Assalaam `alaikum

Dear Friend,

Have you ever heard someone say, "My dad can beat up your dad"? And you knew that the strength and ability of the dads had never been taken into account at all; the statement was made simply because it was his dad he was talking about. Sadly, this sometimes occurs in religion. Many times the messages of the prophets that God sent, are rejected simply because he's not "our prophet" from "our people." My heart aches when I see this happening, when I see that the message that God sent through his prophets is not simply rejected but isn't even investigated or is simply investigated in a superficial way.

I believe it is important that we at least consider the qualifications of the prophets God sent. One of the frequent questions that comes up about the prophet Jesus Christ is whether he is God or not. For some this seems to be an absolutely preposterous question. I've heard a couple answers to this question. One is, "No, can the flesh of Jesus be God? God is not flesh; he's spirit." Another is, "Yes, he is the Spirit of God come in flesh as prophesied by the prophets." So what is the reality of these statements and what difference does it make? God is Spirit, not flesh. But Jesus Christ obviously came in the flesh. So, who exactly is Jesus Christ?

If we search carefully what the religions say about this we discover that the Qur'an, Hadiths and the Holy Bible all indicate that Jesus is the only human being who never sinned or even made a mistake. Yet in regard to mere human beings the Holy Bible says that "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Jesus Christ and the prophets before him claimed that he was not merely a human being but was more than a man. Yet has any prophet or religious leader been able to make this claim and authenticate it? I've also learned that the Qur'an says if God were to punish men according to what they deserve, he would not leave a single creature alive on earth. The claim by these two religions that Jesus Christ never sinned nor made a mistake is surely something to take note of. I know many people who know this but sadly they continue to exemplify the attitude of the boys and the dads. If only the Holy Bible made that claim it might seem partial, but that is not the case. Not only the religious holy books but the sign of his unique, miraculous birth points to the authenticity of this fact. We know that when Miriam was astonished to learn how she could be expecting a child, the angel Jibrael said that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and the power of the Most High would overshadow her and as a result Jesus Christ would be a human being of unique origin, power and glory. This is why he could legitimately claim to be "the way, the truth, and the life" for all people.

I did not grow up a follower of Jesus Christ; I became a follower of Jesus. Jesus Christ was not from my people. I did not believe on him because he was my prophet. God convinced me of the sinfulness of my heart. Then he revealed his love to me through Jesus Christ in a way that only the power of a sinless being could. Now I have come to experience his life in me.

Are you listening to what God says about your heart and the power over sin that Jesus Christ has? Jesus said, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gently and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29)

Sincerely,
Your friend, a servant of truth and love.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by IBS. All rights reserved.