Thursdays are usually geared towards answering theological questions I receive in my role as a pastor. However, today I wanted to share a piece that takes a brief look at one of the fundamental differences between Islam and Christianity. May it be a helpful tool for discussion and an encouragement to your soul.
—Pastor Phillip
Islam is a religion of strength. Christianity is a religion of weakness… and that’s a good thing.
Allah shows his deity by overwhelming force, while Yahweh shows His by self-sacrificing love.
Both call their followers to act in the same way as their god.
Yet, while the world magnifies strength as the surest path to victory, strength will always eventually fail. Force will eventually reach the end of its capability, and if it is on strength that salvation and victory depend, it is sure to fail as soon as the well of strength runs dry.
But, if victory is gained through weakness, then it is eternally available and always close at hand.
The beauty of Christianity is that if salvation comes through surrender, then deliverance can be had in any circumstance by any person who will lay down their claim to capability and embrace the sufficiency of the cross of Christ and the love of the Christ of the cross.
That means that as a follow of Christ, you don’t have to be strong all the time because Jesus will be strong for you.
May you surrender to Him today.
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(NOTE: Islam also teaches the importance of surrender to the will of Allah, but the most fundamental difference between the two faiths is in the action and character not of their disciples, but of their deities.)
