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ISLAM: IS JESUS THE SON OF GOD?

What does Islam say about Jesus Christ?  As stated on one Muslim website, "Muslims do not believe that Jesus is God, nor they believe that God ever chose to come down to earth in a form of a man to die for our sins to purify us and forgive us.   According to Islam, Jesus never died on the cross, nor ever wanted to die on the cross, nor ever was born to die on the cross.  Muslims believe that Jesus was sentenced to death, and people thought that he got executed on the cross.  The Holy Quran rejects this idea, and claims that it is a false one.  Jesus never died on the cross, nor did he ever die for anyone's sins."

The Koran, 4:156-158, says, "And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Marium, the apostle of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa) and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure."

In contrast, Scripture is clear that Jesus is indeed the Son of God.  Jesus affirmed, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).  By inspiration John wrote, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God....And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:1, 14).  Jesus was truly God made flesh.

That Jesus was indeed crucified is testified, not only in Scripture, but also by external sources close in time to the event  itself.  Tacitus, a Roman historian (AD 56-117), and  Lucian, a Greek satirist (AD 125-after 180), testify to the crucifixion of Jesus.  

Scripture is clear, Jesus died by crucifixion.  The Romans were experts in the practice of crucifixion, and they made sure Jesus was dead before He was removed from the cross.  "But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.  But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.  And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe" (John 19:33-35).

Scripture is clear - Jesus rose from the dead, and that His resurrection assures us His death is for the forgiveness of our sins.  Each of the gospel accounts testify to the resurrection, and Paul wrote of how 500 people witnessed Him alive after His death at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6).  That His death provides for the cleansing of our sins is stated numerous times in Scripture.  "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18).

Jesus is the Son of God, our Redeemer.  May we understand what the truth of Scripture reveals to us about Him, about our need, and how He offers us forgiveness and the hope of eternal life.  "Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed" (1 Peter 2:24).

Robert Johnson
Longview, TX


"After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep."