Chapter 7: What shall you do with Jesus Christ?
When the chief priests and elders of the Jewish people delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, the governor examined his case.
...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9 - NKJ).
Pilate tried to set him free; he said to the Jews, "I find in Him no fault at all" (John 18:38). The multitudes requested that Jesus must be crucified. At last Pilate asked, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" (Matthew 27:22 - NKJ).
This question is a personal question that you have to ask yourself after reading the previous pages: "What shall I do with Jesus Christ?"
You might answer, I believe in Him as a great prophet, but I do not believe that He is the Son of God, and I do not believe that He was crucified. In that case, Jesus Christ the great prophet will not benefit you. If you reject Him as the Son of God and as your only Savior you will face eternal judgment.
The right decision is: "I trust Him as my Redeemer, I believe that He is the Eternal Son of God, that He died on the cross for me, and I receive Him as my Lord." If you make that decision, you will be saved.
The Bible says:
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36 - NKJ).
A true story is told about a man from Afghanistan. He decided to challenge the Christian preachers. He challenged them on many occasions. He mastered the Arabic language, and studied the expositions of the Quran. Someone gave him a Bible. He began reading the New Testament to find faults in it, so he could challenge the Christians from their book.
He went to Mecca for a pilgrimage. When he came back he decided to study Christianity more deeply.
He found two verses in the Quran which perplexed his mind:
The first verse:
Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own [Scriptures] in the Taurat and the Gospel. (Surat Al- Araf 7:157 - K.F. Holy Quran).
The second verse:
And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: "O Children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah [sent] to you, confirming the Taurat [which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad. But when he came to them with clear signs, they said, ‘This is evident sorcery!’ " (Surat Al-Saff 61:6).
He searched the Bible to see what it says about Muhammad but he found nothing. Then he consulted a Muslim commentary on the Quran. He found that the commentator quoted a verse from the Gospel of John:
And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever (John 14:16).
and on that verse he wrote that the original language of the Gospel is Greek, and in the original Greek the word for comforter was periklutos, which means "Praised One," that praised one is Muhammad, for that is the meaning of his name, and that Christians substituted parakletos for periklutos to remove the reference to the prophet Muhammad. Since he did not know Greek, he consulted a Greek professor, who was teaching in a seminary, about these words. The professor assured him that the word periklutos is not in the Greek text of the Gospel of John. He then explained to him the original Biblical word parakletos, and how the promise of Jesus in John 14:16 was fulfilled by the coming of the Holy Spirit. He also mentioned that Jesus commanded His disciples "not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, ‘which’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now’ " (Acts 1:4,5 - NKJ). He also told him that the Holy Spirit came on the disciples at Jerusalem as they were told by Christ.
He told him that Muhammad is not the Holy Spirit, because he was not a spirit. Moreover, the Holy Spirit according to Jesus’ promise had to come not many days from the day he promised its coming and that the Holy Spirit came ten days after the ascension of Christ. But Muhammad came six hundred years later. The man went to his home and prayerfully opened his New Testament. He found these verses:
If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you (John 14:15-17 - NKJ).
That settled the matter. Muhammad did not abide with the Muslims forever. He died and his grave is in Al Madina. Muhammad was seen, but the Holy Spirit no one can see. Muhammad cannot dwell with anybody or be with anybody all the time.
This is an attribute of God alone.
He also found Jesus Christ’s commission to His disciples:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
He realized that Muhammad could not be the Holy Spirit, because that would make the verse read, "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of Muhammad." This is impossible, because Muhammad was not yet born. In addition, there is no baptism in Islam.
He went back to the Bible.
He found out that the Bible mentions the word "salvation" many times, while the word "salvation" is not mentioned in the Quran. He wanted to know the meaning of salvation.
A Christian preacher told him that salvation means many things.
First, that he would be saved from the wrath of God. Second, that all his sins would be blotted out and totally forgiven.
Third, that he would have a new nature given to him by God. Fourth, that he would be delivered from the power of Satan. Fifth, that when the day of resurrection comes, he would have a glorified body.
He told him that Jesus Christ is the only way for salvation.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
Freedom from the judgment and the wrath of God? That is something he longed for.
He went back to the Quran to examine its teachings about salvation, and found out that the Quran teaches clearly that no human being can escape condemnation and hell, in spite of all his good works:
Man says: What! when I am dead, shall I then be raised up alive?" But does not man call to mind that We created him before out of nothing? So, by thy Lord, without doubt, We shall gather them together, and [also] Satans [with them]; then shall We bring them forth on their knees round about Hell;... Not one of you but will pass over it (literally enter it); this is, with thy Lord, a Decree which must be accomplished (Surat Maryam 19:66-70 - King Fahd Holy Quran).
These verses from the Quran shocked him. He consulted the expositors of the Quran to see how they interpreted them. He found that the great expositor Ibn Kathier recorded this story to explain these verses:
A man named Abu Maisarah used to say before going to bed, "I wish that my mother had not given birth to me"... he used to cry bitterly. When asked why he cried, he answered, "I cry because the Quran tells us that we will enter Hell, but it did not tell that we will come out of it."
He was shocked, he read the verses again with terror, dismay, and disappointment: "There is not one of you but will enter it."
There is no hope to escape Hell.
He turned to the New Testament and read the words of Jesus:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (John 5:24).
