Islam in Light of the Bible

”Islam in Light of the Bible”
Video

June 15, 2015

Now in Galatians Chapter 1 of course we have the passage that warns about those who come preaching another gospel. The bible reads in verse number 6: 


“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.”


Now notice that this other gospel is contrasted with the grace of Christ. You see, the true gospel has to do with salvation through the grace of Christ. It’s salvation by grace through faith, not of works lest any man should boast. The bible says in verse 7: 


Which is not another, (Saying it’s not a completely different gospel) but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.


So it contains elements of the gospel of Christ but it’s been twisted, it’s been perverted. It says in verse 8
but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.


Now this is very strongly warning against those who would bring another gospel, he repeats himself for emphasis, and he’s so clear on this. He says LOOK, even if it’s WE who bring another gospel. Even if I come and tell you “hey I changed my mind It’s another gospel,” don’t listen to ME he said. There is no other gospel, there’s one gospel, one way to be saved, and it’s through the grace of Jesus Christ. He says, “an angel from heaven” shows up with another gospel, anybody who preaches another gospel, any angel who comes preaching another gospel “let him be accursed.”



You see there are fallen angels; there are false teachers who are inspired by these evil fallen angels. Demons are what we would call them. Both Mohammed and Joseph Smith fall into this category and I believe that the prophecy in Galatians 1 is prophetic of these two men. They claim that they got these revelations from an angel that contains another gospel.

Now the title of my sermon tonight is ISLAM IN LIGHT OF THE BIBLE. I did a sermon on Hinduism in light of the Bible, and Buddhism in light of the Bible. While covering the eastern religions I want to cover Islam in light of the Bible. Now let me just start out by showing you that Islam teaches another Gospel. This book right here is the Quran; this is the holy book of Islam. I’ll talk a little more about this in a moment. You don’t have to get very far in this book before it teaches another gospel. In this edition it’s on page 2. Now let me just tell you what the word “gospel” means. The Bible says in Luke chapter 4:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. That is a quote from Isaiah 61 where it says that the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek. All throughout the Bible you’ll see these terms interchange. We would say “good news” in our modern vernacular. Salvation through Jesus Christ is the good news! Jesus paid it all, salvation is a free gift that is attained by faith alone, not by any works of righteousness which we have done. Now in 1 Corinthians 15 the bible talks about the gospel it says in verse 1:

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, (So Ye are saved by the gospel!) If ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures… This gospel of the grace of Christ is that salvation is by grace through faith in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that’s how we’re saved. Not by earning our way to heaven, or keeping the commandments. The whole book of Galatians nails that down. It’s by the hearing of faith and belief in our heart that Jesus Christ rose from that dead that we’re saved.

Now at the beginning of this book, you don’t have to get very far, on page 2 chapter 2 (this book is broken up by chapters called Sura’s) it says around verse 25 “and proclaim joyful tidings.” Does that sound like good tidings to you? This is their gospel… “And proclaim joyful tidings to those that believe AND do good works. They shall dwell in gardens watered by running brooks. Whenever they are given fruit to eat they will say, ‘this is what we used to eat before’, for they shall be given the light. Wedded to chase spouses, they shall abide therein forever.”

So here the promise of paradise and the virgins in heaven is given to those who believe and do good works. Now the gospel of the grace of Christ is that salvation is of faith NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST. No man can boast before God because he has faith and works, the Bible teaches that salvation is by faith alone. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works saying ‘blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.’ That’s the gospel of Jesus Christ. Islam has another gospel that says believe and do good works.

Now not only that but if you read through this book the phrase believe and do good works is used scores of times. Not only that, but in this book hell is mentioned on almost every page of this book. If you don’t do this, you’re going to hell, if you don’t do that you’re going to hell. It’ll say if you don’t believe you’re going to hell but also other stuff as well. It’s not just salvation just by believing in Jesus. It’s by believing and doing good works that saves you according to the Quran. It’s not enough just to believe. They have five pillars. They pray 5 times a day, making a pilgrimage to Mecca to bow down to the Game Cube there to earn salvation. It’s another gospel my friend. Before I get into some of the false doctrines taught in the Quran, let me give you a basic understanding of who Mohammed is and where the Quran came from.

Mohammed is a prophet who lived 13-1400 years ago. So this is 6-7 hundred years after Christ. Mohammed was a guy who lived in Arabia and was illiterate, he could not read or write. When he was 40 years old he began to reveal the Quran. He would go out to a cave and pray and meditate there and the angel Gabriel supposedly appeared unto him and grabbed hold of him and said “RECITE!” And he said “I am not a reciter” Then the angel squeezed him so hard that he could almost not take it anymore. I don’t know if it was a bear hug or grabbed by the throat but then the angel released him and said again “recite.” Mohammed said “I’m not a reciter.” This happens several times until the angel puts all these words in his mouth and tells him that he is going to be a messenger of God and he’s going to bring this message of the word of God. So then he recites these things that the angel tells him.

At the time he said that he thought that he might have been demon possessed. That was his first concern; he was worried that he was possessed of a devil. But then he started to realize that this was the word of God and he got these confirmations that this is actually the word of God and that this really was the angel Gabriel.

So what the Quran is, it’s the oral sayings of Mohammed, because he would keep adding to it and he had it all memorized. He’s not a guy who reads or writes so it’s all just in his mind. He would tell people, hey I’ve got another chapter of the Quran and he would speak it unto them and they would learn it by heart. Then people also did write it down and circulate it. It was something he had in his mind and even today many Muslims will memorize the entire Quran. It’s not as long as the Bible. They’ll sing it as a way to remember the whole thing. So that’s how it was transmitted. And Muslims believe that the greatest evidence for the fact that Mohammed was a true prophet is the Quran itself. As much as we would point to the Bible and say, “look at this magnificent book!” Here’s the thing about the Quran, it’s not a magnificent book at all. You only have to read a few pages to see how inferior it is to the Word of God. Just from looking into this book, what Texe Marrs said at the end of MARCHING TO ZION is the truest words ever spoken. “When people read the Quran, and then read the new Testament they must come to the conclusion that Jesus is Lord. There is no comparison between these two books.” The quality of this book is simply much lower, and it is clearly a man-made concoction. So if this is the biggest evidence they have I’m not impressed. Let’s look at some of the false doctrines that are found in this most holy book of Islam. The book that is the foundation of what they believe. They believe this is the very word of God! They believe it trumps the Bible, that it trumps anything! This is the final authority. Let’s look at just some of the false doctrine besides that it teaches another gospel.

Right at the very beginning of the book, just a few pages in it says in Chapter 2 verse 34 “And when we said to the angels, prostrate yourself before Adam, they all prostrated themselves except Satan who in his pride refused and became an unbeliever.” So here the sin of Satan is not to bow down and worship Adam. Now where in the Bible does it ever teach that anyone should worship Adam? That any angel was commanded to bow down and worship him? That is a strange false doctrine. The Bible says “thou shalt worship the LORD thy God and him only shalt thou serve.” Isn’t it amazing that the Muslims will try and criticize us for worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh? But they are teaching the worship of Adam and that that was Satan’s sin? Now this is another similarity with Mormonism. The Prophet Brigham Young (the second prophet of Mormonism) he stated that Adam was God. Now the Mormons don’t believe that any more but that is what Brigham Young taught. This is a bizarre strange doctrine. It’s a similar thing that’s being taught here, why would anyone be told you need to worship Adam, to bow down to Adam? It doesn’t make sense.

It’s also interesting that in Chapter 2 verse 54 it says “We gave Moses the book and salvation so that you might be rightly guided.” So all throughout this book it claims that the books of Moses are the Word of God. In fact it affirms both Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus. Yet the teachings of this book dramatically contradict the teachings of the Law of Moses and Jesus. The book still claims to be a continuation of the same thing. In chapter 2 verse 97 it says “Gabriel, who has by God’s grace, has revealed to you the Quran as a guide and joyful tidings for the faithful CONFIRMING previous scriptures.” Did you hear that? Scriptures means writings! It says in 2 verse 87 “To Moses we gave the book, and after we sent other Apostles, we gave Jesus the Son of Mary.” So over and over it says the same thing. Verse 91 says “If they are told believe in what God has revealed, they reply, we believe in what was revealed to us, and they deny what has been since revealed, although it is the truth, corroborating their own scriptures.” So according to the Quran, the Quran is supposed to corroborate the Bible. The Quran is a continuation of the Bible. The Quran is not going to contradict the Bible, and yet it contradicts it in almost ALL of its teachings.

Let me give you some examples. Go to Deuteronomy chapter 24. Let’s see if this book is a confirmation and corroboration of what was given in the Bible. We’re only going to scratch the surface, and see the beginning of the book, and see all the false doctrine and all the places that it contradicts the Bible, the Word of God. I’m going to read for you from the Quran here, and show you how it contradicts what the Word of God teaches. In Chapter 2 of the Quran, Chapter 1 is just a short introduction, and we’re in chapter 2 (it’s call the Cow). Everything I’m giving you is from the Cow. This is the first main chapter. It’s all coming from the Cow folks. So we’re in chapter 2 while you’re going to Deut 24. (no chapter 3 is not Pork, they don’t do pork).

In verse 230 in the Cow chapter it says about divorce “when you have renounced your wives, and they have reached the end of their waiting period, do not prevent from remarrying their husbands if they have come to an honorable agreement. If a man divorces his wife, he shall not remarry her until she have wedded another man and been divorced by him.” Did you hear that? Let this sink in, first of all Islam is okay with Polygamy and Divorce. Here it says, if a man divorces his wife he shall not remarry her until she has wedded another man and been divorced by him! That is not what the Bible teaches! This is the law of Moses in Deut 24: When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may got and be another man’s wife. And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth he rout of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. So what’s the Bible teaching? That it is permissive to divorce your wife only if you find some uncleanness in her. This is what Jesus said when he said that no man can put away his wife except for fornication. Notice he didn’t say for adultery, but for fornication. Fornication is that which takes place before marriage. Adultery is that which takes place after marriage if you break marriage vows. In the Old Testament in Deut 22 this is also covered where it says that a man who believes that he is marrying a virgin and then goes in unto her and finds her not to be a maid at that point is allowed to put her away and write her a bill of divorcement and she may be married to another man. This isn’t talking about people who have been married for years and they aren’t compatible or someone is unfaithful. The Bible says that the Lord God hateth putting away. Jesus told the Pharisees that what God hath joined together let not man put asunder. If it’s done for any reason other than fornication you’re causing her to commit fornication, and if you marry a woman divorced you’re committing adultery, because at that time they were divorcing their wives for any cause. They were divorcing them because they want to. Jesus said that’s not what it was intended for. It was if he finds uncleanness. It doesn’t mean she didn’t take a bath, uncleanness throughout the Bible is referring to sin. It’s referring to sexual sin; it calls that uncleanness, whether it is fornication or whatever. So it’s saying that he goes in unto her and she finds no favor in his eyes because he finds uncleanness in her and then he writes her a bill of divorcement and she may be married to another man. So before the consummation is made, that is said wait a minute I’m backing out. That’s what the Bible teaches. What it really does clearly teach is that if a man divorces his wife, and she goes and marries someone else that he can never be remarried to her again. So how does this play out in our modern culture? Well today we have people getting divorced all the time don’t we? The Bible teaches that if a man and woman get divorced first it teaches that they should be reconciled. If neither of them gets remarried the best thing for them is that they be reconciled. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 7: Let not the wife depart from her husband, but and if she depart let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled unto her husband. So the Bible teaches that ideally if a couple splits up the best thing that could happen is that they get remarried. I’ve seen it happen where couples get together and then get divorced and then they get back in church and hearing the preaching of God’s Word they understand the sin of being divorced and say “we need to get back together and be reconciled.” Then they are remarried and that is a blessed thing. But the Bible is real clear that once either divorced party married someone else that she may not come back and be the wife of the previous husband, the Bible says that is an abomination. So therefore if people are divorced and neither is remarried then the hope is there for them to be reconciled. That would be God’s perfect will in that situation, but if one of them gets remarried that can happen.

What does the Quran teach? The Quran is bizarrely teaching that if they get divorced then they can’t get back together unless she marries someone else and they get divorced and then they can get back together. What in the world? Let me marry someone else really quickly and get this out of the way and then get divorced and we can get back together. It’s the opposite! How can this be a confirmation of the Law of Moses when it teaches the opposite? But here’s what Muslims will conveniently do: Any time you point out one of these hundreds of contradictions between the Quran and the words of Moses, or the Quran and the words of Jesus, here’s what they’ll say. “That’s been corrupted, that’s been tampered with.” So Mohammed says in the Quran that this is confirming previous scripture, and the Words of Moses, and the Words of Jesus and is riding on the coattails of Moses and Jesus. He wants to steal followers away from Moses and Jesus. When Muslims try to evangelize you that’s what they always try to do… “We love Jesus too, we believe in Jesus too!” They’ll say, “Let me tell you about Jesus in the Quran,” but when you pin them down on any of the teachings they say that the teachings have been corrupted according to them. You can point to hundreds of teachings and they’re all corrupted, they’ll say the Old Testament has been corrupted; the words of Jesus have been corrupted, only the Quran is correct. So it claims to follow Moses and Jesus, but then discards the teachings and calls it all corrupt, says it’s all been changed. So has someone gone back and changed Deuteronomy to say the opposite? So did it used to say what Mohammed said? That you’ve got to get married to someone else and then get divorced again to get remarried to the original person? No, because any logical person can look at what Moses says and say “That makes sense!” Then they look at the Quran and say “that doesn’t make sense!” So it’s pretty clear which one is the corruption and which one is right. So there’s a direct contradiction.

