ABRAHAM & THE GOSPEL

           

Image from Web

        The three main religions referred to as Abrahamic are Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. The star and crescent, the Star of David, and the cross symbolise each respectively. However, since all three of these systems of belief contradict each other, which of these three religions is true religion? In other words, which religion does Abraham belong to? Which one would he approve of?

Islam came on the scene some 6oo years after the advent of Christ, and though Jesus is honoured as a prophet by their Koran, He is not acknowledged as the eternal Word who became flesh. This is the same for Judaism. Thus, both Islam and Judaism deny the incarnation. Therefore, only Christianity believes that God became human by “being conceived by the Holy Ghost, [and] born of the Virgin Mary”, as succinctly stated in The Apostles’ Creed.

Indeed, both Islam and Judaism deny that God is three eternal Persons in one Godhead; the eternal Father, the eternal Word or Son, and the eternal Holy Spirit. And contrary to much contemporary belief, Judaism is not the same as the religion of the Old Testament. It is important that the reader understands this, as it will help in a proper understanding the rest of this book.

If you will, Abraham’s religion was Christianity before it was called Christianity. Jesus spells this out for us in the following example in which He corrects the followers of Judaism. They were saying to Jesus, “Abraham is our father” (John 8:39). Jesus makes it clear to them who their real father is, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do…” (John 8:44). Jesus then went on to say,

 

“He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”

Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. John 8:47-58.

Image from Web

Don’t miss that Jesus says His Father is not their God, and that He calls them liars, and says, “before Abraham was, I AM.” Thus, Jesus is claiming to be God, the great “I AM”, the same God who spoke to Moses. “And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’” (Exod. 3:14).

Islam and Judaism deny that Jesus is God, i.e., the “I AM’ that spoke to Moses. Thus, they deny that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Therefore, they deny the Son. “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also” (John 2:23).

To be the true children of Abraham we must believe in the One in whom Abraham believed, i.e., in the One to whom the promise was made, “just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness,’ Therefore know that only those who are faith are sons of Abraham” (Gal. 3:6-7). Thus, the children or the seed of Abraham are those who are in the One to whom the promise was made. In other words, Abraham heard God the Father making that promise to His Son. That promise is the Gospel.

Image from Web

This can be observed in the following, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham” (Gal. 3:8-9). And “What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator” (Gal. 3:19).

Both Islam and Judaism have no faith in Jesus. Therefore, they are Abrahamic religions in name only. However, the good news is that we see that only those nations who are of faith will be blessed along with believing Abraham. Therefore, we pray that the Islamic and Judaistic nations will turn to Jesus Christ and be blessed with Abraham. For it is through belief in the Jesus of the Bible individuals and nations are redeemed.

Image from Web

And keep in mind that the Gospel promise is not merely about a small number of people and a little piece of land, “Then He brought him outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:5-6). Yes, Abraham was also promised a place spacious enough for his countless seed to dwell in, even the world. “For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith” (Rom. 2:13).