"Islam's Bizarre Beliefs About Women"

(The Blight Of Islam - Part 5)

First Peter 3.7

 

EXPOSITION:

1. In this morning’s exposition it became quite obvious that God and Allah are not the same being, that Allah is not God and that God is not Allah. This is because, not only are things that are different not the same, but also beings who are different are not the same.

2. Despite the clear and ironclad logic that led to our conclusion this morning, you can bet your bottom dollar that the hand wringers will object to anyone denying that God is Allah or that Allah is God. They so want God to be Allah, don’t you see, so they can continue living in their idyllic dream world of life, not as it is, with things not as they are, but as they so desperately want things to be.

3. You will excuse me if I don’t buy into that approach to thinking. You see, I am a Christian and am quite content to deal with things the way they are, not the way one might imagine things to be. I am convinced the Savior was speaking God’s honest truth when He said, "the truth shall make you free," John 8.32.

4. Let me explain myself a bit. I have no ax to grind against Islamic belief or what they espouse. But I have had some awareness of their errors for more than 35 years, since as a junior high school student I read the book "The Religions Of Man" and became somewhat familiar with their basic beliefs, as well as the beliefs of the other major religions of the world.

5. My real problem with Islam came about with my own conversion in 1974. From that time on I became profoundly concerned with the truth for truth’s sake. You see, truth is not some abstraction, but is facts and information provided by the one true and living God to His creatures for their benefit and their prosperity.

6. Error comes from quite another source, doesn’t it? And error is the confusion and the perversion and the twisting and distortion of the truth. Whereas truth shows the way to setting men free from sin and from bondage and from spiritual slavery, error serves only to increase bondage and to further enslave people.

7. Quislings who are opposed to a clear delineation between Christianity and Islam are confused about the importance of truth and the horrors of spiritual bondage. They have no real grasp of the issues involved, which issues are the salvation of sinful men’s souls, the setting at liberty those who are captives, and escaping from the righteous wrath of a holy God.

8. So, though I explain the course I have set in this series of sermons on "The Blight Of Islam" I make no apologies for the course I have set. Sin darkened sinners need the bright light of God’s truth, and they need to be led away from the spiritual darkness of Islam and its error-filled propaganda book, the Koran.

9. Continuing in our study of Islamic theology, we take up this evening three more considerations. Adding to the Islamic view of revelation, the Islamic view of inspiration, and who the Islamic Allah is not, which topics we addressed this morning, are the topics of men and women, sins, and punishment and end time judgment.

1A. WHAT DOES THE KORAN, AND THEREFORE WHAT DO MUSLIMS, BELIEVE ABOUT MEN AND WOMEN?

1B. The Bible Clearly Teaches Two Concepts About The Relationship Of Men And Women And Their Standing Before God As Christians:

1C. First, God’s plan is for a functional hierarchy to exist in the home, with the husband being the spiritual leader and the wife being his help meet. This is taught all through the Bible and is denied only by feminists who want to alter the clear teaching of the Bible. The first ten verses of First Corinthians chapter 11 deal with this subject, as do many other passages.

2C. But alongside the functional hierarchy that is found in the Christian home is the spiritual equality of men and women in the sight of God. Galatians 3.28 shows the absolute spiritual equality in the sight of God of every Christian: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

3C. Turn to First Peter 3.7 and take note of how the Christian man ought to treat his wife: "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered."

4C. The Muslim man would expect his wife to accommodate him, while the spiritual Christian man realizes his spiritual leadership responsibility over his wife includes accommodating her, and that such accommodation in no way diminishes his position as the spiritual leader in his home.

2B. Now, Let’s See What The Koran Teaches And Contemporary Islamic Scholars Accept About The Relationship Between Men And Women

1C. In Sura 4:34 husbands are directed to scourge, or beat, wives they fear are in rebellion against them. And this is not an old view, but is agreed to by contemporary Muslim scholars, who are unanimous that if a wife is rebellious she is to be rebuked, then favors are to be withheld from her in favor of another woman, and beaten if necessary, so long as he doesn’t break any bones or shed her blood. Folks, I can cite references for your own study to confirm what I am saying.

