Epigraph
‘O Yahya (John the Baptist), hold fast the Book.’ And We gave him wisdom while yet a child, And tenderness of heart from Ourself, and purity. and he was pious and dutiful toward his parents. And he was not haughty and rebellious. And peace was on him the day he was born, and the day he died, and peace there will be on him the day he will be raised up to life again. (Al Quran 19:13-16)
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. (Matthew 11:11)
John baptizing Jesus, by Guido Reni. John the Baptist is shown as a towering figure, over-shadowing Jesus
Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times
Saint John the Baptist Day marks the birth of St John on June 24 each year. It is a public holiday in the autonomous community of Catalonia in Spain.
The Holy Quran paints a picture of John the Baptist, may peace be on him, entirely consistent with its theology but the same cannot be said about the account in the Gospels and the Christian theology.
Saint John the Baptist Day is a public holiday in the autonomous community of Catalonia on June 24. Public life is generally quiet. Most businesses and other organizations are closed. Most stores are closed but some bakers and food stores may be open. Public transport services generally run to a reduced schedule, although there may be no services in rural areas.
St John was a preacher and religious figure during Jesus’ lifetime, according to the Christian belief. Baptism rituals in the Jordan River were an important part of his ministry.
John the Baptist is the patron saint of many villages, towns and regions, including Catalonia. The Saint John the Baptist Eve and Day celebrations have their origin in ancient Midsummer solstice celebrations. These are reflected in the use of fire, water and certain herbs in the celebrations.[1]
The Holy Quran presents him as a Jewish prophet among the chain of prophets and it is entirely consistent with the Quranic theology that there are no regions of the world, where prophets were not sent by God to guide mankind.
One obvious dilemma created by the person of John the Baptist is that a person of higher religious standing baptizes a person, who is junior to him. So, if John the Baptist baptized Jesus, in spiritual realm he had a status higher than Jesus? If this be true it takes away from the theory of Jesus, may peace be on him, being literal son of God! We read in the Gospel of Matthew:
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’
Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then John consented. (Matthew 3:13-15)
John the Baptist is baptizing Jesus, presumably taking a superior role and not declaring his faith in ‘son of God,’ who has come to ‘die for sins of humanity,’ including those of John the Baptist’s, if any, and his followers. He continues with his ministry rather than yielding to the alleged son of God!
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “All four Gospels recognize in John the start of the Christian Era, and each in its own way tries to reconcile John’s precedence in time and Jesus’ acceptance of his message and of a baptism of repentance from his hands (elements suggesting subordination to John), with the author’s belief in Jesus as Messiah and son of God.” [2]
The myth making of Gospel of Luke knows no bounds, even in his mother’s womb John recognizes Jesus—also still in his mother’s womb—as his Lord.[2][5] Yet in the Gospel of Matthew we read that John the Baptist is not sure about the status of Jesus, just a few years before crucifixion and sends his followers to make queries:
When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’
Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.’
…
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. (Matthew 11:2-11)
John the Baptist does not get to hear the story about his grandeur as his followers had left before Jesus praised him, but Jesus’ followers are told that John the Baptist is the greatest of all. Presumably he is greater than Jesus also as he was born of Mother Mary.
No reason is offered as to why John the Baptist is greater than the Prophet Abraham or the Prophet Moses, who are the Founding Fathers of Judaism, in their own right, even though centuries apart?
It is strange that according to St. Paul a new religion is being launched in Jesus dying for the sins of humanity, yet both Jesus and John the Baptist are living the lives of Jewish prophets and both are circumcised and continue to follow other Jewish ethics, according to the Gospels.[3][4]
According to St. Paul a new Covenant is being signed between God and His people but through out the lifetime of Jesus, there is no mention of the new Covenant, he and his followers are practicing the old Jewish Covenant every day of the week, even as Jesus prays passionately to God the Father, for the bitter cup to be taken away from him. He himself is circumcised and so is everyone of his followers and the person who baptizes him, until St. Paul signs a new deal more than 20 years after crucifixion, to ease pagan’s conversion to Christianity.
So, much for a new Covenant!
The external sign of the old Covenant, which is circumcision, is being practiced universally, until decades after crucifixion or the new Covenant, in the new Christian communities and is still practiced by the Coptic Christians.
Interestingly, in reading the account of John the Baptist in the Gospels, we do find a mention of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, as ‘the Prophet.’ We read in the Gospel of John:
Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Messiah.’
They asked him, ‘Then who are you? Are you Elijah?’
He said, ‘I am not.’
‘Are you the Prophet?’
