Quennel Gale at queball20@yahoo.com
Quennel Gale
In this article we will address Osama Abdallah, the webadministrator of www.answering-christianity.com in seeing if Jesus really guaranteed Paradise to non-Trinitarians. Osama's comments come from this link
1- Jesus in the Bible guaranteed Paradise to non-Trinitarians.
Osama Abdallah attempts to prove that somehow the Bible guarantees salvation for Non-Trinitarians. Needless to say his article is a typical Islamic apologetic paper which misinterprets bible verses along with leaving out scriptures that clearly rebuttal Osama's claims. Osama is counting on the reader not thoroughly researching his material and hopes that by assuming what he writes is true they would somehow believe his most recent argument above.
We point out this statement by Osama because it is clearly a misinterpretation of the Trinity. Muslim apologists have no clue as to how the Trinity should be described. We have debated with Osama many times and he knows for a fact that the Trinity is never presented as 3 gods in one. This is what we call a "strawman argument" which is defined as someone using an argument which attacks a preceding argument that is different from, and usually weaker than, the preceding opposition's best argument.
As you can see a strawman argument misrepresents the original by making it much easier to answer for the apologist. If Osama can convince his audience that the Trinity is 3 gods in 1 then he can easily prove the Trinity as being false. The problem for Osama and other Muslim apologists is that no dictionary gives the definition of “Trinity” as being described as 3 gods in one. On his site, Osama has utilized the dictionary many times in attempts to prove his points about certain words in question but when it goes against his unsubstantiated and partisan Islamic beliefs he ignores it. Have a look as to what the dictionary defines Trinity as:
Trinity in Christian doctrine, the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. (Britannica.com)
If the Trinity is described as 3 persons WITHIN ONE GODHEAD, why is Osama claiming that it is 3 gods in one? Why can't he address the Trinity in its original content instead of CHANGING PERSONS TO MEAN GODS? The answer is simply because the word "ONE" doesn't refer to ONE person only as the dictionary will illustrate to you:
GROUP-A number of persons, animals, or things existing or brought together; an assemblage; cluster. (The New international Webster's Comprehensive Dictionary Encyclopedic Edition. 1999. Trident Press International)
The term "ONE" in reference to God can't be used to prove that God is only ONE PERSON as Muslim apologists like to believe. The historical definition of ONE has never meant just a single numerical thing ONLY! One can be a unit or a group in which both are more than a single numerical ONE, but are as ONE working together.
ONE-Being a single UNIT, object or entity. b.) Forming a single entity OF TWO OR MORE COMPONENTS.
GROUP-An assemblage of persons or objects located or gathered together: Two or more figures COMPRISING A UNIT or a design, as in sculpture. A number of things or individuals considered together because of similarities. (Webster's II New Riverside University Dictionary 1984.)
Therefore we have exposed Osama for lying from the start of his article to his audience. If a Muslim says that God is "ONE", he could either be one person, one unit (more than one as one) or one group (more than one as one). If Osama wants to prove that the Trinity is 3 gods he must show historically where orthodox Christian beliefs held to this view. As you can see below the first Christians adhered to the Apostles and Jesus teachings of the Trinity by never claiming that it was 3 gods:
Justin Martyr (100?-165?). He was a Christian apologist and martyr. " For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water" (First Apol., LXI).
Ignatius of Antioch (died 98/117). Bishop of Antioch. He wrote much in defense of Christianity. "In Christ Jesus our Lord, by whom and with whom be glory and power to the Father with the Holy Spirit for ever" (n. 7; PG 5.988).
"We have also as a Physician the Lord our God Jesus the Christ the only-begotten Son and Word, before time began, but who afterwards became also man, of Mary the virgin. For 'the Word was made flesh .' Being incorporeal, He was in the body; being impassible, He was in a passible body; being immortal, He was in a mortal body; being life, He became subject to corruption, that He might free our souls from death and corruption, and heal them, and might restore them to health, when they were diseased with ungodliness and wicked lusts." (Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., The ante-nicene Fathers, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975 rpt., Vol. 1, p. 52, Ephesians 7.)
Irenaeus (115-190). As a boy he listened to Polycarp, the disciple of John . He became Bishop of Lyons. "The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith: ...one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets the dispensations of God, and the advents, and the birth from a virgin, and the passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the ascension into heaven in the flesh of the beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord, and His manifestation from heaven in the glory of the Father 'to gather all things in one,' and to raise up anew all flesh of the whole human race, in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Savior, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, 'every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess; to him, and that He should execute just judgment towards all...'" (Against Heresies X.l)
Tertullian (160-215). African apologist and theologian. He wrote much in defense of Christianity. " We define that there are two, the Father and the Son, and three with the Holy Spirit, and this number is made by the pattern of salvation...[which] brings about unity in trinity, interrelating the three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are three, not in dignity, but in degree, not in substance but in form, not in power but in kind. They are of one substance and power, because there is one God from whom these degrees, forms and kinds devolve in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. " (Adv. Prax. 23; PL 2.156-7).
