Why should a Muslim consider becoming a Christian?
As a Muslim, you desire to spend eternity with God in Paradise. Yet even the most devout Muslim has no assurance of eternity with God. No matter how well you keep the Five Pillars, there is no certainty you will see Allah in Paradise. The only exception mentioned in the Qur'an is to die as a martyr in jihad (Sura 3:157).
The Bible, however, offers assurance of eternal life. Even better, this assurance is not based on works; it is based on faith in Jesus (Isa). In Islam, your goal is for your good works to outweigh the bad. The Bible teaches, "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment" (Isaiah 64:6a). Works will never save us; one bad act makes us guilty of breaking the whole law and therefore deserving of hell (James 2:10; Romans 6:23). But the good news is that we can be saved! In the Bible, all you must do is believe in Jesus as the Son of God to have eternal life. In John 3:16, Jesus taught, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Jesus is more than a prophet; Jesus offers you eternal life if you will believe in Him.
What does it mean to believe? Romans 10:9 teaches, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." You must confess Jesus is Lord, not just a prophet. You must also believe He rose from the dead. If you do, you will be saved. This salvation includes forgiveness from sins and the promise of eternal life in heaven.
What about works? Living for God is important, but no one is good enough to get to heaven by his or her works. Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." It is by faith we are saved, not by what we do.
In the Bible, only two options exist after this life. Those who place their faith in Jesus receive eternal life; those who do not receive eternal punishment (Luke 16:19-31). The only way to be certain you will escape eternal punishment is through Jesus (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
Right now, you can accept Jesus (Isa) as Lord and receive assurance of eternal life. This is a sample prayer you can use as you pray:
"Dear God, I know that I have sinned against You. As a sinner, I am worthy of death in hell. But I believe You sent Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sin and rise from the dead. Today, I choose to stop trusting in my own works to reach heaven. Instead, I trust in the Lord Jesus alone as my Savior. Amen."
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