Transcript
Briefing About Religious People. Yeah, you really answered me; now I understand. Another thing: you used to discuss something about the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam.
I learned that the Qur’an was narrated by one person who did not see or experience the history happening.
Again, they believe that Jesus did not die on the cross, and they also believe that Jesus is not the Son of God. These claims obviously make them antichrist.
Now I want to understand this religion called Judaism—the similarities and differences it has with Christianity. So far, I have received little information that they strictly teach and live by the laws of Moses. I want to understand more.
You do not have to understand whatever you do not intend to agree with. There is more you need to understand in Christianity first because you are called to agree with the Faith in the Truth.
However, diving into other religions for the purpose of converting the followers from darkness into the true Light of Christ is worthy.
You have to know their religion to know the nature and extent of deception or darkness holding them captive, so that you might be more useful in extending the grace and Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to them.
Hence, I would rather have you understand Judaists than understand Judaism; and I would rather have you understand Muslims than understand Islam. Understand the people you are called to save, not their religion or practices.
Briefing About Muslims. Muslims believe in Allah through Muhammad, whom they regard as both the last and greatest prophet, sent by Allah to the world and not just to Israel. And, as you rightly said, “They believe that Jesus did not die on the cross, and they also believe that Jesus is not the Son of God.”
These claims obviously make them antichrist.
Although they were instructed in their Qur’an to believe in Jesus the Messiah and listen to the books in His Gospel because Allah would destroy on the Day of Judgment any disbeliever who refused to listen to what Jesus the Messiah says,
they were also instructed not to believe Jesus is the Son of God because, according to the Qur’an, Allah has no son, neither is Allah three, but just one. To Muslims, Jesus is neither the Son of God nor the Son of Man, but the son of Mary, a virgin; and they regard Jesus as one of the prophets or servants of Allah.
Muslims hold three books most sacred to their religious practice: Qur’an, Sunnah, and Hadith. Sunnah is a portion of Muslims’ law containing the practices of Muhammad as the standard for Islam, while Hadith is the teachings or doctrines of Muhammad.
However, Muslims are divided into two groups based on disagreement over the applications of Sunnah practices to Islam. One group of Muslims, called Sunnis, differs strongly from the other group, called Shia, in understanding the Sunnah and in acceptance of the first three caliphs; but the Shia insist on the fourth caliph.
Caliph means successor to Muhammad, as in the next leader who replaced Muhammad after his death. Sunni Muslims believe the first three caliphs in the Sunnah were the next general overseers of all Muslims after their last prophet, Muhammad, died; but, on the other hand, Shia Muslims believe in and follow the fourth caliph, called Ali. To Shia Muslims, after Muhammad, Ali is their Muslim leader.
Sunni Muslims hold allegiance to Saudi Arabia, wherein is their most holy or sacred ground called Mecca; but, on the other hand, Shia Muslims hold allegiance to Iran.
Muslims observe the Five Pillars of Islam in their religious and routine practices, including praying five times a day and ablution;
observing fasting during the month of Ramadan in anticipation or solidarity with the moon;
giving alms to the needy;
and going to Mecca at a certain period to circle and cast stones at Satan, which is represented there at Mecca with an image and black stones.
Lastly, Muslims build mosques to bear the images of both stars and moon as an idol raised higher with an extended dome above the main roof or main dome level. Islam is a religion of the night, and so the moon and stars of the night are their hallmarks.
They can become violent if they feel the moon is threatened.
They bow in prayers within their mosque, having the images of the moon and stars in an elevated position at the pinnacle of the mosques.
Moreover, there are three distinct mosques for Muslims according to the functions of those mosques. The lowest mosque is the one Muslims use every day as a prayer ground, about five times a day. The higher mosque, the Jumu’ah mosque, is used as a prayer ground on Fridays during their main prayer; they walk to the higher mosque close by to gather and pray there on Fridays during their main prayers. The highest mosque is not opened until the time of Sallah or a special Muslim festival—for example, the mosque in Mecca or Medina. Some Friday mosques could also be used as Sallah mosques for those who could not afford the cost of going to the highest mosque.
Briefing About Judaists. Judaists believe through Moses and regard Moses as the greatest prophet of God. They claim to be followers of Moses, whom they regard as the greatest man of God who ever lived. Their religion is based on the laws and writings of Moses, and therefore their most sacred or holy books include the Torah and the Old Testament Prophets’ books in the Scriptures, including Psalms.
Judaists do not believe in Jesus as their Messiah, neither do they believe in Him as the Son of God. They see Jesus as a mere mortal
and do not believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ.
However, Judaists still believe in and wait for the coming of their Messiah, called Christ, because, to them, their promised Messiah has not yet come.
Judaists still observe the Levitical rituals of killing animals as sacrifices for their sins; observing the feasts of Passover and Tabernacles; the New Moon festival; Sabbath-day observation; circumcision; rituals of washing; and ceremonial holiness.
Judaists hold the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone as the highest symbol of God’s covenant; for they are under the Old Covenant, in which God wrote on stones, not the New Covenant, in which God now writes on the heart and in the mind through the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Judaists hold allegiance to Jerusalem, in Israel, which they regard as their most holy ground.
Briefing on the Faith in Christians.
Christians are children of God through the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was dead but is now alive forever and ever. Amen.
Christians are witnesses, witnessing the Righteousness of God through Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God revealed through Jesus Christ, the Power of God revealed through Jesus Christ, the Grace of God revealed through Jesus Christ,
the Life of God revealed through Jesus Christ, the Truth and Knowledge of God revealed through Jesus Christ, the Mysteries of God revealed through Jesus Christ, the deep Things of God revealed through Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God revealed through Jesus Christ, the Image and Nature of God revealed through Jesus Christ,
the Heavens and Throne of God revealed through Jesus Christ, and the Word of God revealed in Jesus Christ.
In other religions, men try to show God humans’ righteousness; but, in the Faith of Christians, God Himself is the One showing His Righteousness to humans and revealing His Holiness to men through Jesus Christ.
Therefore, God wants to reveal and prove His Righteousness to us who believe.
As it is written, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the Power of God to salvation to everyone who believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith,’” Romans 1:16–17.