I've been meditating on Romans 11. Going to preach on it. One thing comes clear to me. Jesus isn't very happy about man made religious systems.
He IS happy about FAITH.
John the Baptist told those who came to him in the desert that Jesus was taking an axe to a tree. A tree of a religious system. Paul talks of that tree being cut off in Romans 11. Most all the branches were lost because of that cut. New wild olive branches being grafted in. That's you and me.
But, Paul warns that if we don't remain alive we too could be cut off and discarded. Death comes thru dead religion. Faith in systems, sacraments and traditions rather than faith in God. Baptism doesn't save you, Faith in Jesus confessed with the mouth and the heart does.
Jesus gave an illustration of this. I stole this from David Wilkerson (a modern day prophet I trust) who's newsletter I received yesterday had this.
Jesus was traveling with his disciples out of the city. One of the disciples says, Look there is the fig tree you cursed. Sure enough the fruitless fig tree from a few days earlier was dead as a doornail. It's cursed state was not that it didn't look good, not that it wasn't green and not that it didn't have nice leaves. To a casual observer it looked for all practical purposes like any other fig tree. It was cursed for it's lack of fruit. Just like many churches do today. Look nice but no fruit.
Jesus took the opportunity of this dead fig tree that represents how he feels about fruitless and powerless religion. It should die and dry up just like that fig tree.
Then he says something that in context doesn't seem to fit. Jesus says have faith in GOD. And then he says the passage that many faith teachers hang on. Have faith as a mustard seed. If you say to this mountain be removed and cast into the sea it will be. Mark 11:20-26
We use this to define all kinds of mountains in our lives. Mountains of illness, mountains of debt, mountains of financial pressures, mountains of pain, mountains of loneliness, mountains of failure.
Is that what Jesus was talking about? I'm not sure.
Wilkerson says (and I think I agree with him) that it is the MOUNTAIN OF UNBELIEF.
We have trouble believing when the big crises comes. We can believe for the little things, but when the mother of all disasters and trouble sets in we run out of faith.
We must say to that mountain MOVE. Be cast into the sea of unbelief.
Only then will it find a new place and it will not be in our way when we need faith to trust God.
He who trusts God will be established to stand, he who trusts the prophets will prosper. Do both and prosper. 2nd Chronicles 20:20
3 comments:
The Koran (Quran) vs. The Bible:
Prophets' Predictions show
which one is truly from God
- by R. Totten, MDiv. - (c)2002
(To read an Online Koran, click on http://islamicity.com/mosque/SURAI.HTM
or for three parallel versions click on http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/)
* * *
Why is a comparison of the Koran (Quran) vs. the Bible an important topic? --Because the Koran and the Bible are both claimed as having originated from God, and so both are called "Scripture" by Muslims and Christians respectively. --In addition, the Koran and the Bible are adhered to by the two largest religious segments of mankind, making them by far the two most influential and widespread works of literature in the world --therefore, these two books will be compared in this present article.
I know a number of Muslims personally, and I like them very much. I know that God loves them even much more than I do. I have also had some conversations with them. --After discussions with dear Muslim friends, I realize that the Koran and the Bible could be compared to each other using various criteria, such as the "eloquence," or the "ring of authority," or "powerful language," or the poetic "beauty" of the work. However, such criteria are quite subjective (much like saying, "this is the most beautiful work of art" or "that was the best poem"), and such comparisons would involve artistic, emotional and cultural preferences of "taste," rather than something that can actually be compared in a more measurable and logical fashion.
Now, I realize that many of my Muslim friends feel that the real miracle of the Koran --is the origin and existence of the Koran itself, because Mohammed was (supposedly) illiterate, and he was given the words of the Koran, which were later written down by others, and yet the Koran still turned out to be so powerful and beautiful! -- And, yes, we must surely acknowledge that it really is powerful and beautiful.
---However, there is nothing that is truly miraculous in an arrangement where a literate person writes down what an illiterate person says, since such a thing has happened many times before in other works of literature. -- And it should also be remembered that a supernatural and miraculous origin is claimed for the Bible as well.
--Thus, in an attempt to be unbiased, we must abandon a "poetic" or artistic approach, as well as any supposed "miraculous" origin of either book, and work to answer the question of whether the actual information in the Bible or the Koran (regardless of how it got written down) is truly words from God that demonstrate the power of God ...which is the purpose of this article to determine.
Note: As the author of this article, I must be up front with the fact that I personally believe the Bible is truly scripture from God, however, Muslims also believe the Bible (as originally given) was from God, ...and I will attempt to analyze both the Koran and the Bible in as unbiased a way as I can. I will attempt to logically evaluate them both on an equal and fair basis.
A Measurable Standard:
It is very important for the purpose of this article, that there be a more objectively measurable standard by which to compare "prophetic" writings, which is:
Observe whether or not the predictions of future deeds of people in recorded history are accurately fulfilled.
That is it ...quite clear and simple.
--And this is YHWH-God's own standard, as scripture says:
"If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD (YHWH) does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him." - Deuteronomy 18:22
This means that if the predictions of any supposed "prophet" do not occur and come true, that man's words would then be rejected as not truly coming from God or having God's authority ---and the man (who merely spoke on his own) would be considered a fake, and be rejected as a prophet. In addition, in the day when Moses wrote, if the people caught up with such a presumptuous and false "prophet", he was to be stoned to death (Deuteronomy 13:1-11). This was an effective way of "weeding out" false prophets.
God (YHWH) Gives a Challenge to Predict:
Most importantly, Isaiah records that God (YHWH) says:
"I am the LORD [Hebrew = "YHWH"]; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you" (Isa. 42:8-9).
This declaration from YHWH-God states that he announces what will occur in the future. God predicts history before it occurs. This is how God demonstrates his power and glory, and keeps it from being credited to pretenders and fakes --and prediction proves that God's authority is in the words of a genuine prophet.
Such predictive ability displays God's unique power. In fact, God sets out the following strong challenge to false prophets and false gods --he even mocks them-- who cannot predict the future:
"Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen. ...declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods!" - Isaiah 41:22-23
And God (YHWH) lays out an equally tough challenge, when he says:
"Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare ...what is yet to come-- yes, let him foretell what will come!" - Isaiah 44:7
God (YHWH) repeats this challenge when he declares:
"I am God and there is none like me. I make known from ancient times ...what is still to come" (Isa. 44:9,10).
