Islam is the Greatest Obstacle To Christianity! NO WAY! A LIE!
Islam is the greatest opportunity for Christianity! I LOVE Muslims. NO, I don’t agree with them - and they don’t agree with me, but I still love them. Someone I love, I don’t throw rocks or make predictions about what bad things they may do - knowing I have my hands full with me!
The Jews were the “greatest obstacle” to the early church if you read Acts - until you realize that most of the early believers and even leaders in the early church in her first 300 year history were Jews. Communism was the greatest obstacle to the Gospel - right? That’s what we heard about those “godless” communist. No, it has become the seedbed of Christianity and focal point of what God is doing with the church in China being the largest and most explosive ever. Frankly, I’ve come to know some of those “communist” and it may amaze you to know some of them know Jesus.
THEREFORE, do you get the implication? If history repeats itself, Islam will be the greatest spreader of the Gospel the world has ever seen! I know , I know - don’t Muslims persecute and kill Christians - some, but not all. BUT, didn’t Jews, didn’t communist, and even Europeans!
This has huge implications for how we treat Muslims if we really love them. We shouldn’t see them as obstacles or an inevitable conflict or foe, but as people that Jesus loves and gave himself for and people we should love and serve - even if they don’t follow our faith. Some of us still believe in freedom of religion!
Therefore, love Muslims. Doesn’t God? It is never our place to say who will follow Jesus and who will not. It is never our place to predict which group of people are beyond Jesus. It is never our place predict war and put the stamp of evil on someone’s forehead.
Frankly, the greatest obstacle to Christianity - is Christians who don’t look like Jesus.
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Comments
Jul 25, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Well said, Mr. Roberts. VERY well said. May God soften our hearts and open our eyes.
Jul 25, 2008 at 02:11 PM
Why is this so hard for us "Christians" to get!! We want to pick and choose what part of the bible we will follow, and yet claim that we are more Holy than non-Christians. As I have learned from you, Bob, if we truly want to become Christ-like, we MUST live by ALL the Word and live that way, as said in Gal 3:26-29 ...For ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is niether Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christs, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Jul 25, 2008 at 09:02 PM
As one living in a Muslim-Majority country, I agree with you. People who makes statements like "Islam is the greatest obstacle to Christianity" or "... the greatest enemy of Christianity" need to reconsider the kind of thinking behind these words and the implications for people like us who are minorities and working hard to be a witness of the Gospel in the best way we possibly can. Some Christian in our own context uncritically buy into this kind of hostile thinking perhaps with sincerity, but the reality it sets us back in our common witness.
Jul 28, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Awesome Bob. I am just beginning "Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road".
Jul 28, 2008 at 08:14 PM
Bob,
To me the greatest enemy of the Church is the Church's own rejection of Jesus' teaching. Jesus said that he did not come to judge the world but save it. He taught his followers to reject judging as well. He told us to take the plank out of our own eye. Maybe the plank Jesus spoke of is the bad habit of being critical, blaming and accusing. What would happen if the church gave up on criticism and focused on telling some good news?
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