Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Book Review: The Gospel for Muslims by Thabiti Anyabwile

Let me start by saying that I know even reading the title of this book will offend a lot of people.  It's offensive to them because of the implications.  This book implies that without trusting in Jesus to save us from our sins, we are hell-bound in a very real and literal sense.  To be honest, this has been the most difficult thing about being a Christian for me.  It's hard to come to grips with the fact that not everyone will experience the gift of eternal life.  Though this is a serious issue, it is not one I will deal with here.

For those of you who are Christians and understand the Biblical mandate for world missions, this is a book you will appreciate.  Anyabwile is a former Muslim who discovered that Islam just doesn't answer the ultimate questions of reality and purpose.  His story gives credence to his words, because he studied the Qu'ran for years and has a breadth of knowledge of the foundations upon which Islam is built.  

Anyabwile begins by reminding us that the gospel doesn't change just because we are speaking to a Muslim.  We don't really present it any differently, because Muslims, just like everybody else, need Jesus. Our God is unchanging, as is the gospel.  The difference lies in how we approach the use of scriptures, and the angle from which we even begin the conversation.  

The book takes you through several foundational principals of Islam and how they are in contrast with the gospel of Christ.  For example, many people wrongly believe that God of the Bible and Allah are the same.  Muslims deny the reality of the Trinity, that is, that God is one is essence but three in person as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  To deny this truth is to deny God Himself.  The Muslim faith is in opposition to the Trinity, thus refuting the idea that the God of the Bible and Allah are one in the same.

Anyabwile encourages Christians to share their faith with sincerity and love to everyone, not just Muslims.  We have the truth of God, and that cannot be kept hidden.  The salvation we have received is something to be shared!  When you have any kind of good news, your natural reaction is to want to tell someone about it.  The same should hold true for us as we share our faith.  Reading this book will help you see the simplicity and the necessity of doing just that.


Quotes from the book

"Often Christians place incredible pressure on themselves to have 'all the right answers' and to say 'just the right thing.'  I often think that that kind of pressure is a mixture of godly desire to help others and a serious lack of faith in God's ability to use what we do know to minister to others.  Consequently, many Christians never begin to reach out to their Muslim neighbors and friends.  We doubt our own ability and doubt that God can use us." (P. 47)


"Maybe the best way for Christians to build friendships with Muslim neighbors is to host them in our homes.  We may reach the world for Christ by simply reaching across our picket fences or crossing the street and then inviting them into our dining and family rooms."  (P. 124)


"Much of the Muslim concern about how "Christians" behave comes from equating Christianity with Western culture generally.  Most Muslims don't realize that Christians agonize over Hollywood films, immodesty, promiscuity, drunkenness, violence, misogyny, out-of-control youth culture, and other social ills.  Those things are not the Christian faith.  moreover, many professing Muslims living in lands with greater freedoms also participate in these ills.  The church has her faults, but she should not be blamed for the sinful productions of a fallen culture and more than all Muslims should be blamed for the terrorist actions of a few."  (P. 138)


"Some Muslims appear willing to suffer great things for Islam.  In contrast, many Christians seem unwilling to suffer for Christ."  (P.149)

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