Origen (185-254). Alexandrian theologian. A disciple of Origen. Defended Christianity. He wrote much about Christianity. "If anyone would say that the Word of God or the Wisdom of God had a beginning, let him beware lest he direct his impiety rather against the unbegotten Father, since he denies that he was always Father, and that he has always begotten the Word, and that he always had wisdom in all previous times or ages or whatever can be imagined in priority... There can be no more ancient title of almighty God than that of Father, and it is through the Son that he is Father" (De Princ. 1.2.; PG 11.132). " For if [the Holy Spirit were not eternally as He is, and had received knowledge at some time and then became the Holy Spirit] this were the case, the Holy Spirit would never be reckoned in the unity of the Trinity, i.e., along with the unchangeable Father and His Son, unless He had always been the Holy Spirit." (Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975 rpt., Vol. 4, p. 253, de Principiis,1.111.4)
" Moreover, nothing in the Trinity can be called greater or less , since the fountain of divinity alone contains all things by His word and reason, and by the Spirit of His mouth sanctifies all things which are worthy of sanctification..." (Roberts and Donaldson, Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 4, p. 255, de Principii., I. iii. 7).
None of the first bishops, apostles and early Christians ever believed that the Trinity was 3 gods in one nor did they believe that Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Ghost were separate individual gods. Such assertions by Muslim apologists are an intentional assault upon orthodox Christian beliefs. Even in various Christian orthodox letters to the churches, early Christians clearly affirmed their belief in the Trinity and never claimed that it was 3 gods in one or that any of the 3 members were separate gods:
"God the Father, who is above all and in all, and God the Son, who is through all. There is a perfect Trinity, in glory and eternity and sovereignty, neither divided nor estranged" (Gregory Thaumaturgus, Declaration; c. A.D. 260).
"...we worship the one Deity in three Persons, subsisting without beginning, uncreated, without end, and to which there is no successor" (Methodius, Oration on the Psalms, 5; c. A.D. 305).
"We neither separate the Holy Trinity, like some; nor do we as Sabellius work confusion [into it]" (Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 16. 4; c. A.D. 348).
All evidence shows that Christians worshiped ONE deity in THREE persons, not 3 gods in one god. Unlike Osama, who has no thorough knowledge of historical Christianity, they didn't confuse the trinity to his interpolative definition. Osama's statement is also a self contradiction in itself since he has confused persons to mean gods by yet saying that this is one god. For a guy who claims to have a master's degree in a computer field he is really unlearned. We wonder would he confused 3 computers on ONE network server as 3 network servers since there is more than one computer? To believe such nonsense would in effect confuse "person" with the word "being". To claim that God is 3 gods in one god clearly states that they are 3 separate beings. This is a total misrepresentation of the Trinity for there is a subtle difference between the two words:
The Bible tells us there are three classifications of personal beings---God, man, and angels. What is personality? The ability to have emotion, will, to express oneself. Rocks cannot speak. Cats cannot think of themselves over against others, and, say, work for the common good of "cat kind." Hence, we are saying that there is one eternal, infinite being of God, shared fully and completely by three persons, Father, Son and Spirit. One what, three who's. (Source: http://aomin.org/trinitydef.html; bold emphasis ours)
A “being” is WHAT SOMETHING IS while a "person" IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THIS CLASSIFICATION. Osama Abdallah commits the fallacy of false dilemma by asserting that three separate Beings cannot be one, something that informed Trinitarians have never taught nor believed. Even the dictionary shows the difference between "person" and "being" as noted here:
1 a : the quality or state of having existence b (1) : something conceivable as existing (2) : something that actually exists (3) : the totality of existing things c : conscious existence : LIFE
2 : the qualities that constitute an existent thing : ESSENCE; especially : PERSONALITY
3 : a living thing; especially: PERSON (Merrian Webster Online Dictionary)
Notice how "being" is defined as the 'existence' of something or the qualities that constitutes something as an existing thing. "Being" is basically the state or quality of an existence for ANY PARTICULAR THING. This quality distinguishes what THIS PARTICULAR THING IS. For example "dog" is the “being” for a German shepherd since it distinguishes it from other things which aren’t dogs. The German shepherd's quality of existence is a "dog". "Being" also refers to a living thing also especially a person. Muslims have taken this to mean that a person proves that God is 3 gods or 3 separate beings. However, the word "being" is defined here as the living thing while "especially" is used to point to PERSON as the prime example of a living thing. "Being" is never defined as PERSON. Person is defined as thus:
1 : HUMAN, INDIVIDUAL-- sometimes used in combination especially by those who prefer to avoid man in compounds applicable to both sexes
2 : a character or part in or as if in a play : GUISE (Merrian Webster Online Dictionary)
Person is the individual and not the existence of something. If Muslims believe that Christians worship 3 gods (beings) in 1 god (being) they would unknowingly refute themselves since they would be clearly saying that the Trinity is 3 states of existence in one existence BUT WITH NO PERSONS. They would literally be saying that the Trinity is NOT JESUS, NOT THE FATHER AND NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT IN 3 GODS!!! How can you call these 3 gods (beings) in one god (being) and then refer to this as a trinity? If they were three beings in one being this would prove that the state of existence is the same and therefore one mode of existence making the father, son and holy ghost one being (God) with no personality. Muslims would actually wind up refuting the idea of "ONE" GOD whom they believe to be as one person.
