The Fundamentals of Islam (Part 2)

We are in, tonight, week two of our study of Islam, and I wanted to begin right at the end of where we left off last week. Last week, we ended by talking about the fact that the difference between Islam and Christianity is that Islam is Unitarian and that Christianity is Trinitarian.

Islam is Unitarian, Christianity is Trinitarian. Now, all of my astute Bible students, which you all are, you're all very astute. I want to ask you, what, and I put this on the board to have you thinking about it when you came in, what are the three foundations of the doctrine of the Trinity?

Who can give me the three foundations? Who can give me one, the first one? I had you guys, I wrote them down last week, put them on the board for you. Who remembers the three foundations? Who remembers the first one?

Okay, not saying who the three persons are, but what is the first foundation? Yes, God is one in being, or you could say essence. Yes, that was my wife. That is right. God is one in essence or being. What is the second foundation to the doctrine of the Trinity?

Does anyone know? I'm sorry? Well, substance is the same here. This is all the same. He is one in essence, being, substance. These are all three synonyms. What is the second foundation? He is three in person.

Thank you. Jennifer's getting ready to raise her hand. So God is one in being, essence or substance. I like to use the word substance. My only problem with using the word substance is people tend to think of substance as something tangible.

In the spirit, obviously, God is spirit. Spirit is not tangible, so that confuses people. But what I like to say is the stuff. That gets it real down to the nitty gritty, doesn't it? The stuff of God.

There's only one stuff. That sounds very, very silly, I know. But that's what we mean. We say God is one in being, God is one in essence, God is one in substance. That which is God, there's only one of.

But that which is God is shared by three persons. Everybody get that? That which is God, there is only one of. But that which is God is shared by three persons. Now, God is one in being. He is three in person.

Finally, what is the last foundation stone? No, it doesn't do the Holy Spirit, because we're going to talk about that in a minute. Co-equal and co-eternal. Within the Trinity, within the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, there is an equality and eternality that is shared.

The Father is not above the Son within the Trinity. Now, he is above the Son in the economy of Christ humbling himself and coming as a man. Thus, he prayed to the Father and obeyed the will of the Father.

But yet within the Trinity, there is an equality and an eternality which is shared. That's what that word, putting the co in front of it, means. They share an equality. They share an eternality. So we understand God is one in being.

He is three in person. And these three persons are co-equal, co-eternal. Somebody said the word distinct. Who said that? All right, Miss Charlotte, that's another good word. They are distinct. That gets us away from the false teaching called modalism, because modalism fails to make a distinction between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The modalism would say they're all the same, just in different modes of being. All right? So that's another good word to put up there. They're co-equal, co-eternal and distinct. Now, the reason why I'm starting with the doctrine of the Trinity tonight is because one of the great failures in the Koran, one of the great failures in the Koran is the understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity.

But not on this level. It is on a much more base and simple level that the Koran makes a tremendous error in regard to the doctrine of the Trinity. My reason for starting with this tonight is simply to show you that the doctrine of the Trinity is somewhat deep.

It is somewhat difficult in the sense that it speaks in terms that are heavy and thought provoking, and it makes you think. However, if I just asked you, and this is why I said I was going to get back to this, if I just asked you who makes up the Trinity, that one should be fair.

Who makes up the Trinity? The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Right? That one was easy. Everybody pretty much got that one. This one is probably the more difficult. If I asked 100 Christians, I would shudder to think the percentage that would be able to give me.

And this is not something I invented. This is the historic doctrine of the Trinity. This is how it's been explained ever since the Council of Nicaea, even before that. God is one in essence, three in person.

These three persons are co-equal and co-eternal. This is very, very foundational doctrine. But most people just don't go this far into depth of thought. But if you ask most everybody in Christianity, who are the persons of the Trinity, 98 out of 100 would say Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

Right? So of the two, this one is the easier one. Right? That's not my point. I agree. I agree. This part is essential for understanding it. That part is the more basic. My point is the Koran messes up this part.

