Jesus’ Commands – involving Yourself and Others

Enough talking. Here is my grouping of the Commands of Jesus that involve His Commands for the Elect to follow to show their love for our Lord and Savior. I have broken these Commands into three Groups – Fruit of the Holy Spirit, Virtues, and Other Commands - including sin to avoid. In this post, I will start with a portion of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit (which I differentiate from a Virtue, with a Virtue being what a Believer in Christ can do on their own, and the Fruit of the Spirit only being available to Believers by work of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments A classified list of the commandments of Christ follows (from JH Smith, 'New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge', entry for 1 John 2:3) which was developed from Nave's Study Bible, pp. 297-299, and other sources). The redundancy, with verses sometimes in two different lists, is intended. If you have suggestions for making the list better, please share them with me.

 

OUTLINE:

1. Fruit of the Holy Spirit
   
   1. Asceticism;
      
   2. Bless Others;
      
   3. Conflict;
      
   4. Endurance/Perseverance/Patience;
      
   5. Faithfulness/Standing Firm;
      
   6. Fruitfulness;
      
   7. Humility/Meekness;
      
   8. Joy;
      
   9. Love Others (by Actions/Kindness/Goodness)
      
   10. Love Others (Brethren)
       
   11. Love Others (Evangelism)
       
   12. Love Others (Giving/Generosity)
       
   13. Love Others (Mercy)
       
   14. Obedience;
       
   15. Peace;
       
   16. Repentance;
       
   17. Righteousness;
       
   18. Spirit Filled;
       
2. Virtues
   
   1. Chastity;
      
   2. Honesty;
      
   3. Justice;
      
   4. Love Others, Family;
      
   5. Moral Actions;
      
   6. Prepared for Christ's Return;
      
   7. Temperance;
      
   8. Wisdom;
      
   9. Work, Labor.
      
3. Other Commands
   
   1. Baptism/Fasting/Prayer/Tithing
      
   2. Beware of/Guard
      
   3. Commands for You;
      
   4. Confession of Christ;
      
   5. Faith/Belief in God;
      
   6. Forgiveness;
      
   7. Renunciation of sources of temptation/hate sin;
      
   8. Sin – Commandments enjoining / Guard Against;
      

 

Fruit of the Holy Spirit –

1. Asceticism
   

Self-denial, Mt 16:24 (Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.). Mk 8:34 . 10:21 (And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."). Lk 9:23 . 18:22.

Self-discipline, Mt 5:29, 30. Mk 9:45-48 . see Renunciation.

Surrender, Mt 8:22 (And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."). 16:24 (Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.). Mk 10:21 (And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.").

Take up the cross, Mk 8:34.

1. Bless Others:
   

Greeting/Blessing, Lk 10:4, 5. (instructions to the sending out of the 72.] - Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. ⁵ Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' ⁶ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him…)

Salute/blessing, peace on a house as you visit it, Mt 10:12 (As you enter the house, greet it. ¹³ And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.). Lk 10:5 (Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!).

1. 
   Conflict
   

Buy a sword, Lk 22:36. He said to them, "But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.

Sword, buy one, Lk 22:36. But see, Sword, put in its place (avoid conflict), Mt 26:52.

1. 
   Endurance/Perseverance/Patience
   

Endurance, Mt 10:22. and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Mt 24:13. Mk 13:13.

Patience/endurance, Lk 21:19. By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Perseverance, Mt 24:14 (And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.). Jn 15:9 (As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.).

1. Faithfulness/Standing Firm
   

Diligence, Lk 12:58 As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.

*17:10 (more about humility?) So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'

Jn 9:4. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

Faithfulness, Mt 24:45 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Lk 12:42

Lk *16:10. One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

Fidelity to government, Mt 22:21.

Fortitude under persecution, Mt 5:10-12. 10:26-28 (So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.). Mk 13:9, 11-13. Re 2:10.

Steadfastness, Jn 15:9. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

1. Fruitfulness, Jn 15:16 (You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.)
   

Lk 8:15 (As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.)

Consistency, Mt 6:24 (No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.). 12:33 (Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.)

Invest wisely (use gifts to produce fruit), Mt 25:27. Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest (Give more to God than just your own faith?)

1. Humility/Meekness= enduring injury with patience and without resentment
   

Clothing, undue display condemned, Mt 23:5.

Do more than is asked, even under coercion, Mt 5:41, 42. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you

Lk 6:29, 30. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. ³⁰ Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.

Lk 17:10. So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'

Eat what is set before you, Lk 10:8. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. (Jews had pride in their dietary restrictions?)

Humility, Lk 17:10 (So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'). 18:14 (I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.).

Meekness, Mt 5:39, 40 (But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.). Lk 6:29.

Nations to humble themselves under judgments, Mt 23:34-39.

Take the last or the lowest place, Mk 9:35 (And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." – receive Me as a child). Lk 14:10 (But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.).

1. Joy
   

Cheerfulness (Take Heart), Mt 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.