Not only that, but this book in the same section where it talks about Divorce, it teaches that Pedophilia is ok. Now first of all let me bring your attention to Mohammed himself. He was married to a woman named Kadesia. He was fist married to her for many years, and she was 15 years older than him. But then he ended up marrying his next wife (he married a couple wives) after the first wife died, he took more wives and the wife that God supposedly told him in a vision to take was a 6 year old. Her name was Aiesha. Keep in mind this is a man in his 50’s. Mohammed! You were right the first time! You got demon possessed in the cave! You should’ve gone with your gut. So the Angel of the LORD is supposedly coming to him telling him you’re going to marry a 6 year old! He’s embarrassed to tell anyone. That doesn’t surprise me that he’s embarrassed to tell anyone. The way it supposedly happened he was at home and the lady that was cleaning his house says to him “you should marry another wife since Kadesia is gone.” He says “Who should I marry?” And the woman says “Either this woman (she names another woman) or this 6 year old Aiesha.” Mohammed says “I’ll marry both!” He ended up consummating the marriage at age 9. That is filthy! That is disgusting, perverted, that is PAEDOFILIA! So I thought to myself, Mohammed was clearly a Pedophile so there’s probably going to be something in there about Pedophilia. I literally just opened the Quran and went to the table of contents and then the section on Divorce. When going to look at that section I noticed it says there’s a waiting period before Divorce, sort of like California which has a cool down period of 3 months. It’s three of a woman’s cycles in the Quran. So what if your wife is older and it ceaseth to be with her after the manner of women as the Bible says? This is the Bible’s Euphemism. Mohammed says “well just go with three calendar months OR the same shall apply to those who have NOT YET MENSTRUATED.” Why are you married to a wife that has not yet menstruated? There’s a footnote at the bottom of the page that says: On account of their young age, child marriages were common. Yea, they were common amongst PERVERTS! I don’t care how common that was in Arabia amongst pagans and perverts. All that Mohammed did was grow up in a wicked place where a bunch of pagans were worshipping idols and false gods and he came up with a new religion that said there was only one god, and Mohammed is his prophet but he retained all of this pagan garbage just because people around him supposedly condoned it. Even if that’s really true, that’s just what Muslims will claim. If they condoned it then they were a bunch of perverts! That’s disgusting, wicked, and not something the Bible teaches. In fact the Bible contradicts this.

Go to 1 Corinthians chapter 7. The Bible has all the answers, and the Bible condemns Pedophilia. The Quran says, hey if they haven’t had their cycles here’s how you divorce them. That’s weird that you’re married to someone that hasn’t even had their cycles yet, that is a false doctrine. Look what the Bible says in chapter 7 verse 36: “But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.” So you see how the Bible stipulates here that before they get married that the girl must pass the flower of her age. Now the Bible defines that clearly in Leviticus 15 where it says that the “flowers” describe the manner of women. In Leviticus 15:24 the Bible says: “And if a man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed thereon he lieth shall be unclean. In verse 32 it also says “And of her that is sick of her flowers” it talks about that being an issue of blood coming forth. Think about the word Flower. We think of it about something that grows outside on a plant, but in older language, think about something FLOWING. F L O W. That is what this is saying. It says that she has to pass the flower of her age and that is a reference to the fact that she has to be of age, physically mature, as a woman able to conceive seed before she can get married. So getting married to 6 year olds, nine year olds? That’s for Pedofiles! It’s not something that’s ever been common amongst normal people; it’s only for wicked Reprobates. That is just as perverse as any other perverted things the Bible lists, sodomy, beastiality. It’s all wicked. Only someone who has been given over to vile affections would desire it. A normal man would desire a woman, not a child. It’s filthy, and the Quran condones it, Mohammed lived it in his own life!

I have the Quran on the pulpit, if you want to check it out after the service you’re more than welcome to see that this is all in here. I’ve gone out soul winning and run into hundreds of Muslims and I’ll ask them “What about Aiesha?” And they’ll confirm to me every single time, “yes they got married, she was nine and that was normal back then.” On what planet?! But that’s their only answer. When you try to show them these contradictions they say “the Bible is corrupted there, I’ll go with the Quran.”

Go to Isaiah 53. The Quran continues further to teach another gospel. Listen to the Quran Chapter 2 verse 122. The Quran says about the judgement day “guard yourselves against the day on which no soul shall stand in for another. When no ransom shall be accepted from it, no intercession availeth, no help be given him.” So according to the Quran on judgement day there will be no stand in, no substitute, no intercession, and no ransom at all. Now look at what the Bible says in Isaiah 53 verse 12 (this is talking about Jesus): “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Jesus made intercession for the transgressor! It says in verse 5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Jesus is our substitute! God laid on Jesus, according to Old and New Testament, the iniquity of us all, and he was bruised for our iniquities, and he died for our sins, and the Bible clearly says he made intercession for us. Listen to these scriptures from the New Testament. Matthew 20 verse 28 the Bible says: “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Listen to 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 6 “Jesus gave himself a RANSOM FOR ALL to be testified in due time.” Jesus is our ransom, Jesus is our substitute, and Jesus is our intercessor. The only way for us to be saved is through Jesus! If we were to be judged according to our works we’d all be condemned! For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God! The Bible says: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, this is redemption that Muslims do not have. They don’t have an intercessor; they don’t have a stand in on judgement day. They don’t have a ransom for their soul. We have Jesus as our savior who as died for our sin. They will die in their sins and be judged for their sins. See, according to the Quran they’ll be saved if they obey and follow the Quran and do works, but here’s the thing, every single Muslim comes short. Every Muslim is a major sinner just like every Christian is a major sinner. We’ve all sinned and come short, there is none righteous, no, not one. Look at Hosea 13:14 “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.” This is a scripture that is quoted in 1 Corinthians 15 about the gospel of Jesus, about the fact that Jesus has ransomed us from the power of the grave. Go to Hebrews 7:22 “by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.” We don’t need you to change it Mohammed! Jesus has an unchangeable priesthood. It’s done, and it’s finished. Jesus said “behold I come quickly.” He didn’t say he’s sending another guy 600 years later that’s going to change everything. No the Bible says “Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his works shall be.” Jesus is coming. That’s who we’re looking for. We’re not looking for some guy who came to Arabia 600 years later and said everything is corrupt because Gabriel talked to him in a cave. It’s false, let it be accursed.

Muslims are constantly blessing Mohammed all the time. They cannot say his name without saying Peace be Upon Him. PISS BE UPON HIM! The Bible says of Mohammed “let him be accursed!” There are no blessings upon Mohammed. The Bible says “if any man preaches any other gospel than that which ye have received, let him be accursed.” You say “well, you shouldn’t say that because you’re going to anger muslims.” Let him be accursed. Like it or lump it. My goal is not to anger or offend Muslims. My goal is that Muslims would be saved. I want to reach Muslims with the gospel of Jesus Christ. But I will not sit here and be respectful toward a false prophet. If that is what it takes to win Muslims then I won’t win any Muslims to the Lord. The bible commands me to let him be accursed. I don’t respect all religions, because when Cain brought an offering unto the Lord that was other than the blood of the lamb (fruits and vegtables) that God did not have respect unto his offering. God did not respect Cain’s religion. Woe unto these false prophets because they have gone in the way of Cain! If God didn’t respect Cain, why would I respect those who have gone in the way of Cain? Cain is one who brought forth works salvation, Abel brought the blood of the lamb. Why did Cain kill Abel? Because his own works were evil and his brother’s righteous according to the Bible. The Spiritual Cains of Islam will kill unbelievers of their religion. That’s in the Quran too.

In Hebrews 7 verse 25 the Bible says “wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” That’s where our salvation comes from, that Jesus Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us. The Quran says hey there is no intercession for us; it’s all on your own merits. You’re doomed! Even if you believe in this your doomed. I remember talking to a Muslim and she said “Yes I am going to heaven, because she’s doing the good works and she follows the pillars, and she obeys the Quran.” I started to point out to her (I don’t go around pointing out peoples sins to them that’s not the right attitude) because she was sitting there telling me that she was righteous and she was going to heaven I said “ok, what about the TV that is right behind you? How about the Jerry Springer show that’s on? Is that what God wants you to watch? Is that a righteous tv show? Is that of God? She said “Oh well, yea, I guess not.” I said “Why are you in a pair of short shorts? Is that what the Quran taught you? Is that what Mohammed wants you to wear? She shys away saying “Oh well, you know…” I said “Where’s your headscarf?” She said “uhhh…” I said “What’s going on? You’re going to hell according to the Quran! You’re going to hell according to the Bible because you don’t believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” I was trying to bring her good news, that God will save her just as she is. As the hymnist says “Just as I am without on plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou biddest me come to thee, O lamb of God I come, I come.” That’s the salvation that Christianity offers. Islam offers prostrating yourself 5 times a day, making a trip to Mecca, following a bunch of rules, and you know what? Then you hope for the best because God is gracious and compassionate. You hope that you’re going to make it in because he’s going to overlook all of your CONSTANT mess-ups, and your constant sin.

Go to First Peter Chapter 2. Remember that we’ve only been looking at one chapter of the Quran. The Quran has 114 chapters in it. We’re only looking at one right now. We’re still on the Cow folks, one chapter that is filled with heresy. It hasn’t confirmed previous scriptures at all like it claims to. Listen to what the Quran says in the Cow verse 91. It says “Slay them wherever you find them! (slay means kill) Drive them out the places where they drove you. Idolatry is more grievous than bloodshed. But do not fight them within the precincts of the holy mosque, unless they attack you there. If they attack you, slay them. Thus shall the unbelievers be requited, but if they desist God is forgiving and compassionate. Fight them unto Idolatry is no more, and God’s religion reigns supreme! But if they desist, attack the wrongdoers. A sacred month for a sacred month, sacred things too are subject to retaliation. If anyone attacks you, attack him as he attacked you!” So he lists this over and over again. If anyone attacks you, slay them. Attack them that attack you. A few verses later in verse 216 he says “fighting is obligatory for you!” He’s not talking about a spiritual warfare. He’s talking about literal sword fighting. Go slay the wicked. He says “fighting is obligatory for you, as much as you dislike it, but you may hate a thing although it’s good for you, and love a thing although it’s bad for you. God knows but you know not.” God knows and you know not just shut up because I said so and go slay these unbelievers until God’s religion reigns supreme. Now is this what Jesus taught? Did Jesus teach, “attack those that attack you?” Did Jesus teach “if they attack you, slay them!” No, he did not. Listen to what the Bible teaches in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 19: “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” What does the bible say? “Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” “SLAY HIM” Mohammed would say. “He that smiteth you on the cheek, slay him now!” He would say “Don’t do it in the Mosque, but if he hits you in the Mosque do it in the Mosque. Kill him in the mosque! Slay him wherever you find him! Slay him until God’s religion reigns supreme.”

Listen, God’s religion is not going to reign supreme because narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it. Broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be which go in thereat. It’s never going to be a thing where the whole world gets saved. Most people are not saved. God’s way is never going to be supreme is the narrow way. But they’re saying, “let’s just slay the idolators until God’s religion reigns supreme.” This is not what the Bibles teaches. A lot of people will say “Well you know, in the Old Testament it was kind of like that, that in the Old Testament it was just SLAY EVERYBODY.” No, it was not like that. Where do you see in the Old Testament the need to slay all these nations and force them to convert to worship the God of the Bible? The only thing that you could point to is that God specifically told the children of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt to go into Cannan and wipe out those specific nations of the Cannanites who were cursed by God, who commited the filthiest imaginable acts, and God said because they’ve done all these things you need to just wipe these people out. He said that His people couldn’t even coexist with these people because they practice so much filth and perversion. Leviticus 18 and 20 lists all the perversion that they did and it’s horrific. This is why they need to go in there and wipe them out. God never said “convert the whole world through warfare, through the sword.” He didn’t even say to force these people to convert. All he said to do was that these people have become so deviant and perverted that they needed to be wiped out. This was one specific nation. Once the children of Israel come in and inherit the land, where do you see them going out and conquesting and building an empire? Where do you see an Israelite empire going into Europe, going into Africa, going into India, and taking over and saying convert to worshipping the Lord or we will slay you? There’s nothing like that, in either Old Testament or New Testament. That is false. Even if it were in the Old Testament (which it’s not), we’re in the New Testament! There’s nowhere that Christ said that we are to go to physical war in the New Testament. Show me in the New Testament where we are supposed to go out and physically fight against the Lord’s enemies physically. NEVER! It’s never taught. The only thing the Bible teaches in the New Testament is that government should punish evildoers. Never does it say we’re going to go on Jihad, we’re going to go out and have a righteous war to convert people and force them under until we can take over as many places as possible and bring them to the true religion. The Bible doesn’t teach to attack those who attack you. The Bible doesn’t say “slay the idolators.” It says “recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath. For it is written “vengeance is mine, I will repay” saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger SLAY HIM! No that’s not what it says, it says “if thine enemy hunger feed him. If he thirst give him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” That’s what the Bible says. This is totally the opposite of what the Quran is saying. It says “if it be possible, as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men.

Back to a little bit of the history of Mohammed… so Mohammed goes into the cave, he starts getting these visions, starting at age 40, he starts reciting the Quran to some followers and he starts building up a following where he’s reciting these Suras or chapters of the Quran. People start to believe in it and they start following his teachings and he begins to be persecuted in his home town. His home town is Mecca. Eventually the Muslims in Mecca are persecuted and they end up leaving Mecca. They flee from Mecca and go to Medina. Medina is where all the followers of Mohammed began to congregate and assemble. Medina became a very Muslim place. Then the Muslims in Medina decided that they were going to (by the “revelation of God” to Mohammed) start raiding the caravans of Mecca. What does it mean to raid a caravan? That means that here are caravans, and people are doing business and making money by working and trading. They are bringing merchandise from a far. The Muslims are going to swoop down and attack them and steal their stuff. Does the Bible teach to steal? Well as long as their not saved right? We can steal from them? That’s not what the Bible says, it says “thou shalt not steal.” But Mohammed says, “God wants us to raid these caravans and steal from the people of Mecca.” You know, they’re a bunch of infidels anyway so we’ll rob them and fight them, and kill them and whatever. This is not anything to do with the religion of the Bible, Old or New Testament, this is not Christianity. This is just a prophet who is teaching either the doctrines of devils (which is the most likely explanation), or just of his own wicked imagination and heart. If you think about it, the same angel who’s telling him “marry a 6 year old,” is the same one saying “raid caravans, steal, kill, fight, do all this.” It’s wickedness that he’s been spurred on to by these demons that are talking to him. So he begins to raid the caravans and eventually there’s a big battle of Mecca vs. Medina. Eventually they took control of Mecca once again. They also got control of the Game Cube, which I want to speak about for just a moment. The Kabbah is what they call it.