This is highly important:
. . . YHWH-God himself asserts that this power to predict proves he is the true God. -- God applies this criterion to himself and also to his own prophets. -- And this criterion proves God's own scriptures to be the true scriptures. --I (who write this article) do not make this assertion myself, and actually, I have no power or authority to make it; ...but it is God alone who makes it. -- I (the writer) must bow to his authority and lordship.
God (YHWH) affirms that he is the only one with such predictive power,
-- and also Jesus stated that he had the same power of prediction, when he declared, "See, I have told you ahead of time" (Mat. 24:25). And again, as a demonstration of who he was, Jesus said in John 13:19, "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He."
Although this ability to accurately predict is a tough standard, it makes sense to look for this ability, because only the true God knows the future (and reveals such knowledge through his true prophets), and he also controls and directs the course of history according to his almighty will. The ability to predict future events of human history is a crucially distinctive attribute of God's true scriptures, and the true prophets of God convey this distinctive from God. --So, this attribute is the "lynch-pin" to identify true scripture, and is the ability of key importance to God himself. False prophets are unable to do such accurate predicting of human history.
--That is how important the power to predict is. ...It is one of the very most important proofs and evidences of God's words.
I (the present writer) do not chose this criterion, but it is pushed on me by God's statements. And furthermore, since specifically fulfilled predictions are more measurable, this will be the criterion for this article to judge between the Koran and the Bible. This standard not only allows us to compare whether God's predictive power is present in the Koran or the Bible, but it would also determine whether Mohammed is a true prophet as compared to the prophets of the Bible ---and whether the Bible or the Koran can be trusted to give the true teaching about who God is and what God requires.
YHWH-God's Challenge to the Koran
This is basically YHWH-God's challenge to the Koran:
. . . Show that within the pages of the Koran there is even one fulfilled prediction of events of human history (as described in this article).
--- And I would really take notice, and would be very impressed if there were two such predictions of events done by humans in history.
So, the ability to predict is God's challenge. --It was not thought up and devised by the writer of this article, but it is stated by God himself.
I am aware that some speakers of Arabic (including Arab Christians) may use "Allah" as the noun for "God" in a generic sense (which is OK), but please allow us to use the two different names to maintain this distinction for the purposes of this article: "Allah" in the Koran, and "YHWH" (often pronounced "Yah-Weh") in the Bible. This is for the reason that Islamic theology does not merely employ "Allah" as a generic noun for "God," but it views the noun as the Muslim god's own personal name. As Muslims think of it, "Allah" functions as the deity's proper name --much like the names Bill or Jim, for a human. So, here is the problem, because, the Holy Bible is quite clear that the only noun which functions as the true God's proper name is "YHWH," not "Allah." Therefore, this article will use "Allah" in relation to the Koran, and "YHWH" with respect to the Bible.
What we are not looking for (from both the Bible and Koran):
First of all, we are obviously not looking for "predictions" which were made after the events, as this would not be prediction at all. ---It would be history.
We are not looking for easily-made predictions, which are a "sure bet" --virtually guaranteed to happen-- such as a prediction that the Brazilian national soccer team will win a game during the next season.
We are also not looking for declarations of what humans (eg prophets, groups or combatants) plan, vow or promise to do themselves, because this is not prediction from God, but is merely human plans or promises (or threats!) which are then self-fulfilled.
---Therefore, if the prophet is alive at the time of (and after) the "fulfillment" of a promise, his writing is very likely a record of history or self-fulfillment, and not a prediction at all.
We can not accept predictions which may likely have been copied from another source. This is evident when the writer predicts almost the exact same thing as earlier prediction which already existed in a different source, while the writer in question may well have known about that prior prediction.
We are not looking for declarations of what God --(whether Allah or YHWH/God)-- will do to people after the people die, or at the end of world history, because such declarations are not yet verifiable from historical facts for us living today (though such statements may indeed be valid predictions).
We are also not looking for broadly general (or vague) predictions of events in which people, places and events are not fairly specifically named, because this also would not be clearly verifiable.
--It would not work, for example, to have broadly general references to large groups of people, such as "all mankind, or all men, people, or believers, non-believers,or infidels, Christians or Muslims." --These are too general... and "all people" haven't yet lived. So, it's irrelevant. The continual back-and-forth conflicts and exchanges between such large groups is too continual to constitute a clear fulfillment of predictions about them before the end of time comes. --- These are the sorts of problems that occur in prophecies of Nostradamus (click here): They are too vague, general and non-specific to be clearly verifiable and truly predictive. --Such qualities are typical of false prophecy.
Since people bring it up so often, let us be clear that God's challenge is not looking for descriptions of nature or science facts, because such things are not predictions of human deeds in history. ---For example, we are not looking for Bible or Koran descriptions of science concepts like:
cosmology, the origin of the universe, "Big Bang," astronomical phenomena, geology, rain cycles, origin of life, biology, genetics, embryology, anatomy, physics, or chemistry, etc.
People find such "science facts" in both the Koran and the Bible, however, all such things are not relevant to God's challenge, which is: the power to predict people's actions.
--Again, we are not speaking about my challenge here, but I must remind that we are only putting forward God's challenge.
---Giving a few facts of natural science is not part of the challenge which God gives (in the scriptures above) in order to expose the writing of false prophets ...since God's own predictions are the deeds of specific humans in history. --God is not impressed with such nature and science facts, so it is not part of his challenge.
---Besides, the Bible and the Koran are somewhat equal in regard to natural science "facts," so this science category is basically useless.
---Also, we must realize that man's intellect routinely describes natural and scientific things apart from divine intervention ---and a non-miraculous science book or encyclopedia is much more full of such science facts than either the Bible or the Koran. (And if "predictions" of natural science are good enough, then every day I can predict things like the 360-degree rotation of the earth during the next day).
So, we must forget science-fact "trivia" as a significant criterion.
Finally, we are not looking for so-called "miracles" which deal with mathematical calculations and number-crunching. -- In both the Bible and the Koran, people have figured out various numerical values of letters and sums, and various such things (such as the middle chapter, or verse, etc.), and some people feel such calculations are demonstrations of the "miraculous."
