muslim asks for help understanding
Q: as a muslim i find i do not comprehend the "transformation" Christians talk about. How can it be or how exactly is it that "Jesus transforms" a Christian's life? To me it seems many who are "Christian" do not have a transformed life. But it seems many have a transformed life who are muslim, buddhist, or hindu. So how is a transformed life as a Christian proof Jesus is God? Islamic belief is simply says dont associate any partners with god [idolatry?], and the OT also says this, and you follow 10 commandments, and repent then gods forgiveness is guaranteed. It seems simple logic.
A: There are a few things to unpack here and give clarity.
If you look at the OT and NT as 1 "word from God" [ as Christians say] you will see salvation is the same. You put your trust in the promised Messiah who takes away our sins. So in OT they looked towards Him coming, since NT we look back at what he accomplished. But salvation is the same... repent and trust in the Messiah. Read Genesis 1-3, Romans and Gospel of John.
As far as transformation... when God saves someone they become born again [by God]. They receive spiritual life. So we no longer love and live in sinful nature 100% only. Instead we now have been given a new nature; we "put on" Christ's righteousness and thus are able to live rightly. We grow in holiness by the sanctification process, becoming more like God. God being a trinity so Jesus is God, thus we become more like Him. Jesus was the perfect human as well; the 2nd Adam. God put on flesh to do what they 1st Adam failed to do. So Jesus is 100% God and 100% man and what he did for us means: 1. We believers become more Christlike as the human we were supposed to be, (but we were marred by sin cuz of Adam). 2. Jesus can pay the wages of our sins [in our place; see "propitiation footnote"] because he lived perfectly (which means he obeyed the Law of God and God the Father- perfectly). So he lived perfectly, bore the cost to redeem believers from sin on the cross; God poured out his wrath on Jesus on the cross paying the eternal penalty (for my sins and the sins of each individual human who gets saved), & then shed his blood by his death (completing the legal transaction) to make us believers [who obey the Gospel] right with God.
[Rom. 6:23 says the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus] and then rose from the dead 3 days later as Scripture fortold.
Death couldnt keep Him because he never sinned. Death had no power over Him. He had victory over the grave, and his Resurrection prived that. So too do all believers have victory over death and live in Him. We died in Christ and rose in Christ [in victory] the moment we got saved. So, while the wages of sin is death... (the consequences is still there- we die), but we are not condemned for our sins eternally - since Jesus paid that. He redeemed us. Saved us from damnation. Thus we recieve the free gift of eternal life.
So... when one is born again, we are radically transformed into a new creation. We now love righteousness, hate sin, and strive to kill any sin in our life that we would maybe commit - because we have yet to be free from this sin stained body. We war with the sin nature and strive to live righteously [it's a true righteousness spirit lived out in us]. We do this because God is in us and with us and has given us the power to fo so...we love God and what is right. Not perfectly, but progressingly. We won't be perfect till we shed this body and enter the sin free eternity.
Clarity: it isnt for moralism or to appear religious nor is it to do those things to enter Heaven. Christ has already done that for us. We do it because having the new nature we want to do what is right. And are enabled to by the power of God (now) at work in us, [because God's Spirit is in us & He has given us spiritual life].
We dont live right to gain from it, such a life and mindsert is evil. We do it not to get something out of it to benefit us (as sinful unsaved people do; always having ulterior motives), but we do it because it is right according to God, and our design as image bearers of God who were restored by Jesus to properly live out our life purpose.
So also besides all that, we do good works in life (after salvation) that 1. Are out of our love towards God (for graciously saving us who are not worthy [we only deserve Hell]) but also 2. since God already planned to do various good works through us [while in Jesus- in the faith] (planned since before he created the world).
The transformation is an inward one. We are spiritually dead until God causes us to be born again [through Jesus]. The inner person is transformed. Then progressively a born again one is growing in holiness over time.
So it isnt about being "religious" [(1)- see footnote], it is about YHWH transforming us in righteousness. Our thoughts, words, deeds etc are now being lived out in the new nature, as we were originally designed to.
Note on false converts:
You may have seen believers who are growing in sanctification, if you are very close friends with them (and knew them before they "got saved"). But you will also find many people in what is called "Christiandom" who actually are not born again. They are in a false religious group or cult & received and embraced idolatry not true Christianity. They came to Jesus (not the biblical true Jesus), but the idea of a Jesus they prefer, for wrong reasons. Only through the true Jesus revealed in Scripture God promised salvation. It is not about a 'good life' here; not problem free life, not a life that goes how we want it to, not a life of money and health etc. No, our best life will be coming in Eternity; living in righteousness & being with Jesus. Earth is a temporary place that has been corrupted by sin. Eternity with Jesus is in a sin free place.