You see, this part is the more difficult part. This part is the part everybody gets. Yet Islam and the Koran doesn't get this part right. Everybody take out your Koran. Oh wait, you don't have one. I'll have to read it for you.

But if you want to take a note, in the Koran, and I refuse to call it the Holy Koran. In the Koran, Surah 5. Surah 5. Remember they call the chapters Surahs and the verses Ayah. Surah 5, Ayah 116. Surah 5, Ayah 116 says this.

I'm just going to read it the first time and see if you catch it. Reminding him of these favors, Allah will say, Oh Jesus. It says Esa, but that's the name for Jesus. Oh Jesus, Son of Mary, did you ever say to the people, Worship me and my mother as gods beside Allah?

He will answer, Glory to you. How could I say what I had no right to say? If I had ever said so, you would have certainly known it. You know what is in my heart, but I know not what is in yours. For you have full knowledge of all the unseen.

Beloved, who is the Trinity according to the Koran? Jesus, Mary, and the Father. Not Jesus. Listen to it again. I'll read it again. After reminding him of these favors, Allah will say, Oh Jesus, Son of Mary.

Did you ever say to the people, Worship me and my mother as gods beside Allah? You see the point. Who are the three gods? Who are the three within the Trinity according to the Koran? God, Esa, and Miriam.

Or in English, God, Jesus, and Mary. This is the easiest part. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. This is the part we get. This is the part that has not really been contentious. Now you might argue and you say, Well hey, the Catholic Church, they put Mary on a pretty high pedestal.

And there are people who venerate Mary. In fact, the Roman Catholic Church does give Mary veneration. They lift her up. They pray to her. They pray the rosary. Hail Mary, full of grace. And they say those words, that prayer to Mary.

So could it easily be that Muhammad, in seeing Christian worship, seeing the veneration of Mary, that the Roman Catholics have done for hundreds of years, seeing the veneration of Mary, not understanding what is happening, when he hears that they believe in a Trinity, would then assume the Trinity is Father, Son, and Mother.

Obviously.

The question is this, though. If the Quran was inspired by God, wouldn't God know who Christians believe were the Trinity? Such an error would never be allowed to go into the book were it inspired by God.

This demonstrates that Muhammad did not even understand Christianity. It demonstrates that he did not even understand the religion that he was opposing. For he was teaching that the Trinity made of the Father, the Mother, and the Son, rather than the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

This is a major implication as to the reliability of the Quran. If Muhammad did not even understand this most foundational aspect of the doctrine of the Trinity, how then did he understand anything about Christianity at all?

If I submit to you, he did not.

Just starting with that, because this is where we didn't get to get to last week, we had finished talking about their understanding of God and our understanding of God. The Muslim understanding of God is Unitarian.

The Christian understanding of God is Trinitarian. We understand God as one in essence, three in person. Those three persons are co-equal and co-eternal and distinct. Those three persons are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Islam does not understand even that. They do not even go there. So starting there, or ending from what we talked about last week, let us move on now to the second. If you have your worksheet, did somebody come tonight without one?

We looked at the history of the Arab people. We looked at the history of Muhammad. We got down to the doctrines. The first one was the doctrine of God. That's where we stopped last week. Tonight, we are going to look at the doctrine of Scripture.

If you want to write that down. The doctrine of Scripture. As we said last time, the Muslims believe that the Qur 'an is the infallible word of God. This is not a Qur 'an. I picked it up as I said it, and I hope you didn't think I was picking up the Qur 'an.

This is a Bible. Muslims believe that the Qur 'an is the true word of God. However, they also believe that other writings have been revealed by God. The three writings that they would say have been revealed by God.

First is the Torah. The books of Moses. The Torah.

T-O-R-A-H.

The second would be the Zabur. Z-A-B-U-R. Zabur. These are the writings of David. The Psalms. The third that they would say are inspired by God is the Injil. I-N-J-I-L. The Injil is the Gospel.

The Gospels of Jesus Christ.

Now.

Now.

You're going to ask. If they believe that Moses' books are inspired. And they believe that David's book is inspired. And they believe that the Gospels are inspired. How then can they not believe the same things that we believe about Moses.

