Why would you try to convince people with sincere faith that they’re “wrong”?

Every day experts in Marketing try to convince us all of something. Whether we need to change our appearance, up-fit our homes, prioritize our health, vote for a singer or give to the needy it seems everyone has the answer for just what is wrong with our lives. And each of us considers these messages every day by asking ourselves two transactional questions: do I need what they are selling and am I willing to lose the expense if it doesn’t work?

But when a close friend suggests we use her essential oils, or employ her parenting techniques, or prioritize her “self-care” methods, or read her book on spirituality we ask two very different questions: does this person have my best interest in mind and has she uncovered the truth about my problem? We ask these questions because deep down all we want to know is if our friend is telling a truth that can be trusted!

Wounds from a friend can be trusted more than kisses from an enemy. - Psalm 27:6

The difference between “selling” something with an agenda and “testifying” in love can be easily distinguished. When we talk about the Bible to our Muslim friend she should be able to see the authenticity of our concern for her life. She should be able to see that we are trustworthy because we have personally absorbed the Truths we are offering and the benefits are evident: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, humility and self-control.

But more importantly, she should be able to see that we are not concerned with being right or being wrong: we are concerned with Believing What Is True - because the Bible promises us both that the Truth will set us free.

At The Truth Collective we want to ask one very important question of both Muslims and Christians: if what you believe about God is True, then how will anything else offer your friend freedom?

Discussing Truth with “gentleness and respect” (I Peter 3:15) is a wonderful way to prove to our friends we are more concerned with their freedom than in proving someone “wrong”.

I’m a Christian, but I don’t know much about Islam. Should I share my faith?

That depends: how much do you know about your own faith? If you have sincere concern that you and your friend find freedom through Truth then you likely want to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have.

One of the major problems with both Christian and Islamic rhetoric today is too many people are accusing the behaviors of faith-followers without truly examining the sources of their faith systems. The beautiful thing about Truth is that it wants to be found and both the Bible and the Quran suppose to possess it! The problem is, these books are mutually exclusive in their claims: they can’t both be True!

Christians believe God Himself is not a schemer - He wants to be known:

If you abide in my word…you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. - John 8:31-32

So when we pursue Truth with sincere hearts and a sound mind we can be confident the God of all Truth will reveal only what we are capable of understanding. (*If we understood everything about God we’d be presuming ourselves equal to god.)

What’s even more exciting is that the discipline of “apologia” - backing up our ideas with proof - is a healthy medium of exposing unTruths we may subscribe to in our own faith while esteeming the intellect of those with whom we are in discussion.

It’s a good idea to understand the tenants of Islam but it is always important to learn from a practicing Muslim so you can ask thoughtful and respectful questions. Likewise, it’s incredibly important to know the God of the Bible before representing Him to someone else. That doesn’t mean being an expert in theology, it means being an authentic Christ-follower.

So the the real question is: do you know the Truth of who Jesus claims to be and are you prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have?

If you are willing to do the work, The Truth Collective is here to help!

What do Muslims find appealing about Jesus that Christians often overlook?

You are asking the right question! Have you asked it of your Muslim friend? You should!

Don’t forget that Muslims have a deep respect for the person of Jesus. In the Quran, he is listed as the only prophet who lived a perfect life. Furthermore, many Muslims who are sincerely seeking the Truth often have dreams - of Jesus!

But the Quran leaves a rather large part of the story of Jesus absent from its pages. Many stories Christians know well are not told for Muslims. For example, the woman who was caught in adultery and Jesus asks her accusers “let he without sin cast the first stone” (John 7-8). Many of your Muslim friends have likely never heard that Jesus rescued a woman from the shame and humiliation of her sin.

But it’s worth asking ourselves: do we, as followers of Jesus, truly recognize the power of that narrative and the countless others like it? What would it look like to be “set free” by the Truth of this scandalous interaction between Jesus and a woman who was cast out of her culture?

One of the things Christian women often overlook in our own Bibles is the identity of who Jesus says we are through Him. As sinners, as women, as humans we are unrighteous adulterers who cannot come near a perfectly holy God. But, since Jesus paid the price for our shame by willingly giving His own life (certainly an all powerful God didn’t have to substitute Himself for women - but He chose to because He loves us so much!) we are called a “new creation” and “heirs of the King”. We are no longer slaves to sin but free indeed! And the honoring list of who women are just goes on and on and on…

Have you ever truly pondered your identity in Christ? You should - every day! And share this list of Truths with your Muslim friend. You will be amazed at the interpretations and insight she might offer when she compares these Truths to who the Quran claims she is.