Not only will that place be restored to how the world & humans once were [perfect] (before Adams sin) - but all things will be even better...since we have a deeper personal relationship with God AND a love for Him we never wouldve known if it wasnt for God (through all things "Christ") revealing the other attributes of Himself that no one not even angels knew about prior to the Fall in Eden; mercy, grace, forgiveness, love, his trustworthiness & etc. He was able to reveal this part of His character & nature because mankind sinned. We learned of the loving and compassionate God, and we came to know Him more and more (because of our conversion in Christ).
He put a new song in our hearts too. Christianity is the only faith of "song".
It is the only true faith.
The other point is that Christians will tell you you that without the right God, without Jesus... you cannot have salvation. No one can do good, and YHWH [God] will not be bribed by so called good works [😬 any & all sinful humans works have no value; it is done in sin.]... And neither can you keep the 10 commandments. It only was given to show us God is perfect - but sinful man is not. It reflects God's character in perfection... and reflects our character and nature as sinful. We cannot keep the law. And scripture this clearly reveals mankind having broke the Law 1x in thought word or deed... condemns a sinner to eternal Hell. The law of sin and death only condemns.
"The law is our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ." Galatians 3:24 explains, to justify us before God by our faith alone.
This is why we need to trade places with the perfect substitute that God provided - Jesus. He is the only way to salvation. The only offer and only hope mankind has.
God in His mercy has provided the only means for salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 tells us that “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Here are helps to understand other areas of Christianity:
*A basic study on basics of Christianity
*What is the Gospel/ why & how to be saved
Here are other clarity and helps regarding
Hope this has helped.
Footnote:
(*) Propitiation defined
(1) 'Not' about must keep certain rules like no eating pork, not touching other peoples hands, or no adultery, must keep Sabbath etc. As sinful self righteous prideful people try to do. Instead God gives us believers a righteous nature (thus) we by nature love others and love God. So this is referred to as the new Law of Christ -enabled to carry it out since God lives in us and we have Christ's nature. We do it in freedom and by God's power.
(2) note repentence isnt a "work. Not a work in a religious sense (that false religions try to do). For a non Christian, clarity on "repentance" is needed.
Repentance is a change of mind. We need to change our mind about who is on the throne of your life. No longer living as "I am on the throne" of my life, and change that to God being on the throne of your life. Because He is as ruler over you as Creator and God. It is about turning to Him.
When a person understands who God is, he realizes the seriousness of his sin crimes, understands all sins are all done against God, and that He will judge you for every one of these crimes. As the perfect and good God he is a just and righteous Judge. This means he must damn you to permanent eternal Hell... with that knowledge, a person will do one of 2 things. 1. Keep living how they are [continuing to do sinning]- Maybe feel remorseful [cuz God has designed humans in His image; they are a creation with morals. They know right from wrong, God's law is written on their hearts.] And humans conscience convicts them that they are sinning/doing wrong. But these people in scenario 1 may or may not feel bad about doing wrong. They might feel remorse and not be changed, like Judas, and go kill themselves due to guilt or act religious & deceptively appearing to have a clean life. Or they might be like 2. With a humble and contrite heart... call out to YHWH and ask forgiveness for their sins. This kind of repentance leads to salvation. They are repenting once and for all. And with that repentance they are seeking forgiveness. But God [YHWH]has very clearly revealed in the Bible that forgiveness is only available through Jesus Christ. There is no forgiveness and no salvation, outside of Him. So those who seek salvation will come to Jesus for He is the way to obtain it.
Romans 5:10
10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
John 3:16-21
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
John 16:8-11
Jesus said, "When he [the Holy Spirit] comes He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world [Satan] has been judged.
John 12:46
Jesus said, "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness."
John 12:44
Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one [God the Father] who sent me."
John 10:30
Jesus revealed, "I and the Father are one."
More detailed topic info about Jesus & his deity is very helpfully provided in the muslim answer link above.
Jesus said, "unless you repent you will perish". Luke 13:3
More clarity on repentance @8:16+ (#234)
So we covered "repentance" but now need to explain "believe"....
When the Bible says believe in Jesus (and believe the Gospel), it is meaning: what all of Christian Scripture reveals about Jesus, (who he is, and the work he did to bring salvation to mankind, etc). This information is condensed into a summary in the Gospel.
Jesus said, "Repent and believe the Gospel." Mark 1:15
Jesus said you must be born again.
John 3:3,7:
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again....You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
Hopefully this page gave you a bit of clarity to help you understand Christianity more.
Make sure to thoroughly investigate the information in the links above. Eternity is toooo longggg to be wrong on this matter. You have everything to lose if you are wrong, but in Christ you have everything to gain.
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