Needless to say, this is the same doctrine of heresy that Sabellius, the 2nd century heretic, believed in as the true explanation of God. Osama and other Muslims can't even distinguish between a 'being' and a 'person'. Since they believe that a Trinity is 3 beings then according to them this example would constitute as 3 beings:
1. ONE BRAND of Sodapop named COCA COLA IN 3 BOTTLES
According to Muslim thinking: We must conclude that each pop is 3 different brands even though WE ONLY HAVE ONE BRAND "COCA COLA" in 3 bottles.
Rational thinking & explanation: Here the "being" is the brand of pop while the bottles are the individuals of that brand.
Now you see just how illogical these anti-Trinitarian apologists sound in their arguments. It is no wonder why they can't understand the Trinity since they fail to look in the dictionary to see the difference between "being" and "person" along with not knowing the full definitions of "ONE". Muslims, like Osama, have always believed that Christianity is in error because they don't know simple definitions of the same words (Trinity, etc) which they claim to refute. How can you write about something you have no knowledge about? This question begs to be answered by our Muslim apologists.
Most of Osama's nonsense stems from the fallacy that since God is called "ONE" that he can't be multipersonal. As we seen above, this is clearly false and all of his authors which he linked on his site commit the same gross error. They can write as many articles as they want but if ONE means "UNIT" or "GROUP" also, their entire argument crumbles to the ground since "ONE" can't be used to prove that God is just "ONE" person because it has more than one definition. Osama believe that Jesus death on the cross is an assumption. Needless to say that the same Bible in which he uses to propagate his misinformation clearly shows that this action occurred:
"For He was TEACHING HIS DISCIPLES and saying to them, 'The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will KILL HIM, and when HE IS KILLED, after three days He will rise." Mark 9:31
"The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and be KILLED and on the third day be raised." Luke 9:22
"Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and I WILL RAISE IT AGAIN in three days'… But the temple he had spoken of WAS HIS BODY. After HE WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words Jesus had spoken." John 2:19, 21-22
There is no room for assumptions about the crucifixion happening. History as well as the bible clearly proves the authenticity of the crucifixion. Osama's sole disbelief of the crucifixion stems from the Quran simply stating that this just couldn't occur. Hence, Osama has assume that the Quran just have to be true and everything else false. This is what we call blind unprovable faith on the Muslim apologist's part.
What Osama Abdallah is guilty of is called Cafeteria exegesis in his arguments. Sam Shamoun, another writer of "Answering-Islam" gives an excellent definition of this approach in his response to Shabbir Ally, a noted Islamic apologist:
Needless to say, this fits Osama Abdallah perfectly throughout his entire website. One day a passage verifies Islam, the next day it is against Islamic thought or is corrupted. Let’s illustrate this even further for you to see. Here we show how one day Song of Solomon is used to verify Muhammad's prophethood and another day it is a corrupted book:
To add further weight to these argument, let us take a closer look at this four character word. The way this word is written is Hebrew is . That happens to be the EXACT same way Muhammad's name is written in Hebrew
Contradicts
It is totally self-contradicting to find Muhammad in a book of the bible and then mention elsewhere that this VERY SAME BOOK is pornful and sick and isn't from God!! With such apologetic inconsistencies it is highly suspect to believe anything Osama says from the bible in defense of Islam. As we will show you in this article, many of these same verses aren't accepted by him unless he can misinterpret them. It is only then can they be held as being truthful in his deceitful eyes.
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (From the NIV Bible, John 14:6)"
It is important to know that most of the Bible, especially the New Testament, has general and controversial statements like this one.
We want to bring your attention to Osama's comments here:
See how Osama tries to discredit clear evidence against his religion! If the Bible has controversial statements what makes Osama think that we should accept his statements as being truthfully exposited to the reader? Osama has intentionally made a false statement against the bible and doesn't give us any credible evidence as to which passages are controversial and whether they, in whole, constitute as most of the bible, as he claims. We should alert the reader that in Islam, it is permissible to lie intentionally to protect Islam as this verse indicates:
"Whoso disbelieves
in God, after he has believed - excepting him who has been compelled,
and in his heart is still at rest in his belief - but whosoever's
heart is expanded in unbelief, upon them shall rest anger from God,
and there awaits them a mighty chastisement." S. 16:106
Al-Tabari comments:
"It has been reported
that the Quraish compelled ‘Ammar, his father Yasir, and his mother
Sumayya to renounce Islam. So they tied Sumayyya to two camels and pointed
a spear to her heart, saying to her that she converted for the men,
and killed her. Later they killed Yasir. Thus, these two were the first
martyrs in Islam. As for ‘Ammar, he told them, unwillingly, what
they wanted to hear. So it was told the Messenger of God that ‘Ammar
disbelieved. He said, ‘No, ‘Ammar is full of faith from the top of his
head to the bottom of his feet; belief has been mingled with his flesh
and blood.' ‘Ammar came weeping to the Messenger of God. Therefore,
the Messenger of God started to wipe his tears, and said, ‘If they come
back to you, repeat to them what you said.' This is the evidence
for the admissibility of speaking unbelief under compulsion."