Jn 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

1. Love Others (by actions/Kindness/Goodness)
   

Golden Rule, in conduct, Mt 7:12. Lk 6:31.

Go and do likewise, Lk 10:37. (Good Samaritan parable) - He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise.)

Hospitality, Lk 14:12. He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.

Influence for righteousness, Mt 5:16. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Kindness to enemies, Lk 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Kindness to needy, Mt 25:35, 36 (For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'). Lk 14:13 (But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind).

Love for enemies, Mt 5:44 (But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,). Lk 6:27-29 (But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. ²⁹ To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.)

Love for man/others, Mt 19:19 (You shall love your neighbor as yourself.). 22:39 (And a second [i.e., Greatest Commandment] is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.). Mk 12:31. Lk 10:27. Jn 13:34 (A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.). 15:12 (This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.), 15:17 (These things I command you, so that you will love one another.).

Returning good for evil, Mt 5:4 (). ???wrong verse?, perhaps he meant Mt 5:9 (Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.)

Salt, have in yourselves, Mk 9:50.

1. Love Others (Brethren)
   

Fraternal reproof, Mt 18:15-17 (f your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.). Lk 17:3, 4

Rebuke, Lk 17:3. So watch yourselves! "If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive.

Reconciliation between brethren, Mt 5:23-25.

Strengthen thy brethren, Lk 22:32. (to Peter - And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers,

Support of the ministry, Lk 10:7. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.

 

And so, the List of Jesus' Commands is started! I pray that it is a blessing to you, and that the Holy Spirit work through us to bring our obedience to these Commands to completeness. In Christ, /s/Tom

 

Why Am I Writing About Jesus’ Commands?

I am writing to explain why I am posting recently about the topic of the Commands of Jesus. I see a possible problem in especially the Protestant churches. The potential problem is this, there are rightfully many sermons on God's Grace, repentance, salvation, and prophecy. But shouldn't there also be a place for preaching about being obedient to Jesus' Commands, and the reasons for our obedience? I haven't heard sermons preaching about what Jesus Commands Christians to do, and I haven't read any books on this topic either. There are admirable best-selling Christian books teaching us on how to live a Purpose Driven life. But is this enough? Why did Jesus give us over 160 Commands without also expecting that these Commands should be obeyed?

And I am not alone in my awareness of this problem. Here is the way one Commentator has described the problem:

 

(on Jesus' instruction in John 13:34, and 1 John 2:3, that if we love Him we are to follow His Commands) Note that this word is plural; it cannot be confined exclusively, therefore, to the single command of Christ to "love one another" (Jn 13:34), as so many would have it. John is countering the problem of antinomianism, a heresy very much still with us, that lessens our obligation to obey God since we are saved by grace alone. This tendency is so much a part of evangelical thinking that I fail to find a single work devoted to a serious, exhaustive study of the commands of Christ. I thought I would find at least a comprehensive list of such commands in A Complete Index to the Thought and Teachings of Christ by W. S. Harris, but the topic is dismissed under the relevant heading "Commandments and Precepts of Christ" with the statement "These are incorporated in other subjects" (p. 36). Of these commandments, R. F. Horton states "notwithstanding the unsystematic form in which the precepts are given, the commandments of Jesus constitute a complete and sufficient code of morality." … Most devastating is Horton's observation that "there is a Jesuitry of the conscience always at work; indolence and unbelief are constantly finding modes of slipping through the meshes of Christ's commandments. Few, perhaps, would venture to say that His demands are impossible, but many cover their failures by a vague notion that the standard is ideal rather than practical (and here Horton cites Bruce in a footnote, "To many, the creed which resolves all religion into impracticable ideals is very convenient. It saves a world of trouble and pain; it permits them to think fine thoughts, without requiring them to do noble actions; and it substitutes romancing about heroism in the place of being heroes." Training of the Twelve, p. 379), and are content if they obey the Ten Commandments without any special thought concerning the commandments of their Lord. Then the substitution of a doctrinal system and theoretical tests of orthodoxy for the plain truth of Jesus that He would judge men by the degree in which they had kept His commandments, has transferred the momentum of the religious life from the moral to the metaphysical sphere. Thus, in accepting the truth that faith in Jesus Christ, without works, justifies, Protestants have often failed to notice that without obedience to His commandments there can be no genuine faith in Jesus Christ." (The Commandments of Jesus, p. 362, 365, 368, 371, 372).

 

So I am writing about this possible problem I see in the Church, and hope that in the small corner of the world that I am writing to, we can start desiring more obedience in our lives. I am not saying that we will receive our ticket into heaven by obeying these Commands. But I am saying that all of us need to start looking more like our Savior. And so, this is the reason why I'm writing about our Lords Commands, in hopes that we learn about these Commands and start growing in obedience.

 

Here are the verses where Jesus tells us to keep His Commands: John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments. Cf. vv. 21–24.

1 John 2:3-:6 - And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴ Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, ⁵ but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: ⁶ whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

John 14:21-:24 - ²¹ Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." ²² Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" ²³ Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me,
he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.