The Kabbah is this great giant cube. They claim that this is a house of God, that this is a holy shrine. They believe it was originally built by Abraham and Ismael. Here’s what’s interesting about the Kabbah, the Kabbah already existed before Mohammed came along. It was something that the pagan polytheistic Arabs used to worship their gods. So they had all these idols and false gods in the Kabbah. Then Mohammed comes along and wants to take this over and make it a holy place. So he gets rid of all the idols, but this is a holy place still. All throughout the Quran he’s adopting and keeping all these traditions of the wicked pagan Arabs, and claiming this is actually from God it’s just that they messed it up. The Game Cube was originally a pagan Arab shrine to their false gods. Mohammed comes along and says this is built by Abraham and Ishmael. Listen to what Mohammed said: “Abraham and Ishmael laid the foundations (Cow verse 128) of the house and dedicated it saying ‘accept this from us Lord.’ You are the one that hears all and knows all. Lord make us submissive to you, make of our descendants a community that will submit to you.” Where is any of this in Genesis is what I’d like to know. Where in the Bible do we see Abraham and Ishmael building this cube? This is all just made up and it’s not confirming anything in the Bible, it’s completely made up. Also Mohammed is saying “Safa and Marwa are two of God’s beacons.” These are mountains that the pagans worship. The Muslim might say “Oh, it’s ok to worship them because they’re God’s beacons, don’t say they’re about false gods.” Mohammed is adopting all the pagan practices. When they make their pilgrimage to Mecca, because one of the 5 pillars that Islam teaches is a trip to Mecca once in their lifetime at a minimum if they can, they all bow down to that cube and make circles around it, and perform all these rituals about that cube. The “Game Cube” as I affectionately call it.

Go to second Peter chapter 2. Let’s see what the Bible says about false prophets. This is what Mohammed is, a false prophet. You ask, what’s the evidence that he’s a false prophet? It’s the fact that he contradicts everything that is taught in the Old Testament and the New Testament. He also contradicts the Law of Moses, and to jump forward to the end of the Quran one of the very last things it says is “God is one, the eternal God. He has begotten none, nor was he begotten. No one is equal to him.” Over and over it says “God has no son.” And that God begets no one. They say that Jesus was born of a virgin but they say there was just no father. So instead of God being his Father there’s just no father. He’s just born of one person. That doesn’t make any sense. That’s contrary to what the Word of God teaches of course. So back to 2 Peter Chapter 2 of false prophets, the Bible says “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them (and of course Mohammed denies that Jesus is the Son of God) and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” Look at verse 14 “having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children…” These descriptions fit Mohammed. Covetous practices are like raiding caravans and stealing stuff. Like coveting other men’s wives! He married woman after woman after woman! He had eyes that cannot be satisfied. Why do you have to marry 11 wives? It’s because you’re not content with such things as ye have. It’s also because you’re not content and rejoicing with the wife of your youth. So this fits Mohammed. Go to Jude. Jude is the parallel passage two pages later where the Bible talks about false prophets. Verse 3 says “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delievered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Look at verse 7 “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are est for for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.” Mohammed dreamed that was supposed to marry a six year old. If he’s not a filthy dreamer I don’t know what to say. It says “going after strange flesh,” children is strange flesh. That’s strange for a man to go after, going after the flesh of children. He’s described as a false prophet.

Muslims need to understand according to the New Testament which is a greater book than the Quran, because there is more greatness in one chapter of the New Testament, than the whole book of the Quran. The Lord Jesus Christ provides a ransom, Salvation! Intercession! Good News! If you believe in the Bible, it’s describing Mohammed as a false prophet. It describes him to a T. One more thing that I want to cover so I’ve covered everything from the Cow chapter that I wanted to cover is that it actually brings up Jesus and Mary. Give me a moment to find it in my notes… (flipping through pages). It’s actually in Chapter Three. This chapter is the House of Imran. Imran is referring to Amram. Now if you know your Bible you know that Amram was the father of who? Do you remember Amram and Jocabed? Who were their children? His children were Moses, Aaron and Miriam. In Arabic the name Mary is Miriam. It’s the same as the character from the Old Testament. So they share the same name. So because Mohammed was illiterate he made the foolish mistake of (throughout the Quran) thinking that Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, was the same person as Mary the mother of Jesus. Here’s the problem with that, those lived close to 2000 years apart. Whatever you believe, whatever your religion, these are historical figures folks. Even an atheist will tell you that Jesus of Nazareth was a real person. Anybody knows that Moses lived almost 2000 years before Jesus. Think about it, after Moses you have 400 years of the judges, then they have the Kings (Saul, David, and Solomon and that’s 120 years). Then you have the time of Jeraboam the son of Nebat and he leads the northern kingdom into sin for 390 years. So 400 plus 120 plus 390, then another 500 years, so you’re looking at a LONG period of time. This is a pretty stupid mistake to make, to mix up Miriam the sister of Moses and Miriam (in their language) the mother of Jesus. It’s something that you would expect a small child to make, where they think that a character from Exodus is a character from Matthew. Think about it, Exodus and Matthew are pretty far apart. Since he is illiterate and because he is a false teacher he makes this error. So the House of Imram is talking about Mary being born and Mary giving birth to Jesus. It calls her “Mary, the daughter of Imram!” Since once again they believe this is the same person. It says in the footnote at the bottom of the page: “in the Quran, Amram is also the virgin Mary’s father,” Since it talks about them being the same person. Some people will try to cover for this and say “It’s not really the same because they just both happen to be named Amram, it’s just a different Amram.” Here’s the proof that it’s not, if you jump forward to chapter 19 of the Quran around verse 27 it talks about how Mary goes out into the desert, and basically comes back with a baby. This is totally different from what the Bible teaches about the manger and no room in the inn and Joseph’s there, totally different story in the Quran of course. In the Quran it says “carrying the child the people said to her ‘Mary! You have indeed done a shameful deed!’” They’re saying this because she leaves and comes back with a kid. There’s no Joseph in this story, Mary just leaves and goes out into the desert and comes back with a baby! “Mary! You have indeed done a shameful deed, sister of Aaron!” Sister of Aaron??? So not only is the Quran saying that Amram is her dad but it’s saying that Aaron is her brother! Mohammed truly did mix up Miriam of the Old Testament and Miriam of the New Testament, because in Arabic it’s the same name. There’s a footnote at the bottom of the page in this edition of the Quran that says “it appears that Miriam, Aaron’s sister, and Miriam the mother of Jesus were one and the same person.” That’s amazing that they lived so many hundreds and hundreds of years apart! But when you’re illiterate and you can’t read the Bible you’re going to make mistakes like that. You’re going on hear say of a vague knowledge of the Bible.

The Quran continues “Sister of Aaron! Your father was never a whoremonger, nor was your mother a harlot. She made a sign to them pointing to the child.” (because she can’t talk, she’s been struck with dumbness). So she’s pointing to the baby, and they said “how can we speak with a babe in the cradle? Whereupon he the baby spoke.” So this is newborn baby Jesus. He says “I am the servant of God (okay bring Boaz up here, I need a visual aid). Now this isn’t really a good illustration because this is the youngest kid I have folks. In the Quran it’s a new born. So here’s what’s going on in the Quran (illustrates with baby). The baby Jesus said “I am the servant of God, he has gave me the book and ordained me his prophet. His blessing is upon me wherever I go, and he has exalted me to be steadfast in prayer, and to give alms as long as I shall live. He has exhorted me to honor my mother and has purged me of vanity and wickedness. Peace be on me on the day I was born, and on the day of my death, and on the day I shall be raised to life.” (Pastor Anderson explains he wanted to make the reading more real with the baby and hands the baby back to the woman named Miriam, he jokes and says she was in Exodus and in Matthew too!) Saying that the Miriam of Exodus was the same Miriam as the mother of Jesus is like saying that this is the same Miriam. The same conditions exist of a time frame of hundreds and hundreds of years apart. It’s a similar mistake.

Folks, this book was written by an illiterate false prophet who taught false doctrine according to his own lust. Hey lets raid caravans and kill people (in the voice of Mohammed) and take over Arabia! He got a bunch of power for himself and amassed a following. Maybe all of this is because he wanted to have 11 wives! Maybe it’s because he wanted to be bowed down to as “the greatest prophet of all time, greater than Jesus.” No! There’s no one greater than Jesus because Jesus is the name above all names. This man was a false prophet who got his teachings from demons or from his own heart but I believe it’s from demons. When you have 1.6 Billion followers, you need the Devil’s help for that. I don’t think he could do that on his own. He was full of wickedness, filth, blasphemy against the Lord Jesus. This is a wicked religion that was violent from the beginning. I read you the verses from the very beginning of the Quran, there’s more later of course. Right at the beginning it says let’s go raid caravans let’s go fight let’s go slay. He told them “I bring you slaughter!” He told them that before any of the fighting had broken out. “Men of Mecca I bring you slaughter.” “Slay them all!”

Now you say, “what’s the purpose of the sermon?” It’s because today we’re living in a day of Ecumenicalism, where people are trying to say that Christianity and Islam aren’t that different. It’s the Rick Warrens of this world, when they’re not holding hands with Elton John, they’re saying “let’s focus on what we have in common with Islam.” We need to make a clear distinction between us and them, we need to have nothing to do with Islam. Islam is a wicked religion, but let me say this, I do not hate Muslims at all. In fact I love Muslims and want them to be saved. Do I hate Mohammed? YES. Do I hate the Quran? Yes, but I do not hate Muslim people at all. Many Christians do hate Muslims, and they are wrong. I love Muslims and any time I meet Muslims I am kind to them. I don’t just walk up to them and say “WHAT IN THE WORLD DO YOU BELIEVE IN?!? I BOUGHT A COPY OF THIS BOOK IT’S THE STUPIDEST THING I’VE EVER READ!” If I said that it would be the truth. This book is nonsense. That’s not what I say to them, rather I give them the gospel. I start quoting the Bible, and I show them scripture. I am however be telling them that it is a false religion, but within the four walls of FWBC (Faithful Word Baptist Church) let him be accursed! I’m not going to sit here and shy away from it. Now I’ve heard of other people, even a man in Tempe recently for example that went out to a Mosque in Tempe and was bullhorning and tearing up the Quran. Don’t tear up the Quran folks, why would you tear up the most damning evidence against Islam? Why would you burn it? It’s the biggest proof that Mohammed and Islam are a fraud. We don’t have to go out and kill people to get them to convert to Jesus because what we believe actually has power. It’s the gospel of Jesus. What we need to do with Muslims is not go out there and I question the motive of someone who goes out there and rips up the Quran and goes bullhorning because at that point it becomes obnoxious and it’s not geared toward getting Muslims saved. You may say, well this sermon is not geared toward getting Muslims saved. How many Muslims do we have in service today? Zero. So if we have zero Muslims in the auditorium today, why would I gear my sermon toward getting Muslims saved? Can someone explain that to me? Wouldn’t that be a wasted sermon? I’m preaching to Christians! I’m preaching to the saved so that you can understand the certainty of what we believe, and the falsehood of what they believe. I’m teaching the same and I was able to teach you some important doctrines out of the Bible from 1 Corinthians and Deuteronomy, from Galatians and Matthew and Isaiah. You learned the truth tonight, about intercession, and about Jesus our ransom, about divorce and what the Bible says about how old a woman has to be before they she can get married, the Muslims today do not worship the same God, because if you don’t have the Son you don’t have the father! “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.” They worship another god, they believe another gospel, and the motive tonight is not to get you all fired up and stirred up against Islam, and you’re going to hate them. No, love the Muslims.

I hope that after hearing this sermon tonight, is that your desire is to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to Muslims. If you walk out of here without that desire, then you’re not right with God. If you walk out of here with the attitude of NUKE THEM! KILL THEM! Then you’re not right with God tonight. You ought to have love for the lost. Now the Quran says right at the beginning of the Imram chapter “God does not love the unbelievers, now is that what the Bible teaches? No the Bible says that “God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” But this says “God does not love the unbelievers!” We as Christians should not have the attitude of the Quran. This kill them all, God doesn’t love them attitude. No, God loves them we need to get them saved and love them and bring them the gospel. I have won an Iranian Muslim to Christ. And those are the ones that are seen as radical, the ones that are from Iran. I’ve also won other Muslims to the Lord. Thank God that Muslims are usually pretty receptive to hearing the gospel. If you go out soul winning and run into Muslims they’ll usually listen to the gospel. We need to take the opportunity (the mission field is all around us) to get these Muslims the gospel of Jesus Christ and tell them about the intercessor, tell them about the ransom for their soul, tell them about Jesus who died on the cross for our sins and was buried and rose again according to the scripture that they might be saved by faith. You say, well Pastor Anderson you don’t preach against Islam a lot. I have preached against Islam. I did a sermon called Mormonism and Islam that teaches that Mormonism is a white man’s Islam. Same doctrine, same religion. But sometimes I find myself not really desiring to preach against Islam because right now there is a propaganda campaign going on to demonize Muslims for the benefit of the military industrial complex. That we might go to war with them and it’s demonizing them and dehumanizing them. I want nothing to do with that. My only goal is to peacefully preach the good news unto Muslims. I don’t want to see any of them slain. I don’t want to get in their face and tell them what I think. That’s not the goal, the goal is to win them to Christ.