(‘Abdallah ‘Abd al-Fadi, Is the Qur'an Infallible? [Light of
Life PO Box 13 A-9503 Villach, Austria], p. 97; bold emphasis ours)
Even in the Sahih hadiths, the most authentic traditions about the life of Muhammad, we find that Muslims were even encouraged to lie and deceive in order to kill, courtesy of Muhammad himself:
Allah's Apostle said, “Who is willing TO KILL Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?” Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, “O Allah's Apostle! Would you like that I kill him?” The Prophet said, “Yes,” Muhammad bin Maslama said, “Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Kab).” The Prophet said, “You may say it.” (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Number 369)
Here is more about deceit and lies used in Islam courtesy of Muhammad himself:
Once we were in the house of Abu Musa who presented a meal containing cooked chicken. A man from the tribe of Bani Taim Allah with red complexion as if he were from the Byzantine war prisoners, was present. Abu Musa invited him to share the meal but he (apologised) saying. "I saw chickens eating dirty things and so I have had a strong aversion to eating them, and have taken an oath that I will not eat chickens." Abu Musa said, "Come along, I will tell you about this matter (i.e. how to cancel one's oath). I went to the Prophet in the company of a group of Al-Ashariyin, asked him to provide us with means of conveyance. He said, 'By Allah, I will not provide you with any means of conveyance and I have nothing to make you ride on.' Then some camels as booty were brought to Allah's Apostle and he asked for us saying. 'Where are the group of Al-Ash'ariyun?' Then he ordered that we should be given five camels with white humps. When we set out we said, 'What have we done? We will never be blessed (with what we have been given).' So, we returned to the Prophet and said, 'We asked you to provide us with means of conveyance, but you took an oath that you would not provide us with any means of conveyance. Did you forget (your oath when you gave us the camels)? He replied. 'I have not provided you with means of conveyance but Allah has provided you with it, and by Allah, Allah willing, if ever I take an oath to do something, AND LATER ON I FIND THAT IT IS MORE BENEFICIAL TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, I will do the thing which is better, and give expiation my oath.” (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Number 361)
Yet in the OT anyone taking an oath and breaking it would fall under the righteous condemnation of God:
It shouldn't come to us as a surprise that Muslims have to intentionally use deceitful information to have their religion accepted as being truthful. Look whom they have as a role model; a prophet who lies and breaks oaths.
As for John 14:6, it is true that Jesus is the way the truth and the light. No one can be saved except through him, which is something that Osama doesn't want to come to terms with since it would disprove Islam's way of salvation. He attempts to disprove this by saying:
"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right. (From the NIV Bible, James 2:8)"
"The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (From the NIV Bible, Galatians 5:14)"
The Bible clearly illustrates that one must accept Jesus now to be saved by God almighty or they would be forever lost:
"If any one hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world." John 12:47
"And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world." 1 John 4:14
The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus was the savior of the world. If we don't accept Jesus, how can a person make it into heaven without the help of the savior? Contrary to Osama's misquotation of the Bible, you can't reach heaven without Jesus:
Most assuredly, I SAY TO YOU, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. John 6:47
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water 1 John 5:1-6
There isn't a single legitimate reference saying that one can make it to heaven without Jesus in the Bible. Here is more evidence against this false theory of Osama:
FOR CHRIST DIED for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to BRING YOU TO GOD. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers IN SUBMISSION TO HIM. 1 Pet. 3:18-22
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God COMES THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST to all who believe. There is no difference, FOR ALL HAVE SINNED for all have sinned and FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Rom 3:21-23
And,
Salvation is found IN NO ONE ELSE, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given to men by WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED." When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with JESUS. Acts 4:12-13
According to the same Bible, which Osama misuses, salvation can't be found in any other name other than Jesus. Righteousness before God can come only through Jesus and if a person rejects him as their savior they are doomed. Osama has not done a proper exegesis on the Bible and is therefore in gross error with his argument. It would require pure wishful thinking to believe that someone can make it to heaven outside of Jesus while using the NT as a source for this argument. It is impossible to believe that salvation can be achieved without Jesus as a mediator and the Bible illustrates both above, as we have seen, and below:
Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth. There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has borne witness to his Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne to his Son. 1 John 5:5-10 RSV
According to the bible one who doesn't acknowledge the Son DOES NOT HAVE GOD and can't be saved!! You are required to believe in Jesus as the "SON OF GOD" and to deny this testimony is to deny the testimony of GOD HIMSELF AND MAKE HIM A LIAR!! It should be noted that Islam falls under this same condemnation since the Quran denies both the deity of Jesus and his sonship:
And,
We must conclude that Islam is antichrist and that those who place their hope in it for their salvation are eternally condemned and will never see salvation since they have rejected the author of salvation, Jesus Christ. No matter how Osama tries to interpolate the bible, there is no way anyone can achieve salvation outside of Jesus. To reject such clear evidence constitutes as deceitfulness on Osama's part. Now we will also investigate the verses he used to see if they are truly proven evidence of his claim. But first lets illustrate his comments again:
"The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (From the NIV Bible, Galatians 5:14)"
Side note: Osama believes that following the message of these verses will get you to heaven without accepting Jesus as a mediator
When reading the context of these verses it is immediately evident that no such conclusion can be reached. In the case of James 2:8, no mention of salvation at all is present after following these rules:
This passage is a self refutation by Osama since the very first verse says that the people who were to keep the royal law were:
According to Osama's misreading, you didn't have to be a believer in Jesus to make it into heaven. Also notice that in this passage the message focuses on favoritism shown to the rich over the poor, by believers and not rules on the royal law bringing salvation. The only mention about salvation in this passage is for the "poor" whom God would allow to inherit his kingdom which he promised them. So should we conclude that the poor are those that don't believe in Jesus now? The passage also says that those who keep the law but yet break part of it still sin and are considered law breakers. Such out of context posting only shows the deceitful and desperate attempts of Muslim apologists, like Osama Abdallah, to include Islam into God's plan for salvation. Muslim themselves have broken this law since they aren't believers in the LORD JESUS CHRIST:
Muslims are disqualified right from the very first verse in the passage of James 2. They don't believe in Jesus Christ, and they consider this a “shirk” to associate other lords with their god "Allah". Since Osama Abdallah emphasized on loving "one another" in James 2, to gain heaven, can a follower of Islam legitimately gain his/her salvation based on this alone? Not according to their own hadith and Quran:
It should be noted that Sahih Muslim is the second most authentic collection of hadith or sayings and actions of Muhammad in all of Islam and it is the most authentic and authoritive source of Jihad after the Quran. From the hadith above we notice that you are allowed to kill children if you believe that they will grow up and be a non-believer!!!! This has left the entire discretion to the person who is deciding to kill the kid in question!!! Isn't this showing favoritism, which is a sin as well as not showing love to the child in question? Yes. What if the Muslim made a mistake killing a kid who may look like a disbeliever but may grow up to be a believer according to Muhammad? It would be to late then to bring the child back!!
If this type of information was given about Islam, it would cause an uproar among the Christian population of the west!! Hence, in orthodox Islam, not fanatical Islam, a Muslim can kill a innocent kid in which they deem necessary for the betterment of Allah's society!! Now we know why the terrorist who bombed the World Trade Center and the Pentagon had no ill feelings about the acts they committed, which in turn, took the lives of innocent children. They were just being obedient to the laws and regulations of Islam!! Here is an example from a loving Muslim family and their child:
What is even more disturbing about this is the fact that this family murdered this girl not in a war but in regular civil life. Hence killing kids as prospective disbelievers, according to Islam, can be used anywhere!! Isn't this great?!! Not if you are the kid who suffered cruelly at the hands of her parents. Even the Quran, which Osama and other Muslim apologists believe would take them to heaven, fails in accordance to James 2:8 since it says:
Compare with James 2:8
Is following a god who causes enmity and hatred the same as following Yahweh’s law of love? No. Not only has James 2:8 exposed Islam but it shows that even if a person could make it to heaven on just love alone, he/she would jeopardize this salvation by believing in a revelation that sponsors hatred, such as the Quran. Now lets look into Gal. 5:14, another verse Osama, the Muslim apologist, used in defense of "no Jesus needed for salvation". Needless to say this passage is also a self refutation of Osama's erroneous acclamations:
According to this passage, it is freedom in Christ that will gain salvation, not just love alone. Notice that Paul has said that those who "alienate themselves from Christ" have fallen away from grace. This clearly means that those without Christ can't obtain grace or salvation and enter into heaven. Paul clearly shows that it is FAITH that expresses itself through love, not just love alone that will make one right with God. He finishes by saying that one must live by the spirit and not gratify sinful nature. How does one live by the spirit? The bible gives us the answer:
"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the FATHER has sent his Son to be THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD." 1 John 4:12-14
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS." So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." Matt. 1:20-23
To live by the Spirit and love is to follow and believe in Jesus Christ. Not only must one believe in Jesus but they must also believe that he is the savior of the world. This is a clear contradiction to Osama's erroneous argument. Jesus himself said that the spirit would bring glory to him as well as saying this:
However Jesus said that
Since to live by the spirit, which is accordance to loving, as the law commands, one MUST ALSO HONOR JESUS AS THEY WOULD HONOR GOD. Jesus said that if you failed to honor the son you don't honor the father who sent him. Since Islam claims that Jesus isn't God, Osama has shown us that it is impossible for a Muslim to gain salvation outside of Jesus. Now you see how cafeteria exegesis can backfire against a deceitful apologist!!! Even Islam, which Osama and other Muslim apologists believe would take them to heaven, fails in accordance to Galatians 5:14. In the hadith we find this:
When the last moment of the life of Allah's Apostle came he started putting his 'Khamisa' on his face and when he felt hot and short of breath he took it off his face and said, "MAY ALLAH CURSE THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS for they built the places of worship at the graves of their Prophets." The Prophet was warning (Muslims) of what those had done. (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 8, Number 427:)
While in the Quran we find this:
Compared to Galations 5:14
The reason why Osama and other Muslims want to leave Jesus out of the equation of salvation is because they don't want to have to deal with toleration. Notice that Muhammad cursed Christians in the Hadith and Allah said through Muhammad that he should KILL them because they worship Jesus Christ. Needless to say that this is totally against the teachings of the New Testament and the bible tells us that anyone who curses Christ and his followers aren't of God in the first place:
If Muslims claim that they weren't cursing Jesus directly they would still be wrong since Jesus mentioned many times that whatever one did to his followers they did to him:
Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, BECAUSE OF THE SON OF MAN. Luke 6:22
Notice that Jesus considered people hating his followers as hating him!!! Jesus makes his message even clearer when he sends out 72 men and women to the various towns in Israel and tells them that those who reject his followers are rejecting him:
Since Muhammad cursed Christians he in essence cursed Jesus and by cursing Jesus through cursing his followers, Muhammad in actuality cursed God almighty!!! There is a domino effect which can determine a person's eternal destiny and it is based on how they treat Jesus followers, who are known as "CHRISTIANS"!! This can even be used against Islamic notions of salvation who claims that a person can see God without believing on Jesus. To reject Jesus is equivalent to rejecting God, therefore how can a person make it to heaven by rejecting God? The only way to do this is to repent after rejecting Jesus and then proceed to accept him as one's personal savior. Jesus substantiates this conclusion in the passage below:
You can't eliminate Jesus out of the equation of salvation since everywhere in the bible he is mentioned as saying "accept me and you accept the one who sent me", etc. If you welcome Jesus you welcome God. If you curse Jesus followers, you curse Jesus and therefore curse God. It seems like Muhammad is in big trouble with God almighty.
