Friday, November 5, 2010

Do Muslims share in the plan of salvation?

Through my wife, I recently heard of a quote from Pope Paul VI, which claims that Muslims share in the same plan of salvation as Christians. Let's take just a quick look, here it is:
"The plan of salvation includes those who acknowledge the creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; those who profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day." -Pope Paul VI in "Lumen Gentium"
I'll try to be very brief in my response and let you be the judge, based on two quotes. One from the Bible, and one from the Quran. Here's the one from the Bible:
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. -1 John 4:1-3
and from the Quran:
O people of the scripture, do not transgress the limits of your religion, and do not say about GOD except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was a messenger of GOD, and His word that He had sent to Mary, and a revelation from Him. Therefore, you shall believe in GOD and His messengers. You shall not say, "Trinity." You shall refrain from this for your own good. GOD is only one god. Be He glorified; He is much too glorious to have a son. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. GOD suffices as Lord and Master. -Surah 4:171
and
GOD will say, "O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to the people, `Make me and my mother idols beside GOD?' " He will say, "Be You glorified. I could not utter what was not right. Had I said it, You already would have known it. You know my thoughts, and I do not know Your thoughts. You know all the secrets. "I told them only what You commanded me to say, that: `You shall worship GOD, my Lord and your Lord.' I was a witness among them for as long as I lived with them. When You terminated my life on earth, You became the Watcher over them. You witness all things. -Surah 5:116-117
The Quran claims that Jesus is not the son of God, he has no divinity, he is merely a great prophet or apostle. The Bible claims that anyone who does not accept Jesus Christ's divinity is antichrist.

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