How are we going to do that? Through this sermon? No, this sermon is for the saved. We’re going to go out and knock their doors and show them the gospel. That’s the game plan for getting Muslims saved. Show them the gospel. This attitude that hates them and wants them dead and thinks they’re all horrible is wrong. Who here has known Muslims in their personal life? They’re nice people. It’s not their fault in many cases that they’ve been brought up and are deceived and ignorant from birth. Now I’m sure that many of them are wicked people. Don’t get me wrong there are evil and wicked Muslim peoples that want to kill everybody and there are Mullah’s that are the religious teachers that are pedophiles and homosexuals in the closet. There are all kinds of demonic wicked people in the Islamic religion. But the average Muslim like the average Catholic or the average Agnostic or average whatever is just a nice person who is basically following the Quran because that’s what they’ve been taught and they’re waiting for YOU to bring them the gospel. So I don’t want my sermon to be misconstrued that I am lumped into this hatred for and demonization of Muslims as a whole. I don’t believe in it. I love Arabic people, Persian people, Indonesian people, I want them to get saved. No hatred in my heart whatsoever for them. I only hate those who hate the Lord, those who are Reprobate. That’s a minority, out of 1.6 billion people they are not all horrible people. So we need to get them the gospel of Jesus Christ and speak the truth in love and not demonize them as less than human. People say stupid things. Someone said “The Arabs have given nothing to the world!” But even the number 1300 is written in Arabic numbers! Even our numbers, 1, 3, these are Arabic numerals. These are Arabic as opposed to Roman numerals. I’m glad that we don’t write MCXIII etc. It’s a pain! Thank you Arabs for giving us this! But it wasn’t Islam that gave this to us. You have to be able to differentiate between the people and the religion. It’s not the Arabs that are the problem it’s Islam. So don’t sit there and make stupid comments like this. The Arabs have done lots of things, scientific discoveries and such. It’s not about the race, it’s not about the nation, it’s about the religion and Mohammed is a false prophet, piss be upon him.

Let’s bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Father we thank you so much for your word, LORD, and we thank you so much for the gospel that it really is good tidings. Please help us to get it out to all the people who are lost in this world Lord. Help us to give it to the Muslims, Lord. They live in Tempe! They live in Pheonix. Help us to knock their door and find them and preach them the gospel with love in our hearts, with a tear in the eye, with a Bible in the hand Lord. Help us to reach the Hindus, the Buddhists, the false apostate Christians, Lord. Help us to reach the Catholics, Lord. The Catholics are just as unsaved as the Muslims tonight. Help us to get the saving gospel of Jesus to all the lost. Not to have a slaughter and hatred and violence in our hearts, Lord. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Now tonight I’m continuing my sermon from last Sunday night on the false prophet Mohammed and the false teachings of the Quran. Keep in mind that Islam is a religion that is followed by 1.6 billion people in this world. This is a major world religion that many people have been duped and deceived by. It’s pretty easy to prove that it is false. Now in 2 Peter 2 the Bible warns us of false prophets and that’s exactly what Mohammed was, a false prophet. He claimed to be a prophet of God, and to have revelations from God, but tonight I’m going to show you some things out of the Quran that show how his life was characterized by many of the traits found in the passage of 2 Peter 2. For Example, in verse 14 the Bible says “having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children.” That is exactly what Mohammed was.

I’m going to pick up where I left off last week in the Quran, last week we got through the first couple of chapters. There are 114 chapters in this book and when it comes to organization the Quran is a jumbled mess. This thing is literally in a random order. It seems like they could be arranged from longest to shortest. Imagine taking all the chapters of the New Testament and arranging them from longest to shortest, and then try to read that coherently. At least the individual chapters would make sense, but within the individual chapters of the Quran it’s just ramblings. It’s like an ADD narrative and you can’t really get into any story because it’s always jumping into different topics and the next chapter that follows has nothing to do with the previous chapter because it’s all in a random order. So last week we went through the first three chapters and went over all the lies and falsehood that were therein.

So I’m going to be picking up where we left off after this, and first of all I want to show you this statement from the Quran chapter 4 verse 82. The Quran reads : “Will they not ponder on the Quran? If it had not come from God they surely could have found in it many contradictions.” So the Quran here is saying that if it’s not from God then it’s going to be filled with many contradictions. Guess what? It is filled with contradictions! Let me show you one major contradiction right out of the gate. In chapter 4 verse number 55 the Quran reads “Those that deny our revelations (talking about these revelations in the Quran) we will burn in the fire. No sooner will their skins be consumed then we shall give them other skins so that they may taste the torment.” So this is saying that if you don’t acknowledge these revelations from the Quran that you’re going to be damned. It also says in Chapter 3 verse 85: “He that follows a religion other than Islam, it will not save him, and in the world to come he will surely be among the lost.” Now isn’t that making it pretty clear that if you don’t believe in the Quran, and you don’t believe in Mohammed you’re going to hell? Did it not say that in two different places pretty clearly? Now compare that to this (chapter 2 verse 62 in the Quran): “Believers who follow the Jewish faith, Christians, and Sabeans, whoever believes in God, and the last day and does what is right, shall be rewarded by their Lord. They have nothing to fear or to regret.” Did you hear that? He’s basically saying that if you’re a Christian and you do good works and you believe in God that you’re going to be fine. Listen to what the Quran says again in Chapter 5 verse 69: “Believers who follow the Jewish faith, Sabeans, and Christians, whoever believes in God, and the last day and does what is right, shall have nothing to fear or regret.” But elsewhere he says if you follow any religion other than Islam you’re going to hell, that if you don’t acknowledge the words of the Quran and the words of Mohammed you’re going to hell. That’s a major contradiction there when it comes to salvation. You’re not going to find any contradiction like that in the Word of God. See the Bible makes it real clear from cover to cover that as Acts 4:12 says “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” The Bible says that he that believeth on the Son HATH everlasting life. It says but he that believeth not the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. It’s clear, The Bible says “whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father, but he that acknowledeth the Son hath the Father ALSO.” Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” You’ll never find any passage in the Bible that says Christianity is the true religion, but as long as you follow Baal as long as you do what’s right and you believe in God in general, you’ll have nothing to fear or regret. Can you point to anything in the Bible like that? Absolutely not, because the Bible makes it crystal clear from Genesis to Revelation that there is only one God and that you have to believe and call upon the name of the Lord and thou shalt be saved. Notice it says call upon the NAME of the Lord, not just God in general. The Bible says in 1 John 5:13 “These things have I written unto you that BELIEVE on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” That name is Jesus. You must believe on JESUS to be saved, not just believe in God and do what’s right. Not only that, but works are not a part of our salvation. Salvation is by faith alone, not of works lest any man should boast (Eph 2:8) The Bible says for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The Bible also says “being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” and it’s in Christ Jesus alone. Yet the Quran out of one breath is saying that as long as you’re a Christian and you believe in God and the last day that you’ll be fine, elsewhere it says if you don’t believe in Islam you’re going to hell. That’s a major contradiction because it’s not from God! It’s man made so yes it is filled with contradictions.

The chapter that we’re going to get into tonight here in the Quran showing the errors of Islam and comparing it with the Bible and showing how superior the Bible is, and how the Quran is filled with lies even though it claims to be a continuation of the Bible, it has nothing to do with the Bible, this chapter is chapter 4. It is called “women.” We’re done with the Cow, and the House of Imran, so listen here to what the Quran says about women (chapter 4 verse 3 Quran) : “If you fear that you cannot treat orphans with fairness, then you may marry other women who may seem good to you, two, three, or four.” How about one? No, the Quran says two three or four. It continues “but if you fear that you cannot maintain equality among them, marry only one or any slave girls you may own. This will make it easier for you to avoid injustice.” So what he’s saying here is to try to treat your multiple wives equally if you have two three or four. Look, this is a wicked book. The Bible teaches that at the beginning God made them male and female, and he said that they TWO would be one flesh. He even commanded the Kings of Israel not to multiply wives. The Bible says that the pastor must be the husband of one wife, and to be a Deacon you must be the husband of one wife. But here Mohammed says that if you can’t treat your multiple wives equally, just marry slave girls because you can just treat them like garbage and you don’t have to worry about it because they’re slaves, you own them. This is not taught in the Bible anywhere. The Quran is negative toward women. Sometimes people will also accuse Christianity of being negative toward women, but Christianity actually exalts women and respects women all throughout the Bible. Yes, it does teach that there is an authority structure where the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, and that the wives are the be obedient to their husbands in every thing, BUT it doesn’t teach that they have less value. They are just as important, and when it comes to spiritual worth the Bible says in Christ there is neither male nor female. Women have just as much value in God’s sight. Not in Islam. According to the Quran a few pages after Chapter 4 verse 3 it says in verse 34: “Men have superiority over women.” So it says right here that men have authority over women because God has made the one superior to the other. This flat out says that men are better than women, this is not what the Bible says anywhere. Then he says this in verse 21: “If you wish to replace one wife with another, do not take anything from the dowry you gave her even if it be a talent. That would be improper, and a veritable sin. For how can you take it back when you enter into a contract?” So he’s saying here that wife swapping is fine, but just don’t take away the money. He’s saying that if you gave a dowry, you can’t get that back, that would be a big sin if you want to switch wives. NO! Switching wives is a big sin! It’s called Adultery! I want to show that you that just looking at the Quran it’s obvious that Mohammed himself was a domineering cult leader. He reminds me of modern day manifestations such as David Keresh, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, these types of men that rule over and tyrannize the people who follow them. They use their followers for the gratification of their flesh and the desires of their own lusts. They are womanizing, with eyes full of adultery, looking to gratify themselves with other peoples wives and its total wickedness. Now listen to what the Quran has to say in Chapter 33 verse 36: “It is not for true believers, men or women, to order their own affairs, if God and his apostle decrees otherwise. He that disobeys God and his apostle strays grievously in the earth.” Mohammed is the apostle that he’s talking about. He’s saying that he will tell them what to do, that they can’t order their own affairs. Is this what the Bible teaches? Let me read a little more about what Mohammed thinks his authority is as an apostle. It says in verse number 37: “When Zaied divorced her, we gave her to you in marriage, so that it should become legitimate for true believers to wed the wives of their adopted sons if they had divorced them.” I’m going to come back to that, because you probably have no idea what I just said. Listen to verse 50 “Prophet, we have made lawful to you the wives to whom you’ve granted dowries, and the slave girls whom God has given you as booty, the daughters of your paternal and maternal uncles, and of your paternal and maternal aunts who fled with you, and ANY BELIEVING WOMAN WHO GIVES herself to the prophet, and whom the prophet wishes to take in marriage. This privilege is yours alone being granted to no other believer.” Do you hear that? So he’s saying physically that Mohammed had access to all his wives, all his slave girls to be physical with them, and all his counsins! He said the children of your aunts on your mother’s side, the children of your aunts on your dad’s side, the children of your uncles on your mom’s side, the children of your uncles on your dad’s side, AND ANY ISLAMIC WOMAN that wants to hop in the sack with you Mohammed, That’s who you have access to. Isn’t this just filthy? What kind of a sick domineering cult leader that says that’s my privilege, nobody else, but I just have access to all these women. Even relatives of his that are near of kin to him he’s going to have access to. He says later “you must not speak ill of God’s apostle, nor shall you ever wed his wives after him.” Because there’s all kinds of wife swapping condoned, but you can never swap wives with one of his wives. Is this guy just an evil cult leader or what? WHO THINKS THIS IS LEGIT?! Who reads this and says, this sounds legit. “Hey God just gave me a revelation that I have access to all my relatives, all these women, and wives and slave girls…” yea, that’s a pretty convenient revelation for you buddy.

Who follows this guy? 1.6 billion People do. We need to preach them the gospel folks. I believe that if they would hear the Word of God and hear the New Testament, many of them would be saved. Anyone has got to be able to see the difference between these two books. You’d have to be blind not to see the difference.

Look what the Bible teaches in 1 Peter Chapter 5 when it talks about Pastors, and the authority that Pastors have. The elder is another term for a Pastor. The Bible says “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisiteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time…” So what the Bible is teaching here about the elder or Pastor is that he should feed the flock of God which is among you, and he said in verse 2 taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind. In verse three it says neither being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. Then he talks about when the chief shepherd shall appear, Jesus is the chief shepherd. He is the great shepherd of the sheep. The pastor is an under shepherd, because the word ‘pastor’ literally means shepherd. So Jesus is saying to the pastor, you’re a shepherd, and then the chief shepherd is going to appear. The Bible says the pastor or shepherd also should not be a lord over God’s heritage, but to be an ensample to the flock. What does this mean? A lot of people take this and misconstrue it to say that the pastor has no authority. That’s a false doctrine, because there are many passages in the Bible that talk about how the pastor is to RULE the house of God. The Bible says “let the elders that RULE well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” The Bible calls him a ruler 3 times in Hebrews 13. The Bible talks about how they are supposed to be the overseer, the bishop and so forth. The difference that the Bible teaches is that the pastor has authority in the church, in regard to overseeing the church. That authority does not extend into the personal lives of church members. When there is authority given to someone that authority can be abused, or taken too far. In regards to the church does the pastor have authority? Yes. But does this mean the pastor has the power to tell you what to do in your personal life? Now obviously I’m going to preach the word of God and tell you the Word of God tells you to do this, but I’m not going to go to your house and ask you why you aren’t doing what I said from the pulpit. I’m not going to start enforcing my preaching on your personal life outside of the church. The Bible does teach that if people commit certain grievous sins that they are to be cast out of the assembly if they are a drunkard, or a fornicator or something like that.

I’ve seen some pastors take their authority too far to where they’ll say, “You shouldn’t switch jobs without getting my approval.” Or, “you shouldn’t paint your house without getting my approval first.” Things like that, or before making major purchases come talk to me. What in the world? That’s obviously outside the scope of his authority! Every man is the king of his own castle. The Bible teaches that wives are to be obedient unto their own husbands. The Bible doesn’t teach that the pastor has the right to rule in the home. There are different spheres of authority. In the home, the husband or the father is the boss there. What he says in his home supersedes what the Pastor says. The wife should not say to the husband, “well the Pastor said so and so.” Well heres the thing, in the home the Pastor is not the boss of the home, the Husband is the boss of that home. Does everyone understand the difference there? Hopfully the Pastor and the Husband are both saying the same thing if they’re both preaching the Word of God, and both believe the same things. But if the Pastor says something from the pulpit, that a man in the church doesn’t agree with, the wife can’t throw that in her husband’s face and say “oh but the Pastor said this!” No! The Pastor is not the boss in the home. The Pastor is the boss in the church, but the husband is the boss in his own home. For example, the government has different authorities, but is the government in charge of the church? No! If the government goes into the church and starts telling the church what to do then they are out of the bound of authority God has given them. The government has certain authority. The church has certain authority. The home, there’s certain authority there. At work there is authority, your job has certain rules for you when you’re at the job, but do they have the authority to tell you how to live your life on Saturday and Sunday? No. Can they tell you that you need to stop going to that church because you work for them? That you can only go to a church that they approve? I’ve talked with a man who said the place he worked at required that he went to the Mormon Church every Sunday. He had no interest in Mormonism but he went every Sunday because of this job requirement. They’re telling him that in his personal life he has to go to this church, this cult by the way. There are people that abuse their authority, that’s why God put this chapter here as a check and balance, because there are a lot of other passages that talk about the authority that the Pastor has and that he’s a ruler. God understands that some people will misunderstand this and take it too far. This is why there are checks and balances telling the Pastors that they are not lords over God’s heritage. What is a lord? A lord would be like lord of the manor, like you own the place. He’s saying to the Pastor that the Pastor doesn’t own the place, and that the Pastor doesn’t own the members. He is the under shepherd, the chief shepherd is the real boss and you’re just taking orders from him. He is supposed to be an example to the flock.

