We as sinners deserve death and hell but the perfect spotless Lamb of God, a real man, both fully man and fully God bore our sins in His body took them to the cross taking upon Himself the wrath of God that we could have salvation by trusting in Him.

Isaiah 53:3-7 “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”

Romans 3:25 “Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”

1 John 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.”

1 John 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.”

Hebrews 9:14 “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

What a tragedy it would be to reject the free gift of eternal life because of pride. The wonderful gift is provided for all there’s nothing to do, the work has been finished fully and completely by Christ Jesus. Nothing in my hands I bring simply to the cross I cling. (John 3:16, 3:36, 2 Corinthians 5:19, 5:21, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 3:5-7, Hebrews 2:17, 5:9, 1 Peter 3:18).

Christadelphians say: They deny salvation by grace through faith alone.

Answer: Do they even read the Bible because they directly contradict God’s word every time, God says it’s by grace, they say it’s not. Who’s right them or God?!

Ephesians 2:8, 9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

Christadelphians say: They deny the immortality of the soul.

Answer: God’s Spirit is eternal when God created man He breathed into him the breath of life, from that point on man even though he hasn’t always existed have begun an existence that will live on forever either in Heaven or Hell.

Genesis 2:7 “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

Revelation 14:11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

Christadelphians say: They deny that a person exists after death.

Answer: Other than the scriptures provided directly above we have an account of life after death from the Lord Jesus Christ, a true story in Lazarus and the rich man in the gospel of Luke.

Luke 16:19-31 “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

Christadelphians say: They deny the existence of hell and eternal punishment.

Answer: Again it’s silly to say that hell doesn’t exist, I notice that cults love the idea of heaven and they don’t deny that but don’t believe in hell because that would force them to realise they aren’t “good people” and don’t deserve to go to heaven. Again it comes down to pride. The Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 18:8, 9 “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.”

Christadelphians say: They deny the existence of the fallen angel Lucifer as the devil.

Answer: What does the Bible say about Lucifer?

Isaiah 14:12 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!”

CONCLUSION

Christadelphians really have to try hard to deny all of these great truths in order to suck people into their false doctrine, It’s earthly and devilish (as the Apostle James stated James 3:15) to be involved with this cult who’s on the wide road to destruction. If you’re an individual involved with the Christadelphian movement or know of someone who is I would implore you to run away or share this post with them.

They’re leading people straight to hell. John the Apostle told us that there would be many anti-christ in the world (1 John 2:18, 3:8). Christadelphians need the gospel so that they can believe in the true God, the Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible.

Romans 10:9-13 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

Written by Jason

Appreciate the Creator

We grow up with food as our source of sustenance that keeps us alive. Because we essentially “eat” from our mother’s womb, food is just…well, food. That delicious stuff we put in our mouths, that stuff that keeps us alive, and it’s just there. From a “big bang” billions of trillions of billions of ions ago, with no cause, no intelligent Creator who created food to nourish us creatures. This beautiful food that’s keeping us alive is just here by accident, right??

No, not by accident, but by design.

We never really acquire a wonder and awe for something that is such a part of our lives and something we’re surrounded with every single day. It just is. Nothing special – it just is.

That is, until we come to know our Creator through His saving grace. The natural world around us then goes from purposeless to purposeful.

When we’re saved and begin a true, real, living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, we’re reset as humans and we are made completely new creations. Because of this, we see the world as entirely different than before. We come to truly appreciate the beauty in creation.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

What was once just bland everyday existence becomes the most colourful, vibrant life. We once looked at the natural world as not special because we didn’t know the Creator. Loving and being loved by the God who made food (amongst other things) opens our eyes to the beauty of it. Only when we truly appreciate God can we then truly appreciate food. We won’t truly appreciate anything until we truly appreciate God.

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Food is so beautiful, and that’s because it’s the creation of a beautiful Creator who  loves us. He nourishes us and cares for us abundantly. He didn’t have to bless us with colours, tastes, and nutrition that heals us and keeps us thriving, but He did.

And it says so much about Him. He’s loving, full of grace, tender, caring, creative, providing, and oh so beautiful beyond our ability to fathom or comprehend.

Look at creation around you and appreciate the Creator – the Lord Jesus Christ by whom all things were made. Existence and life is emptiness and death without Him.

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
Colossians 1:14-17

Look at creation differently, and come to appreciate the Creator of all of this beauty. It is in no way by accident, it is all in existence by the Word of His mouth, that is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

Written by Tanya