2C. Here’s another one: It is universally held by contemporary Muslim scholars that a father may arrange the marriage of his virgin daughter without her permission. As a matter of fact, the virgin daughter doesn’t even have to be consulted by her father or the groom. Sources available. Sons, however, may not be married off by their fathers without their permission.

3C. Contract marriage. This provision Mohammed legalized, made illegal, and then legalized before his death. It is an observed by Shiites, which is the dominant sect of Islam in Iran. A man can decide he wants a woman, but only for an evening. So, he arranges a contract with her to be married and then, when the time is up, he divorces her. How is this different from prostitution?

4C. Women are short of faith and intelligence. That statement was made by Mohammed. In Islam there is no equality before Allah between men and women, as in Christianity. And the differences between men and women in Islam are not functional differences only. Islam teaches that women are intellectually and spiritually deficient. And this translates into a woman’s testimony counting only one half of a man’s testimony in an Islamic court. So, it would take more than two women to offset the opposing testimony in court of a single man.

5C. I conclude this point, for the press of time, by quickly stating that in Islam a man can marry four women, while a woman can marry only one man. A man can divorce a wife by repeating the same sentence three times, while the woman cannot divorce her husband. And the woman is put on the same level as a dog and a donkey, since a man’s prayers have to be repeated if a dog, or if a donkey, or if a woman passes in front of him while he is praying. Sources available.

2A. WHAT DOES THE KORAN TEACH & MUSLIMS BELIEVE ABOUT SINS & PUNISHMENTS?

1B. Of Course, The Bible Teaches That Sins Are Transgressions Of God’s Law, Violations Of God’s Will, Falling Short Of God’s Glory, And That They Carry The Penalty Of Death That Can Only Be Rescinded By The Punishment Of The Offender Or The Punishment Of A Qualified Substitute.

2B. But What About The Koran? What Do Muslims Believe About Sin? According To The Koran, Allah Has No Plan, Burden Or Concern To Save Anyone Who Does Not Already Believe.

3B. Listen To These Statements From The Ali Translation Of The Koran, Where Allah Is Translated By Our Word God, Remembering That Allah Is Not Our God:

1C. Sura 3:32 "God loveth not those who reject Faith"

2C. Sura 2:190 "God loveth not transgressors" (This statement is repeated many times in the Koran)

3C. If Allah does not love sinners, then who does he love? Only those who love him (Sura 3:31).

4C. He loves those who fight wars to spread Islam (Sura 61:4).

5C. He loves the just, the righteous, the kind, those who do good and are neat and clean (Suras 5:14, 45; 49:9; 60.8; 2:222; 9:108).

6C. But what does the Koran say about your sins? The Koran says you are pure in the sight of Allah when you pray if you wash your face, hands and feet. But how does that remove sins?

7C. Each chapter in the Koran begins with the statement: "In the name of Allah, the most compassionate and merciful." But ask the Muslim what Allah has done about his sins. He has no answer.

8C. The religion of Islam has no answer for the sin question. Every Church kid knows the answer to the question, "What can wash away my sins?" But the 1.3 billion people who live in the spiritual darkness of Islam have no answer to that question.

9C. My friend, what good is a religion that doesn’t deal with the sin question? Of what possible benefit is any religion that proposes no remedy for sin?

3A. WHAT DOES THE KORAN, AND WHAT DO MUSLIMS, BELIEVE ABOUT END TIME JUDGMENT?

According to the Koran, the "last day" is the time when Allah will judge all men, spirits, and animals according to what they have done. This time is also known as the hour, the day of resurrection, and the day of judgment, though the Koran asserts that its reality is denied by unbelievers, Sura 75:3-6. At death the soul is said to enter a state of unconsciousness until resurrection. Between that resurrection and the day of judgment there is an undetermined period of time, that Muslims believe will be imposed to stir the anxiety and suspicion of unbelievers. During that period people will turn to their prophets for intercession. A book of deeds will be opened, Sura 18:50, and a person’s good and evil deeds will be weighed on a scale. Those certain to be condemned will be those who have denied Allah’s existence and unity, and those who have ascribed to others equality. Of course, they believe this includes Christians, for asserting that Jesus is equal with God. And although they believe all Muslims will also go to Hell, they hope their good deeds will outweigh their evil deeds and that they will eventually be admitted to paradise. Thus, Muslims believe they can gain access to paradise even with sins, so long as their good deeds outweigh their sins.