However, such number-crunching is nothing compared to what God requires from a true prophet: he requires prediction of human deeds before they occur in history, ---with accurate fulfillment.
. . . So, since God is not impressed with such number-"miracles," we aren't looking for it here in this article either. It is not significant.
Therefore, concerning true predictions,
What we are looking for (from both the Bible and Koran):
The prediction must have been made well before the historical event which is supposed to fulfill that prediction ---e.g., prediction which is months, or --better yet-- years before the fulfillment. When the event happens in history, only then is the prediction "fulfilled."
The prediction must involve human deeds in history carried out by people who are either not aware that they are fulfilling the prediction, OR the circumstances of the fulfillment must be almost totally outside of the predictor's personal control.
--This is necessary to rule out self-fulfilled predictions.
The predictions of people's deeds must have been given in fairly specific detail, with recognizable identities and/or names of people (like "Pharaoh" or "King Ahab") and/or places involved (like Syria, Israel, Rome or Mecca), and perhaps also including a fairly specific and clear description of the length of time (e.g. the number of years, like "70 years") involved until the fulfillment.
And (of course) the prediction must be accurately fulfilled --because if it is not accurate or it is not fulfilled when the time passes, then it is clearly not prophecy from God, because it is false, and thus the prophet is also false.
With these qualifiers in mind, let us proceed to compare predictions from the Bible and the Koran.
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Predictions In The BIBLE:
Jeremiah preached as a prophet in about 626 B.C., and YHWH (the God of the Bible) declared through Jeremiah that, because of their sins, God would bring King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon against the southern kingdom of Judah to defeat and destroy their land, and to carry them off to captivity in Babylon (and in other nations) for 70 years; But when the 70 years were over, Babylon would be defeated (Jeremiah 25:8-14), and then the Lord (YHWH) would bring the people of Judah out of Babylon (and out of those other nations) and back to their land (Jeremiah 29:10-11).
These predictions qualify as the type of prophecy we are looking for, because it is not a declaration of Jeremiah's own plans which he can self-fulfill. And further, there are six specific predictions listed here:
"King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon" would attack
the people of "Judah"
the "defeat" of Judah by Babylon
Judah's "captivity" in Babylon
for a period of "70 years,"
Judah's restoration back into "their land."
Very importantly, concerning these predictions: The action of taking people captive (which is done by Nebuchadnezzar), as well as the length of the captivity, would be outside the control of the prophet or of the people of Judah.
Fulfillment:
Archaeology and ancient history confirm the precise fulfillment of these six predictions of Jeremiah, because in the year 606 B.C. (20 years after the prophecy), King Nebuchadnezzar's armies subdued Judah, taking thousands of Jews captive to Babylon (and other nations). This captivity process continued (including the fall of Jerusalem in 605 B.C.) until virtually all of the people of Judah were taken captive. (By the way, here's another prophecy: In 595 B.C, Jeremiah also foretold the fall of Babylon to the Medes --in Jeremiah 51:11,28). This Babylonian captivity of Judah lasted until Babylon fell to Medo-Persia (fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy of 595 B.C.). Then Cyrus the Persian King decreed in 536 B.C. that the Jews could return to their land, which many of them did --though not all of them, as it was not promised that all of them would return at that time. Thus, the captivity lasted 70 years --precisely as foretold!
An archaeological find which verifies the historicity of the book of Jeremiah in 606 BC, is the discovery of the Seal of Baruch in 1975. Baruch was the scribe or amanuensis who wrote down the prophecies of Jeremiah. Read more about the Seal of Baruch at: http://home.att.net/~kmpope/SealofBaruch.html
The accurate fulfillment of this multi-faceted predictive prophecy demonstrates that Jeremiah is a genuine prophet who wrote a book of genuine prophecy which gives God's words --and that the God of Jeremiah (YHWH) is truly God, who knows people's actions before they do them, and who manages the course of history.
This is one example of dozens of fulfilled biblical predictions that could be given. ---In fact, a number of additional fulfilled predictions from the Bible are described on this WorldView_3 website at:
Prophetic Predictions Prove the Bible's Authority
Please read the above article, and the many fulfilled predictions it describes.
As an aside: I affirm to my Muslim friends, that if it were to become quite clear that the Koran demonstrates God's power to predict people's future actions (even one-tenth of what the Bible does), then I would feel compelled to consider that the Koran must be true scripture from God.
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Predictions In The KORAN
In this area of study, a book called "The Prophecies of the Holy Qur'an," written by Q.I. Hingora, suggests 22 predictions in the Koran --as generally, among Koranic scholars, there are said to be 22 predictive prophecies in the Koran. (Note: A chapter in the Koran is called a "Sura"). Those 22 predictions are cited as being found in: Sura 2:23-24; 3:10,106,107,144; 5:70; 8:7; 9:14; 15:9,96; 24:55; 28:85; 30:2-4; 41:42; 48:16-21, 27, 28; 54:44-48; 56:1-56; and Sura 110:1-2.
--So, let's look at the first of those 22 predictions:
Sura (chapter) 2:23-24 states:
"And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (If there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true. But if ye cannot -and of a surety ye cannot- then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones, -which is prepared for those who reject Faith."
---Just like this passage from Sura 2 of the Koran, the Bible also has a good number of verses which are predictive in a similar way, such as the passage in Matthew 13:41-42 in which Jesus says, "The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Now, both of the above passages (from Sura 2 and Matthew 13) are predictive, however, neither of them can be used today to determine whether either the Bible or the Koran are authored by God, because the fulfillment would occur at the time of the great judgment at the end of world history. -- Neither of these can be fulfilled yet.
----Therefore, the above Koranic passage (as well as the Bible passage in Matthew) does not qualify as fulfilled prediction which would indicate that the Koran is truly inspired words from God, because it is a declaration of what Allah will ultimately do to people after they die, or after the end of world history. It is not now verifiable from facts of history available today.
More Suras:
Similar to the above two passages (from Sura 2 and Matthew 13), out of the 22 Koranic predictions cited above, most of them declare the final destiny of non-believers (divine judgment and punishment) and/or the destiny of Muslim believers (divine reward and blessing) at the end of world history and in eternity...
...to be specific: Of the 22 predictions cited, the Koranic predictions of divine judgment and blessing at the end of history are found at: Sura 2:88-89; Sura 3:10, 106, 107, 144; Sura 8:7; Sura 9:14; Sura 28:85; Sura 48:16-21, 28; Sura 54:44-48; and Sura 56:1-56.
