Lesson 12 - Evangelism & Apologetics

Question 1

Discuss some common obstacles that might hinder a Muslim from accepting the truths of Christianity.

Answer 1

• The Bible has been corrupted and only the Quran is reliable
• Muslims consider the claim that Jesus is the son of God blasphemous
• Muslims believe that Christians worship 3 gods and commit the unforgivable sin of shirk
• Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified, because Allah would not allow that to happen
• Muslims think that Christian gospel implies antinomianism
• Muslims closely associate Christianity with morally degenerate Western culture

Question 2

What are some common Muslim objections to Christianity?

Answer 2

• Christians believe in 3 Gods
• The Christian doctrine of the Trinity is illogical
• It is ridiculous and blasphemous to suggest that Allah would have a son
• The apostle Paul was the real founder of Christianity, not Jesus.
• Jesus never claimed to be God and the NT never states that he was God.
• The idea that Jesus was divine was imposed on the church by Emperor Constantine.
• The Bible has changed over the centuries, but the Quran has been perfectly persevered.
• The Bible cannot be trusted since it has been translated and re-translated so many times
• Even Christian scholars like Bart Ehrman admit that Christians have changed the Bible
• The Bible is full of errors and contradictions, which proves that it has been corrupted. (The bible properly interpreted does not have errors)
• Christianity leads to moral degeneracy.
• The prophet Muhammad was foretold in the Bible (Deut. 18:18, John 14:16)
• The Gospel of Barnabas represents the true Gospel (Injil) refereed to in the Quran
• The miraculous perfection of the Quran proves that it is a divine revelation

Question 3

Discuss some of the weaknesses in the Muslim worldview and doctrine.

Answer 3

• Traditional Muslim view of divine transcendence leads to theological agnosticism (All we can know about Allah is his will.)
• The traditional Muslim view of divine justice implies moral arbitrariness and skepticism
• The doctrine of abrogation is inconsistent with divine sovereignty and omniscience. (Why did Allah have to change the Quran)
• Islam suffers from a unresolved tension between divine justice and divine mercy
• The Quran undermines itself by both affirming and contradicting earlier scriptures
• The historical evidence contradicts the claim that the Quran has not changed over time.
• The claim that Jesus was not crucified flies in the face of all historical evidence.
• Q4: 157 implies that Allah is the one responsible for giving Christians their false beliefs.
• The Quran does not merely reject Christian doctrines — it also misrepresents them.