Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
The past two days we have looked at the deception that salvation is based on a particular experience. We addressed the study at the claim that Muslims are turning to God and being saved because they have been given a vision of Jesus.
Over the past years, probably more so since 9/11, the western world has taken a very foolish position toward Islam. Even though president Bush stood up on that day and acted tough and claimed that they were going to go after the “axis of evil”, he never did. He went into Iraq and killed some people and bombed some places and eventually killed Saddam Hussein, but he did not go after evil, because then he would have had to go after himself. He even made a claim to believe in Jesus, but he also claimed that Allah and the God of the Bible are the same person. He proved his ignorance in many ways.
There is so much talk of “moderate Islam”. There is no such a thing as moderate Islam except in the minds of those who are afraid of dying and do not want to offend Muslims. Islam is an ideology that from its beginning has used force to get people to submit to it. According to statistics, there are over 1 billion Muslims in the world. We know that wherever they get some influence, they begin to demand Islamic law be applied. We hear of “honour” killings in our own country. These are not just conducted by Muslims but Muslims are one group that practices this evil.
Our country has invited the wrath of God upon it on many occasions, but just this week it has come out in agreement with a Muslim controlled U.N. in demanding a ceasefire in the current fighting in the Middle East. Just a few hours before agreeing to that, Canada had stated that it was not going to demand a ceasefire in that region.
Canada has faced much pressure from Muslims over the past few years. The Canadian government lacks discernment and thus has allowed many Muslims to enter this country, even though they have no intent to become Canadians. They want to have the perks of Canada, but they want the ideology of Islam.
Prior to Israel foolishly giving the Gaza Strip to Islam, the Jews were prospering in that area. They had greenhouses there and there was much productive farmland. That area was a self-sustaining area of Israel. The rest of Israel did not need to pour money into that region to keep it alive. From what I have read, the Jews in that region could have broken away from Israel proper and formed their own little state and they would have done well. However, because they were Jews, they regrettably gave up their land and moved out. Some were forced to move, but they moved.
Since the Arabs took over that land, it has not been able to sustain itself. They have begged for handouts, and they have received handouts. Hamas has gained control over that region and they took the bulk of the money to amass weapons and build tunnels. The main leaders of Hamas are sitting on millions of dollars. They siphoned off those millions from the aid that was being shipped into that area. The U.N. and the Red Cross have catered to the Muslims because they are controlled by them.
Our ambassador to the U.N. recently stated that there must be a two state solution in the region under war conditions now. He also stated that both states need to live in peace with one another. He and those who wrote that declaration proved that they are ignorant of that region. They have ignored history as well. Almost from the formation of the nation of Israel, there has been a hatred of the Jews by the nations around her. The book of Judges points out the battles that Israel faced over and over again.
The reason they were under oppression so often in that book is because they chose to reject the true God and tried to live in compromise with the enemies of God.
Israel had success in the days of king David, because David obeyed God and God showed him that the way of peace for Israel was to fear God and use a big stick. The enemies of Israel had to be shown that they could not fight against God and win. They had to be beaten in battle until they understood they were trying to tackle an impossible situation. By the time of the death of king Solomon, who was David’s son and successor to the throne, this was no longer the case. King Solomon did not walk in the fear of God as David did and God began to spank Israel.
Israel will never live in peace with its neighbours through compromise. The Bible tells us that the antichrist will be a very subtle man who will use lying signs and wonders to win over the majority of mankind. He will cater to the Jews and will build them a temple. That is what the Jews are looking for. They will accept him as the messiah. They will soon find out he is not the messiah. He is the antichrist. Through the oppression they will face during the seven year Tribulation, many Jews will be saved. Some of them will be protected by God and they will survive that time and enter into the Millennium. They will recognize Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Saviour and King. Jesus Christ will build the final and true earthly Temple at that time. It will stand for 1,000 years.
Up until that time, those who are saved must understand that there will be wars and rumours of wars across the world, but particularly in the Middle East. Hamas has it in their constitution that Israel must be destroyed. The chant that has become popular among Muslim loving people is “from the river to the sea, palestine will be free”. That chant which is being voiced in Canada with police and government protection, is stating that the Muslims intend to push Israel out of their land and into the sea. They want to wipe out Israel.
Islam is not content to destroy Israel in their land, they want to kill all Jews wherever they find them. They also want to kill all Christians wherever they find them. A few years back Rick Warren, the foolish wolf in bad sheep’s clothing was involved in a movement called “chrislam”. That movement is designed to find common ground between “christians” and Muslims. The “christians” who are involved in this movement are not born again Christians. They are deceived lost people who think there is such a thing as common ground between themselves and Muslims.
Many people, including professing Christians are tiptoeing around Islam because they are afraid of being attacked and killed. Islam is a violent ideology. It is more than just a religion. It follows on the heels of Catholicism which has the same ideology. For centuries, the Catholics used force to get people to convert to its false teachings. Many people did convert in words. The Catholics did not and do not care if a person actually attends their services faithfully. As long as they give their money to the Catholic system, and do not speak against that system, that will work. Islam is a little different in that depending on the brand of Islam, they demand certain things from their followers. In places like Iran, they demand that women cover up. Women have been arrested and beaten and killed for not complying with the wicked standards of Islam. Women need to be modestly dressed as do men. However, the Muslim rules are not Biblical.
Not that long ago there was a march in Canada which was led by Muslims. Many “christians” got on board with this and they were quite excited to join that march. The Muslims did something that these “christians” were scared to do. The Muslims spoke out against the perverted ideology of our governments and educational system. They were right in drawing attention to the perverted demands of the system. However, their solution is not a Biblical solution. True born again Christians should never join forces with Muslims for that cause or any cause.
Born again Christians stand upon the Word of God. We do not need to hide behind the devil to try to exalt God. That does not work.
Luke 11:17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
For those who are truly saved, rather than being afraid of a wicked ideology, we need to know the truth and walk in the fear of the LORD. Some of us may get arrested or even killed for doing so. If you read your Bible you will find that the first century Christians faced the same thing. Jesus reminds us that the servant is not greater than his lord.
John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Muslims need to be saved. If they are going to be saved it will be the in same way that any other person is saved. It will be through repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. They will then be in danger from their own people but they will have the peace of God in their hearts.
Pastor Bartel