-- Please look up each reference, and read each one carefully.
--These Koranic verses refer to events in the future. So, they have not yet happened in history; therefore, they do not qualify as predictions which have been fulfilled.
--In the same manner, there are similar predictions from the Bible (concerning not-yet-fulfilled judgment and blessing) which also do not yet qualify as historically fulfilled predictive prophecy. Some of these not-yet-fulfilled prophecies are found at: Psa. 9:7-8; 9:9-10; 96:13; Ezek. 38:1-39; Zech. 14:1-21; Matt. 12:36-37; 13:43; 24:14,31; 25:41-16; Jn. 3:36; 5:28-29; 6:39-40; Rom. 2:5-8, 16; 8:18-25; 2Cor. 5:10; 1Thes. 4:14-17; 2Thes. 1:9-10; 2:8; Heb. 10:27; 11:13-16; Rev. 14:9-11; 20:10-15 and Rev. 21:1-22:5. ---These predictions refer to future events. So, these items do not yet verify that these writers of the Bible are true, nor that the Bible is truly from God. -- We must look elsewhere.
The problem is this: None of these sorts of passages from the Koran or the Bible are any more adequate than the passages cited from Matthew 13 and Sura 2, because they are not yet fulfilled. Even if they supposedly will be true, the fulfillment is future to us today, and therefore, they do not (yet) verify the divine origin of the book they are in --either the Bible or the Koran. Such verses (from both the Bible and the Koran) are inadequate for the purpose of proving authorship by God. They do not (yet) demonstrate the working of divine power to predict events ahead of time, so as to indicate a divine origin for the book they are in. In light of such passages we cannot assume that either Allah or YHWH may have the power to do any such thing as judge, punish or reward people, unless there is demonstrable evidence of divine power to prophetically predict the deeds of specific people in specific places during a specified time-frame (like the Bible prophecy of Jeremiah given above).
More Suras
Some people have said that predictive prophecy is found in Sura 5:70, which states: "We took the covenant of the Children of Israel and sent them apostles, every time, there came to them an apostle with what they themselves desired not - some (of these) they called impostors, and some they (go so far as to) slay."
--The problem here is: there is not even a future-tense verb in this sentence. It must be considered history, and thus, there is no prediction in it. --This passage is very similar to Matt. 24:37, where Jesus said: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." This Bible verse is also history, without prediction in it. ---Despite the clear similarities of these two verses from the Koran and the Bible, neither one of them is predictive, and thus, neither one is useful for our purposes in trying to demonstrate the presence of the power of God to predict future events, which would be evidence that the speaker is a true prophet or that book is from God.
Sura 15:9 says, "We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)." --So, here we find a promise to guard the message of the Koran. This verse is fairly similar to the declaration of Jesus in Mat. 24:35, when he said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." --With the admittedly predictive nature of both of these passages, neither one can yet be said to be truly and completely fulfilled, since we have not yet reached the final consummation of history, where God finally confirms the eternal nature of his word --therefore neither passage can yet be said to be fulfilled, nor can they yet be cited as demonstrating the power of God to predict the future.
Going on... Sura 41:42 (which makes a statement about the Koran similar to Sura 15:9) says: "No falsehood can approach it from before or behind it: It is sent down by One Full of Wisdom, Worthy of all Praise."
This statement is also not predictive prophecy of a specific future event, but rather it is a theological assertion --and many of the very same sort of assertions are found in the Bible as well.
If the issue in these two verses is said to be the preservation of the writing from any corruption, then both Christians and Muslims have a good deal to say about the supposed corruption of each other's books ---therefore (for the purposes of this article) we must "call it equal" for now, and we must let the present form of both books (as found in the original languages of the Koran --Arabic, and of the Bible --Hebrew/Greek) speak for themselves. If either the Bible or the Koran are actually corrupted words of God, then they would manifest even less of God's power to be accurate and true, and a corrupt text would be less able (or unable) to predict the future. --So, let's proceed.
Sura 15:96 is a warning against adopting another god besides Allah. Of course, this warning stands to reason, assuming the Koran's Allah is truly God. However, the Bible has virtually the same sort of statements about YHWH-God ---and neither statements in the Koran nor the Bible are predictive prophecy which shows the power of God to predict the future, so, we must go on.
Sura 24:55 says that Allah has promised to bless (with land? and inheritance?) those who believe, and to establish the authority of their religion and give them security and peace. --This "prediction" might seem to be fulfilled in some sense, but it is quite general, since it does not clearly or specifically name the person(s) who will be blessed nor the specific land-mass they will inherit: Is it every Muslim? What is the specific name of the land? How soon will they have peace and security, and how long will it last? --It is because of these unclear and non-specific qualities of this "prediction" in Sura 24, that therefore, it does not qualify as predictive prophecy which is specific enough that we can confirm it from history. --The Bible has many such promises as well.
--Besides, if you are just talking about the amount of land and wealth controlled by nations where a certain religious persuasion predominates, then Christianity comes out on top.
Sura 48:27 is thought to be a prediction that the "Prophet" (Mohammed) would enter the "Sacred Mosque" (the Ka'aba) to worship... however this "prediction" is conditional, using the phrase "if Allah wills." That is a very big "if." --Whatever the result, it is "if" Allah wills.
Thus, it wouldn't matter whether Mohammed did or did not enter the Mosque to worship, one could say this is "prediction" is fulfilled either way, because that could be said to be what Allah willed. This makes it a failsafe prediction. It can't fail. It can't be proven false either way.
Therefore, Sura 48:27 is not true predictive prophecy, since it can't fail and be shown to be false.
Sura 54:44-48 may be seen as a threatened militant action by one group of people against a group of "unbelievers," which some take to be the people of Quraish. If this happened in history, however, it would not be a prophecy, but an action which humans planned to do, and then carried out. This would be a self-fulfilling prediction (or threat), and not a predictive prophecy.
If we can call it predictive prophecy when militant leaders give "pep-talks" to their followers (or "threats" to their foes), then all of the US Generals who led troops to conquer opposing armies in World War II, are "prophets." --But no. They are not. --There are probably more such declarations in the Koran, and there are similar human threats and statements in the Bible too, but such declarations are not clearly predictive prophecy either book, ...so, we must go on.
