Mohammed is not dead!

With all the horrific news coming out around the world about Islamic violence against Christians, Jews and even other Muslims, I’m grateful more ministers are speaking out. As those commissioned to bear witness to the truth, we need to be biblically bold and accurate. Some of the things that are being said are true as far as they go, but they don’t tell the whole story.

One minister recently pointed out that Mohammed is dead and buried in Medina, but that Jesus is risen from the dead. The question is asked, “Who do you want to follow, the living Christ or dead Mohammed.” This is true and yet might be a bit biblically confusing.

CHRIST MUST BE ALIVE OR ELSE 

Christianity is built upon the historical, physical resurrection of Christ. Christ’s resurrection was the reoccurring theme of the apostolic preaching of the early church as recorded in the New Testament Book of Acts. Ten of the twelve original Apostles died for their insistence they saw the risen Christ.

Christ’s resurrection is not a peripheral doctrine you can take or leave and still be considered a Christian. It is so essential to our faith that without it, according the New Testament itself, Christianity is worthless. “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins.”I Corinthians 15:17.

The reason the resurrection of Christ is essential is because it provides objective proof His death on the cross was accepted by God the Father. According to Moses, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.”  The only sufficient sacrifice for mankind’s sin is by Christ on the cross. Because Christ was literally and physically raised from the dead we know that His atonement is acceptable to the Father and we can be forgiven through faith in Christ’s work of redemption.

WHICH DEATH AND LIFE? 

Biblical revelation speaks of life and death in more than a flat, one-dimensional way. Life and death can be considered physically, as we’ve seen in Christ’s triumph over death and the grave, but it also denotes more. The quality and duration of human existence can be considered in terms of life and death, too.

All mankind is born with immortality in our souls. We’re all going to live forever, including Mohammed. The issue is not the duration of our existence, but the state or condition of that reality.

I WOULDN’T WANT TO BE MOHAMMED

Mohammed is very much alive. He did not cease to exist upon physical death, nor is he in his imaginary celestial brothel. He is NOT experiencing the unspeakable and unimaginable joys of eternal life in heaven with Christ, rather he is suffering in the unspeakable and unimaginable torments of eternal death.

Mohammed, like all mortal men, is accountable to God. Sadly for Mohammed, his legacy is that of being Christ’s sworn enemy.  Mohammed has been instrumental in the propagation of a pernicious, Christ-denying lie, damning the souls of multiplied hundreds of millions. Mohammed spawned a movement that has brought an unprecedented amount of death and destruction on the world. Mohammed’s followers have followed his example and created a religion that has always persecuted Christ’s church.

So Mohammed is dead in every respect. He is physically dead and buried in Medina. He is spiritually dead in his sin. He is eternally dead in Hell and suffering the just penalty for his sin.

THE GOOD NEWS 

Christians take comfort in the fact that God is just. On the cross the just penalty for our sin was paid in full by God’s only begotten Son. God’s justice was satisfied even as His mercy was extended to all whosoever will trust in Christ.

Even though we don’t always see equity in this life, we know that God ultimately will judge the nations in righteousness. Mohammed, like everyone who rejects Christ, is receiving the eternal, proportionate punishment commensurate of his or her sin.

The Good News is that as long as you are alive in the world you can repent of your sin, believe on Christ and be saved.  Have you?  Will You?

TAKE ACTION:

• (1) Pray for God to move in the hearts of Muslims around the world that they might flee to Christ and be saved.
• (2) Pray for Christians in Muslim lands to stay strong in the power of the Holy Spirit and to share the Gospel with boldness.
• (3) Help us urge our government to do its job and protect us from our enemies, foreign and domestic. Demand our President and State Department act and speak as if Christian lives matter.
  • - Contact the White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments
  • - Contact the State Department: http://www.state.gov/contact/