B
brakelite2
Guest
If we as Christians are spiritual Jews, and are grafted into the tree of Israel, do you realise that makes all the children of Ishmael, the Arabs and all those of Islam in the Middle East, your brothers?
Does God love the children of Ishmael? Is God desirous that the gospel be shared with those belonging to the Muslim community? Have Muslims ever heard the true gospel, and do they know what a true Christian is? When the average Iraqi or Iranian or Pakistani catches a glimpse of the western world, what does he see?
Is it not true that he perceives the 'west' as Christian? Particularly America? Is he not constantly told that America is a Christian nation, a nation 'under God'? That America is founded on 'Christian' principles and that the government is in power by the sovereign grace of God? The typical Muslim therefore views America in much the same light as Americans would view Saudi Arabia. A religious church/ state union. He would read that 70% of Americans believe that the are going to heaven when they die. Therefore America and Christianity in the eyes of the average Muslim are synonymous.
What else does he see? He sees 'Christianity' in Christian rock music but sees no difference between the music in church and that in the street.
He sees 'Christianity' in the fashions and the baring of the flesh so prevalent now in western society. The devout Muslim sees little difference between what is worn in church these days and from what he sees being worn in soft porn sitcoms on TV. The tourists to his country need constant reminding of what he deems decent and pure in the area of dress. "Christians' need reminding of what modesty means? Yes, they do.
When a Muslim has the opportunity to view Christian TV services, what does he see? What does he hear? He sees the same fashions as one would expect to see in the street. He sees the same dancing and gyrating one would expect to see in a dance club. He hears the same music one would expect to hear at a rock concert . Thus he sees and hears nothing that would impress him as being respectful or reverent for the sanctuary which supposedly is the house of God.
Add to that the current debate over whether homosexuals ought to be ordained (the fact that it is even considered is bad enough) and the the Muslim is rightly sickened. And we think he ought to understand and accept our gospel?
The devout Muslim, who truly loves and worships God , despises that, and fears the encroachment of such a perverse (to him) religion into his life or country. He loves God and he loves his family. And although we may strongly disagree with many aspects of his faith, and have quite a different perspective of the nature and character of God, to all intents and purposes, we do worship the same God.
Sadly, he sees nothing in western society and the current practice of Christianity that would attract him. Like Ghandi, he likes our Jesus, but has little or no time for his professed followers.
He sees 'Christianty in the perversions and excesses of Hollywood. He sees 'Christianity' in the corruptions of corporate America. He sees 'Christianity' in the escalating crime and social disorder in the streets of western cities. And because the Islamic state works so hard to keep that perception of Christianity out of their nations, the average Muslim never sees the true Christian, and has no idea what a true Christian really is and what he believes.
His forbears experienced 'Christianity' at the hands of the papal crusaders in the early middle ages. He experienced 'Christianty' at the hands of exploitive British branch of the western church in the 19th and early 20th centuries. He is experiencing 'Christianity' today in the form of all out war today.
When, pray tell, will he ever experience the love of a true Christian? How will he do so when the current war is supported so strongly by the vocal and vociferously hateful Christian Zionists?
Who will represent to todays descendant of Ishmael the true Jesus if it isn't us??? And how can we do that, and present a gospel that will change the life, if we do not do as Jesus commanded us and love even those we perceive as our enemy?
There are very few people in the Bible named personally by God. Jesus, John the Baptist, Israel are 3 I can think of. Ishmael was another. His name means "God hears".Read through Genesis again. Take note of the number of times the angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar and the promises He made. That angel was the very same angel Who appeared to Abraham. The very same Angel Who appeared to Moses in the burning bush. God has blessed the children of Ishmael and desires to continue to do so today. The promises made to Abraham were fulfilled and kept in the branch of his family through Ishmael. In the beginning God's first covenant to Abraham included all the land from the Nile to the Euphrates. Later it only involved the land of Canaan. The descendants of Ishamael were given all the rest and it remains so today. God has blessed those people.
Remember that the greatest prophet of the OT was sent to the children of Ishmael in Nineveh and they repented. And one of the greatest characters of the OT was a descendant of Ishmael, Job. Shall we treat todays descendants with the same patronising bigotry and disrespect that his 3 friends did?
Not all of them are terrorists. We must stop generalising and consider them as much a candidate for the gospel as any one else. It begins by loving them. Unconditionally. Just as Jesus did when He appeared to Hagar, just as He did when He died for them, just as He does still.