Similarly, Sura 110:1-2 promises help and victory from Allah. --And again, this promise may be seen as being generally fulfilled in many lives, but it is too general because it does not name specific people or nations or time-frames; and the Bible also has many such promises which could be cited... but neither in the Koran nor in the Bible do such promises qualify as specifically predictive prophecy to demonstrate that they are truly from God.
The Best Koranic Possibility:
Of the 22 predictions presented by Hingora for acceptance, we are left with one last Koranic passage, Sura 30:2-3, which says:
"The Roman Empire has been defeated in a land close by; but they, (even) after (this) defeat of theirs, will soon be victorious within a few years."
---Now, of all the proffered predictions from the Koran, this one from Sura 30 comes the closest to being a specific prediction, because it nicely names the people involved (the "Roman Empire"), and what will happen (they will be victorious), and approximately when ("within a few years"). This passage refers to the time when the Persians (under Khusran Parvis) defeated the Byzantine Romans in Syria (in A.D. 615). However, there are a few problems which seem to disqualify this passage as a significant predictive prophecy:
FIRST: The most serious problem may be that the statements in Sura 30 seem to merely be history, and not a prediction, because Mohammed was alive and still producing Koranic verses for several years after the time of the suggested Roman defeat and/or victory in history.
We know this is the case, because Mohammed died in 632 A.D. at the age of 63. According to Al-Baizawi's commentary, the Byzantine Romans were evidently victorious over Persia in 628 A.D., and so, Mohammed was alive four years after that victory ---therefore, Mohammed could easily have learned of the victory, and then have dictated these verses of Sura 30 a year or two after the event. This would make Sura 30 history, not a prediction.
In fact, according to Mohammed's actual words, he wrote that "the Roman Empire has been defeated..." --and the tense of this statement is in the past. Thus, by Mohammed's own word-use, Mohammed is directly stating that the defeat of the Roman Empire is a past event for him. Surely, we must take Mohammed's own words as carrying more weight than the opinions of any commentators. -- Therefore, this defeat of the Romans is history in the Koran, not a prediction.
---With regard to a Roman "victory," another account indicates that there may have been a Roman victory in 624 A.D., and in such a case, Mohammed would have had eight years in which to learn of the victory and then to dictate this part of Sura 30. Therefore, this would not be a prediction in Sura 30, but a statement of history. Indeed, biographers indicate that Mohammed was still producing Koranic verses in the year 632 --therefore, it is very likely that these verses of Sura 30 may only be history, and not predictions at all.
SECOND: It is a very safe bet that in "a few" years the Romans would be "victorious" in some battle somewhere, since they were fighting several battles during every given year. At least one victory would seem almost 100% sure to happen within the space of nine years. (Mohammed himself stated that what was meant by the "small number" or "a few years" is between three and nine years, according to Al-Baizawi in his commentary). --But, amazingly, although a few people say there was supposedly a victory within nine years, but this is doubtful, as Al-Bazawi's commentary indicates that a Byzantine Roman victory over Persia was actually in A.D. 628 (which was thirteen years later). --Not only that, but (as was mentioned in the first point) Mohammed probably already knew about the Roman victory.
So, the problem is: the Sura 30 prediction is virtually a sure bet. --It is much like saying that the British soccer team will win a game during the next season. This is also much like the mummification of a pharaoh, which is also almost a sure bet, which Mohammed most likely already knew about. ---Is such a safe "prediction" supposed to be significant? Why should anyone be impressed with it? --Therefore, Sura 30:2-3 most probably is history, and isn't a prediction at all.
OTHER SUGGESTED KORANIC PREDICTIONS:
In other places, other predictions have been suggested:
SURA 4:119
This Sura states, "they shall slit the ears of the cattle, and most certainly I will bid them so that they shall alter Allah's creation" (Shakir Translation). -- This is said to be a prediction of genetic engineering.
In context, however, this verse is talking about "slitting the ears of cattle" and such "defacing of nature" (Yusufali Translation). --But this is not nearly a description of "genetic engineering," but is the common actions of farmers.
---Actually, men have always "altered" and "defaced" nature, with activities such as branding, tattooing, tagging, cutting, stabbing, killing, burning and many such activities ---therefore, no clearly specific prediction is here in Sura 4:119, but this verse only describes man's usual activities with animals since very ancient times.
SURA 10:92
Some think there is a fulfilled prediction in the 10th Sura of the Koran, which speaks about the Pharaoh who pursued Moses and the people of Israel (at the time of the biblical Exodus). In words spoken to that Pharaoh, Sura 10:92 states: "This day We save you in your body, that you may be a portent for those after you."
There are basically a couple of ways to understand this verse, which make a difference as to its possible fulfillment.
Many Koranic interpreters think that Sura 10:92 is saying that Pharaoh's "body" would be "saved" --or preserved (mummified)-- for future generations.
This interpretation is very problematic, though, because if the prediction means that the Pharaoh's body was going to be "saved" (preserved) by mummification, then this is not significant prediction, because virtually all the bodies of Egyptian pharaohs were mummified. Such a "prediction" would be very safe to make, since it would have nearly a 100% chance of being fulfilled. It's a "sure bet." Since Mohammed lived in Medina (in western Saudi Arabia) --along a popular trade-route from Egypt-- Mohammed surely knew about the practice of mummifying pharaohs in Egypt, and so, this "saving" of a pharaoh's body through mummification would not even be a prediction, but the mere statement of an assured historical event
---in fact, I myself can safely make the same quality of "prediction" right now by saying: "President John F. Kennedy, we save you in your body" ...and my "prediction" is "fulfilled" because the embalmed (mummified) body of John F. Kennedy now lies preserved (or "saved") in it's grave --and as a result, this "prediction" of mine is just as significant as that of Sura 10:92.
Some Koranic interpreters think Sura 10:92 indicates that Pharaoh was "saved" by not being drowned in his attempt to stop and capture the Israelites ---however, Suras 28:40, 17:103, and 43:55 contradict such an idea, indicating that Pharaoh was drowned, by stating: "Therefore We seized him and his hosts and abandoned them unto the sea... But We drowned him and those with him, all together... And [We] drowned them, everyone."