Luke 6:46 -Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?

Luke 11:28 -But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

 

Finally, let me explain the process of how I am organizing the Commands assembled by JH Smith in his 'New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge'. JH Smith listed all of Jesus' Commands and placed them under a heading (for example, JH Smith took the Command in Mt 16:6 where Jesus warned of the leaven of the Pharisees. He also brought together two other verses (Mk 8:6 and Lk 12:1) and placed them together under a heading of 'Beware of Leaven'. I then took these 160+ groups , copied the actual verses in most cases, (like the verses for 'Beware of Leaven') and placed them together with the other times Jesus told us to Beware. All of these verses commanding us to 'Beware' are now grouped together. And by this, I am trying to have a more organized, and hopefully more accessible format for Jesus' Commands. Let's see if through this we can become more obedient by being more aware of the Commands, and understanding how they fit together in Jesus' desire for us to show our love to Him through our obedience.

Commands of Jesus – Love God, part b

 

John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments. I have been writing about the instruction from our Lord and Savior that is in John 14:15, that if we love Him, we will follow His Commands. As the elect are sinners saved by God's Grace, this instruction is meant for those who humbly understand their sinful nature and see their need of a Savior. In my October 15^th post, I listed the verses showing the first half of Jesus' Commands as they deal with our relationship with God. In this post I will provide the second half of these Commands. God willing, I will provide the list of Jesus' Commands involving ourselves and our relationship with others sometime next week.

 

How do we best show our love and thankfulness to Jesus? He has made this part easy – follow His Commands (now following all of these Commands is the challenge and joy of a Christians' life.) I have assembled these 'red-letter' Commands of Jesus into two main groups – those Commands that deal with our relationship with God, and second, those Commands that deal with ourselves or others. In this Summary I am only showing the Commands in the last three (3) of the six (6) different groups of ways we are to show our love to God. For the verses dealing with the first three (3) groups, see my October 15^th post. Here is a listing of all six (6) groups of verses involving Commands for the elect and our relationship with God:

 

1. Abide in Christ;
   
2. Pray/Fast/Tithe/Baptism;
   
3. Believe in God;
   
4. Give Special Attention To/Discern
   
5. God's Importance to a Believer/Fear and Respect God/Honor God
   
6. Godly Works/Produce Fruit.
   

 

And here are the second-half of these Commands:

1. Give Special Attention To/Discern;
   

Hearing, Mt 11:15. 13:9, 43, 17:5. (after Jesus gives teaching, He says he who has ears should listen.)

Heed/Listen, Mt 6:1. 24:4. Mk +*4:24 (And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.). Lk +*8:18(Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.). +*11:35 (Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness.). 17:3. 21:8.

Heed to instruction, Mk +*4:24. Lk +*8:18. See Heed /Listen verses.

Heed to the truth, Mt 11:15. Mk 4:9. Re 2:7.

Listen to God's Word, Lk 10:39, 42. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. ^…
42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

Remember, Lk 17:32 (Remember Lot's wife.). 22:19 (And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."). Jn 15:20 (Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master…')

Scripture to be searched and known, Mk 12:24 (Jesus said to them, "Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?). Jn +*5:39. (You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.)

Understand prophecy, Mt 24:15. So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)…

Understand Scripture, Lk 24:45. Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

 

1. God's Importance to a Believer/Fear and Respect God/Honor God;
   

Discipleship, Mt 19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. Mk 10:21; Lk 18:22.

Fear God, Mt 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell; . Lk 12:4, 5.

Fidelity to God, Mt 22:21. Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." ²² When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

Following Christ, Mt 4:19 (And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."). 8:22 (And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."). 9:9 (As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.). 16:24 (Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.).

Forsake all for Christ, Lk 14:33 (So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.).

Hallow God's name, Mt 6:9 (Lord's Prayer).

Love Christ supremely, Mt 10:37. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Love for God, Mt 22:37 (And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the great and first commandment.). Mk 12:30. Lk 10:27.

Holiness, Mt 5:48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Honor the Son, Jn 5:23. that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

Obedience, Mt 7:21 (Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.). Lk 6:46 (Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?). Jn 13:15, 17 (For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you… ¹⁷ If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.)

Perfection, Mt 5:48. You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Renounce all for Christ, Lk 14:33 (So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.). 18:29, 30 (And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, ³⁰ who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.").

Righteousness, Mt 5:6, 20. Lk 13:24.

Surrender All, Mt 8:22 (And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."). 16:24 (Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.). Mk 10:21 (And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.").

Seeking the kingdom of God, Mt 6:33 (But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.). Lk 12:31 (Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.).

Serve God, Mt 4:10 (Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, (Deut 6:13)" 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'").

Worship God, Mt 4:10 (then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, " 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.' "). Jn 4:24 (God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."); See, Lk 4:8.

 

1. Godly Works / Produce Fruit;
   

Altruistic service, Mt 20:26. Mk 9:35. 10:42-45. Lk 22:26. Jn 13:14.

