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Is the Quran the Word of God? w/ Dr. David Wood

Dr. David Wood joins Frank during this episode of the Cross Examined Official Podcast. They tackled the question: Is the Quran the Word of God? David talks about how he became an expert on Islam and how that’s related to his friendship to the late Nabeel Qureshi.

Islam is the fastest growing (enforced) religion in the world and we as Christians should know how to speak intelligently with Muslims about the truth of Christianity.

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March 26, 2019/by Guest

¿Por qué Dios no sanó a Nabeel Qureshi?

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¿Cómo un hombre que enfrenta su propia muerte prematura exuda una combinación edificante de gracia, amor y verdad? Mi amigo Nabeel Qureshi, quien ha hecho esto por más de un año, murió el sábado a los 34 años. En caso de que no lo sepas, Nabeel fue un ex musulmán devoto que se convirtió en un poderoso defensor del cristianismo después de un proceso de siete años de evaluación a las pruebas para el cristianismo con su amigo David Wood. Su primer libro, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus (Buscando a Alá, Encontrando a Jesús) es un best-seller internacional.

Desde que se le diagnosticó el cáncer de estómago en etapa cuatro el año pasado, Nabeel ha compartido sus pensamientos, preocupaciones y oraciones a través de 43 video blogs en su canal de YouTube. Su último video, grabado desde su cama en el hospital apenas siete días antes de su muerte, es una petición para que usemos su trabajo y ejemplo para amar a otros llevándolos hacia la verdad.

Como verán en sus videos, Nabeel exhibió el amor de Cristo hasta el final. Él nunca vaciló en su confianza de que Dios podría sanarlo, pero reconocía que pudiese que no lo hiciera. Nabeel comprendió que vivimos en un mundo caído, y que Dios no le promete a ninguno de nosotros una vida larga y sin problemas. De hecho, Jesús prometió que habría más de lo contrario. Dijo que “en el mundo tendréis aflicción; pero confiad, yo he vencido al mundo”.

Sin embargo, aunque parezca insensible preguntar esto mientras estamos entristecidos, la gente se pregunta por qué Dios no sanó a Nabeel. Después de todo, era un joven brillante y carismático que fue quitado demasiado pronto del lado de su esposa Michelle y de su hija Ayah, y del resto de nosotros. Nabeel tenía tanto más que dar a su familia y al Reino de Dios que su muerte parece sin sentido.

Entonces, ¿por qué Dios no sanó a Nabeel?

Preguntas difíciles

¿Es porque un mal, como una muerte prematura, prueba que no hay Dios? No, porque el mal no existiría a menos que existiera el Bien, y el Bien no existiría a menos que Dios existiera. El mal no existe por sí solo. Solo existe como falta de algo bueno. Como el cáncer. Así que cuando nos quejamos del mal, en realidad estamos presuponiendo el Bien. Un estándar objetivo del Bien es un estándar que está más allá de la mera opinión humana. Eso solo puede ser la naturaleza de Dios. Así que el mal puede demostrar que hay un demonio allá afuera, pero no puede negar a Dios. En cambio, los boomerangs del mal vuelven a mostrar que Dios realmente existe.

¿Es porque el Dios musulmán es el verdadero Dios, y Él castigó a Nabeel por dejarlo? No, porque hay una evidencia excelente de la visión cristiana de Dios (véase el libro de Nabeel, No God but One (No hay Dios sino Uno). Además, los musulmanes que sugieren esto deben preguntarse: “¿Por qué tu Dios esperó hasta que Nabeel escribiera tres libros de superventas, hiciera cientos de horas de videos y ayudara a llevar a cientos de musulmanes a Cristo? ¿Está en su tiempo libre?” No solo eso, la obra de Nabeel seguirá llevando gente a Cristo, probablemente de una manera acelerada después de su muerte.

Entonces, ¿por qué Dios no sanó a Nabeel? ¿Qué propósito podría tener Dios para permitir que Nabeel muriera?

Algunos podrían sugerir que personas como Nabeel que experimentan tragedia deben ser peores pecadores que otros. Jesús refutó directamente ese tipo de especulación superficial en Lucas 13, cuando dijo: “Os digo: No; antes si no os arrepentís, todos pereceréis igualmente”. De hecho, todos somos pecadores que pereceremos y tenemos que arrepentirnos antes de que sea demasiado tarde.

¿Es porque Nabeel no tuvo suficiente “fe”? Las personas que afirman tales tonterías no conocen a Nabeel ni a la teología correcta. La confianza de Nabeel en Cristo era profunda e inquebrantable. Pero el punto más importante es que la fe no garantiza buena salud y riqueza como los predicadores de la “Palabra de Fe” aseguran. De hecho, su teología de intereses personales puede ser refutada por una simple observación: Jesús y los apóstoles no eran personas saludables ni ricas. De hecho, sufrieron y murieron por sus creencias. ¡No me digas que no tenían suficiente fe!