A related question is: The verse does not merely say that Pharaoh's body would be saved, but it says to Pharaoh that "you" will be saved "in your body." This must mean that Pharaoh's "self" or "person" or "soul" was going to be saved in his body on that day, ...but Suras 28:40, 17:103 and 43:55 clearly state that he himself was not saved on that day, but was drowned.
Another View: The Cairo Museum (in Egypt) is in possession of a mummy which may be that of the Pharaoh Merneptah (the son of Ramesses II), and many Muslims think that the display of this mummy fulfills Sura 10:92. However, again, this is just another mummified Pharaoh among many that were made by Egyptians. It is not a significant prediction. And if the mummy in Cairo is the body of Merneptah, then that mummy is most probably not even the pharaoh of Moses' time at the Exodus anyway. This is quite clear, since Merneptah's forces went up to "Canaan" to attack "Israel," which is stated in the last section of the Merneptah Stele. Some of the best scholarship today indicates that the exodus under Moses was some 50 years earlier than Merneptah, and that the pharaoh of Moses' day was actually Ramesses II. --Nahum Sarna (professor emeritus of biblical studies at Brandeis University) says that the exodus story "cannot possibly be fictional," and since the Old Testament chronology may well be viewed as "schematized" round numbers, the exodus should most likely be placed in the days of Ramesses II, and there is good archaeological support for this (ref: "Is The Bible True?", by Jeffery Sheler, Zondervan, 1999).
For more about this, read about David Rohl's new Egyptian chronology.
In light of all the facts available, it does not appear that there is a fulfilled prediction in Sura 10:92. Most seriously, a totally "safe" prediction (such as the mummification of a pharaoh) is not a significant prediction.
SURA 16:8
This Sura states: "And (He made) horses and mules and asses that you might ride upon them and as an ornament; and He creates what you do not know" (Shakir Translation). ---This is said by some to predict new "transport systems" (such as cars and planes?).
This "prediction" is a very general statement of what God does all the time in bringing about new things we don't yet know about (and it's not even stated in the future tense), however, it is not specific enough to qualify as a verifiable prediction for this article.
SURA 17:4-10
In this Sura, the Koran talks about "the children of Israel," (v.4) which is obviously the Jews. The verses state that because of the evil done by the children of Israel, they were attacked by enemies, and their faces resultantly disfigured. This is history which is obviously true, as the Bible records many such instances, and the Jews don't deny this history either.
Then, in Sura 17:8 it declares to Israel: "but if ye revert (to your sins), We shall revert (to Our punishments)."
Now, this is a general sort of prediction ...but it is the sort of predicted punishment which God (YHWH) in the Bible often threatened against Israel (as well as other people) if they were evil and refused to repent and obey God. Such consequences were threatened (and predicted) in Deuteronomy 28:15-26; Joshua 23:15-16; and Malachi 2:2; and there are many more... but these sort of predictions are not specific enough to say that they have been clearly fulfilled. -- Likewise, the prediction in Sura 17:8 is also only general.
--- Some readers of the Koran say that this Sura 17 contains a prediction of Hitler's holocaust, but actually, if one reads what is directly stated, it is only "punishment" in general which is threatened, and this Koranic prediction is not a clearly identifiable prophecy in which we can see a time or a place here on earth, or a specifically named people (such as Hitler, or Nazis, or Germany) who will do the punishing. We couldn't pinpoint a specific fulfillment.
... We find no clearly specific prediction in Sura 17:8.
SURA 17:104
The Koran in Sura 17:104 states: "And after him We said to the Children of Israel, Dwell Ye in the promised land; and when the time of the promise of the Latter Days come, We shall bring you together out of various people."
This is actually a good and valid prediction, because it specifically mentions who will be brought together (Israel), and to where they will be gathered (the promised land), and when it will happen (the Latter Days), and from where they will be gathered (out of various people).
--However, the problem is: Basically this identical prediction had been made first by the Bible (in such places as Isaiah 11:10-12; Jeremiah 23:3-8; 30:3-11; Ezekiel 37:11-28; 38:8; and Luke 21:23-24), and Mohammed probably knew about this fact from the Bible, since he discussed the Bible extensively with both Jews and Christians in Medina. Therefore, this is not a prediction which can be credited to the Koran, but Mohammed was only repeating a prediction from the Bible which it repeats several times.
Besides all this, the reading for Sura 17:104 is not actually as clear as the translation given above, since this Koranic verse (as translated by Abdullah Yusufali) may be better translated to read: "And We said thereafter to the Children of Israel, 'Dwell securely in the land (of promise)': but when the second of the warnings came to pass, We gathered you together in a mingled crowd."
-- Suddenly the "prediction" is more murky and nebulous.
SURA 22:26-27
The words of the Koran in Sura 22:26-27 state:
"Behold! We gave the site, To Abraham, of the (Sacred) House [That is the Kaaba that he built], (Saying): 'Associate not anything (In worship) with Me; And sanctify My House For those who compass it round, Or stand up, Or bow, or prostrate themselves (Therein in prayer). And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways."
(...the words in brackets and parentheses are added by Koranic interpreters).
These two verses from Sura 22 are thought to indicate that Mohammed predicted the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca to the Kaaba, and according to Sahih Bukhari the Kaaba was built by Abraham (read Bukhari, Vol. 4, No. 584.
The problem with this whole picture is that there is no historical confirmation that Abraham ever went to Mecca or even into the Arabian Peninsula! Abraham originated from Ur of Chaldea (in today's Iraq), and he migrated to Canaan (today's Israel) in approximately the year 2000 B.C. ---no one has ever supplied credible evidence that Abraham was ever near Mecca. In fact, there is no evidence that the Kaaba even existed in 2000 B.C.! . . . And also, in fact, the "Kaaba" is not specifically mentioned by name in the Arabic text, but readers only imply that it is, which is why the Kaaba is only mentioned inside of the brackets: [... Kaaba ...]. It is not in the original Arabic text.
So, in light of demonstrable historical facts, and in view of the actual Arabic text, there is no confirmation that the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca was correctly predicted (or predicted at all) in these verses.
SURA 30:41
This Sura states, "Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have wrought" (Shakir Translation).
---This verse is said by some to predict pollution (of the environment?).
However, this probably refers to evil "mischief" or "corruption" of mankind in general; it is not specific. And since the verb is in the past tense, it cannot be a prediction anyway, but a commentary on historical behavior of men.