1B. To Contrast Islam With Christianity, Let Me Remind You Of Several Christian Doctrines

1C. First, the Bible teaches that there are "none righteous," Romans 3.11, and that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," Romans 3.23.

2C. The consequence of man’s sinfulness is death. "For the wages of sin is death," Romans 6.23. But the verse goes on to declare the remedy: "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

3C. So you see, though the Christian Bible is very clear about the fate of sinners, that all sinners deserve Hell and that all sinners will go to Hell if they are not reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ, Christianity is the religion of those who embrace the remedy for sins, Jesus Christ.

4C. And in Christianity there is no capriciousness, no arbitrariness with God. If you avail yourself of the forgiveness that is in Jesus Christ you will not be cast out, for Jesus said "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out," John 6.37.

2B. There Is No Comparable Certainty In Islam

1C. Listen to what one translation of the Koran states about Allah’s arbitrariness: "Allah misleads whom He will and guides whom He will. He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." (Sura 14:4) And in Sura 74.31 we reads "Allah leads astray whom He will and guides whom He will."

2C. That’s quite a contrast from Second Peter 3.9: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

3C. According to Sura 19:71-72 all Muslims will go to Hell. That’s right. Therefore, even the Muslim’s own Koran indicates that if you are a Muslim you will go to Hell. Of course, the Koran teaches that once in Hell some Muslims will then be rescued from Hell.

4C. But the Christian will never go to Hell. John 3.16-18 is very clear on this: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

5C. The Muslim only thinks that once he is in Hell he will then be rescued from Hell. But the Bible teaches that those go to Hell will not then go to heaven, or to paradise. On the contrary, Revelation 20.14 clear shows that everyone in Hell will be cast into the lake of fire: "death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death."

6C. In the Bible we are clearly taught that Hell is the punishment for sins and that sinners go to Hell because of offenses and transgressions against God. But Mohammed stated that the majority of the inhabitants of Hell are women, and this is agreed with by contemporary Islamic scholars.

7C. Why would women be more prone to go to Hell than men, according to Mohammed?  Mohammed is quoted as saying "It is because of the fact that you curse one another very much and show ungratefulness to your husbands." My friends, are women more prone to curse each other than are men? Now, to be sure, it is much easier for women to be ungrateful to their husbands than for men to commit that sin. But what kind of madness is it to conclude that more women will go to Hell than will men for such reasons as these?

8C. If you are beginning to get confused about sin and Hell and the uncertainty of salvation then you are in agreement with all Muslims. In Islam there is no certainty of salvation, no guarantees. Neither is there anything remotely akin to a Savior, such as we have in the Christian faith with Jesus, the Son of God, Who took upon Himself our sins.

9C. Even if a Muslim dies in a holy war there is no guarantee of heaven for him. Folks, even Mohammed denied that he was certain of paradise! The founder of the religion didn’t know where he would go when he died, yet he felt competent to lead others.

CONCLUSION:

1. Men and women, sins, punishment for sins and judgment in the end. Excuse me, but Muslim beliefs are not only bizarre in the extreme, but they bear little resemblance to order, to justice, to rationality.

2. Compared to Christianity, Islam seems a twisted maze of contradictory beliefs, a hodgepodge and a patch work of catch as catch can doctrines with no coherent theme or message behind them.

3. Christianity is all about grace and glory, sin and salvation, redemption and regeneration. It speaks to God’s greatness and goodness, His profound love and long-suffering. But Islam seems only to point to the arbitrariness and aloofness of this one called Allah.

4. Understand, my friend, that God is sovereign, but He is not arbitrary. He is the God of the infinite, to be sure. But He is also the God of the infinitesimal.