He read also the words of the apostle Paul:
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Romans 8:1).
He found out that he could not be saved by his good works or righteous deeds, but by faith in the complete work of redemption Jesus did when he died on the cross.
He read in the book of the prophet Isaiah:
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6 - NIV).
Then he read in the letter of Paul to the Ephesians:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8,9).
He realized that no one can be saved by his good works.
The Holy Spirit opened his eyes to see the glory of Jesus Christ, and to understand His words:
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6 - NKJ).Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)
He was heavy laden, and he found Jesus Christ. He knelt down and confessed his sins and received Him as Savior and Lord and was baptized.
He knew that becoming a Christian meant that he would lose his country, his inheritance, his rights, his family, his friends, in short everything. Then he read the words of the apostle Paul:
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead (Philippians 3:4-11).
These words filled his heart with joy and comfort.
After his conversion, he decided to dig deeper in the Bible. He found in it a great library, the only book inspired by God. He found that the book of Genesis is the book of beginnings. That in that book we can know how man was created and how he fell into sin, and how races and languages were divided (Genesis 11). He found that the book of Ecclesiastes tells that all things under the sun are "vanity of vanities" (Ecclesiastes 1:2). He found in the book Job that God in heaven is the One who controls the affairs of men. He found in the book of Ezekiel the origin of Satan, how he was created and how he fell into sin. He found that the Bible is a book of prophecies, the book of the blessed hope of the second coming of Jesus Christ. He found that there is no marriage in heaven, "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven (Matthew 22:30). He found the magnificent picture of the life to come recorded in the book of Revelation:
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, it is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son (Revelation 21:1-7).
He fell in love with the Bible and felt pity for every Muslim who does not read the Bible. He knew for sure that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, the Last Messenger of God to mankind, and that believing in Him as such is a must for every Muslim because the Quran says:
Say: [Muhammad] "If the Most Gracious had a son, I would be the first to worship" (Surat Al-Zukhruf 43:81)
His search for the truth convinced him that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and should be worshipped.
Dear reader, what shall you do with Jesus?
I pray that you might believe that He is your Savior and Redeemer and receive him as your Lord and as God’s Last Messenger to mankind so that you may have complete assurance of your salvation from the wrath of God and a total confidence that you will spend all eternity with God in his holy, pure heaven:
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness (2 Peter 3:13).
More Materials
For more information about Islam and Christianity
order these books and videos:
- Islam, Muhammad and the Quran
- Is the Messiah God?
- Muslim-Christian Debate in Canada (2 hour video)
- Radical differences between Christianity and Islam (video)
- Basic principles for successful witnessing to Muslims (video)
- Answering Muslims’ Questions and Objections (video)
- The uniqueness of Jesus Christ (video)
From
Blessed Hope Ministry
P. O. Box 2581
Springfield, VA 22152
United States of America
About the Author
Dr. Mikhail is a pastor, journalist, television and radio speaker. He is the author of more than fifty books in Arabic and seven books in English.
Dr. Mikhail has translated several English volumes into Arabic including Survey of the Scriptures, Volume 1, by Dr. Alfred Martin of Moody Bible Institute; Let Us Go Soul Winning, by Dr. Jack Hyles, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Hammond, Indiana; Seven Steps in Salvation, by Dr. M. R. DeHaan, teacher of Radio Bible Class; The Way Back, by Richard W. DeHaan, teacher of Radio Bible Class.
Dr. Mikhail was the president of the General Bible Baptist Council in Egypt for five years. He was professor of homiletics, psychology, and church history at Faith Mission Bible College in Cairo, Egypt, for three years.
Dr. Mikhail holds earned degrees including B.A., M.A. and ThD from International Bible Institute and Seminary.
Prior to moving to the United States, Dr. Mikhail founded and pastored churches in Egypt for thirty-four years. He has preached to thousands in evangelistic campaigns throughout the major cities of Egypt, and Dusseldorf, Germany. He lectured in conferences at the Billy Graham Center of Wheaton College, Illinois; in Jerusalem, Israel, and in many seminars and prophetic conferences in Canada and the United States of America.
Dr. Mikhail pastored Evangelical Bible Church in Fairfax, Virginia, for ten years. He retired in December 1992 to consecrate his time to writing.
Dr. Mikhail debated Imam Ahmad Husein at Northern Virginia Community College, on May 14, 1986. The topic of the debate was the "Crucifixion of Jesus Christ." He also debated Dr. Jamal Badawi, Imam of the Islamic Association of Maritime Provinces in Canada, at Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on February 1, 1988. The topic of the debate was "The Deity of Christ." (A two hour video of the debate is available.
He wrote this book to prove that Jesus Christ is God’s Last Messenger to the world. This book is fully documented and convincing, and submitted with sincere prayer.
GOD’S LAST MESSENGER
First Printing 1998
© Copyright 1998 by Dr. Labib Mikhail
Blessed Hope Ministry
P. O. Box 2581
Springfield, Virginia 22152
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.
Quranic quotations mentioned in this book are from The Glorious Quran Text and Explanatory Translation by Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall; The Quran, The First American Version, by T. B. Irving; and Mushaf Al-Madinah Al-Nabawiyah, King Fahd Holy Quran.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from Dr. Labib Mikhail except in the case of brief quotations in reviews and critical articles.
ISBN 1-890297-07-0
Printed in the United States of America
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