A Cautionary Tale

Recently a friend of mine found a video on social media and asked me to comment on it.  I encourage you to watch the video.  The video is short excerpt from a 35 minute interview with Mr. Mario Joseph.  Mr. Joseph was previously a Muslim Imam (religious teacher/priest).  The full-length video can be found here.

I found the video very uplifting.  However there were a few points that I felt could be very misleading.  Mr. Joseph describes how during his study of the Quran he began to question the teachings of Islam after noticing superiority in the person of Jesus when compared to Mohammed.  At around 10:30 into the video Mr. Joseph makes the statement, “So if you ask me who made me Christian, it’s not any fathers; it’s not any sisters; it’s not any bishops; it’s not any cardinals; it’s not even the Pope; but the holy Quran converted me to Christianity”.   However, Mr. Joseph goes on to describe how it was only after beginning to study the Bible that he truly became a Christian.

I feel the need to take time and dwell on this point.  If someone were to only listen to the first part of his interview they might perhaps take Mr. Joseph’s poorly constructed thought literally.  However, I cannot stress enough that it was not the Quran that brought Mr. Joseph to Christ.  Nor do I think it was ultimately his goal to communicate such an idea.  It was the Bible.  Mr. Joseph’s experience with the Quran was by definition one of contradiction.  And, a critical examination of his words reveal that the Quran’s lack of harmony (as was pointed out to him by God’s Holy Spirit) simply opened him up to receive God’s Word (the Bible). The Gospel had to be presented for Mr. Joseph to be saved.  As Mr. Joseph received the Word he was given understanding by the Holy Spirit.  It was that relationship with God's True Word which brought him a point of faith.

"faith comes by hearing; and hearing comes by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17)

My fear is that someone might begin to ascribe a position to the Quran which it is not due.  It is not another “Holy Scripture”.  The Quran is not God’s Word.  Holy enlightenment is not found through it.  We must not view it in the same light as the Bible. The two texts contradict one another and cannot abide in harmony.  If one must be right then the other must be wrong. Perspective is important here.  As Christians you must eventually (hopefully early) come to a point in the development of our faith when we answer the question:

Do I believe the Bible?

If you do then the only logical conclusion is that the Quran is a lie.  If the Quran is a lie it cannot be the Word of God.  If the Quran is not the Word of God then faith could not be found through the study of the Quran.  I do not believe that Mr. Joseph was attempting to say such.  However, his message could easily be misconstrued to say such.  That is why I issue such a warning.

You might ask, “Why does it matter?”  The answer is paramount to spiritual well being.  If we look to the Quran as a source of illumination (truth) then we risk being trapped in its lies.  In other words, what measurements can be coming from an unbalanced scale?The greatest illustration to this may lie in what Mr. Joseph did not discuss. What else does the Quran say about Jesus?

1.  Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth make His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth! (5:575, Yusif Ali)

2. The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say.Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! (9:30, Yusif Ali)

3.  Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute.35 It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! when He determines a matter, He only says to it, "Be", and it is. (19:34-35, Yusif Ali)

4. That they rejected Faith; That they uttered against Mary A grave false charge;  That they said (in boast):  'We killed Christ 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, but only conjunction to follow, for of a surety they killed him not.  Nay, Allah raised him up Unto Himself; and Allah Is Exalted in Power, Wise.  And there is none of the people of the book (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him  (Jesus) Before his death; And on the Day of Judgment He (Jesus) will be a witness Against them. (4:156-159, Yusif Ali)

You see, the Quran explicitly states that Jesus was not the Son of God who died on a cross as the sacrifice for our sins.  In fact, it says God has no Son.  It states that Jesus was just a messenger.  The Quran further claims that Jesus was never crucified and, in fact, never died.  How can such a statement be brought into harmony with a Gospel that says I may have eternal life because Christ died as my propitiation? The Quran could not in any way deny the redemptive work of the Gospel more than it already does.  The Quran is a lie.  It is a tool used to lead many people astray from the will of God.  For that reason I am very particular to in stating that no one has found salvation in it.  If any man has faith in Christ as his Lord, Savior, Redeemer, and Only Begotten Son of the Most High God it is because of the Holy Spirit convicting him through flood of Christian voices which have permeated this world with the Gospel of Salvation.  Seek truth in the Bible; not the Quran.  I want to leave you with the Truth.  

“Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father all”. - 1 John 2:22,23 (NASB)