It’s getting a bit full in here and we have a lot of people getting up and leaving the church in the middle of the sermon, and honestly I’m ok with that. If you can’t handle the hard preaching then get out. Then we have room to fill it up with those who like this kind of preaching.

Now go to Matthew 23. Jesus talks about how the Pharisees were a bad example of this in Matthew 23. Matthew 23 verse 1 says “Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” He’s saying that they’re preaching a lot of good teachings and a lot of good commandments from the Bible, except they don’t do those things themselves. They’re binding these heavy burdens and grevious to be borne, preaching and telling you how to live your life, but then they don’t do any of it. They say, and they do not. That is the biblical definition of a hypocrite, someone who says one thing, and does something else. That’s exactly what Mohammed is, a total hypocrite. He sits there and says “don’t you marry my wives, but I’ll marry yours.” He says to not marry more than 4 wives, but he can have a multitude, he can have 11. Then he can have access to his cousins, because God says so. This guy is a cult leader. He’s a pervert.

Now listen to this, I call this next passage the Jerry Springer passage of the Quran. The Quran reads in Chapter 33 verse 37: “And when Zaied divorced her we (God) gave her to you in marriage so that it should become legitimate for true believers to wed the wives of their adopted sons if they had divorced them.” That’s really important that we get that nailed down, look everyone, it’s ok to wed the wives of your adopted sons after they divorce them. That’s a really important teaching, that’s why God had Mohammed set the example by marrying his adopted son’s ex-wife. This was just to make sure everyone knows that this is how we roll in Islam. What in the world kind of teaching is this? Marry your adopted son’s ex-wife? I mean this is just bizarre, it’s something straight out of Jerry Springer. How did this weirdness end up in the Quran? One time Mohammed went over to the house of his adopted son and his adopted son wasn’t home. So his adopted son’s wife came to the door lightly clad. She was so excited that the prophet was there, that she ran to the door without being properly dressed like she should have been. Then Mohammed thinks that this girl looks good. Then the wife invites him in and he declines, because he’s having wicked thoughts lusting after his neighbor’s wife, as the Bible commands us not to. Thou shalt not covet they neighbor’s wife. He leaves, but then it just so happens that adopted son ends up divorcing his wife and Mohammed has a problem because he’s already maxed out at 4 wives. It was also against their tradition to marry your son’s wife. Those darn traditions. But God comes to him in a special revelation and says it’s ok to marry your adopted son’s wife after they’ve been divorced, and that I’ll (God) lift the ban on 4 wives just for you Mohammed. So he’s like, great! Now the passage states that we ‘gave’ her to you to wife, so this is also a past tense revelation he’s gotten. So he doesn’t have a big wedding ceremony, really because he’s ashamed. This is why he doesn’t want to make a big deal about it. So they had a quiet little wedding. This is the filth that is taught. I don’t understand how anyone can read this and think that this is a legitimate prophet of God. How can you not see that this is a man driven by his own lusts, and covetous practices who dominates over those around him. The whole history of Islam is about ruling and conquering and taking power. It was about building an empire that was made with military victories. This is not a legitimate religion whatsoever, it is completely false.

Now in chapter 4 of the Quran verse 89 the Quran reads: “they would have you disbelieve as they themselves have disbelieved that ye may be all alike. Do not befriend them until they have fled their homes in God’s cause. If they desert you, cease them and slay them wherever you find them.” So anyone who deserts Islam is to be ceased and killed. In verse 92 the Quran reads: “If these do not keep their distance from you, if they neither offer you peace nor cease their hostilities against you, lay hold of them and slay them wherever you find them. Over such men we give you absolute authority. It is unlawful for a believer to kill another believer except if it’s an accident.” Notice, that it’s ok for them to slay an unbeliever, as it says slay them wherever you find them. The hypocrites? SLAY THEM! But it’s unlawful for you to slay a believer. Notice that it’s ok to MURDER unbelievers, in fact it’s encouraged. SLAY THEM! But it’s unlawful for a believer to kill another believer. The Bible just teaches that murder is wrong. Thou shalt do no murder, but this says just don’t kill another believer except if it’s an accident. The Quran says “he that kills a believer by design shall burn in hell forever. Again this is teaching that you can lose your salvation, that it’s a works based salvation. Literally, so far in this book it mentions hell on every page. You’re going to burn in hell! Obey me or go to hell, obey these commands or you’re going to burn in hell! Burn! You’re going to hell! This book is all fear based. If you don’t follow Mohammed… look to this day in Iran you are not allowed to criticize Mohammed. They can criticize their own government, but they are not allowed to criticize Mohammed. If you criticize Mohammed you would be hung. If people started actually talking about this stuff people would figure out how much of a fraud this is, so the government has to silence everyone. Whenever there is a law silencing people, it should make you think “hey, what’s going on here?” What are they trying to hide? What are they trying to protect? Someone might point out this guy is a serial adulterer, and a cult leader.

So Mohammed is saying to slay the unbelievers, and that it’s ok to slay them but don’t kill a fellow believer, but he also teaches that God does not love unbelievers according to the Quran. The Quran says in verse 106 “God does not love the treacherous or the sinful.” So God doesn’t love anyone that is sinful according to this. On page 35 the Quran says: “God does not love the unbelievers.” Chapter 3 verse 33. Now what does the Bible say? Does it say that God does not love the unbelievers? Turn to Romans 5, this is a famous verse that says “But God commended his love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” A lot of people misunderstand that word ‘commendeth,’ just because it’s an old word. Let me help you understand this great passage in Romans 5. This is a beautiful passage about God’s love, and how much greater it is than our love. The word commend has a few different meanings. One meaning of commend would be to give something to someone for safe keeping. If I commend something unto you, it means that I’m giving it to you to watch, to make sure it stays safe. The meanings that we would normally use for commend, in our modern vernacular, would be to praise or exalt someone or something. For example, a lot of times you’ll hear about policemen getting a commendation. What does it mean when they get a commendation? It means they’re getting honored in some way, it’s an honourable mention. Sometimes someone will have a great achievement and we’ll say to them “I commend you.” This is even where we get our word ‘recommend.’ Recommend is closely related to the word ‘commend.’ So commending someone would be to lift them up and say look how good of a job they did, that’s what they mean when the police get a commendation. Now continuing in the Bible in verse 6: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure (peradventure means maybe) for a good man some would even dare to die.” So what he’s saying is that scarcely for a righteous man would someone die, that it’s rare that one person is willing to die for another. It takes a lot of love to do that. That’s why it says scarcely for a righteous man will one die. You would die for someone that you really cared about or loved, is what he’s saying here. He says yet peradventure for a good man, maybe for a good man some would even dare to die. This is if you’re dying for someone if you think they’re a good person, you would die for them. But God, see how it starts with But? The former he was describing was man’s love. He says But God commendeth his love toward us in while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. He is exalting and lifting up his love, he’s showing us that it’s different than our love by showing us that he wouldn’t just die for a righteous person, but he’ll die for the ungodly. He was willing to die for us while we were yet sinners.

The Modern Versions all change Romans 5. This is part of why people misunderstand this, because the modern versions will use the word ‘demonstrate.’ God demonstrates his love toward us. That’s a different meaning. He’s showing his love…no! He’s commending his love, these two have different meanings. God is showing us the difference between His love and man’s love. The Bible is really clear that God loves sinners! The Bible says that God while we were yet sinners God commendeth his love for us! The Bible says that we love him because he first loved us. Not according to the Quran. The god of the Quran, he doesn’t love you if you’re an unbeliever. He only loves you if you obey Mohammed, and promise not to criticize his adulterous ways.

The Quran also teaches, and turn if you would to Revelation 1, that Jesus did not die on the cross. When you’re out soul winning, and these Muslims say “we believe in Jesus too!” This is how they’ll try to evangelize, saying ‘let me teach you about Jesus in the Quran!’ No! It’s not enough to just say I believe in Jesus, you have to believe in his death burial and resurrection. The Bible says “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Thou believiest that there is one God, O Muslim, guess what? That’s not going to save you. Believing in one God doesn’t save you. You have to believe in Jesus, and you have to believe in the Lord Jesus, you have to believe in the Lord Jesus CHRIST, and you have to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God! You have to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God who died was buried and rose again according to the scriptures! That’s salvation. This is not just the prophet Jesus, wrong. The Quran teaches that Jesus did not die on the cross. In chapter 4 verse 157 the Quran reads: “They denied the truth, and uttered a monstrous falsehood against Mary. They declared, “we have killed the Christ!” Jesus son of Mary, the apostle of God, but they did not kill him. Nor did they crucify him, but they thought they did.” Then it says in the foot note that literally in the Arabic that he was made to resemble another for them. So basically the guy that they killed on the cross, they thought it was Jesus, but it was really someone else. Did you hear that? There was a stand-in, they did the old swap-a-roo. The Jews thought they killed Jesus, but they killed some other guy that looked like Jesus. Now listen to what the Quran says a few lines later: “they did not kill him for certain, rather God lifted him up to himself. God is almighty and wise, there is none among the people of the book but will believe in him before his death.” Basically what they’re saying here is that Jesus never died, that Jesus was taken up to heaven like Enoch, and then this other guy stood in for min that resembled him that was an actor, a stunt double(I call this the stunt double doctrine). They believe it was a stunt double. Is that the resurrection? Is that the death burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus? To say that he just ascended up, no! He died, because look at Revelation 1. This is a key doctrinal teaching, the Bible says in Revelation chapter number 1:18 “I am he that liveth, and was dead.” This is Jesus talking. “and behold I am alive for ever more. Amen. And have the keys of hell, and of death.” Also it says in Matt 12:40 “as Jonas was in the belly of the whale 3 days and nights, so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” The Bible is clear that Jesus died on the cross, was buried and was brought back to life. He was resurrected, to live forever more.

Not only does the Quran deny the fact that Jesus died, buried and rose again, but it also denies the fact that he’s the Son of God. This is a major teaching of Islam. Even though they claim to believe in the gospel, they claim to believe in the Old Testament, they claim to believe in the New Testament, they say that it’s been corrupted. Any part that says that Jesus is the Son of God, they reject that part. That’s a lot of the New Testament. Even the Old Testament teaches the Son of God. This is a teaching all throughout the Bible and I’m going to show you that. Now in Chapter 4 in the Quran, in the Woman chapter, (this chapter is called Women, but it talks about a whole bunch of stuff. This book is in a crazy order.) verse number 164 he (Mohammed) says “To David we gave Psalms (because he’s saying that “hey we gave the law to Moses and gave Psalms to David, and the gospel to Jesus”).” He’s claiming here that Psalms are the Word of God, because he says we gave Psalms to David. But then a few lines later he says “God forbid that he should have a son, do not say 3! (Referring to the Trinity, The Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these three are one) Jesus the son of Mary was no more than God’s apostle, do not say three. God forbid that he should have a son. God forbid anyone would claim that God is Christ the son of Mary.” There are many places in the Quran that state that God has no son, and that Jesus is not the Son of God. But even the book of Psalms teaches that God has a Son. Think of passages in the Bible that teach that God has a Son. For instance in Proverbs 30 the Bible says “The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?” Even in this obscure passage is the mention of the Son of God. Then there’s also Daniel 3:25. This is the story of Nebuchadnezzar and the 4th man in the fire. The Bible says “He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” All the way back to Genesis One God says let US make man in OUR image after our likeness. See, God is three in one. Muslims will accuse us of believing in polytheism, which is multiple gods, but we believe in one God but that God is made up of three persons. This is just like the one person Steven Anderson is made up of body, soul, and spirit. There aren’t three Steven Andersons, but there are three components which are the body, the soul and the spirit. Now can the body, and soul, and spirit be separated? Absolutely, because if I were to die right now, my body would remain but my soul would go to heaven, so there would be a separation. Does that mean that there are now two Steven Andersons? No, there’s only one Steven Anderson, and if you looked at that dead body and said “this is Steven Anderson,” You’d be accurate. Up in heaven, if you identified me as Steven Anderson, you’d be accurate. Well how can they both be Steven Anderson? It’s not really that complicated. This is the same thing with God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost and these three are one. How can God and the Son of God be the same person? The Bible explains why he’s called the Son of God. God told Mary when she was about to become pregnant that the Holy Ghost will overshadow you, therefore that holy thing that shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God. So he’s called the Son of God because he has no earthly father, he was conceived of the Holy Ghost. This is why it makes sense to call him the Son of God. The Bible also many times says that Jesus IS God. So it’s not that we believe in multiple gods, we believe in one God, and believe that Jesus is God, that Jesus is God in the flesh. The Bible does say three as well, it says in 1 John 5:7 “there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.” Many people try to say that scripture is not legitimate, because all the new bibles take out that verse. 1 John 5:7 is only in the King James Bible. In other versions it just says that there are three that bear record, period. There is no mention of the Father, the Son, or the Holy Ghost. No mention of the fact that these three are one. There are also many other places in the Bible that mention the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. For example, the great commission says “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Again the Bible says, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen, at the end of 2 Corinthians. That’s the mention of all three. At Jesus baptism, Jesus is baptized and the Father is saying, this is my Son in whom I am well pleased, and then you have the Holy Spirit descending like a dove upon him. All three members of the God head are there. Another great reference is “unto the Son he saith, thy throne O God is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.” Jesus himself said how can I show you the Father? If you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father.