Notice that the man's question was straight forward: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" No other question can be more straight forward than this!
Luke 10
25. On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26. "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27. He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "
28. "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
Yes, this is very straightforward and in order for the man to inherit eternal life he must love the LORD GOD and love his neighbor. Since he must love the lord God in the law he must follow his prophets including JESUS since Christ says this:
Since Moses pointed to Jesus, according to Jesus himself, what must we do to gain salvation? Jesus has the answer:
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son AND BELIEVES IN HIM may have everlasting life; and I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY." John 6:40
Most assuredly, I SAY TO YOU, he who believes in Me HAS EVERLASTING LIFE. John 6:47
"Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son JUST AS they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him." John 5:22-23
Jesus said to her, "I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. He WHO BELIEVES IN ME, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and BELIEVES IN ME shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, [Kurios in Greek, Yahweh in Hebrew] I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." John 11:25-27
Jesus said to him, "I AM the way, the truth, and THE LIFE. NO ONE comes to the Father EXCEPT THROUGH ME. "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and FROM NOW ON YOU KNOW HIM AND HAVE SEEN HIM." John 14:6-7
And,
The Bible clearly provides us with the answer as to how all people can be saved. They must first love the LORD GOD and then believe his revelations. After believing his revelations they would be pointed to Jesus, according to Jesus himself. After being pointed to Jesus they must::
1. Believe in Jesus as the Son of God
2. Believe that he is the resurrection and the life
3. Honor him as one would Honor God the father equally
4. Keep his words
If you leave Jesus out of the equation, there is no way possible that one can reach God and gain salvation. The evidence is overwhelmingly against Osama, including the verses he used in his argument.
Notice that Jesus didn't talk about any trinity concept, nor did he say to the man that he must accept Jesus as a mediator between him and GOD Almighty to win eternal life. No Jesus was pretty clear and straight forward here: LOVE GOD ALMIGHTY AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORS AS YOURSELF.
As we seen, it is easy for Muslims to eliminate verses and scriptures and emphasize out of context post. As we saw above in Luke 10, Jesus sent out the 72 people IN HIS NAME and the reason why Osama doesn't see anything about Jesus being mediator is because he ignored the first whole half of this passage. I guess it didn't fit his taste buds. This verse only mentions that if a man loves God HE WILL LIVE. It doesn't necessarily guarantee salvation. The word for salvation is:
Definition
1. deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation
a.deliverance from the molestation of enemies
b. in an ethical sense, that which concludes to the souls safety or salvation
of Messianic salvation
2.salvation as the present possession of all true Christians
3. future salvation, the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God.
Fourfold salvation: saved from the penalty, power, presence and mostimportantly the pleasure of sin. A.W. Pink (Soterion or Soteria "Salvation"-Strong's Concordance)
This word isn't found anywhere in this passage verifying Osama's claim that a person can see God without going through Jesus. What is a self refuting in Osama's argument is the fact that in other places on his website, he has stated this "because 'TRINITY' isn't found in the bible it isn't true". So why is he using the word "salvation" or "eternal life" as proof when it isn't even present in this passage? This shows us how Muslim apologists totally lack any sense of logic in their arguments. Their assumption which believes that Islam must be right is nothing more than mindless dogma. They tend to be logical and argue that some passages imply a particular point of theirs but wouldn't allow any Christian to use such techniques despite the fact that in this instance "salavation" isn't even stated.
2- More blessings and winning of eternal Life.