Harmless as doves, to be, Mt 10:16. Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Invest wisely (use gifts to produce fruit), Mt 25:27. Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest (Give more to God than just your own faith?)

 

Conclusion: The verses listed in Group #5 (God's Importance) above are the most convicting to me. These verses command that believers are to be 'holy', 'righteous', 'perfect', and that I am to surrender, renounce and forsake all for Christ. He is worth it. But why don't I have the heart to desire all of this? I trust that God is working in me to will and to act according to His good purpose (Phil. 2:13), but why am I not getting "there" faster? May the Lord bless and encourage us with these verses where we need blessing/encouragement, and may the Lord convict us where we need convicting, along with the discernment to understand God's voice. May God bless you this day.

Jesus’ Commands; Part 2 – Loving God

What does God want from me? Who among us hasn't asked this question, and wanted a clear, direct answer from our invisible God? Here is what's God's Answer to this question is, John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments.

 

How do we best show our love and thankfulness to Jesus? He has made this part easy – follow His Commands (now following all of these Commands is the challenge and joy of a Christians' life.) I have assembled these 'red-letter' Commands of Jesus (this list is again from Smith, J. H. (1992; Published in electronic form, 1996). The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge,) into two main groups – those Commands that deal with our relationship with God, and second, those Commands that deal with ourselves or others. In this Summary I will first list the six (6) different groups of ways we are to show our love to God, and in today's post, I will only give details for the first three of these:

 

1. Abide in Christ;
   
2. Pray/Fast/Tithe/Baptism;
   
3. Believe in God;
   
4. Give Special Attention To/Discern
   
5. God's Importance to a Believer/Fear and Respect God/Honor God
   
6. Godly Works/Produce Fruit.
   

 

1. Abide in God/Christ;
   

Abiding in Christ, Jn 15:4 (Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.), 9 (As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.)

Cross-bearing, Mt 16:24. Mk 8:34.

Steadfastness, Jn 15:9. (As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.)

Take up the cross, Mk 8:34.

 

1. Pray/Fast/Tithe/Baptism – the Works of the Faithful;
   
   1. Prayer:
      

Agreement in prayer, Mt 18:19.

Closet prayer, Mt 6:6. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.

Prayer/Ask, Mt 7:7-11 (Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him). Lk 11:9-13 (adds the following: how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!).

Prayer for daily bread, Mt 6:11. Lk 11:3.

Prayer for deliverance from evil, Mt 6:13. Lk 11:4.

Prayer for more laborers in the vineyard, Mt 9:38.

Prayerfulness, Mt 6:5. Lk 18:1 (And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart…(persistent widow parable.). 22:40 (Mk 14:38 is better - Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak).

Simplicity in worship/prayer, Mt 6:7. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

 

1. Tithe:
   

Almsgiving, Lk 11:41. 12:33.

Tithing, Mt 23:23. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

 

1. Fast:
   

Anointing when fasting, Mt 6:17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face

 

1. Baptism:
   

Baptism, Mt 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

 

 

1. Believe in God;
   

**Belief in Christ, Jn 6:29 Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" ²⁹ Jesus answered them, **"This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.

Jn 14:1 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

**1 J 3:23. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us

Faith, Mk 1:15 The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.

Mk 5:36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."

Mk 11:22 and Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. ²³ Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

Jn 6:29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

12:36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." (Implication is that there will be a time when there will be no light?)

14:1 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Jn 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

20:27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."

**1 J 3:23. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

Faithfulness, Mt 24:45 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Lk 12:42

Lk *16:10. One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

Trust God for needs, Mt 6:30-32. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all; Lk 22:36. He said to them, "But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.

 

Perhaps this is a growing process. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey my commands." (John 14:15). As our love for Jesus grows, our desire to please Him and obey Him also grows. But let's start growing! I have highlighted a few of these verses that look to have special importance. And you probably already know the application – today find one of Jesus' Commands and show your love of Him by putting it into practice in your life. My prayer is that God bless you in this.

Jesus’ Commands; Part 1 – Problems in Understanding

John 14:15 - If you love Me, keep My commandments. As I have studied this verse and what it means for Christians today, who would have thought there could be such a wide variety of views about this simple teaching? The topic in today's post is to show some of the different interpretations I have come across and the problems raised by thesedifferent views as they try and understand why a Christian would / should want to obey Jesus' Commands.

 

I have come across three different Problems that come from John 14:15, and Jesus' simple Command that if a believer loves Jesus, then we will obey His Commands. As I have previously discussed, when Jesus asks us to obey His Commands, He is not just speaking about loving our neighbors, but instead is speaking about a believer's total obedience to all of Jesus' moral and ethical teachings. And again, I cannot say this enough, following Jesus' Commands does NOT provide us with our salvation/justification. Instead, believer's have a devotion to our Lord and Savior, and out of the thankfulness in our hearts for being rescued from God's wrath we desire to follow Jesus' Commands. Thankfulness and not fear is the reason we want to obey Jesus' Commands.

