No compromise
The fact that some Muslim leaders are looking to bring about peace with the West is a positive thing on the face of it. However, there are certain alarm bells that should be ringing when we read the article in The Washington Times.
First, the article mentions that "Muslims and Christians share the same belief in the principles of love of one God and love of the neighbor. The Georgetown scholars pointed to a number of similarities between the Holy Koran and the Holy Bible." This may be true, to an extent. The Koran has some similarities to the Bible because Mohammed borrowed from the Bible when he wrote the Koran, and, while Christians and followers of Islam do both believe in one God, the God of the Bible is not the same god as Allah. Not by a long shot.
The article also points out that the Koran, like the Bible, contains the command "to love God fully with one's heart and soul and to be fully devoted to Him". Again, I must point out that the two books are not talking about the same God.
More important than what the books have in common, let's consider one important difference. According to the Bible, Acts 4:12, there is salvation in no one else but Jesus. Jesus said (John 14:6) "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me."
Paul wrote under inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
Islam denies the Lordship of Jesus and denies His resurrection from the dead. In doing so, it cuts people off from salvation.
By all means, let's have peace, but not at any cost -- not when what is common is given precedence over what is different, and what makes the difference between eternity in heaven and eternity in hell.
