By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute
Introduction
The question of divine authenticity between Christianity and Islam is one that has shaped theological discourse for centuries. At its core, this question is not about the existence of religion, but about the revelation and nature of God. According to biblical theology, God’s desire has always been for a relationship with humanity, not the establishment of a man-made religion. The Bible records God’s initiative to reconcile creation to Himself, while Islam—despite its claims—presents a framework fundamentally at odds with the revealed character of God. This article explores why Christianity, and not Islam, is consistent with the essence and self-disclosure of the Almighty God.
I. God’s Essence: Relationship, Not Religion
A. God’s Desire for Relationship
From the opening chapters of Genesis, the Bible reveals that God’s primary intention is relational, not ritualistic or religious. Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden (Genesis 3:8), symbolizing intimacy, trust, and direct communion. Even after the Fall, God pursued humanity through covenants and prophetic revelation, culminating in the Incarnation—God becoming flesh in Jesus Christ (John 1:14).
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Genesis 3:8: “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…”
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Jeremiah 31:33: “…I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
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John 17:3: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
B. Religion as Human Construct
Contrary to biblical revelation, religion is often the human attempt to reach God through rituals, laws, and systems. The New Testament asserts that it is not through works or religion, but through grace and faith in Christ that reconciliation is achieved (Ephesians 2:8-9).
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Colossians 2:20-23 criticizes “self-imposed religion” and ritualistic observances that lack spiritual power.
II. Christianity: The Divine Initiative of Reconciliation
Christianity is rooted in God’s self-revelation and initiative. The Torah and the Gospel are unique in that their authenticity was confirmed by God’s own voice from heaven.
A. Divine Approval of the Torah and Gospel
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Exodus 19:9: “And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you…’”
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Matthew 17:5: “A voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!’”
These instances show direct divine endorsement—God publicly and audibly affirms the message and messenger. Nowhere in the Quranic tradition is there a parallel event where Allah audibly endorses Muhammad in front of witnesses.
B. Reconciliation as the Heart of the Gospel
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2 Corinthians 5:18-19: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…”
Christianity is a message of restoration, forgiveness, and peace with God. The work of Christ is redemptive and reconciling, establishing a relationship—not a religion—between God and man.
III. Islam: A Theological and Historical Critique
A. The Quran’s Content and Orientation
Unlike the Bible’s narrative of reconciliation, the Quran repeatedly emphasizes struggle, conflict, and legalistic submission.
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Quran 9:29: “Fight those who do not believe in Allah…”
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Quran 8:12: “I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.”
While the Bible calls believers to love even their enemies (Matthew 5:44), the Quran’s primary orientation in many passages is towards conflict and subjugation, not reconciliation.
B. Absence of Divine Endorsement
Nowhere in the Quran or Hadiths does Allah speak audibly to Muhammad in the presence of others, nor does he publicly endorse Muhammad as his messenger, in contrast to the biblical pattern.
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Quran 42:51: “It is not for any mortal that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a veil…”
The relationship between Allah and Muhammad is one of distance and mediation through the angel Jibril, whereas the biblical God speaks directly and openly to His chosen servants.
C. Islam’s Borrowed Narratives and Theological Discontinuity
Historical and textual criticism shows that much of the Quran’s content borrows from pre-existing Judeo-Christian and apocryphal sources, often with significant alterations and theological distortions (see W. Montgomery Watt, “Muhammad at Mecca”, and Sidney Griffith, “The Bible in Arabic”).
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Sura 5:46: “And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel…”
Yet, the Quran simultaneously denies key doctrines of the Gospel (e.g., Jesus’ divinity and crucifixion), placing it in theological conflict with its supposed source.
IV. Satan, War, and Reconciliation
A. The Spirit of Reconciliation vs. War
The Bible identifies Satan as the originator of conflict, chaos, and destruction (John 8:44; Revelation 12:9). Whenever a religious system is marked by perpetual conflict and absence of true reconciliation, it departs from the spirit and essence of the biblical God.
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James 3:17-18: “But the wisdom from above is…peaceable, gentle…And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
B. The Fruit of Each Message
Christianity’s message produces reconciliation, love, and peace—signs of God’s kingdom. Islam, in its earliest expansions and in much of its doctrine, produces conquest, division, and religious striving.
V. Conclusion: Christianity Alone Aligns with God’s Essence
In summary, theological and historical evidence demonstrates that Christianity—not Islam—is aligned with the essence, revelation, and intent of Almighty God. Christianity stands upon the public, divine approval of God (Exodus 19:9; Matthew 17:5) and fulfills God’s purpose for relationship and reconciliation, not mere religion.
Islam, on the other hand, offers a system of human striving, lacking the audible and public affirmation of God, and diverging from the message of reconciliation. Its historical borrowing, theological contradictions, and spirit of conflict further distance it from the revealed nature of the Almighty God.
References
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The Holy Bible, NIV
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The Quran
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W. Montgomery Watt, Muhammad at Mecca
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Sidney Griffith, The Bible in Arabic
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N.T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God
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Kenneth Cragg, The Call of the Minaret
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba,
Shimba Theological Institute
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