 

With that said, let's look at three of the problems

 

1. Obedience Provides Salvation. This is the classic 'works' theology that believes that God will only save us if we are good people, or if we are obedient to the moral teachings in the Bible. I'm not going to discuss this much, but only say that this view is wrong – anyone who is saved is a sinner saved by God's Grace, through faith in Jesus' death on the Cross. So instead of a lengthy discussion, if anyone believes that God will let you into heaven because you are a good person, or because you have done some nice things to help others, let me ask that you look at Ephesians 2:8-9, the Story of the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17-22), Jesus' teaching at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7), and the 10 Commandments (Exodus chapter 20), and this should provide a more clear understanding of what God's Grace means;
   

 

1. Cheap Grace. Martin Luther himself, wrote in a letter dated August 1, 1521, the following:
   

 

… let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. (Luther, M. Letter of August 1, 1521 as quoted in Wikipedia)

 

And so, are we really to let our "sins be strong" as Martin Luther suggests? Haven't we lead a life of sin sufficiently strong before we came to a saving faith, so that we can have a deep appreciation for the Salvation that is provided only through Jesus? I'm not sure exactly what Martin Luther's point here was (if anyone has access to the full text of his August 21, 1521 letter, I'd love to see it), but it implies we should continue on in sin though we have died to it. And of course, Martin Luther was very familiar with Romans 6:1-2, which I think addresses this whole problem of 'Cheap Grace'. Here is Romans 6:1-2:

 

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ^2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

 

And so, I guess we could ask Paul's question in Romans Chapter 6 in a slightly different way, to those who agree with this partial statement from Martin Luther, or any other form of Cheap Grace: – shall we go on sinning, so that our appreciation for Christ's death abound? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Those who don't follow the Commands in the Bible, and try and live a holy, righteous life, may be living a life of 'Cheap Grace', and so let's quickly move to the last problem.

 

1. Dispensational Problem with Obedience to Jesus' Commands. This is the most interesting of the Problems. Remember, Dispensationalism is closely tied with the Pre-Millennialism End-Times view (see my previous March 21, 2008 Post). Pre-Millennialism is the leading End-Times view in the Church today. In the Scofield Reference Bible a dispensation is "a period of time during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God" Dispensationalism says that God uses different means of administering His will and grace to His people. These different means coincide with different periods of time. Scofield says there are seven dispensations: of innocence, of conscience, of civil government, of promise, of law, of grace, and of the kingdom. Dispensationalists interpret the scriptures in light of these (or other perceived) dispensations.
   

   
    

   And so, here is the problem – Dispensationalists may view some of the Commands of Jesus as applying to someone else, or even to a future time, and thus they do not have to be followed for today's Christians. An example of the Dispensational Problem comes when reading teachings like Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Dispensationals may have an odd interpretation that either Jesus was only speaking to the people of Israel with His Sermon on the Mount. Or worse yet, that this Sermon was only intended for those living in the Millennium (the Dispensation of 'the Kingdom', the last dispensation). This is a subject that looks like it is ripe for discussion, but I need to learn more about Dispensationalism, so if you know of any good resources, I'd appreciate any help that can be provided.
   

 

And so, I do not view any of these Problems as a reason why any Christian should not follow Jesus' Command that if we love Him, then we should follow or obey His Commandments. In my next posts, I will try and organize and summarize what this Obedience looks like. God bless you this week.

Hinduism

The subject for this post is another leading world religion – Hinduism. Although I believe Hinduism is a dying religion, one that may be in its last days, it still is an influential religion, especially in America (and by this I mean through spiritualism, paganism (yes, I'm talking to you Edward Oleander) and the New Age movement). And so, I hope by this post to help others see Hinduism's influence in America, and to better understand Hinduism's basic beliefs. So let's get started!

 

Hinduism is the main religion in India. If you saw the movie 'Gandhi', you may remember Gandhi's disappointment after Great Britain left India and gave India its first taste of freedom (becoming an independent nation in 1947). Then the Muslim league forced a partition where the Muslims left India and formed Pakistan. And so, the basic division in this area of the world is that India mostly has a Hinduism religion, while its neighbor Pakistan is mostly Islamic. And so, there is an historical tension between these two countries, with both having atomic weapons.

 

Introduction: Parable of the 3 blind men and the elephant. 3 blind men are each touching a different part of an elephant and asked to describe it. The first is holding the elephant's massive leg and says the elephant is like a great tree. The 2^nd is holding its trunk and says the elephant is like a snake. While the 3^rd is touching the elephant's side, says the elephant is like a great wall. Is religion in the world like this metaphor?

 

My Conclusion: Hinduism and Buddhism stress basic moral actions and peace. But they neglect the most important aspect of life: which is love. First, they discourage getting close to others because of the potential pain which this brings, through distancing. I think the best part of life is the love you share with others. 2^nd these religions are so self focused, with a notion of self-centeredness they again miss a great joy in life, namely the joy of helping and serving others. Let's take a closer look at Hinduism:

 

HINDUISM

1. Hinduism – Makes up 13% of the world's population, most of its adherents are in India. Hinduism is a general term for those living in the Indus Valley (present day Pakistan).
   