David.

Jesus.

And the Bible. Because while they say. These books are inspired. They also say. That Scripture. Christian Scripture. And Jewish Scripture. Which you hold both in your hand when you hold a Holy Bible. Have been.

Corrupted.

That is their argument.

That the Bible. That you hold in your hand.

Has.

Been.

Corrupted.

They claim that the Torah. And the Injil. Were both misinterpreted by Jews and Christians. And that the Koran was given to clear up. The misunderstandings. Because the Koran. To the Muslim. Is the final revelation from God.

It supersedes. All earlier revelation. That makes sense right. If they believe that the Koran came last. And that it is the final word. Anything that comes before it. That disagrees with it. It's wrong.

And the Koran.

Is correct.

In fact. That question was asked. I believe it was Shabir Ali. But I could be incorrect on that. But I believe Dr. White. In asking one of his opponents. I believe it was Shabir. He said. How do we know.

Which parts of the Bible are true. If what you're saying is correct. If the Bible has been corrupted. How do we know which parts of the Bible. Are true. And this was the answer from his. From the opponent.

The debate opponent. The debate opponent said. As far as it agrees. With the Koran. It is correct. Wherever it disagrees. It has been corrupted.

Well that.

Is.

What's the word I'm looking for.

It's.

That's.

That's.

Boy.

It ran away in my brain.

Convenient.

That's what it is.

That's convenient.

To say.

Well where it agrees. With what we have. It's right. Where it disagrees.

It's wrong.

If so facto. That's where it's wrong. In fact. Going back to what we talked about earlier. To the position on the Trinity. They would argue. That Christians did believe. At one time. That there were sects of Christians.

That did believe. That the Trinity. Was the father.

The mother.

And the son. Even though this is very difficult. To prove.

From history.

Because the doctrine.

The Trinity.

Is easily demonstrated. In the earliest. Of Christian documents. Going back to 325. In the Council of Nicaea.

The father.

The son.

And the Holy Spirit. But they would argue. That there have. Always been Christians. Who the Trinity.

To them.

Was the father.

The mother.

And the son. You see.

Because they have to do that. They have to make that argument. They have to say. That the Koran. Is correcting.

An error.

And we say. Well we didn't even have that error. Nobody ever believed.

Oh no.

Well there were some who did. And this is correcting them. But why not correct. The vast majority. Rather than maybe a few. In a sect.

Somewhere.

It doesn't make sense.

Yes.

Sure.

Sure.

And I'm going to get to that. When we talk about corruption. I'm going to get to.

The fact.

That this is not something. That just the Muslims say. In fact. This is probably going to take up. The majority of our time.

Tonight.

Just talking about the idea.

Of corruption.

Because when you talk. About the Bible. Being corrupted. This is not something. That Muslims invented. This is something. That is used.

By Mormons.

Mormons say. We have the.

The.

The.

Book of Mormon.

Which they say.

Is.

Is what?

What is the Book of Mormon? Everybody remembers the commercials. When I was a kid. I used to see these commercials. The Church of Jesus Christ. Latter Day Saints. We have another.

Testament.

Of Jesus Christ.

Right?

It was always.

We have another. Testament of Jesus Christ. Why do we need another.

Testament?

Well it.

It lets us know. What was left out. It gives us this information. That we didn't have.

It.

It.

Fills in the blanks.

And it.

It helps with anything. That may have been lost.

Or corrupted.

You see.

We see that.

Throughout.

We see that.

Teaching.

Is.

Very prominent.

Within.

Major religious.

Sects.

Now.

The Koran. The problem. With the logic.

Of the.

Islam.

The Muslim.

Is because. Though the Muslims.

Claim. That. The. The.

Koran.

Comes along.

To fix.

The corruptions. In scripture.

The problem.

Is.

The.

Koran.

Never.

Reinterprets. Passages. From the Torah.

Or the.

Injil.

In fact. Instead of.

Reinterpreting. Them.

It simply. Denies.

Them.

It's one thing. To say.

That.