SURA 42:29
This Koranic verse states: "And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the living creatures that He has scattered through them: and He has power to gather them together when He wills" (Yusufali Translation).
---This is said by some to predict encounters with extra-terrestrial life.
However, there has been (as yet) no verified encounter with intelligent life from outer space, and if this is a true meaning of this Koranic verse, it has not happened.
---Not only that, but there is no evidence that intelligent extra-terrestrial life even exists ---nor even solid evidence that microbial life exists anywhere out in space.
And more important than all this, this 29th verse only states what Allah has the power to do ---it does not use the future tense to predict what will happen. --It is not a prediction.
SURA 51:7
This verse is one in which the prophet (or Allah) is avowing "by the Sky with (its) numerous Paths" (Yusufali Translation)
---and this is thought by some to predict modern air-traffic systems for airplanes.
However, it is not at all clear what these "paths" (or "tracks") in the sky (or "heavens") actually are. One might say they are migrational paths of various kinds of birds known to mankind for centuries. One might say that they are the paths of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars... all commonly known to mankind for millennia.
Besides all that, there is not a future tense verb in which an actual prediction is made ...so, we find none there.
SURA 54:1
We read the words: "The Hour (of Judgement) is nigh, and the moon is cleft asunder." (Sura 54:1).
It is said that this is a prediction that the moon would "split." There is discussion among Muslims about the meaning of this verse, and some say this verse speaks of the phases of the moon. --IF it does indicate lunar phases (such as the quarter-moon and half-moon), then this is not prediction, but a mere description of the regularly occurring natural cycle of lunar motion. Anyone who is observant can make many such "predictions" any day, such as predictions about earth rotation or the tides or seasons.
Others say that this verse indicates a time when the moon will physically be split by means of a rock fault through the moon. Such an idea is debated, however, because since the time the Koran was written no one has ever shown that the moon has actually "split" by a rock-fault which passes through a large portion of the moon.
Now, some have suggested that the retrieval of moon-rocks back to earth by human astronauts has "split" the moon, and fulfills this Koranic prediction ---however, such an idea is laughable, and seems to be a desperate attempt to look for almost anything which might be seen as a "fulfillment" of Sura 54:1. To pick up a rock off of the moon does not split the moon, any more than picking up a rock off the earth splits the earth.
Finally, it is important to note, that the word "Judgment" (added in parenthesis) in the verse indicates the split will happen at the time of the Judgment, at the end of history-- therefore, this prediction cannot yet be fulfilled, because the day of Judgment has not yet come.
---At any rate, the moon has not yet split.
SURA 81:2,3,5,7
As we read Sura 81, we see that it is actually about great and awesome events of upheaval and judgment at the end of world history (as we know it), when the "stars fall" (81:2), and when the "mountains vanish (or move)" (81:3), and people (and animals) are "brought together" or "sorted out" for a time of trouble and judgment (81:7). -- (By the way, the Bible predicted just these sorts of things, and Mohammed read about them first in the Bible ...before the Koran was written).
Sura 81 states that this will also be a time "when she-camels are abandoned" (81:4), and some people want to maintain that this abandoning of camels is a prediction of the invention of new transport systems such as automobiles, trains and planes.
But a prediction of new transportation methods is not at all clear here, and it is a very unlikely way to understand verse 4. Very few would agree that this is what is intended in this verse. --Rather, it must be saying that these horrendous events at the end of the world will undoubtedly cause people to abandon prized possessions, such as herds, etc. --This sounds correct.
But the end of world history has not yet come ...and we cannot use these verses in Sura 81 to demonstrate the power of prediction in the Koran.
SURA 111
Sura 111 contains 5 verses which speak about a man named "Abu Lahab," who is predicted to "perish" and to wind up in the flames --possibly the flames of hell? --or perhaps did this mean he would die in literal earthly flames?
The problem is this: The fact that a man will die (perish) is not a significant prediction, because everybody dies.
And then, the idea that a man has wound up in hell is not something that we can now prove or demonstrate as being true. --Perhaps Abu Lahab is not in hell. Perhaps he is in hell. But who saw him there? --At this point in history no man on Earth can prove it one way or the other.
Therefore, Sura 111 does not contain a significant prediction which can demonstrate that there is predictive power in the Koran.
Muslims in Hell
Going beyond the discussion about Abu Lahab, the Koran actually says that all Muslims will go to hell, and further, it does not promise or guarantee than any of them will necessarily ever get out of it. -- This is stated as follows:
There will be no one of you who will not enter it (Hell).
This was an inevitable decree of your Lord.
Afterwards he may save some of the pious, God-fearing Muslims out of the burning fire.
- - - Sura 19:71-72
So, perhaps some pious Muslims will escape hell. --Maybe. But maybe not. Allah "may" leave every last one in eternal hell-fire.
I, for my part, am delighted to have Jesus Christ as my great and powerful savior, because no one who truly trusts in him will ever experience any of hell, and there are multiple guarantees that there is "no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). -- There is no condemnation now, nor in the future, in hell. Ever.
Why is this? Because Christians are such good people? No. It is because Jesus was the sinless lamb of God, who paid the death-penalty for our sins, and rose from the dead to give us eternal life, so that any one who truly trusts in him personally (and loves and obeys him as his Lord and divine Authority) will never perish (nor go to hell), but will have eternal life with God in heaven (John 3:16).
That is such a great salvation! It is beyond compare!
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Note: If anyone is aware of other Koranic references for a possible fulfilled predictions other than those discussed above, please let me know! ...I'll check into it with interest.
Another Note: Some people feel that there are statements in the Hadiths (Commentaries on the Koran) which are possibly fulfilled predictions, --however, the Hadiths are not considered to be actual Scripture from God, so the Hadiths will not come into consideration in this article.
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CONCLUSIONS
It is fairly clear that the Bible manifests the attribute of having many specifically fulfilled prophetic predictions, which constitutes powerful evidence that the Bible truly originates from true prophets of the true almighty God. The Bible meets the challenge which God (YHWH) set out: To predict events of human history. --- In contrast, however, there does not seem to be a single specific prediction of human history in the Koran which is unique and original to the Koran and was not found in the Bible first (such as some end-time judgment concepts). This lack of predictive power is an announcement that the Koran does not clearly demonstrate God's power and authority within its pages. It fails to meet God's challenge.
