I have often been asked, “What does Christianity have to offer Muslims?”
I can only report from my own experience and from personally witnessing the effects on thousands of others that have come to Christ from Islam through our ministry. By far, the most expressed benefits are peace and joy – which are direct results of salvation. As Jesus says in the Gospel of John 14:27 (KJ): “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.”
Muslims do not enjoy the assurance of salvation. I have heard the prayers of devout Muslims begging God to deliver them from torture in the grave and the fires of hell. Unlike Muslims, Christians have the assurance of salvation. For Christians it is a gift of Grace – Acts 16:31 (KJ): “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”
When I accepted Christ as my Savior, my heart was filled with peace and joy. Now, one of the greatest rewards of my ministry is to hear the same expressions of peace and joy from thousands of Muslims who have come to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and His assurance of salvation.
Islam’s View of the Bible
The Qur’an vs. the Bible
According the Qur’an, the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians, the Bible, has been “corrupted.” In their view, the Qur’an is the “pure” word of God which explains for them the many ways in which the Qur’an differs from the Old and New Testaments.
For example, the Qur’an teaches that Jesus (or “‘Isa”) is only a human prophet, like Abraham or Moses, and is not divine. Abraham was called to sacrifice not Isaac, but Ishmael, from whom the Arabs claim descent. Thus, many Muslim governments, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, forbid the printing, importing and distribution of Bibles in order to keep their people ignorant of the Gospel and its Old Testament roots.
Muslim evangelists attempt to mislead those in the West by claiming commonalities between the Qur’an and the Bible while concealing their true views that the Bible is unreliable and has been changed over time. In fact, discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and early New Testament manuscripts prove the integrity of the Scriptures over thousands of years.
IAM’s “Bibles for Iran” ministry, as well as our pastoral call-in satellite TV show and Persian-language teaching materials, have opened the eyes of hundreds of thousands in Iran to Bible truths. Persian-language Bibles and New Testaments are available for purchase from the IAM web site for those in the West who would like to provide them to their Iranian friends and neighbors. We appreciate our wonderful donors who enable us to provide Bibles and New Testaments for seekers in Iran.
Radical Muslim finds Healing, Joy in Christ
Netherlands, Zari: If your Jesus is real…!
Zari, a fanatic Muslim woman who now resides in the Netherlands, called us a few months ago almost in a rage. “If your Jesus is who you are saying He is, then He has to heal my three-year-old granddaughter, ‘Kimiya’, who is suffering from seizures.” I began by trying to explain to her why she first needed to accept Jesus as her Savior. Before I could continue, she interrupted me by saying, “Jesus is only a good prophet.”
“Can I at least pray for you and your granddaughter since you called us?,” I asked. She agreed. After prayer, I challenged her to ask Jesus herself for Kimiya’s healing.
Last week, we received a call. One of our prayer counselors answered. “This lady insists on talking to you,” she said. I took the phone and heard a lady who was adoring Jesus and calling Him Lord and Savior. “Do you remember me?” she asked. “I apologize, your voice is very familiar but unfortunately I do not remember who you are,” I replied.
Then she began to tell me the story. With huge joy and excitment in her voice she said, “I am that fanatic Muslim woman who called you a few months ago for a healing prayer for. . .” Interrupting her, I exclaimed, “Oh, I remember! You called for your granddaughter, Kamiya.” “Yes, yes,” she said and and began to laugh.
“Jesus completely healed my granddaughter. He is not any longer a ‘good prophet’ for me but my Lord and my Savior,” Zari proclaimed with zeal and assurance in her voice. I answered her with a hearty, “Praise God!”
Zari continued, “My daughter-in-law, Kimiya’s mother, is expecting another child. Would you please pray with me for this new addition in our family so that the baby will not go though the same thing as Kimiya did?” Gladly, I agreed. I prayed with Zari who was very exuberant and expecting the Lord to grant her new grandchild radiant health.
Our counselors rejoiced in another Muslim finding salvation and answer to prayer through Christ.
(To protect new believers and their families, the names in our
testimonies have been changed.)
How You Can Help
We depend on the prayers and donations of those in the West to support our dear Iranian brothers and sisters in the East. New Iranian Christians face severe persecution every day. Your donations help us to bring Iranians to Christ, while stregthening the faith of new believers. With your help we can ensure the continuation of our 24-hour Christian satellite TV broadcasts into Iran, the delivery of Persian-language Bibles and New Testaments, the training of leaders and providing humanitarian relief. In addition to ministering to Iranians, IAM is using Iran as a gateway for spreading the Gospel to the whole Arab and Muslim world. Please prayerfully consider what you can do to support this ministry. We are sure that God will bless you many times over.
– Pastor Hormoz Shariat
President and Senior Pastor
International Antioch Ministries
www.iam-online.net
750 E. Arquez Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94085 USA
IAM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax deductible.