Muslim follower of Jesus...????????

I was reading an article from Heart cry ministries about some missionaries who promote that a Muslim can in fact continue on in the practice of his faith and still be a christian. here is a portion of the article:

However, what is surprising is that missionaries are not only failing to confront the type of syncretism mentioned above; but are also promoting, justifying, and attempting to build a biblical-theological basis for it. It has, in short, become a legitimate methodology to reach Muslims with the gospel in the eyes of many missionaries. This methodology is often labeled "the insider movement” (IM), which is perhaps a bit misleading. Calling it a movement implies it’s homogenous with agreed-upon beliefs and practices. Most missionaries, even those in support of IM, would tell you this is far from the truth. However, there are some general characteristics that those who are considered IM share, most basic of which is identity. They maintain that someone can be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ and still remain within Islam. In short, they can be Muslim followers of Jesus.

There are many reasons why missionaries and IM "believers” are insisting that Muslim-background believers can stay within their socio-religious community (Islam) and be faithful followers of Christ. However, if the conclusion itself doesn’t bear the weight and scrutiny of the Scriptures, then no justifying reason can be legitimated. It is the current author’s conviction that IM has not only been weighed, measured, and found wanting by the Scriptures as a methodology, but in fact also constitutes a tacit denial of the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, to profess to be a Muslim is a de facto denial of Jesus Christ. The self-ascription, "Muslim follower of Jesus,” is an inherently contradictory oxymoron at best, and damning at worst. This I hope to demonstrate by looking at a few key passages in the New Testament.

If you would like to read the entire article it is here: http://www.heartcrymissionary.com/heartcry-magazine-archive/post/what-accord-has-christ-with-islam
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How can it be that anyone who confesses to know truth, would ever lie to someone and tell them that they could continue on being a Muslim and follow JESUS? I realize this is an older article but I have read others that show how the lies and deception has spread and deceived many. It is sad to think anyone who professes to know truth would ever leave another with out telling him/her the truth....

God bless
maryjane

Here is another very good article.

http://www.heartcrymissionary.com/asia-blog/post/the-cultural-captivity-of-missions-part-2

The New Birth should take care of all this. When a person genuinely becomes born-again, the Holy Spirit takes over. Any false religious system they were espoused to becomes unmasked. If a missionary is teaching someone that they can be a Christian and a Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. concurrently, two things are apparent: 1. The missionary is obviously not born-again, and 2. The people they are instructing have obviously not been born-again either. So you have a double-negative.

I agree Paul with what you shared. It is very sad though and I suppose would be a clear example of the blind leading the blind....

God bless
maryjane

Yes, it is very sad that those teaching such things neither allow their hearers entrance through the gate, nor do they themselves go- for the very essence of Islam is AntiChrist.
The Koran speaks more against the Word than any other subject. It repeats over and over how what was passed down (Holy books) have been changed and are full of errors.
Their daily prayer says :"He is Allah,and only one.Allah does not need help.He does not produce a child, and He was not born of anyone.There is no one equal." The entire undertone of the Koran is AntiChrist as we know Christ.
To live in a society where the religion is practiced widely, it's culture is integrated with Koranic teachings. Islamic holidays and festivals, times of eating lunch and dinner, the times stores are open- everything in some of those societies revolve around the religion. I can see why one would be tempted to say that they can keep tradition while being a Christian, but the longer I am a Christian, the more I can see that to go on with the culture means denying the deity of Christ.
Silly as it may sound, even polite phrases like our "bless you" after a sneeze, has been given special expressions in many Islamic cultures, so that to be polite, one must use the name of Allah.
When I really give this topic thought, it seems to me that we cannot really keep anything from ourselves after a true conversion. With time and growth in the Holy Spirit, all that is "anti- Christ" is stripped away and to preach that we can hold onto anything beyond Him is a hindrance.

Islam basically rejects the death and resurrection of Jesus. It only recognizes the virgin birth of Jesus and also his second coming to collect muslims. How can someone be Christian and still practice a faith that denies Jesus's main purpose which to die for our sins?

I recently heard that a Pastor of some welkown megaChurch has said that God of Bible and Alla are same. I think this movement or missionary should be based on it.

In India many practice Secret Christianity. They are Christians but do not tell it openly and practice their Hindu tradition outwardly. I do not believe there is anything called Secret Christian. If we fail to confess him openly before men then he will not confess us before Angels.

"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.
For what fellowship has righteousness with
lawlessness? And what communion has
light with darkness? And what harmony is
there between Christ and Belial? Or what
part has a believer with an unbeliever? And
what agreement has the temple of God
with idols? For you are the temple of the
living God. " (2 Corinthians 6: 14-16"

"Therefore, come out from among them
and be seperate says The Lord. Do not
touch what is unclean and I will receive you.
I will be a Father to you, and you shall be
my sons and daughters says The Lord
Almighty ." (2 Corinthians 6:17,18)

Blaine
Did you read the links to the stories I posted. These are missionaries telling people these things. It is heartbreaking to see people who as Paul said in his post clearly not saved deceiving others into thinking they are saved when their is no evidence of a changed life.

God bless
maryjane

I was born-again in a Muslim country and while I did not shout it from the rooftops, those nearest to me came to see the change in me as I encountered situations that arose from what is called in the article "folk islam." A Christian will in the end find it impossible to go a long with superstitions and legalism that is rooted in lies against Jesus and will in some way be persecuted for their rebellion against cultural norms.