He answered, ‘No.’ (John 1:19-21)
Incidentally, here we have another of the contradictions in the Bible, as John the Baptist refuses to be Elijah, but, Jesus calls him the Elijah. (Matthew 11:13-15)
At any rate, what is of greater interest in this account of the first chapter of Gospel of John, is the expression, ‘the Prophet,’ which is separate from Elijah or the Messiah and can most fittingly be applied only to the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace be on him.
All the four canonical Gospels try to define and argue the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus. According to the Gospel of Mark and Matthew, John the Baptist is the Elijah. But, how does the last of the four Gospels, Gospel of John, written 60 years after crucifixion tackles the issue at hand? According to the Encyclopedia Britannica:
The Gospel according to John reduces the Baptist from an Elijah to a model Christian preacher, a mere voice; it omits any description of Jesus’ baptism. Its tendency has often been labelled polemic against a continuing group of disciples of John, but it is more plausibly explained by the evangelist’s desire that this ideal witness recognize the full character of the Christ as he is presented in the Gospel According to John and as a necessary consequence of the tension between the highly developed understanding of Christ in this Gospel and those details in early Christian tradition that suggested Jesus’ subordination to John.[2]
The biblical account about John the Baptist is contradictory at best. But, the good news is that the Bible does tell us about ‘the Prophet,’ who did in the seventh century offer us resolution to all these and many other contradictions in the Bible.
On this holy day, let me extend an invitation to the two billion Christians that as we study the account of John the Baptist, in both the Holy Quran and the Holy Bible, as we celebrate his day, to try to compare and contrast the two theologies with the goal to find common themes. Let me conclude in the words of the Holy Quran:
Say, ‘O People of the Book! come to a word equal between us and you — that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partner with Him, and that some of us take not others for Lords beside Allah.’ But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we have submitted to God.’ (Al Quran 3:65)
References
1. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/spain/sant-joan
2. “Saint John the Baptist.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 02 Feb. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/305173/Saint-John-the-Baptist>.
3. Luke 1:59.
4. Luke 2:21.
5. Luke 1:39-45.
Categories: CHRISTIANITY, Highlight, Islam, Uncategorized
This article is not well researched. The article is a good representation of the position of Islam, but it works off of assumptions, straw-man arguments, and deliberate cover up.
For starters, nowhere is there a revelation from God that the person who performs an ordinance is “superior” to the recipient of the ordinance.
Second, in brief, Muhamed lived at a time when the Arabs were mostly pagan polytheists, but Jews, Christians and Arab Monotheists lived among them. Mohamed liked the idea of monotheism, and he really liked the idea of The Bible. He did not like the disagreements of the Monotheists, nor did he like the fact that other scriptures that were popular in the region got excluded from The Bible. He felt inspired to form a loose alliance of Monotheists, one where the Monotheists would have mutual respect for each other’s similarities, differences and scriptures. This “league of Monotheists” came under attack from all sides. The hatred and violence practiced against them by those who feared the league would undercut their power and privilege started making the members of the league believe that their only hope for survival was unification. They also began collecting the other “excluded” scriptures into a companion tome meant to be a secondary support of The Bible. After Mohamed died the process came to a dramatic climax. The Jewish league members were told they went wrong by not accepting Jesus as a great prophet, the Christian league members were told they went wrong by elevating Jesus to The Son of God, and all the league members were told to drop the belief in the need for an Atonement and Sacrificemfor
Sins. Their unique collection of scripture was then reworked to reflect the unification of theology, and The Quran was born.
So the Quran is beautiful and full of great truths, but the greatest truth, The Son of God as The Sacrifice for Sin was removed.
But God is great. He had raised up prophets in Ancient America, and Jesus visited these faithful people after His resurrection and ascension to heaven. These Ancient American prophets wrote a pure book of scripture that was translated in 1829. It is The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. In it Jesus tells the people “Study the words of Isaiah for great are the words of Isaiah.”
