The Core Difference: Jesus and Muhammad

As someone whose doctoral work focused on Islam, I find that the position of President Obama on Islam is not radically different from his immediate predessor, President George W. Bush. Neither president has ever addressed the real problem: the radical difference between the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and those of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad. The problem is not most Muslims.

I have interacted with Muslims in North Africa, the Middle East, and in the United States, and I have always been treated respectfully and kindly. My wife and I have entertained Salafist Sunni imams in our home, and I have shared the gospel with them, but I did so with respect and humility, and they responded in kind.

What we want to see is Christians becoming more devout disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. What we do NOT want to see is more Muslims following the teachings and example of Muhammad.

In light of President Obama's remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, February 5, 2015, we looked closely at Philippians chapters two and three and addressed the key difference between Christianity and Islam: the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, on the one hand, and that of the Lord Jesus Christ who died and rose for us, on the other.

We also noted that Christendom is not the same as Christianity and that people who have claimed to be followers of Christ have often done terrible things in his name. But we do not preach ourselves, our denominations, or even Western Civilization; we preach Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as servants.

At the end of the attached PDF is the document that everyone in the congregation received.