Does God love the children of Ishmael? Is God desirous that the gospel be shared with those belonging to the Muslim community? Have Muslims ever heard the true gospel, and do they know what a true Christian is? When the average Iraqi or Iranian or Pakistani catches a glimpse of the western world, what does he see?
Is it not true that he perceives the 'west' as Christian? Particularly America? Is he not constantly told that America is a Christian nation, a nation 'under God'? That America is founded on 'Christian' principles and that the government is in power by the sovereign grace of God? The typical Muslim therefore views America in much the same light as Americans would view Saudi Arabia. A religious church/ state union. He would read that 70% of Americans believe that the are going to heaven when they die. Therefore America and Christianity in the eyes of the average Muslim are synonymous.
What else does he see? He sees 'Christianity' in Christian rock music but sees no difference between the music in church and that in the street.
He sees 'Christianity' in the fashions and the baring of the flesh so prevalent now in western society. The devout Muslim sees little difference between what is worn in church these days and from what he sees being worn in soft porn sitcoms on TV. The tourists to his country need constant reminding of what he deems decent and pure in the area of dress. "Christians' need reminding of what modesty means? Yes, they do.
When a Muslim has the opportunity to view Christian TV services, what does he see? What does he hear? He sees the same fashions as one would expect to see in the street. He sees the same dancing and gyrating one would expect to see in a dance club. He hears the same music one would expect to hear at a rock concert . Thus he sees and hears nothing that would impress him as being respectful or reverent for the sanctuary which supposedly is the house of God.
Add to that the current debate over whether homosexuals ought to be ordained (the fact that it is even considered is bad enough) and the the Muslim is rightly sickened. And we think he ought to understand and accept our gospel?
The devout Muslim, who truly loves and worships God , despises that, and fears the encroachment of such a perverse (to him) religion into his life or country. He loves God and he loves his family. And although we may strongly disagree with many aspects of his faith, and have quite a different perspective of the nature and character of God, to all intents and purposes, we do worship the same God.
Sadly, he sees nothing in western society and the current practice of Christianity that would attract him. Like Ghandi, he likes our Jesus, but has little or no time for his professed followers.
He sees 'Christianty in the perversions and excesses of Hollywood. He sees 'Christianity' in the corruptions of corporate America. He sees 'Christianity' in the escalating crime and social disorder in the streets of western cities. And because the Islamic state works so hard to keep that perception of Christianity out of their nations, the average Muslim never sees the true Christian, and has no idea what a true Christian really is and what he believes.
His forbears experienced 'Christianity' at the hands of the papal crusaders in the early middle ages. He experienced 'Christianty' at the hands of exploitive British branch of the western church in the 19th and early 20th centuries. He is experiencing 'Christianity' today in the form of all out war today.
When, pray tell, will he ever experience the love of a true Christian? How will he do so when the current war is supported so strongly by the vocal and vociferously hateful Christian Zionists?
Who will represent to todays descendant of Ishmael the true Jesus if it isn't us??? And how can we do that, and present a gospel that will change the life, if we do not do as Jesus commanded us and love even those we perceive as our enemy?
There are very few people in the Bible named personally by God. Jesus, John the Baptist, Israel are 3 I can think of. Ishmael was another. His name means "God hears".Read through Genesis again. Take note of the number of times the angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar and the promises He made. That angel was the very same angel Who appeared to Abraham. The very same Angel Who appeared to Moses in the burning bush. God has blessed the children of Ishmael and desires to continue to do so today. The promises made to Abraham were fulfilled and kept in the branch of his family through Ishmael. In the beginning God's first covenant to Abraham included all the land from the Nile to the Euphrates. Later it only involved the land of Canaan. The descendants of Ishamael were given all the rest and it remains so today. God has blessed those people.
Remember that the greatest prophet of the OT was sent to the children of Ishmael in Nineveh and they repented. And one of the greatest characters of the OT was a descendant of Ishmael, Job. Shall we treat todays descendants with the same patronising bigotry and disrespect that his 3 friends did?
Not all of them are terrorists. We must stop generalising and consider them as much a candidate for the gospel as any one else. It begins by loving them. Unconditionally. Just as Jesus did when He appeared to Hagar, just as He did when He died for them, just as He does still.
