Can you deceive by using the Bible? Yes. Muslims do.
Quoting verses out of context and changing their meaning is a trick commonly employed by Muslim debaters and da’wa evangelists. By doing this, they hope to keep Muslims contented within Islam and attract outsiders, like nominal Christians, to it.
Previous generations of Americans, and to some degree Europeans, were very Bible literate. Reading was emphasized by leaders of the Christian Reformation, beginning in the 1500s. They wanted people to read the Bible for themselves and come to understand the ways of God. Printing presses were developed around this time, bringing greater access to the Bible across the Western world. Protestants not only became Bible literate, but their literacy led to greater education, and the establishment of institutions of higher learning, like America’s Ivy League schools.
As a result, Christians were reading and memorizing the Bible. Its teachings not only brought salvation to believers but influenced the way they lived. Biblical teachings and expressions became common knowledge. The values of the West in the past several centuries resulted from that, and explain why people from around the world come here.
But within the past 2 generations, knowledge of the Bible has rapidly declined. Only those very dedicated go on to study and live what used to be common knowledge and custom.
This ignorance presents a great opportunity for those who want to misuse Bible! When people don’t thoroughly know it and its message, it is easy to twist what it says.
For example, Muslims INCORRECTLY say that:
- The Bible and the Quran have the same message, return to one God
- Not so, besides that the Bible has “progressive revelation.” It has prophecies which Christ fulfills, and other special messages not in the Quran.
- Examples in parables are literal
- Like misquoting that the king in a story commanding the sword was Jesus’ command.
- Paul taught a different message than the other apostles
- Yet if you read the other writings – gospels and letters – they have the same message.
We don’t try to tell Muslims that the Quran does not support their claims about Prophet Mohammed. However, they are bold enough to tell us their version of what is in the Bible; and they usually get away with it because, so few people know what it really says.
Christians beware. Know your Bible. Don’t believe what Muslims say about it.
Muslims: Don’t grab a few verses without knowing the passage, and don’t twist its words. We know it is difficult to accept the straightforward teachings of the Bible, because they differ from your faith. Yet the Quran says that the Bible has “guidance and light,” and that God’s words can’t be changed (Surahs 5:46 & 6:115). Rather than pretend they are alike, ask yourself why they are different, and the significance of that. Think about that and ask Creator God to show you which is true.