Jesus also said I and my Father are one. Jesus said again why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God. Some people will point to this last passage and say “see! This proves that Jesus is not God!” because Jesus is saying this. Here’s the thing about that, Jesus is good. For instance when I talk to Jehovah’s false witnesses I ask them “Is Jesus good?” “Well of course!” They say. Well then he’s God. Then they always say “I never thought of it that way before.” So then I’m like, are you ready to convert? Are you ready to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ the one true God? “No, I’m going to stick with my religion.” That’s what they’ll say a lot of times. They are often stumped by this saying. I love to use that verse because Jehovah’s Witnesses will you that verse on you, so it’s great to beat them to the punch and show them this, and they get very excited but then you say “Is he good” and they just droop(sound effect ooooooooo). It’s really clear that Jesus is God in scripture. He said there is none good but one, and that’s God. Either Jesus is teaching, “I’m not good” which would be a strange teaching indeed, when there’s a lot of scripture that says Jesus is good, or he’s saying that he’s God using parables and dark sayings. He often did this. There are many scriptures of Jesus Christ as God, the Bible says God was manifest in the flesh, and in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

The Quran in the same breath says the Psalms are God’s Word and that it’s blasphemy to say that God has a son. Let’s look at Psalm 2. It says “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed (anointed means Christ, in the New Testament this is translated as “and against his Christ), saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” Look how much there is here about Jesus. There are so many Psalms that are prophetic of Jesus, Psalm 22 says his hands and feet are pierced, and his cry on the cross is prophesied at the beginning of Psalm 22. This is a whole series of sermons to show you Christ in the Psalms. Right here in this Psalm the Psalmist wrote thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, and that God is going to give him all the heathen for an inheritance. God is saying to the ruler and kings, YOU MUST kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little. He says blessed are all they that put their trust in him. So who is this Son of God that everyone must trust in? that all the kings and ruler of the earth must submit to? I’ts Jesus! He’s the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It’s in Psalm 2. All throughout the Old Testament this doctrine is present. Look at Genesis 6, it says “sons of God.” How about Job? Once again it says sons of God. Yet the Quran is saying, God has no son, this is because the Quran is not fulfilling what the scripture teaches as it claims too. On every several pages it says that it’s confirming previous scripture that it confirms the Torah and the Psalms, and it confirms the gospel, but that’s false because the whole Bible confirms that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever shall believe in him shall receive remission of sins.

Not only that last doctrine, but listen to this next one. The Quran makes it sound like you can pay for salvation, that you can buy salvation. The Quran reads in chapter 5 verse 13: “If you attend to your prayers, and render the alms levy, if you believe in my apostles (remember he’s the big apostle) and support them, and give God a generous loan, I shall forgive you your sins, and admit you (he’s going to let you in) to gardens watered by running brooks.” He’s saying that he’s going to let you into heaven if you generously give money to the apostles! That’s literally buying your way into heaven. The Catholics have their indulgences, but what about this? Hey, if you give money to the apostles your sins will be forgiven. Listen, this is something Muslims actually do. In Iran they actually pay the Muslim clerics to pray for their loved ones, and it’s almost just like the whole let’s pray people out of purgatory thing.

You say, you just hate the people in Iran. No, I love the people in Iran. That’s why we need to warn them about everyone who’s lying to them. People in Iran need to be warned about the fact that Mohammed is a false prophet, and that they’re being lied to and deceived by these clerics. A religion that was started by a pervert, a serial adulterer and a pedophile; what do you think his followers are going to be like? The Bible says that the servant is not above his lord. The disciple is not above his master. I guarantee you that there are a ton of little Mohamed’s over there in Arabia and in Iran that are doing the same type of things and taking the same liberties with women. I’ve read about how the Clerics in Iran make temporary marriages with prostitutes. They say this prayer, and chant something, and they make a temporary marriage for like 20 minutes, 2 hours, a day, a week. It can last from 5 minutes to 100 years. That’s how they justify the act saying it’s not sin anymore because they’re married. Prostitutes over there will even carry around temporary marriages so that they don’t get busted by the morality police in Iran. What a bunch of hypocrisy! What a bunch of filth, sin and iniquity! The Word of God is pure, it’s righteous, it teaches godly living, it teaches for people to be married, that they two shall be one flesh, the man and his wife and they are to faithfully keep themselves so long as they both shall live, yet the Quran is teaching all of this licentiousness, and adultery, and immorality, and filth. Pay for salvation, according to chapter 5 verse 12 of the Quran.

Across the page in verse 17 the Quran says “they do blaspheme who declare God is Christ the son of Mary. Say to them, ‘who could prevent God if he so willed from destroying Christ’ the son of Mary his mother? And all the people of the earth?” So according to the Quran, God if he wants to can just destroy Christ. What kind of a weird blasphemous saying is that? Why put that in the Quran? Because You’re a weirdo, because you hate Jesus, because you’re a liar and a false prophet. When you read this you have to ask “where is this coming from?” It just randomly pops up. Here you are reading a chapter about something totally different, and then all of a sudden he just busts out and starts talking about Cain and Abel for no reason. (this is the most jumbled up, convoluted thing I’ve ever read in my life) The Bible follows a coherent story, but not this book. The Quran reads: “His sole profit in slaying his brother, he slew him and thus became one of the lost, then God sent down a raven which clawed the earth, to show him how to bury the naked corpse of his brother. Alas for me, he said. Have I not strength enough to do as this raven has done, and so bury my brother’s naked corpse? And he repented.” This is amazing. Isn’t this amazing, it’s just beautiful. Then a few verses later: “the punishment of those who make war against God and his apostle (remember his apostle is himself Mohammed) and spread disorder in the land, shall be to be slain or crucified, or have their hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, or be banished from the land.”

Right across the page still in chapter 5 in verse 43 he says: “They already have the Torah, which enshrines God’s own judgements. So here he’s putting his stamp on the Torah, but then a few verse earlier in verse 37 he says “as for the man or woman who is guilty of theft, cut off their hands to punish them for what they did. Does the Bible teach to cut people’s hands off for stealing? No. God’s judgement in the Bible is that if you steal you pay back four fold or fivefold or you pay back double depending on the circumstances. I’m not going to go into this for sake of time, but the Bible lays it out really clearly. In this situation you pay double, in this situation you pay four times, in this situation you pay five times. That seems a lot more reasonable than hacking off someone’s hand for stealing something. I’m not going to ask for a raise of hands, (no pun intended) of people who’ve stolen something, probably every hand in the building would have to go up unfortunetly. I’m not condoning of stealing, and I’m also not making light of stealing, stealing is bad. The Bible says thou shalt not steal, it’s a major sin. It’s wicked, and it’s important that you understand that. But is it justice that you get your hands cut off for stealing anything? That’s pretty extreme. What if you just stole something small? I’m not downplaying that, but that’s not what the Bible says. The Torah says, and the book of Moses says that if you steal you pay it back, and you pay extra. If someone stole from me I’d rather they paid me double, you can steal from me all day long like that, rather than someone’s hand getting cut off. If someone stole from me, I don’t want them to get their hand cut off; I’d feel bad for them. So Mohammed says in one breath that the Torah is right, and in the next breath to chop off their hands.

The last thing I want to show you tonight in this abominable book is that he teaches that if you are friends with unbelievers, meaning people who are not Muslims, then you’re going to go to hell. It says in Chapter 5 verse 51: “Believers, take neither the Jews, nor the Christians for your friends. They are friends to each other (I guess he knew about Zionism).” Listen to verse 80 as well: “You see many of us then make friends with unbelievers, evil is that to which their soul profits in. They have incurred the wrath of God and shall endure eternal torment.” Did you hear that? He said that they make friends with unbelievers, and have incurred the wrath of God and shall endure eternal torment. This is a very ‘us against them’, slay them where you find them, God doesn’t love them, don’t kill a Muslim, but slay them where you find them. The unbelievers, the idolaters, SLAY THEM ALL, kill them where you find them. Also don’t be friends with them. Let them be friends with each other. If you’re friends with them you’ve incurred the wrath of God and will suffer eternal torment. That was the mention of hell for that page of the Quran.

All that to say this: The religion of this book, the Quran, has nothing to do with the God of the Bible. It has nothing to do with Jesus, and it is not even coherent as it was written by someone who’s not that smart. Not only that, I couldn’t even really say it was written, because the man who authored this book could not read or write! He was illiterate. Other people had to write it down for him. This teaching was motivated by his own lust for other men’s wives, his own lust for the blood of his enemies, and his own lust for his own personal power and aggrandizement. This isn’t Chrislam Rick Warren! Where we focus on what we have in common with Islam. Let me focus on what we have in common with Islam… I just did! I can’t have any fellowship with this! The Bible says have ‘NO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS, BUT RATHER REPROVE THEM.’ This religion of Islam is a wicked religion. I believe in reaching out to Muslims, I believe in going to them kindly and gently. I don’t believe in going to them and ripping their face. I want to go in love and speak the truth in love, but you need to show them the difference right away, not come to them saying that we worship the same God. That’s a lie. ‘Hey, were both two of the great monotheistic religions!’ No, that’s a lie. ‘Hey! I respect your religion.’ That’s a lie. We need to come to them and say ‘I love you, but you’re wrong. Jesus is the Son of God, let me show you what the scripture teaches.’ Show them the Romans Road, show them salvation by grace through faith alone, show them that it’s all of God’s grace, show them that we have a savior, a mediator, an intercessor, show them the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel with love. But you can’t sit there and act like I’m okay, you’re ok, we’re all worshipping the same God lets agree to disagree. No. This is a false religion, it’s violent. It’s perverted, it’s evil. It’s also one of the fastest growing religions in the world according to many metrics. This is because they’re actually reproducing, unlike the Christians who are so pumped full of drugs that they don’t produce children anymore. This is where a lot of the growth comes from. They’re trying to say that a lot of people are converting to Islam but first of all a lot of people are being forced to accept Islam in many countries where it is illegal to continue to do anything BUT be a Muslim. We as Christians have bought into the lies of Margaret Sanger and that’s another whole sermon. We should have no fellowship with this wickedness and these people need the gospel. We need to shine the light of the gospel to them, and understand a few basic points of what they believe so when they say that they also believe in Jesus that you know where to go next. You can show them that Jesus is the Son of God, you can show them Psalms. You can say that the Quran affirms the Psalms, let me show you Psalm 2. The Quran says it confirms all this scripture, let me show you in this scripture where it says that Jesus is the Son of God.

Now what’s the power of God unto salvation to the Muslim? It’s the same power unto salvation for anyone! The power is in the Word, the King James. I don’t need any other junk to bring around soul winning, I have the Bible. But I will say to them “Didn’t the Quran say that it confirms previous scripture? What about these scriptures, what about this?” Show them John 3:16. I’ve won Muslims to Christ, you know how? The same way I win everyone else to the Lord. I took them to Romans 3:23, I took them to Romans 6:23, to Revelation 21:8, to John 3:16, I took them to Ephesians 2:8-9, and I won an Iranian Muslim to the Lord. I’ve won other Muslims from the middle east to the Lord. The same power, but it’s good to know certain things to focus in on. Focus in on that it’s not of works, and that you can’t lose it (that’s what everyone needs), but you really need to focus on the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, and that Jesus is God in the flesh, and that there is a Father, Son and Holy Ghost clearly taught in scripture. Let the power of God’s Word do its work. And the power of the message that salvation is by grace. That’s the power, the free gift. Are all the Muslims that you are going to talk to get saved? No. If they don’t get saved you shake it off and go to the next door. If you go door to door eventually you’ll run into them, and eventually you’ll get them saved.

Let’s bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Father, we thank you so much for your Word Lord, and we thank you so much for giving us the Bible. Such a wonderful book, unlike this other book that people actually read Lord, we have the amazing wonderful Bible that’s just perfect and pure and preserved unto us and it’s so powerful, everyday when we wake up and read our Bibles, we’re just amazed at the awesome power of your Word. We just never cease to marvel at how beautiful your Word is Lord. But their rock is not as our rock Lord, please just help us to bring them the truth and help them to trust in thee, and in the gospel of Jesus Lord. Help them to be saved, please soften up their hearts, of these Muslims Lord, when we knock their doors, and preach the gospel, and in Jesus name, Amen.

Buddhism and Catholicism

Buddhism and Catholicism
Video
April 19, 2015

Tonight I'm going to finish my sermon from this morning that was entitled, "Buddhism in light of the Bible." I didn't get through all of the material in my notes, so I want to finish that tonight. Just a quick review of this morning, just super fast. First of all, we talked about the fact that Buddhism has 500 million followers in this world. It is the fifth largest religion in the world. It's mainly people living in Asia that follow Buddhism. We talked about number one, that Buddhism is a religion that denies the existence of God. They do not believe that there is any Creator.

We talked about all the idolatry in Buddhism. We talked about the fact that their goal is to achieve nirvana, which is basically just to die and never come back. It's basically a worship of death and a seeking after death. We talked about everything involved with that. Then we talked about the practice of Buddhism, the three elements that they follow to try to achieve this goal of nirvana, the middle way, et cetera, et cetera.

Tonight I want to talk about something completely different. In addition to laymen in Buddhism, there are also multitudes of Buddhist monks. This would be the clergy of Buddhism. They practice a much stricter form of Buddhism. They follow a stricter set of rules. We talked about the five rules this morning, but they follow a set of 10 rules. Now, one of the things that struck me a lot as I looked at this was just the similarities between Roman Catholicism and Buddhism. You wonder where these strange doctrines of the Roman Catholic church come from, because they certainly don't come from the Bible.

You wonder, where does this stuff come from? Then you realize that Buddhism has been around since 500 B.C. and Hinduism even before that, and that Catholicism shares the same false teachings with these Eastern religions. See, it's the same devil that's behind Roman Catholicism and Eastern mysticism. You see, these Eastern religions were demonic. We showed it conclusively this morning and last Sunday morning with the sermon on Hinduism, that it's demonic. That is where these strange teachings of Catholicism are coming from.

What are some of the similarities? First of all, both Catholicism and Buddhism have monks, nuns, monasteries, pilgrimages, to shrines where there are relics of saints and corpses of saints and they want to just touch the hem of the garment of some dead body in order to get some kind of a blessing. These things are very similar. Now, the first thing I want to point out tonight, though, as I get into this ... As I said, there are five additional rules. I want to go through these rules that these Buddhist monks follow. The first one that they follow that's different from the layman is celibacy. Of course, what does that remind you of? The Roman Catholic clergy is also celibate. The priest must be celibate.

