Alan,
Ok, I went back and made my feeble brain read that article twice more. Let me break your post down a little so I can try to clarify what I might have been saying!! LOL.
You said: but it appears this author (Baker) certainly believes Christians and Muslims share a lot in common.
First let me say, this article was the first I had ever heard of Baker, so I feel no need to take up for him or his writing. I did see that he writes IN SUPPORT of of a Palestinian nation, but it looks as if his support is coming from a SECULAR position, since he does not believe that the NATION of Israel has a right to do what they did. But...IMO... he would not have had the many references to Jesus if he really thought that Muslims are "ok" in their faith. Look closely....he separates land and nation---from salvation.
But the article fails to mention the most important difference
it does not mention many things but his article was not really a sermon on salvation.
We fail miserably in our relationship with God without the Blood of Christ. None of us are worthy to stand before Him without being washed in the Blood. Islam denies the most important fact.
Amen to that Brother!! And look at what Baker DOES say:
#1. The greatest of the proofs of Jesus Christ are the prophecies
#2. Most Christian believers should be so disposed as Pascal, realizing that Biblical Prophecy presents to the world an immediate proof supportive of our faith and trust in both God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. The Christian Faith is unique ...
#3.The great need of the hour is for true believers to truly believe what is written and recorded in God's Word,
#4.You are all sons of God through faith in Chris Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise'' (Gal. 3:26-29).
#5. Justin Martyr became a believer in Christ Jesus by reading and studying the Old Testament Scriptures and finding their fulfillment in Jesus Christ! May we go and do likewise.
those five statements(one a scripture) seem to support that he indeed believes that Christ is the only answer to our fallen state.
my heart tells me to shy away from some type of combined world church where we are all expected to condone each other.
It is my belief that Christ's church knows no national boundary. We are called to love one another, we are called to love our neighbor, we are called to pray for one another, and I agree with you.... we are never called to condone sin. To deny that Jesus is the Christ our Savior, and only through Him may we reach the Father, is an eternally fatal act of a lost person. I do not believe one nationality or another will keep a person from confessing that if God desires it to be so.
Remember, the end of days will be filled with many deceptions
I believe we are not to even worry about tomorrow, as we cannot even know what it will hold, or if it will be there. Matt. 6, James 4. Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Baker does sort of have a point about all the time people have wasted worrying about when the "end time" is. If I KNEW the exact day the world will be destroyed, would I eat drink and be merry, until a couple of hours before, and then hit my knees and drag as many with me as I could?
Don't get me wrong, I believe Muslims are entitled to their beliefs
God has given every man choice to walk away, they may be entitled, but oh Lord, what an eternity to deny the Christ!!
May God help us all. |
