PART 3: The God of the Bible and Allah of the Qur’an

Why They Cannot Be the Same God

A Biblical Examination of Radical Islam, the Identity of Jesus Christ, and the Only Way of Salvation

Part 3 — The Jesus of the Bible and the Jesus of Radical Islam

Why the Identity of Jesus Determines the Identity of God

The central question separating biblical Christianity from Islam is not simply:

“Who is Muhammad?”

The deeper question is:

“Who is Jesus Christ?”

Every religion must answer this question.

Jesus Himself asked His disciples:

> “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15 NASB)

Peter answered:

> “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16 NASB)

Jesus did not correct Peter.

Instead, He said:

> “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17 NASB)

The identity of Jesus is not a minor theological issue.

It is the dividing line between eternal life and eternal separation from God.

The Jesus of the Bible

The Bible presents Jesus Christ as far more than a prophet.

The Scriptures reveal Him as the eternal Son of God who entered His creation to save sinners.

Jesus Is the Eternal Word of God

The Gospel of John begins with one of the clearest declarations about Jesus’ identity:

> “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 NASB)

John then explains:

> “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 NASB)

The Word was not created.
The Word became flesh.
The One who existed eternally with God entered the world as Jesus Christ.

Jesus Is God Revealed in Human Flesh

The Apostle Paul wrote:

> “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.” (Colossians 2:9 NASB)

This is the heart of the Christian faith:

God did not send merely another messenger.

God came near.

The Creator entered His creation.

The invisible God was revealed through His Son.

The writer of Hebrews says:

> “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.” (Hebrews 1:3 NASB)

Jesus perfectly reveals the Father because He shares the Father’s divine nature.

Jesus Is the Creator

The Bible does not present Jesus as part of creation.

It presents Him as the Creator.

John writes:

> “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:3 NASB)

Paul writes:

> “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible…” (Colossians 1:16 NASB)

The Creator cannot simply be another created prophet.

Jesus is unique because He is the One through whom all things were made.

Jesus Received Worship

Throughout Scripture, worship belongs to God alone.

Yet Jesus accepted worship.

When Thomas saw the risen Christ, he declared:

> “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28 NASB)

Jesus did not rebuke him.

He accepted this confession of faith.

The angels worship Him:

> “And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, ‘And let all the angels of God worship Him.'” (Hebrews 1:6 NASB)

Jesus is worthy of the worship that belongs only to God because He is God.

Jesus Has Authority to Forgive Sins

When Jesus healed the paralytic, He first declared:

> “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5 NASB)

The religious leaders understood the significance:

> “Who can forgive sins except God alone?” (Mark 2:7 NASB)

They understood the issue.

Forgiving sins is God’s authority.
Jesus did not merely announce God’s forgiveness.
He personally forgave sins.

Jesus Died for Our Sins

The Bible teaches that Jesus’ death was not an accident.

It was God’s plan of redemption.

Jesus said:

> “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28 NASB)

Peter preached:

> “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” (1 Peter 2:24 NASB)

The cross is the centre of the Christian Gospel.
Without the cross, there is no forgiveness.
Without the resurrection, there is no salvation.

The Jesus Presented by Radical Islam

Radical Islamist movements generally affirm the Islamic understanding of Jesus found in the Qur’an and Islamic tradition.

In that understanding:

Jesus is a prophet.
Jesus is the Messiah.
Jesus is not God.
Jesus is not the Son of God.
Jesus did not die on the cross as an atoning sacrifice.

This creates a fundamental conflict with the New Testament.

The Bible says:

> “The Father loves the Son and has entrusted all things to His hand. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:35–36 NASB)