Okay, this article and my Muslim brothers say there is no Sacrifice for Sin. Okay, Tje Quran says that The Tawrat is okay, but The Injil got changed and Christians Dded “The Sacrifice for Sins”, well, read Isaiah 53: 1-12, from the Tawrat:
53 Who hath believed our report?
and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him
as a tender plant,
and as a root out of a dry ground:
he hath no form nor comeliness;
and when we shall see him,
there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men;
a man of sorrows,
and acquainted with grief:
and we hid as it were our faces from him;
he was despised,
and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs,
and carried our sorrows:
yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God,
and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed,
and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth:
he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb,
so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison
and from judgment:
and who shall declare his generation?
for he was cut off out of the land of the living:
for the transgression of my people
was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death;
because he had done no violence,
neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him;
he hath put him to grief:
when thou shalt make his soul
an offering for sin,
he shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his days,
and the pleasure of the Lord
shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul,
and shall be satisfied:
by his knowledge shall my righteous servant
justify many;
for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him
a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he hath poured out his soul unto death:
and he was numbered with the transgressors;
and he bare the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
My Muslim brothers and sisters, come to true Faith. Your Quran is beautiful, and as The Book of The League of Monotheists it is a preparatory Gospel. The Quran says the Tawrat is fine, and to believe the Tawrat, so believe Isaiah 53, accept those whom Allah sent, and come to the true Faith.
Jacob says that my article is not well researched and is based on false assumptions.
My assumptions are very simple yet logical and very probable and true.
The four Gospels were written in different time frames by different authors for different needs and in the early fourth century the Christians chose to put them together and call them the literal word of God.
Given the process of formation of the New Testament, contradictions were inherent and these were ignored over the centuries for different reasons.
Now there is something called horizontal reading of the Bible, which is a fancy expression for reading the same subject in different books of the Bible carefully.
If one does that dramatic contradictions become apparent on any subject under discussion and Google and Bing make our lives even easier.
The main contention of my article is well supported by Encyclopedia Britannica and my understanding of the Holy Quran.
Salaam
Astagfirullah this article is complete utter false The Holy Quran has never painted pictures of such sort…..leading the Muslim Ummah astray
I believe Al-mualim is a bit outside of his league.
In response to Brother Jacob: He should ponder over the verse “9 And he made his grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death” which clearly shows he was somebody else other than Jesus. Because as it it claimed by our Christen brethren that Jesus was never put to grave with the wicked and the rich after crucifixion. And also he is shown as a humble man not SON OF A GOD in all these verses. So kindly come to the reality. Then again it says in verse 10: ‘he shall prolong his days’ His days were never prolonged as the Christian Brethren claimed that he died the same day and was resurrected. So those verses are not at all about a person called Jesus son of God.
I agree with Jacob for the most part. I think the article highlights the differences in principles between christianity and islam.
The article above is riddled with inaccuracies, not necessarily due to a lack of research as suggested by Jacob but more down to a lack of understanding of the basic principles of christianity.
I will address the specific point on john the baptist being superior to Jesus just because he baptised the latter, Christianity extols the leadership by servitude and humility principle ie he who leads must also serve. This is evidenced by Jesus washing the feet of his disciples in John 13. After completing the washing of the feet of his disciples, Jesus said ‘You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Another passage that clearly reiterates this principle is Mark 10:42-45 ‘And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’….
Christianity preaches submission. At the time of his baptism, Jesus’ ministry was yet to begin. Also, as Jacob indicated, within chriatianity, there is really no heirachy in real terms…a bishop can be baptised by a priest working under him. The pope can receive communion from a more junior priest and so on. We are all subject to one another under God.
There are other inaccuracies in your article but taking this comment would be exceedingly long if i was to address them all.
In response to Adnan on the verse on Jesus making his grave with the rich and the wicked, he actually did. He died on the cross between two criminals and his body was buried in a tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea in a cemetry which was for the rich only at the time, before he resurrected on the third day after his death. While this is physically the case, the verse in question is actually a metaphor for what Jesus did for us spiritually rather than literally ie he took on our sin when he dies for us and became as the rich and the wicked in order to make us right with God.
I would like to make a kind suggestion if i may- read the bible for yourself front to back so that you get a full understanding of the context of the statements above and the basis of belief of the average christian. I have read the Quran myself and very happily educated about the islamic faith. My choice of religion is therefore not handed to me but an act of free will. I love God freely and without compulsion.
Dear Tuli
You allege, “The article above is riddled with inaccuracies, not necessarily due to a lack of research as suggested by Jacob but more down to a lack of understanding of the basic principles of Christianity.”
Could it be the other way round that your claims are more deserving of this assessment?
Of course, no one knows Christianity as it is ever changing and contradictory. Politically successful keep labeling the others as heretics and procession keeps moving.
For the Catholic Church in the past according to the Athanasian Creed salvation was only in Nicaene creed and now Pope Francis, given new realities is negotiating with the atheists and the Jews at least, if not the Muslims.
Forget about washing the feet, if Christianity teaches such humility, why not the Catholic and Protestant leaders, bless the Muslim Times with their presence and an on going dialogue between Christianity and Islam.