• Monism: impersonal oneness as its concept of God.
  
• Brahman is the creator god. Brahman is ultimate reality, an impersonal oneness that is beyond all distinctions, including personal and moral distinctions.
  
• World is viewed as bad. Only way to escape endless chain of birth, life and reincarnation is to become enlightened. So fundamental concept of Hinduism is to distance oneself from everything.
  
• Most Hindus view the universe as continuous with and extended from the Being of Brahman;
  
• No founder, no prophet, no set creed.
  
• Early on the religion was clearly polytheistic. Hindu deities include Indra, Agni, Siva, and Vishnu. But as religion developed, concept of monism developed, where it advocates worshipping many lesser deities, who are all considered as part of Brahman.
  

  
   

1. Tremendously Varied beliefs in Hinduism – but 5 unifying concepts:
   
   1. Brahman – impersonal nature of Brahman;
      
   2. Tat tvam asi ("That thou art") – Most Hindus believe that our true selves ("atman") are extended from and one with Brahman. Just as the air inside an open jar is identical to the air surrounding the jar, so we are as Brahman.
      
   3. Karma – the moral equivalent of the law of cause and effect, i.e. we reap what we sow. The effects of our present actions follow us not only in our present lifetime, but also to our future lives.
      
   4. Samsara ("reincarnation") – ever revolving wheel of life, death, and rebirth. We reap the consequences of the deeds we committed in past lifetimes. A person's karma determines the kind of body, human, animal, or insect, into which he will be reincarnated in the next lifetime.
      
   5. Moksha ("liberation") – solution is to be liberated from the wheel of life, death, and rebirth. Realizing the concept of self is an illusion and only undifferentiated oneness with Brahman is real attains such liberation. Must detach oneself with the desires of the ego and thereby attain enlightenment.
      
2. Most of its believers live in India – 82% of Indians are Hindu, some 700 million people.
   

• also majority religion in Nepal, Bali, and Mauritius.
  

1. Hinduism is the oldest living religion, having begun in approximately 1500 BC in India. Although some consider it more of a personal philosophy than a religion.
   
2. Hinduism has evolved. E.g. religion was seriously changed after the Aryan invasion in 1500 BC.
   
3. Hinduism is Mystical, attempting to reach higher/different spiritual and mental transformation.
   

 

Hindu Scriptures:

1. Shruti revealed scripture consisting of Vedas ("knowledge") – the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, the Yajur Veda, and the Atharva Veda;
   

• Each Veda is divided into 4 parts: the Mantras (the basic verses or hymns), the Brahmanas (explanations of the verses), the Aran-yakas (reflections on their meaning), and the Upanishads (the mystical interpretations of the verses);
  
• Rig Veda is most important and the most foundational of the Vedas;
  
• Smriti scripture is remembered scripture, or secondary scripture. Included in the smriti is the popular Ramayana (Rama's way), Mahabharata (the great story) epics which includes the most popular of all Hindu scriptures – the Bhagavad Gita (the most influential of Hindu scriptures) whose main character is Krishna. While smriti is not as authoritative as shruti scriptures, it is still very influential on the culture of India because of their popularity.
  
• The Gita teaches the concept of nonattached action, or karma yoga. Nonattached action is acting without seeking the fruits of your action. This is a way of devotion to God. Do not become attached to anything (or anyone?) in this world, because attachment is what causes pain.
  
• Other smriti scriptures include the Vedangas (codes of law), the Puranas (genealogies and legends of the gods), the Darshanas (philosophical writings), the Sutras (rules of ritual and social conduct), and the Tantras (writings on attaining occultic power).
  

1. Upanishads ("sit down near") – at the end of the Vedas. They teach the idea that behind the many gods stands the One Reality (Brahman).
   

1. The Sacred Cow – Krishna is commonly portrayed as a cowherd. The cow is a living symbol of Mother Earth, and of the bounty she bestows on humankind. Feeding the cow, is a sacred act of worship. Cow urine is sacred, being used for example in purification rites.
   
2. OM – sacred syllable, 1^st letter in the Hindu alphabet? Which is identified with reality itself. Used in meditation.
   
3. Highest form of Brahman is nirvana, which means "without attributes or qualities".
   
4. 6 Hindu Schools of Thought ("Dharsana"):
   

• Sankhya: overcoming distance between individual and absolute consciousness;
  
• Yoga: the path followed so as to realize the Supreme Self within. Provides health, little human waste, clear complexion, being light, pleasant BO, a sweet voice, and absence of greedy desires;
  
• Nyaya: deals with Hindu logic and epistemology;
  
• Vaisheshika: a branch of the Nyaya school that emphasizes materialism and the classifications of matter. It teaches that the smallest and most indestructible part of the universe is the atom;
  
• Purva Mimamsa: establish correct understanding of the Vedas and their injunctions;
  
• Uttara Mimamsa: ("posterior study") concerned largely with study and interpretation of the Vedas.
  