5. Brother Isenberger comes to lead us as we sing before this evening’s sermon.

INTRODUCTION:

1. Islam is a religion shot through with inequities, with injustices, with inconsistencies. How else can you explain a man allowed to beat his wife for some perceived slight, while he is allowed to deprive her of affection and go out and arrange a contract wife for a few hours of pleasure?

2. And what justice is there for cutting off a starving man’s right hand for stealing a boiled egg to eat? Yet that is the pronouncement of Islamic law.

3. And the pronouncement that a man’s wife is dirt! My friends, what a difference there is between Islam, which counts women as slaves, and Christianity, which counts women as equals in the sight of God.

4. I would like you to turn to my text for this evening, First Peter 3.7, for a very few comments. When you find that verse, please stand for the reading of one phrase in that verse of God’s Word: "heirs together of the grace of life."

5. Consider and ponder with me the implications of this phrase, which literally means "joint-heirs of the grace of life." What can we know from these phrase in the Bible?

1A. First, WE CAN KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE GRACE OF LIFE

1B. My Friend, This Is Something Islam Does Not Offer To The Sinner. There Is Nothing That I Have Discovered In My Research About This Matter Of Grace. And There Is Nothing That Is Mentioned In The Koran About Salvation From Sins And The Certainty Of That Salvation.

2B. But This Phrase Was Written By The Apostle Peter On The Foundation Already Laid That Sinners Can Be Saved From Their Sins, Can Be Saved From The Power Of Sin In Their Lives, And Can Someday Be Saved From The Presence Of Sin To A Glorious Heaven.

3B. A Husband’s Behavior Toward His Wife, A Husband’s Prayer Life, And The Conduct And Deportment Of The Wife, Are Based Upon A Relationship With God Through Christ That Has Been Established, That Exists, And That Is Nurtured. Something Islam Simply Does Not Have.

2A. As Well, WE CAN KNOW THAT MEN AND WOMEN SHARE GOD’S GRACE EQUALLY

1B. Sir, Why Did You Marry That Woman? Isn’t The Short Answer To That Question Because You Want To Spend Your Life With Her? Well, How About Adding To That An Eternity With Her?

2B. I Am Not Saying That Husbands And Wives Will Walk The Streets Of Gold Holding Hands, Because I Am Quite Sure They Will Not. But I Am Saying That There Is Something Wonderfully Glorious About A Man And A Woman, Two Christians Who Are Married To Each Other, Who Can Walk To The Golden Shore Together, Who Can Serve God Together, Who Can Grow Old Together, Who Can Pass Through The Seasons Of Life Together.

3B. Not Islamic Style Life, With One Behind The Other, With One The Other’s Slave. Not At All. I Speak Of Companionship, Of Cooperation, Of Ministry Together, Of Common Cause For Decades Without The Sniping And Behind The Back Betrayals Of Unsaved Mates.

4B. To Be Sure, You Are The Spiritual Leader Of That Home, Sir. But Your Wife Is Not Your Slave.  Neither Is She Your Leader. She Is God’s Assigned Companion For You, God’s Assigned Person To Help You Implement The Decisions You Make.

CONCLUSION:

1. Some of you here tonight are married, but you are not a Christian. Others of you are not yet married, neither are you a Christian.

2. How very sad, how very tragic. Christ suffered and bled and died so that you might have life. What a pity to marry a woman or a man and not be a joint-heir of the grace of life.

3. You are little better than a Muslim if you are married but not converted. You rob yourself and your spouse of the privilege, of the sheer delight, of the glory, of traveling through life together with one of God’s children.

4. Don’t you love your wife, who is a Christian? Don’t you love your husband, who is a Christian? If you do, why do you insist on robbing yourself of the magnificent blessing of living your life with a joint-heir of the grace of life?

5. Why do you consciously deprive yourself of that which the Muslims, especially the wife, would pay dearly to enjoy, if only they knew Christ?

6. I urge you, dear friend, to come to Christ so you and your spouse can live for Christ together, can experience the grace of God together, and end up in heaven someday . . . together.

"The Blight Of Islam" Part 6

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