Erland Nord forwarded some things that help reduce conflict / confrontation when they are presented right up front in dicussions. Perhaps these will help others as well:
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These things have been used to reduce the level of conflict initially (though this may or may not be the best way to approach things:)
A. INITIAL "INVITATION" FROM GOD:
Use the Quran 9:111 text: Allah (god, but no name) saves you if you give yourself to him to kill others. Quran 9:5: to force them to observe prayers to Allah until all the world gives in to Islam. Quran 8:39 permits all manner of war to be used in this.
VERSUS
Bible: Romans 6:23: Christ saves you to God (name: YHWH) by giving up His own life, body & blood, for your salvation ... this is a free gift.
B. SUBSEQUENT "SUBMISSION" TO THE LORD:
Allah then calls you to a life of slavery & evil in all forms of war & violence to enforce worship & submission to "Allah."
VERSUS
Christ saves you to a life lived in the freedom & power of the Holy Spirit, to love, & to self-discipline. We are reborn, being changed from the inside. (see John 3; Romans 5:1-5; Galatians 5:1, 6, 13, 22-26).
C. SO THEN:
According to Quran 9:111; 9.5; 8:39, evil pleases "Allah" so he will give you paradise if you give yourself to do evil & harm.
HOWEVER:
Only rightousness pleases the God of the Bible who saves (YHWH, Yeshua = The Lord Saves). For example, in Exodus 20 we see the Ten (10) commandments to be done (see also, Leviticus 18:5). This sacrifice had to be done by Jesus Christ to undo the devil's work (see Genesis 3:15; I John 3:8; Romans 7:13-25; 3:19-31)
D. WHAT IS THE BASIS FOR CLAIMING TO BE GOD & HAVING THE TRUE WORD?
Quran: we can't see God with our physical eyes to check.
Bible: we can go by Jesus' test: the deeds which are seen (John 10:38). We can also ask the one claiming divine power & authority to tell us what will be & what has been from the beginning to the end (see OT prophet Isaiah 41:21-24). In Deuteronomy 18:21-22, the tests include: a prophet is never false. They bear true witness (Deuteronomy 19:15). They direct people to the same God (Deuteronomy 13:1-3) ... thus there must be a correlation between what the Bible says about God & what the "prophet" says. There must be consistence & agreement, not discord (Jeremiah 28:7, 8, 9).
E. _WHO_ SHALL WE SERVE?
The "Allah" of the Quran gives no name, just a claim to being God.
VERSUS:
In the Bible, God is YHWH, Elohim, Adonai, El Shaddai, El Elyon, and many others. He is the Lord who Saves = Yeshua / Jesus. He is God With Us / Imm-anu-El. The Law, the Prophets, & Psalms prove the saving power of God & are preserved true.
Examples of fulfillment in the Bible:
On Christ / Messiah
- At the time of arrival, Roman governors replaced kings & tribes; thus the Kingship belonged to Jesus (Genesis 49:10).
- The place of birth was in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2).
- The time of the Lord's death was prophesied in Daniel 9:24-26.
- The place of the death of Jesus was foretold in Isaiah 46:13: Jerusalem, Zion.
- The Name given is "My Salvation." Christ Jesus means "chosen salvation" or when interpretted, the Lord's appointed salvation & rightousness.
contemplative