Christianity & The Religion of Abraham
Question: Is Christianity the continuation and fulfilment of the religion of Abraham?
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Overview
Muslims often claim that Islam, in contrast to Christianity, was the religion of Abraham. However, it is Christianity rather than Islam that continues and fulfils the religion of Abraham. The following are three examples.
Abraham & The God-Man: According to the Old Testament (Genesis 18:1-33), God appeared to Abraham as a man and ate and talked with Abraham. This is significant because Muslims commonly reject the idea that God can or will enter creation and appear in human form. Unlike Islam, however, Christianity and Judaism accepts that Abraham met God in Genesis 18, and within Christianity (John 1:1-18) the Second Person of God (the Son) later became human and appeared as a man (Jesus).
Abraham & The Sacrificial Son: According to the Old Testament (Genesis 22:1-19), God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. This was a human sacrifice as well as the sacrifice of a father and son. Only within Christianity is the idea of God (the Father) sacrificing Jesus (the Son) continued as Jesus dies on the cross for human sin according to the will of God the Father (John 3:16-18, Romans 3:21-26, 5:6-11, 8:31-32 & 1 John 4:9-11). Islam, in contrast, denies the Fatherhood of God, the Sonship of Jesus and the death of Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for sin, which were all foreshadowed in the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22.
Abraham & Faith: According to the Old Testament (Genesis 15:1-21), Abraham received God’s salvation and was declared righteous by God through faith. This means that faith (trusting in the promises of God) and not works brought Abraham into a blessed and right relationship with God. Salvation in Christianity is likewise through faith (Jesus died as an atoning sacrifice for human sin) and not works (Romans 4:1-25 & Galatians 3:1-14). Unlike Abraham in Genesis 15, Islam teaches that salvation is received or merited through works, as Muslims use their good-deeds to offset their bad-deeds and thereby earn paradise.
In summary, God appearing to Abraham as a man in Genesis 18, God instructing Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in Genesis 22 and Abraham receiving God’s salvation through faith and not works in Genesis 15 are all ideas that are continued and fulfilled in Christianity. This shows that Christianity, in contrast to Islam, is the continuation and fulfilment of the religion of Abraham.
Further Considerations - Corrupted Scriptures
It is important to highlight that since the Old Testament does not support the idea that Abraham was a Muslim or that Islam aligns with the religion of Abraham, Muslims are forced to say that the previous scriptures have been corrupted. However, this exposes the circularity of Islam. The only proof that Muslims have (without the previous scriptures) that Islam was the religion of Abraham is Islam. In other words, Muslims say that Abraham was a Muslim and then use what Muhammad said about Abraham as proof. This presupposes that Muhammad and the Quran are providing accurate information about Abraham.
Christians, in contrast, do not claim that the previous scriptures have been corrupted, and Christians use the previous scriptures to validate the truth of Christianity (Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy). In addition, the New Testament is a collection of twenty-seven books authored by different individuals, which means that Christians appealing to the New Testament (and the different authors within) is not circular. In Islam, however, all revelation is received through Muhammad who stands alone.
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Bible Passages