Lesson One: Islam and the Person of Jesus

Islam and the Person of Jesus

Muslims believe Jesus was a real person, but they think he only came to teach and do miracles like any other prophet. They don't believe he's the true Son of God. Let's look at what God's Word says in 1 John 3:5:

You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

Jesus appeared, or came to earth, to take away sins. Although Jesus taught many people and worked many miracles, he came in order to save us from our sins. Jesus willingly died on the cross to take the punishment for the sin of all people. It’s clear that he was not just a human prophet who performed miracles.

If Jesus had only been a prophet or a good person, as Muslims believe, he could not have died for our sins. Only a perfect person who never sinned could have died for all people. This verse makes it clear that Jesus had no sin at all. Throughout his whole life, Jesus always did what God wanted him to do. He never did anything wrong.

Muslims don't believe Jesus is God or the Son of God. They believe Allah is the only god, and Allah has no sons. But the Bible says Jesus was the Son of the true God. When he was baptized by John, God spoke from heaven and said Jesus was his Son. We know this is true because a man named Matthew wrote about it. You can find this account in Matthew 3:16–17.

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

These verses show all three persons of the Trinity: God the Father speaking from heaven, God the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, and God the Son—Jesus—being baptized on earth. When God the Father spoke aloud, he made it clear that Jesus is his Son.

Muslims do not believe in the Trinity. They believe that Allah is the only true god and that there is no Son of God or Holy Spirit. But the Bible proves that Jesus was the sinless Son of God and not just a great prophet or miracle-worker.