Now look down at your Bible where we started with the qualifications of the Bishop in 1 Timothy Chapter 3. The Bible uses the terms bishop, elder, and pastor synonymously. It says in verse number one, this is a true saying, "If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth of good work." A bishop, then, must be blameless, the husband of one wife. Vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach. Now that right there says that a bishop must be the husband of one wife. Yet the Roman Catholic church would teach the opposite. They would teach that a bishop must not be the husband of one wife, that he must be unmarried or celibate.

Where did they get that from? Where did they get this idea from that it's such a virtue and it's so wonderful to be celibate? That did not come from the Bible. The Bible says let every man have his own wife and let every wife have her own husband. The Bible said in Genesis it's not good for the man to be alone. I will make him an help meet for him. This teaching of extolling the virtues of celibacy comes from Eastern false religion. It comes from Hinduism. It comes from Buddhism. This teaching that says, "Oh, if you want to be really holy and really spiritual, then you're going to practice celibacy." That's not a biblical teaching.

You see, inherent in that is the teaching that there is something wrong with the relationship between a husband and wife within marriage. Yet the Bible says marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled, but whore mongers and adulterers God will judge. This teaching that somehow what married people do with each other physically is sinful that the Catholic church teaches, by the way, is a false wicked teaching. It does not come from the Bible. The Bible teaches that it's good to be married. Who so findeth a wife, findeth a good thing and obtaineth favor of the Lord.

God is pleased when we get married and when we, as married couples, have a physical relationship with one another that he designed to be enjoyed by us. That's not something that, as the Catholics would say, is venial sin. No, it is not sin. It's a sin to do that before you're married. It's a sin to do it outside of marriage, but it is not a sin within marriage. That is a false, wicked teaching. Let's keep reading here in 1 Timothy Chapter 3, where he gives these qualifications. He says in verse number 3, he says not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but patient. Not a brawler, not covetous. One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity. For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how should he take care of the church of God?

A person who does not have a wife and children is not qualified to be a pastor. Not even just having a wife, but having a wife and children because of the fact that that experience of ruling the house is what gives you the ability to be able to rule in God's house. If you cannot rule your own house, how can you take care of the church of God? The celibacy is a false teaching. This is one of the things that these Buddhist monks will practice. Celibacy. Here's their other rule, because we're going to go through the other five rules that they tag on to Buddhism. Rule number six is to refrain from eating at the wrong time. For them, the wrong time to eat is anytime after noon.

To these Buddhist monks, the only acceptable time to eat is from sunrise until noon, and that's it. Now if you would, flip over to Ecclesiastes chapter 10. Ecclesiastes chapter 10. While you're turning there, let me explain to you what's going on with this, because this morning, I don't know if you remember, but we talked about the fact that to cease from activity is the goal of human life. That's what the Buddhists believe. Let that quote sink in. To cease from activity is the goal of human life. Remember the great goal is to make nothing from something. The goal is to get to the point where you don't care. Then you cease to exist. This is a religion that seems like a lazy person's religion. I mean, think about what they're saying.

It's funny, I was talking to Brother Jay this morning. He's from Korea. Buddhism is really big in Korea. He said he remembers the Buddhist monks over there coming and begging for food and they are idle and they don't do anything. He said that they're basically a bum. That's basically what it means to be a Buddhist monk. You know what? If you look at what at Buddhist monk does, that's basically what he is: a lazy bum. It's not what the Bible teaches. You know, the Bible teaches that we're supposed to work. You remember this verse? Six days shalt thou labor. I mean, God's teaching us to work. Even in the verse that we just read about being a bishop, it said if a man desires the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

If you're going to be a holy man, or a man of God, or a member of the clergy in Christianity, you're going to be a worker. You're going to be somebody who does a lot of work. You're going to be a minister. That's what we call it. A minister. What's a minister? A servant. Somebody who works and serves and gets things done, whereas in their religion, the holiest thing you can do is not work and sit around and be a Buddhist monk. Now here's what these Buddhist monks do: They wake up in the morning and they all have this bowl. It's called a begging bowl. This is their symbol of being a monk. It says, "Hey, everybody. I'm a monk," besides the clothing that they wear and the shaved head and whatever. They have this begging bowl.

They get up real early in the morning, because if you can't eat after noon, you're going to get up early and go get some food. They get up real early in the morning, right when the sun's coming up, and they go to people's houses and they beg food. Instead of working with their hands and earning their food, as the Bible says of pastors, that the workman is worthy of his meat, that the laborer is worthy of his hire, that the laborer is worthy of his reward. No work, it's just a begging for free food. They just show up with the bowl and they get the food from the people who support them. You say, "Why would all these people give them free food?" Because they're taught that that's going to give them good karma, and they're going to get a better reincarnation and everything like that.

They're told, "Give a lot of money to the monastery. Give a lot of money to the monks. Put a lot of food in their bowl. You're earning merit that's going to get you a better reincarnation." This Buddhist monk shows up, he gets the free food in the bowl, and he takes it back to the monastery. He eats it, and then what does he do at the monastery? Oh, just sits and meditates. Just reads and studies and meditates and whatever. This is not anything like what Christianity teaches. The Bible teaches nothing about monasteries in any way, shape, or form. A bunch of dudes getting together and living in a building? Not something the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches man being married to their wives, having children. The pastor being someone who is married with children.

You say, "What about the apostle Paul?" Apostle Paul was not a pastor, first of all. Now the exception proves the rule. He clearly stated that all of the other apostles were married except for him and Barnabas. Out of at least 70 apostles, because the Bible clearly teaches that first he ordained 12, then he ordained another 70. Out of all these men, only two of them were not married. The rest of them are all married. By the way, the apostle Paul was not a pastor. John was called an elder or a pastor. Peter was called an elder or a pastor. They were both married. Both had children. Both had families. The Bible demands that of a bishop or a pastor.

Now the apostle Paul, he was an apostle. He went around and evangelized and started churches, but he specifically talked about not wanting to baptize people and he did not stay as the bishop or pastor or overseer of a church. Why does God want the pastor to be married with children? Because if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? How can a man lead a group of people who are all married with children, how can he teach on marriage, how can he teach on child rearing, if he's never been there and experienced it himself.

Marriage and child rearing are a big part of life. Having a pastor get up and teach you that has not experienced those things is not going to be sufficient for you in your spiritual growth. You need somebody to teach you and guide you who's actually been through those things. Go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. No, you're in Ecclesiastes, right? I'm sorry. Let's look at Ecclesiastes before we get off that. Look at Ecclesiastes 10:16. Woe to thee O land when thy king is a child and thy princes eat in the morning! Now is the Bible praising man, just get up real early and start eating, but whatever you do, don't eat after noon. Is that what the Bible says?

The Bible teaches the opposite. The Bible says woe unto you O land when thy king is a child and thy princes eat in the morning. Blessed art thou O land when thy king is the son of nobles and thy princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness. By much slothfulness, the building decayeth and ... watch this ... through idleness of the hands, the house dropeth through. The Bible teaches that we should work. Go to the ant thou sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise. Do not be slothful. Do not be idle. Get to work. He says you don't wake up first thing in the morning and just start filling your face. You wake up first thing in the morning and you get something done. You get some work done, then you eat.

It's like Pastor Coleman said. "No Bible, no breakfast" was the rule in his house when he was growing up. They at least had to read their Bible before having breakfast. I know that when I first wake up in the morning, I get some work done. I get some profitable labor done, then I start eating. I don't just wake up and just start eating. Now, this is what these Buddhist monks are doing because they're totally idle. Roll out of bed, eat some food, beg for it, don't earn it, and then stop eating at noon for some bizarre, unknown reason. You know what, if Buddha said it, I believe it and that settles it I guess for these people. I just wanted to show you that in Ecclesiastes.

Flip over to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. I just wanted to show you quickly another scripture on working, then we'll get off that point about how they think that to cease activity is the goal of human life. It says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 we are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord, wherefore we labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. Whether we're present in the body or whether we're absent from the body, we labor. Even in the eternal state after the millennium, the Bible says of God's people that his servants shall serve him. We're going to be working forever. We're never going to cease from activity. We're always going to have something to do, always to work.

Work is not a bad thing. There's a name for people who don't like working: Lazy people. People are just always, "Oh, hey! How are you doing?" "Ugh, it's Monday," or "Oh, it's Friday. Thank God." You're lazy. You should love work, especially as a man. You should desire work. Then as a lady, there's work that's associated with being a lady. You know, my wife works hard as a homemaker. Those who hate work are lazy people. The next thing that they teach for these monks, aside from celibacy, which is a false doctrine. Aside from this thing of, "Hey, don't eat after noon. Go around begging before that and fill up before that." Next, they teach, rule number seven, to refrain from dancing and playing music, wearing jewelry and cosmetics, attending shows and other performances.

Now go if you would to Psalm 150 and let's see if this jives with the Bible. According to them, the spiritual goal is to refrain from dancing. You know, if you're really going to be holy, according to these people, refrain from dancing and playing music, wearing jewelry and cosmetics, and attending shows and other performances. Look what the Bible says in Psalm 150 verse 1: Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts. Praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet. Praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance. Praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals. Praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

Is the Bible teaching a spiritual standard of saying refrain from music. Refrain from dancing. Refrain from enjoying that. You say where is this coming from, this idea of just not having any fun and suffering for the sake of suffering? The next rule, number eight, is to refrain from soft beds and soft chairs. You know, these Buddhist monks. They show up somewhere and the bed has a mattress, they'll take the mattress off the bed and just sleep on the metal springs because they must refrain from sleeping on a soft bed. Rule number nine, to refrain from the use of garlands, perfumes, ointments, and from things that tend to beautify and adorn the person.

Where this comes from is this idea that we cannot have any fun, this asceticism or punishing the body is somehow virtuous or gaining of merit. This is also taught in Roman Catholicism, this same thing. Again, the idea of self-punishment and going through all this pain just for the sake of pain. Go to 1 Corinthians chapter number 9. While you're reading from 1 Corinthians 9, because remember they're saying, "Hey, stay away from garlands, perfumes, ointments." Now, here's the thing. There's a little bit of truth in this because the Bible does teach that women should not be adorned with broided hair, gold, pearls, or costly array but that they should be in modest apparel. When the Bible says modest apparel there, it's referring to the price tag. It's saying don't be in costly apparel, costly array, gold, pearls. It said be adorned with modest apparel.

It'd be like if I talked about a modest income or a modest home. It's something that's not super expensive, fancy, or flashy. That is what the Bible is teaching about women and their ornaments but he doesn't say, "Hey, don't put on anything that's going to make you look good or beautify you." That's not what the Bible's teaching. He's teaching not to show off wealth. That's what's actually being taught there and not to be one who's trying to draw attention to yourself. When it comes to perfumes and ointments? I mean, ointments? Basically here's a translation: Don't put on deodorant. Don't use shampoo. That's pretty much what's being taught here when they're saying, "No perfumes, no ointments. Nothing that will beautify or adorn the person." You just need to look bad is pretty much what this is saying.

Now the thing about this is that the Bible says here in 1 Corinthians 9, I'll read for you from Matthew 6 in verse 16. Moreover, when you fast, be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward but thou when thou fastest anoint. There's your ointment. Anoint thine head and wash thy face, that thou appear not unto man to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

According to the Bible, we should not put on an outward show of look at me, how I will not beautify or anoint myself in any way, shape, or form. I'm going to publicly go in sack cloth and ashes and not anoint myself and not wash my face just to show you how holy I am. Is that what the Bible teaches? No, it teaches that we should fast, when we fast ... It doesn't say fast all the time, fast every day from noon until the next morning. No, he says when you fast, do it secretly. You don't put on a big show about it and, "Hey everybody. Look at me. I'm wearing a funny outfit." Let's face it. Both the Buddhist monks and the Catholic monks wear a funny outfit. Why? To be seen of men.

When you go to the airport, you can spot the Catholic priest or the Catholic monk or the Muslim imam or the Buddhist monk a mile away because they wear a funny outfit to just show everybody look at me, how holy I am, and it's an outward show to be seen of men. That is not what the Bible teaches that we should do. We should dress normally. Not with costly apparel, gold, jewels, pearls, but we should dress normally. He's not saying, "Hey, go in sack cloth and ashes." He's saying wear normal clothes. Wash your face. Anoint your head and be a normal person so that you don't appear unto men to fast, so that you're not putting on a big show about your spiritual growth or your holiness or whatever you do for the Lord. It's not supposed to be something to be seen of men.

Look at 1 Corinthians 9. Here's what the Bible teaches in verse 24: No ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize. So run that ye may obtain and every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I, therefore, so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the air, but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

When it comes to this idea of punishing yourself and just suffering for the sake of suffering and just no enjoyment, no soft bed, no enjoying food or music or dancing or singing. When it comes to that, that's not what the Bible teaches. Contrary wise, the Bible teaches that our life is similar to the life of an athlete except we're not doing it to get a corruptible crown. We're not doing it to get earthly glory or to get that gold medal or that trophy. He says we're doing it for an incorruptible crown. Just as an athlete is temperate in all things, so must we as Christians be temperate in all things and we must keep under our body and bring it into subjection, meaning that our body should not be in charge. We should be in charge and we should be telling the flesh what to do, not the flesh telling us what to do.

Now, if you think about this illustration of an athlete, do athletes just punish themselves and go through suffering for the sake of going through suffering? No. They're going to abstain from certain foods, only because they know these are the foods that I need to be eating that are going to help me train effectively. These are the foods that are going to harm that training. It's not just, "Well I'm not going to eat that because that tastes too good and I don't want to enjoy that too much. That's going to slow me down." That wouldn't make any sense, would it? Or to sit there and say, "Well, you know, I'm just not going to have any fun because I need to learn how to suffer."

No, an athlete is going to follow certain rules and guidelines and schedule and training and be temperate, but it doesn't mean that he's just going to not enjoy life and suffer for the sake of suffering. However, when you look at other so-called versions of the Bible, all these modern perversions of the Bible, they will change this scripture into something perverse. See, the King James Bible says the very reasonable thing of, "I keep under my body and bring it into subjection." What does that mean? If it's under and if it's in subjection, that means that the body is not the boss. The boss is taking orders, not giving orders. That's what it means to be under and to be in subjection, whereas the new versions will all pretty much say something like, "I beat my body." They'll say something like, "I punish my body. I chastise my body. I whip myself." All these weird things.

