DEFENDING THE GOSPEL, by Sir Lionel Luckhoo

PUBLISHED BY LUCKHUO MINISTRIES, BOX 815881 DALLAS, TEXAS 75381 FROM WHOM QUANTITIES OF THIS BOOKLET MAY BE OBTAINED FREE OF CHARGE. NO COPYRIGHT; YOU MAY REPUBLISH. Printed in decision magazine,September 2010, a publication of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association) www.billygraham.org/decision

Many followers of the Islamic faith proclaim that Islam is very much like Christianity and that there is only one basic difference: Christianity claims Jesus is the Son of God; Islamsays He was merely a prophet.

But this difference is so vital and so fundamental that it presents an insurmountable barrier. It is impossible to reconcile Christianity, with its basic tenets that Jesus is God and the Bible is the Word of God, with Islam, which states that Jesus is a prophet and nothing else, and that the Quran is the Word of God.

In the Quran, Muhammad declares that Jesus was only an apostle to Israel The religion of Islam says: Jesus lived. This Jesus was good. This Jesus was truthful. This Jesus was righteous. But this Jesus was not divine.

Now arises the question: Can a reader deduce from the Quran that Jesus is divine? Let’s examine this question in two ways: What factors should be present to convince someone that Jesus is divine? Are those factors present in the Quran? If these factors are present, then [a Muslim] reader must accept that Jesus is divine.

PROPHECY OF HIS BIRTH

Muhammad, claiming to reflect God’s dictation, writes: “And in their footsteps we sent Jesus the Son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: A guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah (5:46, Yusuf Ali edition).

What does this passage mean? It means what it says—that Jesus came to confirm the law—the pronouncements laid down before He came. The law was laid down by the prophets; that is to say, the prophecies later were to be confirmed by the birth of Jesus.

Now, having read what the Quran says, let us look at its counterpart in the Bible. Did Jesus Himself not say in Matthew 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfill” (KJV). And in Luke 24:44, Jesus again said, “All things must be fulfilled, which were written to the law of Moses ... concerning me” (KJV). In like manner, the Quran is saying, Jesus is sent to fulfill, to confirm the law or pronouncements laid down before He came. So this first factor is satisfied: the Quran is saying the coming of Jesus was foretold, and His coming was to confirm the law.



SUPERNATURAL CONCEPTION

For a child to be conceived there must be the union of a man and a woman. In all history, throughout all ages, only one birth makes the claim of being a virgin birth. Let us look at these quotations from the Quran: “Behold! The angels said: ‘0 Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah, He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous’” (3:45-46, Yusuf Ali’s edition). Mary’s reply, again from the Quran, is: “‘0 my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?’ [ The angel replied], Even so: Allah createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, “Be,” and it is!’” (3:47, Yusuf Ail’s edition).

Followers of Islam can never explain away these clear, unequivocal statements written by their Prophet Muhammad who declared that Jesus was born without a human father. This alone proves the deity of Jesus. This alone proves He is the Son of God.



PASSAGE OF TIME

When Jesus died, His disciples fled. Jesus was betrayed, denied and deserted, yet His teachings are stronger today than at any time. In addition to the millions and millions of Bibles that have been circulated in all languages, millions of books have been written, seeking to explain and bring His teaching to all mankind. For 2,000 years His teachings have been the light of the world and His Word continues to endure forever. Truly His teachings have withstood the passage of time.



MIRACLES

The Quran says of Jesus: “Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel, “and (appoint him) a messenger to the children of Israel (with this message): ‘I have come to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah’s leave: And I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by Allah’s leave” (3:48-49, Yusuf Ali’s edition).

The Quran gives a wide spectrum of Jesus the Healer, and there is given to Jesus the power to quicken or revive the dead—a power that Muhammad never claimed or exhibited.



SINLESS

The Quran speaks of the sin of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and even Muhammad—but nowhere attributes any sin to Jesus.

The conclusion is expressed in one of the Islamic traditions. “Every child born of Adam is touched by Satan the day his mother is delivered of him with the exception of Mary arid her son?”



CONQUERING DEATH

What does the Quran say about Jesus’ death? “They said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah’; but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for a surety they killed hint not. Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself: and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise” (4:157-158, Yusuf Ali’s edition).

Of course, the Jews did not kill Jesus finally and for all time. But here in the Quran comes the punch line. “Nay, Allah raised Him up unto Himself.” What else could this mean but that man could not destroy Jesus? Is this not a straightforward interpretation?

The Quran is saying, “God raised Him up unto Himself,” implying that Jesus is now in Heaven and that He is worthy of regard in this world and the world to come. What is of importance and enlightenment, however, is the next verse: “And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them” (4:159, Yusuf Ali’s edition).

The Quran is asserting that Jesus is ascended to Heaven and on the Judgment day He will be a witness. Yet Muhammad, who is revered by the Muslims, has yet to be raised up to be with God in Heaven.

The bones of Muhammad are in Medina; the bones of Confucius are in Shantung; the cremated bones of Buddha are in Nepal. Thousands take pilgrimages to worship at their tombs. But in Jerusalem there is a cave cut into the rock. This is the tomb of Jesus—and it is empty!



HOW THE QURAN CONTRADICTS ITSELF

We have examined the one side of the Quran that squares with the Bible; it fits in with Christian concepts and beliefs, especially pointing to the deity of Jesus. Let us now turn to other aspects of the Quran that extol Muhammad and play down Jesus to the role of not only a messenger, but one who is even inferior to Muhammad.

“And when Jesus, Son of Mary, said: 0 Children of Israel, surely I am the messenger of Allah to you, verifying that which is before me of the Torah and giving the good news of a Messenger who will come after me, his name being Ahmad [Muhammad]. But when he came to them with clear arguments, they said: ‘This is clear enchantment” (61:6, Muhammad Ali’s edition).

Let us look directly at how the deity of Jesus is treated in another passage: “0 People of the Book, exceed not the limits in your religion nor speak anything about Allah, but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, is only a messenger of Allah. ... Allah is only one God. Far be it from His glory to have a son’ (4:171-172, Muhammad Ali’s version). Passages are then set out denying Jesus’ claim to the Godhead. (See 5:116.)



THE FINAL CONCLUSION

We are now left to deduce the final conclusion. God is perfect. His Word must therefore be perfect. The Quran denies itself. It asserts the deity of Jesus and yet denies it. So the Quran is imperfect. The Quran, therefore, cannot be the Word of God.

My readers, my friends, I implore you to get a copy of the Holy Bible and read, in particular, the New Testament. Read it carefully and slowly, and I pray God, that He will open the doorway of your hearts to Jesus, who is knocking and calling you to Himself that He may enter your life and transform you and make you a new creation (as He has done to so many of us sinners), that you may enjoy that peace and joy which passeth all understanding.

Jesus said that only those who believe and accept Him as the Son of God will enjoy eternal life. If you accept Him and ask Him to come into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior, He will transform your life. You will serve with Him in Heaven forever and ever.