6-The Abiding Word

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20 Lessons Bible Course20 Lessons Bible Course20 Lessons Bible Course20 Lessons Bible Course Topic: The Abiding Word

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6. The Abiding Word

Muslim friends acknowledge that the Tawrat, the Zabur, the Injil and the books of theprophets have been given by God. However, some say that these books, which are all

found in the Bible, are now abrogated or cancelled mansukh. They claim that the

Prophet of Islams message, the Quran, has replaced them all, including the Gospel ofSayyidna Isa bin Maryam, and that the Qurans message will not be replaced until the

day of judgement. It is important to note that there is not a single word in the Quran to

support this.

Neither does the Bible say that the Law or Tawrat was replaced by the Zabur. In fact we

see quite the opposite. Hazrat Dawud says, The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the

soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. [1] Thus theZabur plainly confirms the Tawrat.

Did Sayyidna Isa bin Maryam (His peace be upon us) claim that the earlier revelations

were abrogated? We find Him saying, Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law

or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but tofulfil them.[2] Is it possible forthe Injil to be abrogated? Sayyidna Isa Kalimu'llah says, Heaven and earth will pass

away, but My words will never pass away.[3] It is then, no wonder that the New

Testament clearly reminds us, All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the

flowers of the field; the grass withers and flowers fall, but the word of the Lord standsforever.[4]

So there is no replacement of one message by another, only a constant unfolding of what

has gone before.

1) The Testimony of the Quran

There is no indication in the Quran that it has annulled the Bible. In fact, the only twoplaces where the verb nasakha (to annul) is used refers to certain verses of the Quran

and not to the Bible.[5]

In fact we find verses in the Quran which confirm the earlier Scripture the Bible, and

which ask Jews and Christians to abide by what is revealed in it. It was We whorevealed The Law (to Moses): therein Was guidance and light.[6] And in their footsteps

We sent Jesus the Son of Mary, confirming The Law that had come Before Him: We sent

him The Gospel: therein Was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law (Surah5:49). Therefore, the Quran tells us to abide by what we read in the Bible. The words of

Sayyidna Kalimu'llah will never pass away. Sayyidna spoke truth to humanity in His day

and that same truth still applies today.


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2) Objections raised

Some people ask the question, If the Christs teaching upholds the Tawrat, then whydont the Christians offer any sacrifices to God, keep the Sabbath rest, or circumcise their

children according to Gods commandments in the Tawrat?

Sacrifice

The Old Testament tells us that after Hazrat Adam and Hawa (Eve) sinned and had toleave Gods presence, sacrifices were offered when people wanted to be accepted by

Him. We see that Hazrat Ibrahim, Hazrat Musa, Hazrat Dawud and many others offered

such sacrifices. These sacrifices were a foretaste of the onefinal sacrifice to be offered by

the promised Al-Masih, the Saviour Sayyidna Isa. Details concerning His coming are

prophesied in many of the earlier parts of the Bible. We will study these further in a laterlesson.

In the Zabur, Hazrat Dawud prophesied, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not

require Here I am, I have come I desire to do Your will.[7] In the New Testamentwe see that Sayyidna Isa al-Masih fulfilled this prophecy by offering Himself for us. [8]

Payments on account are only needed until the whole bill is settled and paid for.

Likewise, these animal sacrifices were only needed until the sacrifice of Sayyidna Isa al-

Masih had been offered. He has suffered once for all to bring us near to God.[9]

Therefore, once you become a follower of Sayyidna Isa al-Masih, the sacrifices that God

then seeks from His people are those of praise, love for one another, thanksgiving andworship.[10] The sacrifices, Sabbath rests, and circumcision laws have not been

abrogated butfulfilledin Sayyidna Isa.

3) Sayyidna Isa Al-Masih: The fulfilment

Sabbath

The Sabbath was appointed as a day of rest for man to remember the fact that Godcompleted the work of creation in six days. After becoming a follower of Sayyidna, a

Christian becomes a new creature or a new creation. So, the day upon which this was

made possible is also an important day. This is the first day of the week, the day on whichSayyidna Isa al-Masih was raised. Thus it is on this day that followers of Sayyidna Isa

rest and rejoice, gathering to worship and praise God.


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Circumcision

Circumcision was the sign of the covenant God made with Hazrat Ibrahim. Hazrat Musa

made its spiritual meaning clearer when he said, the Lord your God will circumcise your

hearts and the hearts of your descendents, so that you may love Him with all your heartand with all your soul, and live.[11] Centuries later, God said through the Prophet

Jeremiah, The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the house of

Israel It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers This is thecovenant that I will make I will put my law in their minds and write it on their

hearts.[12] This new covenant is recorded in the New Testament. This inner

circumcision of the heart is the experience of every true follower of Sayyidna Isa.

We see that the fullness of Gods truth was not revealed to humankind all at once but, as

the Bible puts it, In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at manytimes and in various ways, but in these days He has spoken to us by His Son.[13]

Sayyidna Isa bin Maryam came to complete Gods mission once and for all. This

message of God is not abrogated; it is everlasting.

4) The People of God

Let us look at some eternal truths which Sayyidna Isa Kalimatu'llah taught us. Open your

Bible at the New Testament and find the stories of the life of Sayyidna Isa in Matthews

Gospel. Turn to chapter 5:1; these beautiful verses show the way to true life and blessing.They have been called The Beatitudes for this reason.

Sayyidna Isa taught that heaven does not await the proud or arrogant, but those who

humbly confess that they are poor in spirit and need God to teach them (verse 3).

God reaches out not to those who claim to know everything and delight in their own

goodness, but to those who mourn their own weaknesses and weep for their own failings

(verse 4).

It is the meek or humble who will inherit the Lords favour, not the proud and boastful

(verse 5).

Sayyidna Isa al-Masih says that a merciful heart receives mercy from God (verse 7).

Purity begins in the heart and when a mans heart is pure he shall see God (verse 8).


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It is not through hatred, anger and violence that we become the people of God, but

through making peace with ourselves, with those around us, and with our Holy Creator.

These wonderful teachings found in the Injil are eternal, revealing eternal truth andbringing life.

Sayyidna Isa Ruh-u'llah gives us assurance so we can be certain of our relationship toGod. Instead of striving to please God, we please Him eternally by accepting Sayyidna

Isa Al-Masih as our Salvation.

Recommended Reading:

Steven Masood, The Bible and The Quran (Cumbria, Authentic Media, 2002) Amy Orr-Ewing, Why Trust the Bible? (Leicester, IVP, 2005)

References:

1. [1]Psalm 19:72. [2]Matthew 5:173. [3]Matthew 24:354. [4]1 Peter 1:24-255. [5] Quran 2:106,16:1016. [6] Quran 5:477. [7]Psalm 40:6-88. [8]Hebrews 10:6-109. [9]1 Peter 3:1810.[10]Hebrews 13:15-16, Romans 12:1-211.[11]Deuteronomy 30:612.[12]Jeremiah 31:31-3313.[13]Hebrews 1:1-2

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6-The Abiding Word