The NIV says it that way, both the old 1984 NIV and the new 2010 NIV. Both teach beating yourself in this verse, and that is a Catholic practice, to beat yourself. You say, "I don't think so." It's funny, in the New World Order Bible versions movie, I was talking to James White, and he said, "Oh, man. Catholics don't do that." It's funny because we edit the movie then. There's all these images of just hundreds of Catholics in the Philippines and in Mexico walking down the street beating themselves. He's saying, "Oh, yeah. Maybe a few people, but they don't really do that." There's just hundreds and hundreds of them doing it. Not only that, you don't have to go far my friend. How far is it from here to Guadalupe? Two miles? Two miles from here, in Guadalupe, Arizona, they do this around the time of Lent and Easter where they walk through the streets and whip people. There is a beating fest that goes on every Easter. That's why they have signs up all over Guadalupe.

Who's been to Guadalupe? Yeah, it's down the street. It's two miles away. It's in Tempe. It's right next to Tempe. It's right over here on Priest Road. You just take a right and it's Avenida Del Yaqui. You go down there, and they have all these signs up that say, "Please do not film during religious ceremonies." They don't want to be on You Tube with all this beating and stuff that's going on down there. I've been out soul-winning and talked to young people that were Catholics and they said, "Oh, yeah. I participated in that and I got flogged," and everything and so forth. This is something that they do.

I just believe that by His stripes we're healed.

Congregation: Amen.

He took the beating. He took the flogging. I don't have to be flogged, or flog myself, or flog anyone else in order to somehow achieve salvation. In Roman Catholicism, self-beating has historically been a part of the religion. Maybe a lot of Catholics today don't participate in it, although you don't have to go far to find it. Throughout history, it's been a part of Catholicism. Even in England. Even amongst our type of Anglo culture where they did self-beat and self-flagellate. It's all coming from this warped, perverse idea of just punishing yourself and suffering for the sake of suffering and the less enjoyment you have, the more spiritual you are. The more you suffer, the more spiritual you are.

I've even known Christians who have this mentality and this attitude of not knowing how to enjoy life at all. I don't believe in it.

Congregation: Amen.

I don't think it's a scriptural doctrine. Let's look at some scripture on it. Go to Nehemiah chapter 8. There are all kinds of scriptures that we can turn to on this. Nehemiah chapter 8. Then we're going to go to Ecclesiastes chapter number 3 next after we go to Nehemiah chapter 8. Then the last rule of these Buddhist monks, the 10th rule, is that they can never touch gold or silver. They're not supposed to touch any gold or silver. That's another one of the rules. Nehemiah chapter 8 verse 9 reads, "And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites taught the people and said unto all the people, this day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Here the Bible's teaching that it is a virtuous thing to do on a holy day, to feast and eat good, rich foods and give gifts and sing songs and be happy and rejoice. God says over and over again rejoice in the Lord. He said, "And again I say rejoice. This is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."

Look at Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 1. The Bible reads, To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heal. Now this right away goes against the teaching of Buddhism, which teaches you never want to kill or harm anything for any reason, to the point where many of them will even be vegetarian or even vegan because they don't want to harm animals. They think that animals as sentient beings somehow need to be respected and we don't want to harm them or hurt them. Whereas the Bible says slay and eat.

Congregation: Amen.

That's a whole sermon in and of itself. That sounds like a good title for a sermon. Slay and eat. It says here that there is a time to kill and a time to heal. A time to break down and a time to build up. Look at this in verse 4, a time to weep and a time to laugh. Is it just always weeping time? Always suffering time? No. It says a time to mourn and a time to dance, whereas Buddhism would say if you're going to be really holy, if you're going to be a monk, totally refrain from dancing. No fun. No enjoyment. No happiness allowed in that sense. It says in verse number 5, a time to cast away stones. Of course, they would say, "Happiness is allowed because we just enjoy meditating and sleeping on a metal rail and whatever." Anyway, that makes us happy.

Anyway, it says in verse 5, a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to get and a time to lose. A time to keep and a time to cast away. A time to rend and a time to sew. A time to keep silence and a time to speak. A time to love, and a time to hate. Again, Buddhism would just say, "Oh, all hate is bad. Just only love, love, love." Well, that's not what the Bible teaches. It says there's a time to love and a time to hate. A time of war, and a time of peace. Go to Matthew chapter 9. According to the scripture, our life is going to contain both times to mourn, times to laugh. Times to rejoice and dance and be happy, and other times when we need to be afflicted and mourn and weep.

You say, "Oh, it's the middle way." No, it's not the middle way. Here's what it is: It's that there's a time when suffering is necessary. God says that if need be, you're in heaviness for a season and you're going through trials and tribulations, then so be it. Rejoice and be exceeding glad. The Bible does not teach us to go out and seek persecution, or seek pain, or seek suffering. We should be willing to suffer for the cause of Christ.

Congregation: Amen.

The Bible does not teach us to go out and seek suffering. The Bible teaches that it is something that God has given us and that God has ordained for us, to enjoy pleasure in this life. To enjoy our wives, to enjoy your husband, to enjoy food, to enjoy rest and to enjoy feasting and fellowship and friends and family. God teaches us to enjoy our life and not to live an aesthetic, self-punishing life. That is not a Biblical doctrine. Look what the Bible says in Matthew 9 verse 14. Then came to him the the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. Here we see a time to fast, and a time not to fast.

Here we see that when the disciples were following the Lord Jesus Christ for three and a half years, that was not a time to fast. After he was taken from them, there was a time to fast. There was an appropriate time for these things. Flip over to Matthew Chapter 11, just a few pages to the right in your Bible. Matthew 11 verse 18, For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The son of man. Who is the son of man?

Congregation: Jesus.

Jesus. The son of man came eating and drinking, and they say Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. Was Jesus a self-punishing ascetic?

Congregation: No.

No, because Jesus was eating and drinking and fellowshipping. They looked at him and said, "Well why do we and the Pharisees fast off, but thy disciples fast not? Why are you guys having so much food and having such a good time? You need to suffer like us." That's what they're saying to Jesus. Here Jesus is being accused of being what? A glutton. Being accused of what? Being a winebibber. Now obviously Jesus was neither a glutton nor a winebibber. Obviously these people are just looking to find fault with him. Because he was living a normal life and eating a normal amount of food, they took that as, "Oh, you're not self-punishing and self-emulating enough. You need to fast and suffer and go through pain."

I'm not saying that we should seek to find a middle ground between living a life of suffering and living a life of self-indulgence. No, we should live a life that follows the commandments of God. We should follow the pattern of life that God has laid out and if we follow the commandments of God, and if we follow the pattern of life that God has laid out, our life will involve both pleasure and suffering as God sees fit to give us pleasure and suffering. You see, if you go through life and you follow the plan of God saying, "You work hard, you work and labor, and then you also take rest." If you look at the Old Testament pattern, in the Old Testament pattern they had one day of rest per week, but then they also had three weeks of rest in the year where they'd rest. What did they do during that time? Feast and eat a bunch of good food and rejoice and eat all the summer fruits and have a good time and enjoy themselves.

Here's the thing. If you live your life and get married, as the Bible teaches. Again, there's the exception that proves the rule. Some people are going to remain single, but that's very rare. If you follow the pattern of life that God lays out and you get married, there's going to be pleasure in marriage. There's also going to be some suffering in that marriage. It's going to be both. You don't just suffer for the sake of suffering. You take the suffering that God gives you. As Job said, "You receive good and evil at the Lord's hand, and you say blessed be the name of the Lord." You say like the apostle Paul, "I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound." Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full, and to be hungry. Both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.

What's he saying? Sometimes I am in prison and going through suffering. So be it. Praise the Lord anyway. Other times, I show up to town. I preach the word of God. People bring me into their homes and provide me with a bunch of good food and things are going well. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound. I know both to be full and I know how to be hungry. Why? Because I'm going to take whatever God gives me. Whatever God sees to bless me with. Whatever trials and tribulations God sees fit to put me through. I'm not going to sit around deciding am I suffering enough? Am I going through enough pain? Am I enjoying too much pleasure? Am I not having enough pleasure?

No, you just live a normal life and you follow the commandments of God. Here's a key teaching from Ecclesiastes: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Congregation: Amen.

This is the whole duty of man. What does that mean? That there is no other duty outside of fearing God and keeping his commandments. That's the whole duty of man. Therefore, if we are living a life that follows the commandments of God. If we are obeying his voice, if we are not doing that which he tells us not to do, and if we are doing that which he tells us to do, then God will be pleased with us.

Congregation: Amen.

We don't have to beat ourselves and no fun and no pleasures and suffer for the sake of suffering. No, we suffer if need be. As need required. As the trials and tribulations come. Do you see the difference between what the Bible is teaching ... You see, this is why we don't make a big deal about talking about you need to suffer more. You know what? If you serve God, you're going to endure persecution. You don't have to go out looking for it. If you obey the commandments of God, there's going to be some suffering.

Congregation: Amen.

Here's the thing. We as men, we live our lives and there's suffering in our lives. If we're going to provide for our families and work hard, there are times we have to stay up really late and work into the night and burn the midnight oil or we have to get up super early or we have to skip breaks and skip meals and work our fingers to the bone. There's suffering involved with being a provider. We don't have to go looking for it. Now, maybe some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth or they just have some easy job where somebody goes around giving them back massages in their ergonomic chair in their climate controlled office building.

Most people's job involves getting cussed out and working hard and getting up early and staying late and working your fingers to the bone. That's life. There's suffering involved with that. We don't have to go looking for it. If we go out soul-winning, that's hard work. There's a little bit of suffering associated with that. When it comes to resisting temptation, abstaining from sin. Some of that can be hard to do as a Christian. Here's the thing: We don't go out and seek to suffer for the sake of suffering. Now, if you look at a lady's life, there's going to be some suffering inherent in that. Being up with the baby all night when he's sick and fussing and crying and whatever.

How about just childbirth itself? There's suffering involved with pregnancy and morning sickness. There's suffering involved with the pain of childbirth and then just the hard work of raising children and then the worrying over those children. When you follow God's plan for life, there's suffering. Now here's what would be wrong: Trying to avoid suffering by violating God's commandments. "I don't want to go through all that hard work, so I'm going to take this other route." See, I'm not going to follow God's commandments. I'm not going to follow the plan. It would be like if a woman says, "Well I don't want to do all that work, so I'm just not going to have kids. I'm just going to use birth control and not have kids."

Well, the Bible commands us to be fruitful and multiply. The Bible says that that's part of life, is in sorrow bringing forth children and yada, yada, yada. This idea of, "Well, I'm just not going to go to work because that's too much suffering. That's just too hard. I'm going to make my wife work too and foot part of the bill." These are all ways to try to escape from the suffering that God has ordained for us. That's different than just going out and looking for more suffering. If we follow God's plan for our life, there's going to be pleasure and there's going to be suffering. We need to take the good with the bad, and say, "Blessed be the name of the Lord." That is the life that God has laid out for the Bible-believing Christian.

Turn to Proverbs chapter 5. Proverbs chapter number 5, and I'll show you another scripture along the same lines. In chapter 5 verse 18 of Proverbs, the Bible reads Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? Again, what's God teaching here? Enjoy being married. Enjoy the wife of your youth. Enjoy pleasure. He's not telling us to abstain from that which is pleasurable. Now another thing, go to Romans chapter 14. Romans chapter 14. Another thing that these Buddhist monks are instructed in is that the Buddha taught them to live as islands unto themselves. Live as islands unto yourself.

See, this religion is a very inward looking religion and you're just an island unto yourself. Well, what does the Bible teach in Romans 14:7? It says for none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. Whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. The Bible says none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. You see, everything that we do affects the people around us. We are not our own, but we're bought with a price. The Bible says we are to glorify God in our body and in our spirit, which are God's. Now, again, how does this tie in with the false teachings of Roman Catholicism?

They have hermits, and really monasteries as well with monks and nuns, where they separate themselves from society and just are an island unto themselves and they're just in their little spiritual enclave, their spiritual cloister, and this teaching of a Catholic hermit is not a Biblical teaching. A holy man that would go off and live by himself out in the middle of nowhere. No, the Bible teaches that we as God's people are to be amongst the people and to go out into the highways and hedges, and to preach the gospel to every creature and not to go hide ourselves and seclude ourselves somewhere. You know, Jesus said that we're not to be taken out of this world but just to be kept from the evil.

Congregation: Amen.

I pray not thou wouldest take them out of the world, but that thou wouldest keep them from the evil. We're to be in the world, but not of the world.

Congregation: Amen.

We should not seclude ourselves in some compound somewhere or in a distant place by ourselves, but rather we should live amongst our fellow man so that we can win them to Christ, so that we can preach the gospel to every creature. That is what the Bible teaches. All that to say this: The doctrines of Buddhism are false. They're not compatible with what the Bible teaches. When we look at the strange doctrines of the Roman Catholic church and wonder where are these things coming from? I don't see this stuff in the Bible. Monks? Nuns? Celibate clergy? Where is this stuff coming from? Eating blood? Where is this teaching coming from? You can find it all in these false Eastern religions. That's where they got it from. There's no new thing under the sun and the devil just keeps repackaging the same religion and giving it a different name but it is his doctrines, it is what the Bible says are the doctrines of devils.

The Bible says that in the last days some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. What are those doctrines of devils? Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats. What does that sound like? Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats. You know, that would apply both to the Catholic clergy and the Buddhist monks both. He said these are doctrines of devils. These are seducing spirits. This is demonic. We need to follow the teachings of the Bible and understand that Christianity is the true religion, and that all of these other religions are false and they are demonic as we showed very clearly this morning. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer.

Father, we thank you so much for your word, Lord. We thank you for all the joy that you've given us in our lives, Lord. Joy unspeakable and full of glory. All the pleasures that you've given us in this life, Lord. Father, help us to be willing to suffer for the cause of Christ if need be and help us to let these words sink down into our ears and live a life that would honor and glorify you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.