They are totally different. Islam is a “works-based” religious system meaning a follower must OBEY certain requirements and perform certain works to possibly be judged faithful to have an eternal life of joy and peace. In such false religious systems the followers are never certain upon their death if their eternal destination is hell or heaven.
The Christ-follower is the ONLY human on earth given the supernatural capacity and power to fulfill the divine requirements for harmony and peace. For any individual to have the ability to fulfill God’s commanded Law of Love, such an individual must be “born again” and given, as a supernatural gift, the desire and ability to love God and love their neighbors.
Think with us for a moment. What best virtues would make up the most harmonious and peaceful society? The first and most important virtue would be LOVE.
When a person believes and trusts in Jesus Christ and determines to follow Him, that individual is given a New Spirit which is the very Spirit of Jesus Christ. This placing of Jesus’ Spirit in the heart of an individual is accomplished by the Holy Spirit of God and is aptly described as being “born again.”
Just as a natural baby is born into this world with the distinctive marks, characteristics and attributes of their parents, so it is with the “supernatural birth”. Christ-followers are given the very characteristics of Jesus Christ and the power to exercise those characteristics.
What are some of these “supernatural attributes” Christ-followers receive?
- Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
- Romans 13;10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8,13 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
As you can plainly see, these attributes and characteristics of Christ only produce the desire to love our neighbors and do them good. This is how Christianity produces harmony and peace in any society. We CANNOT love Jesus Christ WITHOUT loving our neighbor and doing them good at every opportunity.
This truth is so important that Jesus reduced it down to a single sentence: One cannot become a Christ- follower WITHOUT being born again [supernaturally given the Spirit of Jesus and brought into God’s eternal family].
- John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
God never gives His creation any command which does NOT also carry the power to accomplish. God has commanded you, me and every person ever born into this world to Love our Neighbors! It is this love from Jesus Christ which brings forth and promotes lasting peace and harmony. This love is the ONLY source from which lasting harmony and peace can come into our lives to truly change our human relationships.
God’s Royal Decree – the Law of Love –
- Mark 12:29-31 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Jesus perfectly fulfilled these two greatest commandments. When an individual is “born again” they are given the very Spirit of Christ which ignites the desire and the power to love God and people JUST AS Jesus, Himself, loves God and loves all people.
Christ-like love is the ONLY source to produce harmony and peace between God and our neighbors. When we want the best for all people, we will want to give them that which will bring into their lives the best possible treasure, not only in this temporary earthly life but also in the next life, the eternal one.
Christ-followers have the ONLY true key to be able to open the storehouse of treasure containing harmony and peace.
What shall we do with this greatest of all treasures? We should give it away!
Christ-followers are given the Spirit of Christ in a “new spiritual birth experience”, thus, their eternal salvation and destiny has been purchased and guaranteed NOT BY THEIR OWN WORKS OR MERITS but guaranteed by Jesus Christ, Himself, who died to forever seal their place in God’s eternal family.
Christ-followers receive the GIFT of salvation through the GIFTS of faith, repentance and belief in the “life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ” back to God the Father.
Salvation is totally dependent upon Jesus’ finished work, His substitutionary death on the cross some 2000 years ago. God the Father announced to all humanity that He accepted Jesus’ death as our own death which we rightly earned by our sin and rebellion.
Yes, Christianity and Islam share common names of historical figures but totally disagree about Jesus Christ.
What you believe to be true about Jesus Christ and the discarding of anything untrue about Jesus is the most important thought you will ever have because it determines your eternal destiny, either heaven or hell.
We prayed for you as we completed this note. If you would like us to continue to pray for you, please inform us of that request.
We have included our latest video “I BELIEVE!”
All our love to you and yours, In Christ –
Jon + Philis + Friends @ WasItForMe.com
Further Resources:
“I BELIEVE”: https://vimeo.com/943289655
The Love of God – https://vimeo.com/912288970
No Other Name – All the Father Gives Will Come – https://vimeo.com/924125840