More blessings and winning of eternal life:
Here are more quotes that refute the dogma of trinity and the lie of accepting of Jesus as the mediator between you and GOD Almighty in order for you to win eternal life:
As we will see below, there is nowhere in which these verses refute the Trinity whatsoever. As shown above, it is okay for Osama to lie since he is propagating Islam to the public. Now we will investigate the self refuting verses Osama uses in his argument:
This verse says that it is more blessed to give than to receive with this being a requirement to help in gaining salvation. However, this isn't the only requirement for eternal life as Osama believes. It also is notable that Osama conviently left out the fact that Paul is speaking and that he believes that Paul isn't inspired as a messenger from God. So we have Osama appealing to uninspired words by a man whom he claims invented Christianity. If this isn't a self refutation I don't know what is!!! Notice his comments about Paul here:
Before we start on the analysis of Paul's Books, we must first know that Paul who's Books are believed to be inspired by GOD Almighty Himself and who is a disciple of Jesus peace be upon him NEVER ACTUALLY MET JESUS IN PERSON. Jesus had 12 disciples when he was on earth. PAUL WAS NOT ONE OF THEM! Paul much later after the disappearance of Jesus came and claimed that Jesus came to him and ordered him to be his disciple. Paul is really taken on faith only AND NOT ON PROOFS. He could be well be another smart deceiver who made his way into the world of the current corrupted Bible (sorry if I offended you).
(Just who were the real authors of the Bible?; Found on www.answering-christianity.com)Now if Paul never met Jesus and his words must only be taken on faith and not proof, why is Osama using his material to try and prove that one doesn't need to gain salvation through Jesus? This is a clear example showing you how Muslims argue in defense of their religion. One day it is corrupted, the next day it verifies the Islamic message. Last I checked this is called lying and manipulation, when you have to make accusations one day and then come back to that same person, whom you slandered, and then claim that it is proof of something!! Osama deceitfully left out verse 21 of Acts 20 since it also destroys his theory:
This verse is right there in the same passage of Paul's address to the Ephesian Elders and we wonder why Osama was to afraid to quote it!! Everywhere you look we find evidence refuting his idea that you don't need Jesus for salvation or as a mediator. What is even more embarrassing for Osama is his next posting of verses below:
What is so embarrassing is that Osama is quoting the same passage that actually verifies that Jesus is God. We have shown this many times on our site and here it is again for you to see:
12. Jesus calls God HIS OWN FATHER making himself equal to God in the eyes of the Jews, who wanted to kill him for this statement!
“But Jesus answered them, My father has been working until now, and I have been working. Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him because he not only broke the Sabbath but also said that God was HIS FATHER, making himself EQUAL WITH GOD.” John 5:17-18
Literally, “His own Father”-Greek- patera idion. It is clear that the Jews understood that Jesus was claiming to be God.’” (NKJV, footnote, pg 843, Scoffield, 1989).
Since Jesus by his own admission, is claming that God is his OWN (note: not metaphorically, the words pateria idion differentiates from metaphorically) Father then based on Judaism at this time, he is claiming to be equal with God.
"Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, AND THE NAME OF HIS SON? Tell me if you know!" Proverbs 30:4
We see that Jesus claimed to be THE SON OF GOD what are we suppose to do with him?
In Proverbs 30:4 the challenging question is presented to mankind: "Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands?
Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his Son? Tell me if you know!" Does God have a Son?
In Psalm 2 we have a prophetic picture which should be read in its entirety. In it is described ~(vv. 2 and 3) the time when the nations will declare themselves against God, and against his Anointed One (Mashiho, from which our English word Messiah comes). God says in verse 6 that he will nevertheless establish this Messiah as his King on Zion, his holy hill.
In verse 7 Messiah steps forward to declare the decree by which his coronation shall be accomplished saying: "I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: "He said to me, 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations (goyim) your inheritance."'
Furthermore, in Psalm 2:11-12 we are solemnly instructed: "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son (nashqu bar), lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him."
The Hebrew for "kiss the Son" is nashqu bar. Even if this is translated, as some would have it, "Do homage in purity," the homage is to the Lord of verse II and to the Son of verse 7. The Tenach clearly indicates that there is a divine personality who is called the Son of God, who is worthy of homage, and if we put our trust in him, we are blessed. (Jesus is Yahweh; Found here)
In the very same passage of Matthew 5, Jesus claimed that God was his very own father, making himself equal with God. So great was this statement that the Jews tried to kill him for this remark. If we are to love God, how can we love God without loving his son who is equal to God? Because Islam doesn't believe that Jesus is God doesn't mean that Muslims can misinterpret the Bible based on Islamic beliefs. This is a very grave fallacy and it contradicts the Quran:
The Quran itself requires that Muhammad himself ask the people of the gospel whether his message was true. There is nowhere in Islamic history in which he sought their guidance to verify the content and the accuracy of his message. This is one very important fact that isn’t commented upon by Islam or Muslim apologists such as Osama. Therefore instead of obeying his contradictory Quran all Osama can do is attack the bible and misinterpret it. Trying to read Islam back into Christianity and then proceed to document evidence that only agrees with Islam is the fallacy of False Dilemma. In this fallacy the Muslim apologist has intentionally limited the number of options to being either correct which agrees with the Quran or incorrect which disagrees with the Quran. An example of this is:
Such polemic nonsense only shows that Muslim apologists are nothing more than deceitful propagandists.
3- So what is the way that Jesus talked about in John 14:6 then?