I have a few names in mind. The Pope himself, William Lane Craig and Rick Warren. Would they be willing to lower their peck order, a notch, by indulging us with their presence here?
Hi. Why do you refer to the Bible as the Holy Bible? What does holiness mean to you?
Much of “Christianity” today are people who profess to know Christ but they only know about Him and don’t have a personal relationship with Him. It is like knowing the king’s name but not KNOWING the KING. Jesus Himself said that 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23 and 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20
I was at a mosque today and was told a lot of things that I don’t believe are true. For instance, when I shared my testimony and my friend’s testimony, I was told that the experiences, visions and dreams we had were from “genies” which when I questioned further, he said were demons. That is when I told him that I do believe in demons and angels, but demons never fill up a person’s heart with LOVE which was the case with both of our testimonies. When I got home and looked up the word genie, I got this definition= A spirit of Arabian folklore, as depicted traditionally imprisoned within a bottle or oil lamp, and capable of granting wishes when summoned.
You say: ” Presumably he is greater than Jesus also as he was born of Mother Mary.” John the Baptist was born to Elizabeth (Mary’s cousin), but maybe I misunderstand your statement. Why did you not include the full account of Jesus’ baptism (He said it must be done because He was teaching His followers to do it) which included that John the Baptist would know who the Messiah was when the Spirit descended upon Him and that the people heard the Voice of the Lord and saw the dove of the Holy Spirit come upon Him (Jesus). And what did God say? 16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17
Also, do you know why John the Baptist lost his life? Even a small percentage of “Christians” know that answer because only a small percentage believe what John the Baptist said is the truth.
I was also told today that real Muslims believe the Torah, Psalms, 4 Gospels and the Quran are the Holy Scriptures (the truth). I was told that the Holy Spirit is Gabriel. Well, was it Gabriel hovering over the waters at the Holy word of Genesis 1:2:? The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And is this Gabriel the one with God creating in OUR image:? Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” And why is Gabriel referred to as the angel of the Lord/God and not the Holy Spirit?
They did tell me that only Jesus is born of a virgin which is correct. However, Catholics believe that Mary the virgin remained a virgin for all time and was sinless. This is wrong because Joseph had relations with her after Jesus was born and His brothers and sisters are mentioned several times. Matthew 1:24-25 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. The Holy Spirit is mentioned by name 98 times: https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=%22holy+spirit%22&qs_version=ESV while Gabriel is mentioned 5 times: https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=gabriel&qs_version=ESV
They told me that they believe in the red-letter Bible’s four gospels, but not in Paul seeing Jesus Christ or the red-letters of Revelation which sadly, many “Christians” don’t know the warnings of Jesus in the red-letters of Revelation. The Muslims that I talked to believe that Jesus will be coming back, but they don’t see the giant red-letter-flags of warning given by the Virgin-born, Son of God, Messiah, Jesus. Plus there are the words of the Holy Spirit’s warnings given which are not written in red-letter, but are just as Holy:
The Perfect Life
22 Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Christ), 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 There will no longer exist anything that is cursed [because sin and illness and death are gone]; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve and worship Him [with great awe and joy and loving devotion]; 4 they will [be privileged to] see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will no longer be night; they have no need for lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign [as kings] forever and ever.
You Are Invited to be Blessed
6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel [as a representative] to show His bond-servants the things that must soon take place.
7 “And behold, I am coming quickly. [a]Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is the one who heeds and takes to heart and remembers the words of the prophecy [that is, the predictions, consolations, and warnings] contained in this book (scroll).”
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 But he said to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets and with those who heed and remember [the truths contained in] the words of this book. Worship God.”
10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time [of their fulfillment] is [b]near. 11 Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy (vile, impure), still be filthy; and the one who is righteous (just, upright), still be righteous; and the one who is holy, still be holy.”
12 “Behold, I (Jesus) am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, [c]to give to each one [d]according to the merit of his deeds (earthly works, faithfulness). 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End [the Eternal One].”
14 [e]Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are those who wash their robes [in the blood of Christ by believing and trusting in Him—the righteous who do His commandments], so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs [the godless, the impure, those of low moral character] and the sorcerers [with their intoxicating drugs, and magic arts], and the immoral persons [the perverted, the molesters, and the adulterers], and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying (deception, cheating).
The Final Invitation
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you and to give you assurance of these things for the churches. I am the Root (the Source, the Life) and the Offspring of David, the radiant and bright Morning Star.”
17 The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, believers) say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take and drink the water of life without cost.