Blaine
I believe you shared something like this before, in another thread and we discussed it or maybe I just remember it being discussed I am not sure???

I am talking about what these missionary are telling people who are lost. They are not teaching the BIBLE, they are compromising.

Not giving someone the who truth is cruel. Telling a muslim or anyone in sin they can continue to live in sin and follow JESUS and be saved is a cruel lie.

Did you read the article, these are western missionary's that are teaching the following:

"Muslims and Christians both love God and their neighbors after all ”“ they just need to know about Jesus”: This remark from yet another evangelical missionary was made in defense of the recent interfaith document called, "A Common Word Between Us and You,” sent to Christian leaders everywhere on October 13, 2007, by 138 Muslim scholars, and largely received without critique. In fact, many evangelicals embraced it. This document states that Muslims and Christians enjoy common ground in several areas, such as our "love of God" and our "love of neighbor."

However, can a false religion that denies the Trinity and denies the substitutionary atonement of Christ for sinners really be said to love the true God? Can a religion that advocates jihad really be said to be one which cultivates love towards all their neighbors (including the khafir)?

This trend towards focusing on "common ground" rather than contending for legitimate points of difference is a hallmark of modern evangelical missions towards Muslims. We may permissibly look for legitimate "open windows" of commonality rather than beating on closed doors, but let us never do so at the expense of truth.

"They don’t need to go to church ”“ it's better that we keep them within the mosque”: This remark was made by one veteran missionary in Indonesia in an attempt to prevent "missionary extractionism” and keep new "converts” within their family structures to minister to their communities from the inside.

"Don’t use the Word ‘Christian,’ use the phrase, ‘Follower of Isa,’
…"It’s okay to call Muhammad a prophet, he spoke many truths, after all,”
… "It is okay to call yourself a Muslim. After all, what is a Muslim but one who submits to God. And we all want to do that, don’t we?”
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Blaine as someone who loves the WORD as much as you do surely you can see the error in what is happening here???
Read this portion from the same article:

"I believe she is in the Kingdom”: We hired a local woman to help us clean house. Another Western missionary bragged about this woman’s "faith.” In the following weeks, her gentle nature was obvious, and she sometimes even prayed for help from the Prophet Isa. Yet, she self-identified as a Muslim (not even a good one, offering a plate of food to her family spirit during her baby’s hair-cutting ceremony held on the 40th day after birth, a ritual common in her culture). Yet, she was counted as a missionary success.
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Does the fruit in this woman's life give you cause to believe her saved?

God bless
maryjane

MaryJane- I agree with you and think teaching others that they don't really have to "follow" Jesus in order to be a Christian isn't even- well, Christian.
Although it seems a little off-topic, I agree with the passage bearmaster posted where it says, "During our time there, each of us had a dream about Jesus, and each of us has privately become a follower of Christ. For a time, we didn't dare tell anyone about this. It would, of course have been out on death sentences. But finally we could hide it no longer. We each prayed to Jesus for His help to learn what it means to be His follower..."

We are certainly called to be wise, and God has time for everything. The key words in this passage are, "for a time, we didn't tell anyone..." For a time...
I have gone along with many traditions because I have been afraid of my husband. I walked under the Koran to be let out of the house, I even kissed the Koran ( I know, I know... a traitor indeed) but since my conversion I could never call myself a Muslim. A Muslim is submissive to Allah.

Nobody lights a lamp to be put under a basket. This does not mean that I have to be bold beyond what my faith. This means that I will be bold according to my faith.
While I have had many shortcomings, I cannot fathom being taught that it's ok to keep the attitude that I can remain in opposition to the one I profess to follow.
While we are on this topic- please pray for me, as I'm finding that I am being put in situations that force me to either disrespect my husband and his family or disrespect my God,and contrary to what most people think, it is actually really difficult sometimes when you really are faced with it.

Blaine-

I am American, married to a Muslim.

When I first married at a young age, I considered myself a Christian by upbringing but I didn't have revelation.
My husband introduced the Koran to me, and told me that the bible had discrepancies and had been changed. When I read my bible, the words seemed so twisted and silly that it didnt take long for me to believe what I was being told.
I read the Koran faithfully, but never really accepted it wholly.

After some time of living in his country, the Lord allowed me to fall into a pit of despair, and allowed me to see the war for me was a spiritual one. I searched the Koran for remedy but it offered none- so I turned to the bible I had been given, and started reading.

It was a big deal and there was a tremendous fight in the spirit realm for my mind and soul, but after much struggle to find the truth, Jesus delivered my soul. I still shake my head at how He found me in the most unlikely place far from home, far from preachers and churches, and the Holy Spirit was my teacher. God did use a few people as instruments to encourage me and I'm so thankful! His timing is perfect and just typing this, I am once again in awe of His ways! What was meant for my evil, God used for my good.

After these things happened, I was so full of gratitude to God and so full of the Holy Spirit that I went telling my in-laws and all who would hear me, what God had done for me in the name of Jesus.Some time after, my husband told me to stop telling people and keep it to myself, and I did. Nobody pressured me to go against my faith at that time.

We no longer live there but I still travel frequently and I find that I have more pressure to deny my faith now than I did then. When the religion is interwoven so tightly with daily life, it becomes difficult to stay separated when interacting with others- if that makes sense. It certainly calls for a lot of wisdom. Sometimes I get frightened that I might deceive myself by becoming self righteous or rebellious,standing my ground on an issue that doesn't really have eternal value, but that subject is good for another thread :)

double post.