1. 3 Paths to Enlightenment – karma marga (the way of action and ritual); jnana marga (the way of knowledge and meditation); and, bhakti marga (the way of devotion). The goal of enlightenment is to lose ones' separate identity in the Universal Self.
   
2. Sacred Sites: sacred river is the Ganges. Once every 12 years as many as 10 million people share in a ritual bathing. Most sacred city is Varanasi, which is the place for a Hindu to die.
   
3. **Classes and Castes – 4 class groupings in the poem of creation, leading to a belief that a hierarchic structure in society is part of the divine order. The classes are the priestly order (the Brahmins), the rulers/warriors, the landowners/merchants/bankers, and the workers/artisans/serfs/and unwashed. Sacred thread is worn to show highest status. Marriage, eating prevented among people in different castes. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT reason why Christianity is spreading quickly though the under-classes of India in recent years, where Hinduism treats the large numbers of unwashed in India as having no value, and Christianity treats them as having worth and worthy of being loved.
   
4. Trinity of Brahman (creator), Vishnu (preserver), and Shiva (destroyer).
   

Vishnu has left the heavenly realms and has become incarnate in 1 of 10 forms (avatars) to restore and preserve Brahman's creation. These forms are fish, tortoise, boar, man-lion, dwarf, Rama with an axe, King Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and the future incarnation, Kalkin.

- Sri Krishna when in human form had 16,000 wives.

- Brahman's consort is Sarasvati (goddess of knowledge, learning and truth); Vishnu's wife is Lakshmi (goddess of fortune and beauty); and, Shiva's consort is Kali/Durga, the 'great mother' and is a symbol of judgment and death.

1. Essence of Hindu every day life is Karma, meditation, and rituals.
   

• **Karma: Bagh. Gita: it is wrong to fulfill someone else's dharma (actions). It is better to do your own dharma poorly than to perform another's dharma well. This is why no one helps the poor or the lame in India, because it is viewed as people getting what they deserve. This is also why Mother Teresa was so needed in India. Hindus view helping the poor and helpless as an interference with the other person's karma.
  
• Meditation/yoga: deep and continuous reflection to attain self-realization. Focus is entirely on self, reaching the higher Atman (our true selves). Thought is discouraged, which is why chanting is used.
  
• Rituals: E.g. the 16 domestic rituals (upcaras) to act as the god's host by leading the deity in, offer him a seat, offer him a sacrificial meal, etc. Shrines also used where sacrifices are made.
  

1. All moral law is relative. No good or evil.
   
2. Idols – primary way of contacting Brahman through idols and symbolic representations. The idols are actually viewed as god.
   
3. Reverence for Life leads some Hindus not to eat meat, while other Hindus sacrifice animals to their gods. However, the real purpose of not hurting others seems to be for your karma, and not out of respect for other living beings. See story of Krishna and Arjuna in the Gita. Do you see where the American group PETA gets its value that animal life is at least equal to human life?
   
4. Different Paths up the mountain – Hinduism is viewed as a tolerant religion that accepts other religions, as merely other aspects of Braham. I.e. different ways up the mountain to attaining life's ultimate goal. Jesus, Allah, Buddha are viewed as avatars of Vishnu, or different expressions of the Divine Manifestation. Ramakrishna teaches it is foolishness to say my religion alone is true. Instead, all religions are glorious.
   
5. New Age Movement – popular American "spiritual" movement. A smorgasbord of various religious ideas, with its followers picking and choosing which ideas to incorporate. Includes ideas from Hinduism, Buddhism, Wiccan (witch), astrology, channeling, and parapsychology. Popular advocate is Shirley MacLaine who believes in past lives and being able to channel to those past lives. God is viewed as impersonal being or force. Transcendental meditation is belief in unlimited power of the human mind, which can tap unlimited (even godlike) powers. MacLaine's famous line: "I am god".
   

 

Conclusion – So why do I believe Hinduism is a dying religion, and will inevitably disappear? Hindus face two challenges – one from inside India, and the other from outside of it. The outside challenge is from Islam, which is more aggressive, and more numerous. But the inside challenge to Hinduism may be the greater threat. Inside of India, Christianity is making great inroads, especially with the large numbers of poor. Why would the poor follow a religion that tells them because of an immoral past life (through reincarnation) they were born into the poorest caste of India's society, and that they should remain there (because of Karma)? While Christianity teaches them they are born in God's image, that God's Son viewed them as having such value that He died on the Cross for them, and that God loves them.

Islam – the Qur’an

This is the third of my posts on Islam – first, I discussed the background to help provide a better understanding of Islam; Second, I looked at the great influence that Muhammad has upon Islam. And in this post I will look at what the Qur'an has in it. If it is good for Islam, it is good. If it is bad for Islam, it is bad. There is no gray area or other side. – Geert Wilders, Dutch Parliament member who published the Muhammad cartoons and received over 40 death threats.