18 I testify and warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book [its predictions, consolations, and admonitions]: if anyone adds [anything] to them, God will add to him the plagues (afflictions, calamities) which are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from or distorts the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away [from that one] his share from the tree of life and from the holy city (new Jerusalem), which are written in this book.
20 He who testifies and affirms these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus (the Christ, the Messiah) be with all [the saints—all believers, those set apart for God]. Amen.
Who is guilty of adding or taking away from God’s Word and do they fear the judgment of God who sends them calamity? I do. Muslim’s say they also believe the Psalms to be true. Try reading Psalm 119 and see if you can say that all of it is true about you. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+119&version=AMP
We can ask God to reveal Himself to us personally. He says you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart. Blessings.
Very Well presented i like the facts that the references speak for them self and one can see them and understand it. No paragraphs of explanations are written. In order to make an argument plain facts are presented
All Christians replies consist of long explanations to try to get off subject. No explanations are needed when the verses are present .
just read suratul maryam or mary in the quran. the 19th chapter: maryam.
then u know how mary become pregnant without man, how mary give birth to her son, how jesus speak in cradle, who is actually john the baptist [prophet yahya ibn (the son of) prophet zakaria] etc
As of this weekend, 6000 people have watched the testimony video of my Muslim friend who kept watching near death experiences on YouTube where the people testify they see Jesus and when she prayed and asked, she saw Jesus too. She asked for forgiveness and received a new life that understands the Bible through the Holy Spirit. All these people are not liars.
There is anyone knows what the benefit of Baptist?
Or what is the meaning of Baptist? Is it obligatory?
All❤️
As – according to the Christian teaching – every one is born sinful a person needed to be baptized in order that the sin should be taken from them. If a child dies before being baptized it would go to hell. – Well, that was the church’s teaching, but I think hardly anybody still believes that.
The ‘adult baptism’ of the evangelicals was to ‘confirm to be in the church’ or something like that.
But may be some one else can give a more ‘founded’ answer.
Alhamdolillah. Muslims teach that every one is born without sin. Therefore no need of baptism for us.
I once attended a baptism of a baby. The priest said ‘and now this is a child of Christ’. The mother said ‘no it is mine’ ! Ah well …
He was called the Baptist because he was the prophet prophesied about hundreds of years before he was born in Isaiah 40. He was in his mother’s womb and jumped in the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb. He baptized Jesus and God spoke from heaven in front of the people and the Holy Spirit came down. The baptism is recorded in Matthew and John’s life is detailed in Luke with John’s father being visited by an angel. Christians after they are born again get baptized in rivers, ponds, swimming pools and many Muslims feel led to get baptized in the bathtub. After Jesus came back alive after death, many saw him including 500 people at one time. There cannot be a hallucination or dream that is shared by people at the same time. In the book of Acts chapter 1 Jesus goes up to heaven and in chapter 2, 3000 people became his followers and were baptized in the same day. In the movie Case for Christ based on the true story of the book by Lee Strobel, he was an atheist whose wife got baptized and he set out to prove she was wrong as a prize winning journalist. He proved that she was right instead. It is a good movie with lots of facts.
It does make sense —-the ancient priest created such rule or tradition—there is no real benefits to people to do so—
Just Islamic clerics deceive Muslim who lack of knowledge say that who pilgrim Hajj will enter Heaven— those who die in Mecca will enter Heaven directly—-those who encicle and kiss Stone Asward or Kaaba will be blessed etc
Stone is stone— not more than that—
I think such as Baptist— encicle Kaaba and kiss Stone or touch Kaaba are the faith of Pegan Jahilliyah—-it is not logical at all.
Like prople who live in Amazon Jungel who worship a big tree— or a Big Stone etc They kiss it and pour water on it and bow it etc.
Rafiq— We live in modren time- Science and Technology there are million educated Muslim still practice the faith of PEGAN, the ancient people who live 20 century ago—
What do you think Rafiq. Do you with me? Or you still follow the Pegan faith?
All❤️
Oh also, the Catholic church doesn’t practice the baptism that is in the Bible of adults who have repented and decided to follow Christ. The children are not going to hell. The Bible says that Jesus loves and saves children. Adults have to find out the truth and make a commitment, but children are automatically saved. There is a very good web site called http://www.gotquestions.org that answers questions about this and baptism and even Muslim questions. Shalom.
Somi thinks he can see into peoples hearts. When I say that I circled the Kaaba with love of Allah in my heart and I touched the black stone because Mohammad touched it (and NOT because I worship it) he still think I am a Pagan. Allah knows what is in our hearts, not Somi…