You interpreted. This wrong. For instance. If they say. You interpreted. The crucifixion.

Of Jesus.

Wrong. It didn't.

Happen. To forgive.

Sins.

It happened.

Because.

He died.

As a martyr.

Or.

What have you. If they made that argument. That's one thing. But that's not.

The argument.

They make. The Koran. Comes along. And it doesn't.

Reinterpret.

The Koran. Comes along.

And flat out.

Denies.

What the Bible says. In fact. I'll read to you.

A verse.

From the Koran. And you tell me. What it says.

You listen.

Close. Surah.

Four.

I have.

Five.

One. Five.

Seven.

Surah.

Four. One.

Fifty.

Seven.

They said.

In both.

We killed.

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. That only.

Conjecture.

To follow.

For.

Of a surety. They killed.

Him.

Not.

What does that say?

Said.

Jesus.

Didn't die on the cross. It said. It was made. To appear.

To them.

That he died. On the cross. But surely. They killed.

Him. Not. Well.

That's not. A reinterpretation. That's a flat out.

Denial.

All. Before.

The.

Gospels.

Demonstrate.

Christ.

Died.

On the cross.

Every.

One. Of the. New.

Testament.

Books.

Reference.

Jesus.

Christ.

Having.

Died.

For the.

Forgiveness.

Of sin.

The entire.

New.

Testament.

Is.

Wrapped up.

In this.

One.

Phrase.

From. Paul.

Who.

Said.

If.

Christ.

Is.

Not. Risen. Then.

We.

Above.

All. Men. Are. The.

Most.

To. Be.

Pity. We.

Understand.

This. We.

Understand.

That. The. Death. Burial.

And.

Resurrection. Jesus.

Christ.

Is. The. Gospel.

According.

To.

First. Corinthians. Fifteen.

So.

They. Deny. Not.

Reinterpret.

But.

They.

Deny.

The.

Gospel. Because.

They.

Deny. The.

Very.

Foundation. Of. What.

The.

Gospel.

Lays.

Upon.

It.

Lays.

Upon.

Jesus.

Christ. Death.

Burial. And.

Resurrection.

That. Is.

Sure.

For.

One. Fifty.

Seven. So.

Do.

They.

Simply. Reinterpret.

The. Bible. No.

They.

Whole. Chunks.

And.

Deny.

Now.

Based.

On.

That.

We're.

Going.

To.

Talk. About.

Something. Tonight.

And.

It. Is.

Possible.

That. What.

We're.

Going. To. Talk.

About. Tonight.

Is.

Going. To.

Upset.

You.

But. Don't.

Let.

It.

When.

I.

Say. It. Might.

Upset.

You. I.

Might.

Show.

You.

Some.

Things.

That.

Might.

Be.

New.

To.

You.

And. Brought.

Along. With. Me. A.

King.

James.

Bible.

So.

You. Know. I'm. Serious.

There.

Are.

Certain.

Things.

That. You. Need.

To.

Understand.

And.

Beloved.

In.

August.

Is. September.

September.

The. Bible.

We're. Having.

A.

Bible.

Conference.

I'm. Going.

To.

Be.

Teaching.

And.

So.

Is.

Shane.

Waters. He's.

The.

Pastor.

Of.

Sovereign.

Grace. Baptist.

Church.

Which.

Is.

We're.

Be.

Preaching.

On.

Subject.

Of.

Textual. Criticism.

Why. Such.

A.

Thing. Why.

In.

The.

World.

Mean.

Why.

Not.

Preach.

On.

You.

Know.

How.

To. So.

Dry.

A.

Subject.

But.

Second.

Of.

All.

It. Is.

Where.

The.

Arrows.

Of. The. Enemy.

Are.

Pointed.

Right. Now.

It. Is.

What.

Mormons.

Are.

Using.

It. Is.

North Carolina.

University.

Is. Using.

It.

Is. What. The.

Muslims.

Are.

Using.

They. Are.

Saying.

You. Don't.

Know. Your.

Bible.

Enough.

To.

Know.

That.

There.

Are.