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Do you think that because we used the Muslim “holy book” to direct Muslims away from that unholy book, and direct them to the Bible and Christ, that we are in any way teaching or inferring that the Koran is the Word of God? You didn’t hear us say that. You didn’t hear us infer or imply that. But if you were listening , you heard us open each of these programs with the phrase “ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE,” because that was the titular heading of the entire series!
Objection: Using the Koran as an "entre' " into witnessing to Muslims from the Bible is "unbiblical."
(Response to a viewer of Prophecy Watch Television who says that we have been deceived by Satan because we used the Koran as a reference when we witnessed to Muslims from the Bible in our program series "Jesus Is Calling Muslims." The viewer used Galatians 1:6-10 and Revelation 22:18-19 as his key references.
Thank you for your recent note and your past support of this ministry. I have enclosed a copy of your note to us to help you recall what you said. Let me ask you, do you believe these 5 Scriptures from the Bible?
1. "...for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His offspring.' (Acts 17:28)
2. "Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." (1 Corinthians 15:33)
3. "One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.' (Titus 1:12)
4. "But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.' (Jude 1:9)
5. "And about these also Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.' " (Jude 1:14-15)
Sir, do you believe each of these passages from the Bible? Of course you do, we have no doubt. And like you, we absolutely believe there is only ONE Word of God, and as you have heard us do over and over- if you have been really listening -we believe without compromise in the words of Galatians 1:6-10 and Revelation 22:18-19.
So why are you so quick to say that we have been deceived? You did not say but we assume it's because we used the Koran on the television program.
Do you think that because we used the Muslim "holy book" to direct Muslims away from that unholy book, and direct them to the Bible and Christ, that we are in any way teaching or inferring that the Koran is the Word of God? You didn't hear us say that. You didn't hear us infer or imply that. But if you were listening , you heard us open each of these programs with the phrase "ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE," because that was the titular heading of the entire series!
Perhaps you are under the impression that when Paul observed and studied the idols and engraven images of Athens (Acts chapter 17) to learn more about the false thinking of those misled people that he was passing those things off as God's Word to the Greeks when he quoted from an inscription on one of the idols in verse 23?
"For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. (Acts 17:23)
By quoting the religious verse written on that pagan idol, Paul did not infer that it was the Word of God. By quoting a religious verse written in the pagan Koran, we do not infer that the Koran is the Word of God either!
Now, about the passages above that you and we believe are the very Word of God-from His Holy Bible. They are indeed! But note this about each of them,
1. (Acts 17:28-29)-Paul uses quotes from 6th century BC pagan Cretan poet Epimenides and Cilician poet Aratus to emphasize the fact that we are all created by God and shouldn't substitute idols for the Creator. Yet Paul preached only the true Scriptures. We used a verse (10:94-95) out of the Koran ("If you doubt what We [God] have revealed to you, ask those who have read the Scriptures [our Bible] before you") to direct Muslims to the Holy Bible-the true Word of God- and thus to John 3:16. We, too, preached only the true Scriptures.
2. (1 Corinthians 15:33)-Paul quotes from the pagan writer Menander, using the quotation as a springboard to teach the hopelessness of life apart from the Christian resurrection, of whom Christ is the first fruits. Yet Paul preached only the true Scriptures. We quote Koranic verse 3:3-4 ("God has already revealed the Torah [Old Testament] and the Gospel [New Testament] for the guidance of mankind, and the distinction between right and wrong") to direct Muslims to the true Word of God and then let that Word show that the Koran and Mohammad are false, and that Jesus is the only way. We, too, preached only the true Scriptures.
3. (Titus 1:12)-Paul again quotes Epimenides to emphasize the inherent sinfulness of the loose tongue of man. Yet Paul preached only the true Scriptures. We quote Koran verse 4:158 ("God lifted Him [Jesus Christ] up to Himself [in heaven]") to show that in the true Bible God lifted Jesus up to His heavenly Throne because Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God, and thus the only Savior of mankind. We, too, preached only the true Scriptures.
4. (Jude 1:9)-Jude quotes from the pseudepigraphal book of The Assumption Of Moses to implore Christians not to engage demonic power apart from the power of God. Yet Paul preached only the true Scriptures. We quoted Koran verse 3:45-46 ("His [Jesus Christ] Name is Messiah...He shall lead a righteous [sinless] life") to lead Muslims to the Word of God, John 14:6, where Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." We, too, preached only the true Scriptures.
5. (Jude 1:14-15)- Jude uses a quote from the apocryphal-pseudepigraphal book of Enoch to bolster the certainty of coming judgment upon apostates. Yet Paul preached only the true Scriptures. We used a quote from Koran verse 5:110 ("...you [Jesus Christ] healed the blind man and the leper, and ...restored the dead to life") to lead Muslims to the Gospel resurrection accounts where Jesus not only raised others to life, but raised Himself to life, while Mohammad is still in the grave. We, too, preached only the true Scriptures.
In the other passage we mentioned above, from Acts 17:23, Paul reads from an inscription on one of the Greek "holy" statues (pagan idols), a "verse" referring to "an unknown God." But his Christian listeners standing there with him as he preached to the Athenians on Mars Hill didn't accuse him of being deceived and feel it necessary to remind him of Galatians 1:6-10 and Revelation 22:18-19. They understood it was a very effective way of reaching an audience and gaining a hearing which would then OPEN THE DOOR to a powerful witness for Christ through the one-and-only Word of God-our Holy Bible! By steering the unbelieving Greeks to the Word of God, Paul was confirming Galatians 1:6-10 and Revelation 22:18-19.
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