So what is the way that Jesus talked about in John 14:6 then?
When Jesus said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (From the NIV Bible, John 14:6)", if we take the meanings of this verse in the same context in Luke 10:25-28 and the other verses that teach about love, harmony and forgiveness, then we would clearly see that the way that Jesus talked about is the goodness in you.
If you love GOD Almighty with your heart and soul and you are a good person and love people and always try to be the best example to every person you meet, then you will win the eternal life. Accepting Jesus as the mediator between you and GOD Almighty (believing that Jesus died on the cross to purify your sins) is not necessary to win eternal life.
As illustrated before, showing that God is ONE doesn't mean that God isn't multipersonal. Osama has no clue as to what the word "ONE" actually means. He has assumed that since "ONE" is present it eliminates any notion of Trinity. Needless to say that this is the fallacy of "Broad Definition". Here the definition includes items which should not be included. So if ONE is supposed to mean just one person and not allow for a plurality of others, then can this word be conclusive evidence in showing that God is just one person. As we saw above with the definition of "ONE", this is impossible. Muslims, such as Osama, who attempt to use this argument also utilizes the fallacy of "begging the question" in which the conclusion of an argument is assumed by the premises.
By assuming without any evidence that God is just one person and not a trinity, Osama then continues in error which next leads him into the fallacy of Exclusion. This fallacy is when one excludes importance evidence which would undermine their argument. The importance evidence that is excluded is the fact that ONE is also a unit (plural) or a group (plural) and can constitute more than one person as one.
To prove that God is one person you can't assume that ONE means just one person. For example, the famous verse that, anti-Trinitarians, such as Osama, appeal to is Deuteronomy 6:4, famously known as the Shema:
According to them this is sufficient enough to prove that God is just one person. They even quote Jesus saying this in Mark 12:29 to the Pharisees. The problem with this conclusion, is God is one what? Person, unit, Group, etc? To assume that God is one person would exclude the other definitions of one and would be a false argument. If God wanted to say that he was one person only, here is how he would've put it:
Or
If God wanted to prove that he was just one person he would've used Yachid to express this important information. Therefore Muslims and anti-Trinitarians base their whole opinion on nothing but assumptions.
If we use Osama's methodology then we can say that Jesus is God by using this verse:
By using this verse, we could claim that the ONE GOD in heaven would be Jesus, if God was one person!!! Therefore by ascribing to these various fallacies, this ideology can easily be turned against Osama. If Osama claims that this is a version of "ONE" which can express plurality then he knows that "ONE" can be more than one person and is deceitfully using this word as a defense of '"ONE" God means "ONE" person'. It is also noted that Osama's claim about "not believing in Jesus dying for your sins" and "not having a Mediator" is also false:
"No one has ascended into heaven but He who DESCENDED from heaven, THE SON OF MAN. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP, that whoever believes in Him may have ETERNAL LIFE." John 3:13-14
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. John 14:1-4
For God did not send HIS SON into the world to condemn the world, but that the world THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED. John 3:17
The Bible states that Jesus was sent to the world to save it by virtue of his crucifixion. Jesus also told his followers that if they believe in God they must also believe in him. If Osama thinks that he can get to heaven by not believing in Jesus we feel very sorry for him since he is on his way to everlasting hell-fire. As for needing no mediator, Osama is also in gross error:
But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which HE IS MEDIATOR is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises. Heb. 8:6
For this reason Christ is THE MEDIATOR of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive THE PROMISED ETERNAL INHERITANCE–now that he has died as a ransom to SET THEM FREE FROM THE SINS committed under the first covenant. Heb 9:15
to Jesus THE MEDIATOR of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Heb. 12:24
Osama's lies have been thoroughly exposed along with his misquotations of the bible. The Mediator between men is Jesus Christ and the only way a person can receive any promised "eternal life" is if they believe in him. There is no possible way to achieve salvation. Osama's blindness is going to lead him and many others, who adhered to his false doctrine, straight to eternal damnation. Not only is Osama's theory eternally damnabled it disagrees with Jesus himself, whom Osama claims to legitimately appeal to in his argument that "we don't need Jesus for salvation":
Jesus explicitly says that "whoever enters the gate" through him will be saved and that all who try to go any other way are thieves and robbers. Osama is trying to propagate the "thief and robber" method which would only lead to ones total destruction. For the bible shows us the answer as to what will happen to thieves and robbers:
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the SECOND DEATH." Rev 21:8
One should be very careful in accepting Islamic apologetic material at face value. Any open minded person must learn to seek out the truth for themselves since:
Muslim apologists like Osama Abdallah have to lie and misinterprete the Bible for their message to be received. Why should a person have to twist the Bible like this to prove their religion? The Bible gives us the answer:
Jesus was correct when he said he was the way the truth and the light, and that you can't reach God unless you go through him. Osama and other Muslims don't understand this clear speech of Jesus due to the fact that their father, the devil, has blinded their eyes and cause them to resort to deceit, and misuse of the Bible. Salvation is found only in Jesus not in any other source of alleged truth.
May God bless and keep you in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Through him only can one reach eternal life and see God for he himself is God. God Bless All.
Quennel Gale at queball20@yahoo.com