What's more, when the Bible's predictive prophecies by comparison are pulled into the discussion, the failure of the Koran to demonstrate such power of truly being authored by the true God stands out even more. --This situation is glaringly exhibited when one compares it to something like the amazing accuracy of the predictive prophecy of Jeremiah (cited above) concerning the 70-year captivity of Judah in Babylon, which ended right at 70 years!
Similar to Jeremiah's 70-year prophecy, the prophet Daniel accurately predicted the year (hundreds of years in advance) in which the Messiah (Jesus of Nazareth) would be ministering! --and if you want to study that particular prediction more in depth, as well as additional fulfilled predictions from the Bible, they can be found on a page on this website, entitled:
Prophetic Predictions Prove the Bible's Authority.
Concerning the evident inaccuracy of the prediction in Sura 30:2-4, it seems to be very significant evidence which disqualifies Mohammed as a true prophet of God. It might be possible that Mohammed never actually intended to be considered a prophet, nor that the Koran was to be thought of as scripture, but that Mohammed just wanted to write commentary and human opinions about God, so that the Koran may be considered to be a history, or great prose and poetry, and a religious commentary, however, it cannot be said to be actual scripture with the true words of God.
Because of its fulfilled prophetic predictions, it is the Bible which stands high and exalted as truly originating from God, and it is YHWH of the Bible who distinguishes himself as being the true and living Almighty God! It is the Bible which can be trusted to describe who God truly is, what he is like, and what his requirements for salvation actually are. He is the one who sets out the challenge for anyone else to foretell the future.
I am aware that many speakers of the Arabic language --including Arab Christians-- use "Allah" as the noun which means "God" in a generic sense, however, because of the absence of predictive prophecy in the Koran, we would have to say that the Koran does not give evidence of being able to accurately or fully reveal who "Allah" truly is, but instead one must go read the true prophets in the Bible in order to know who "Allah" really is. We must conclude that "Allah's" true personal name is "YHWH," the tri-une God of the Bible.
If we consider that both the Koran and the Bible make claims to be protected and preserved from significant falsehood and corruption, we must rule in favor of the one book (the Bible) which repeatedly demonstrates the mighty power of God to predict specific events in the future, and therefore it would logically be the book which would also have God's power behind it to protect it from corruption!
...Please read about a supposed Corruption of the Bible.
The Koran does accept the Bible as being true revelation from God (and so it should), however, the Bible's standard rejects the Koran as revelation from God because the predictive power of God is not present there.
---So I commend to you, dear reader, the only true and tested Word of God: The Bible. Heaven and Earth may pass away, but it will never pass away (Mat. 24:35) ...and we can trust these words from Jesus, because he gave a prophetic prediction (among other predictions) that he would be resurrected after being dead for three days (Mat. 12:40 + 16:21) ...and resurrect he did! (Click here to read evidence).
DIFFERENCES IN TEACHING
Now, when we compare the teachings of the Koran and the Bible, we encounter some significant differences and conflicts in teaching, such as the Koranic idea that Jesus of Nazareth did not die on the cross for people's sins, whereas the Bible clearly says that Jesus did die for the sins of those who trust and believe in him (Rom. 5:8).
People wonder which one to believe? --The Koran or the Bible?
Well, after considering the determinations of fulfilled prophetic predictions outlined above, the rational thinker must clearly rule in favor of the Bible's teaching over anything else, and reject any un-proven writing which contradicts the Bible, because the Bible is the only religious book on Earth which demonstrates the true prophetic power of God to accurately predict the future deeds of specific people in specific places during specific periods of time. YHWH-God said that we should not respect the authority or "fear" any supposed "prophet" who INcorrectly predicts the future, but rather, we should reject that man, because he is a false prophet.
A CHALLENGE:
In light of all of this (and in line with God's challenge at the beginning of this article) I offer a challenge anyone to give me from the Koran THREE fulfilled predictions that are comparable to the prediction in Jeremiah cited above (with fairly specific predictions as to person and/or place and time, as described in this web-page). The Bible has several dozen such fulfilled predictions, and I offer congratulations to the first person who can find three such fulfilled Koranic predictions... and I will definitely seriously re-consider whether the Koran may actually be from God.
--- (The first order of business must be the apparent false prophecy of Sura 30, which was not fulfilled within the time that Mohammed gave... unless Sura 30 is said to be history, and not prophecy at all.)
Note: If any prophecy is found in the Koran which is virtually and essentially the same as a predictive prophecy from the Bible, then that Koranic prophecy must be regarded as having been copied and originally coming from the Bible (so it cannot be credited to the Koran as a prediction), because the Bible is hundreds of years older than the Koran, and it is well known that Mohammed studied and discussed the Bible with both Christians and Jews in Syria and Medina (Read about this by clicking here or here or here). The fact that Mohammed was not ignorant of the Bible explains why some Koranic prophecies, such as the end of history and final judgment, are quite similar to the Bible.
(For the time being, the only acceptable Koranic wording for this discussion will come from the three English translations of the Koran, which are linked to at the top of this article.)
* * *
REMEMBER: ...You, dear reader, are valuable and loved by God, and that's why Jesus Christ came! May God bless you and enable you to come to know his great love and forgiveness through God who took on a human body (Jesus), and then died for our sins (Romans 5:8 and 1Peter 3:18) to pay the death-penalty for sins which God requires (Romans 6:23), so that we could become honorary "adopted sons" of God, if we will only trust and believe in this wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus.
anonymous....could you say that in a paragraph? your point is....?
1Peter 3:21 Baptism doth now save us.
Gal. 3:27 all of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ
Acts 22:16 be baptzed and wash your sins away
the GOSPEL is the power of God unto salvation.Rom. 1:16
The Bible emphasizes the truth that Christ died for sin, and faith in HIM brings salvation. But the Bible also says that baptism saves and the Gospel )the good news, the message) saves.--not becuse one is 'associated' with it, but because the Lord puts a promise through the Gospel and through Baptism. Yes. on can be saved without being baptized, but one is saved only through the word, the message, the good news about Christ as Savior. how can they believe without a preacher, without a 'sent one' with the message of salvation....either through a person or through the written word, or radioed, or televised word?
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