Islam is not compatible with freedom and democracy, because what it strives for is sharia (the Islamic religious law). If you want to compare Islam to anything, compare it to communism or national-socialism, these are all totalitarian ideologies. Geert Wilder.

The Qur'an is the central religious book of the Islamic religion. It is said that the angel Gabriel who appeared to Muhammad and brought the Qur'an from heaven to Muhammad and told him "to recite".

 

Qur'an – Comparison: as Roman Catholics view Mother Mary, so do Muslims view Muhammad. This would make Jesus the Qur'an. It is the foundation of Islam. It outlines the sacred duties of obedient followers of Muhammad.

 

1. Qur'an means "to recite". Muhammad orally gave his revelations and insights to his comrades. When he died in 632 AD, his trusted secretary Zayd was instructed to assemble the Qur'an. Muhammad was illiterate, and so he did not write it himself.
   
2. By the time of the 3^rd Caliph after Muhammad's death, doctrinal disputes over the Qur'an were raised. However, Caliph Uthman authoritatively settled these disputes, and the "Uthmanic" Qur'an has remained largely intact since this time.
   
3. The Qur'an is divided into 114 chapters or suras ("that which opens"), making it slightly shorter than the New Testament. They are generally divided by length, longest to shortest, and are described as being in 1 of 2 periods: either Muhammad's time in Mecca (86) or Medina (28). Each sura begins "In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful."
   

 

• Casual reading of the Qur'an by the uninitiated is difficult because the book is not placed in chronological order, instead the suras are basically organized by length. But generally, the most important suras are from the last parts of Muhammad's life. And so, there are 'kind' writings from early on that a Muslim may point to as showing the peacefulness of Islam. But these verses are replaced by the later revelation (see Abrogation);
  
• Abrogation – Progressive revelation. Muslims claim that truths came to Muhammad in stages, such as the world 1^st received God's message in the OT, then the NT, then the Qur'an. Each more truthful than the earlier, and each replacing the earlier. But this doctrine makes the Qur'an difficult to read, as the suras are not in chronological order, but instead arranged generally by length. E.g. adultery originally was to be punished by stoning and later changed to being whipped 100 times. The prohibition against adultery still stands, just the punishment has changed.
  

 

1. For a long time, translations of the Qur'an were prohibited. Many Muslims recite lines and phrases in Arabic that they have no understanding of what the meaning is.
   
2. Qur'an generally appears as the speech of God, using the 1^st person plural ("We").
   
3. Miraculous Nature of the Qur'an. Muslims generally point to the Qur'an as being the most divine miracle, showing that it is God inspired. This is based on:
   
   1. Unique literary style.
      
   2. It is a miracle because it came from Muhammad who was illiterate.
      
   3. The Qur'an is purportedly the only holy book that is perfectly preserved, and free from corruption.
      
   4. Prophecies, although the prophecies generally pointed to were predictions by Muhammad of his own future actions.
      
   5. Unity of the Qur'an
      
   6. Scientific Accuracy of the Qur'an
      
   7. Mathematical Structure of the Qur'an – the number 19: the opening statement of the Qur'an consists of 19 Arabic alphabets. The 1^st revelation has 19 words. The last revelation has 19 words. There are 19 times 6 suras (114).
      
   8. Changed lives.
      
4. Comparison of Qur'an's view of Allah to the Bible's view of God.
   

The QUR'AN                        The BIBLE:

Allah is unknowable	God is knowable
Allah is non-personal	God is personal
Allah is not a spirit	God is a spirit
Allah is not a Father, nor Jesus the Son of God	God is one existing in 3 persons, not 3 Gods, but 1 God.
Allah can do anything with no limitations, is not moral, and is the author of evil.	God cannot go against His immutable nature, e.g. God cannot lie
Allah is capricious	God is trustworthy
Allah has no feelings toward man. Allah is considered our complete and utter master.	God loves man, and gives us free will.
Allah doesn't personally deal with men	God came incarnate to bring about man's Salvation
Saved by Works. No way of knowing whether you've done enough to be saved. Allah provides no savior or intercessor. You're on your own. No concept of grace.	Saved by God's Grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Good actions follow after faith/being Born Again. God through His grace provided a Savior.
Allah sired 3 children	Holy Spirit permitted Mary to give birth to Jesus
A religion of hatred and violence – they hate Jews and Christians for the rejection of Muhammad's revelation.	A religion of Love of God, your family, and love of your fellow man. Christians should see God in the face of your fellow man, and so prejudice is completely against the teachings of the Bible.

 

The Qur'an teaches a works-based way for Muslims to receive rewards from Allah in Paradise. And so, Muslims must follow the five pillars of Islam: confession, prayer, fasting during Ramadan, almsgiving, and a pilgrimage to Mecca. To give a brief flavor of what is contained in the Qur'an, understand that love is little mentioned. While obedience is mentioned many times. This shows the emphasis in the Qur'an upon a Muslim working to live the obedient life that would be pleasing to Allah. The Qur'an does not have the Christian foundation of God's Grace upon sinners. That's all I have for now. I hope you have found this summary helpful.