El efecto de onda

Entonces, ¿por qué Dios no sanó a Nabeel? ¿Qué propósito podría tener Dios para permitir que Nabeel muriera? Al responder a esa pregunta, debemos admitir que no puede haber un propósito último para la muerte de Nabeel (o cualquier evento) si no hay un propósito para la vida. Pero ya que Dios existe, y el propósito de la vida es reconciliarse con Él a través de Su Hijo Jesús, entonces incluso las tragedias pueden ayudar a lograr ese propósito. Tal vez más personas llegarán a conocer a Cristo a causa de la muerte de Nabeel. Es imposible para nosotros saber la magnitud de eso en este momento, pero no es imposible para Dios.

No podemos verlo completamente porque cada acontecimiento, bueno y malo, se mueve hacia adelante en el futuro para tocar innumerables eventos y personas. Este efecto de onda también se conoce como el efecto mariposa. La idea es que una mariposa batiendo sus alas en Sudáfrica, por ejemplo, podría en última instancia traer lluvia a una porción afectada por la sequía en los Estados Unidos. No podemos rastrear todos esos efectos, pero un Dios todopoderoso que está fuera del tiempo, sí puede. De hecho, ha habido miles de millones de eventos en la historia, tanto buenos como malos, que ayudaron a hacerte quien eres y ayudó a ponerte donde estás.

Así que no sabemos por qué Dios no sanó a Nabeel, pero sabemos por qué no lo sabemos. Somos finitos y Dios es infinito. La buena noticia es que el carácter y el poder de Dios garantiza que Él sacará bien del mal “a los que aman a Dios, todas las cosas les ayudan a bien, esto es, a los que conforme a su propósito son llamados” (Rom.8:28). Puede ocurrir más tarde en esta vida. Ciertamente se verterá en la vida eterna.

El efecto de onda llevó a Jacques-Marie-Louis-Monsabré, un antiguo pastor en Notre Dame en París, a confiar en Dios incluso cuando él no podía ver ningún bien viniendo del mal. Él dijo: “Si Dios me concediera Su omnipotencia durante 24 horas, verías cuántos cambios haría en el mundo. Pero si Él me diera Su sabiduría también, dejaría las cosas como están”.

De hecho, Dios redimirá la muerte de Nabeel para bien, así como redimió a Nabeel mismo. Ahora bien, Nabeel está ahora con el Señor, pero Michele y Ayah permanecen con nosotros. Como Nabeel pidió en uno de sus videos finales, oren por ellas, así como por los amorosos padres de Nabeel. Y si puedes ayudar a Michele y Ayah financieramente, ¿podrías hacerlo aquí?

Mientras estemos entristecidos, seamos agradecidos por la vida eternamente significativa de Nabeel. Hizo más por el Reino de Dios en 34 años que lo que diez mil personas hacen en 80 años. Y las ondas que él creó –las olas realmente– ayudarán a llevar a la gente al cielo por generaciones. Bendiciones para ti Hermano. Nos vemos en el otro lado.

Frank Turek es un escritor cristiano estadounidense, orador público y presentador de radio. Es autor de dos libros Correct, Not Politically Correct and Stealing from God y co-autor de dos más con Norman Geisler I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist y Legislating Morality. Es el anfitrión del talk-show CrossExamined en American Family Radio. Su programa de televisión, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist, se transmite en la Red NRB. Habla en universidades, conferencias e iglesias.

Blog Original: http://bit.ly/2K1IMgx

Traducido por María Andreina Cerrada

Editado por Jairo Izquierdo

September 23, 2017/by Guest

Why Didn’t God Heal Nabeel Qureshi?

3. Are Miracles Possible?, Theology and Christian Apologetics

How does a man facing his own premature death exude an uplifting combination of grace, love and truth? My friend Nabeel Qureshi, who has done that for more than a year, died at age 34 on Saturday. In case you don’t know, Nabeel was a former devout Muslim who became a powerful defender of Christianity after a seven-year process of evaluating the evidence for Christianity with his friend David Wood. His first book, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus is an international best seller.

Since being diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer last year, Nabeel has shared his thoughts, concerns and prayers through 43 video blogs on his YouTube channel. His last video, recorded from his hospital bed just seven days before his death, is a request for us to use his work and example to love others to the truth.

As you will see in his videos, Nabeel exhibited the love of Christ to the end. He never wavered in his confidence that God could heal him, but recognized that He might not. Nabeel understood that we live in a fallen world, and that God doesn’t promise any of us a long, trouble free life. In fact, Jesus promised more of the opposite. He said that we “will have trouble in this world, but take heart, I’ve overcome the world.”

Nevertheless, while it seems insensitive to ask this while we grieve, people are wondering why didn’t God heal Nabeel. After all, he was a brilliant and charismatic young man taken away from his wife Michelle and daughter Ayah, and the rest of us, far too early. Nabeel had so much more to give to his family and the Kingdom of God that his death seems senseless.

So why didn’t God heal Nabeel?

Tough Questions

Is it because an evil, such as a premature death, proves that there is no God? No, because evil wouldn’t exist unless Good existed, and Good wouldn’t exist unless God existed. Evil doesn’t exist on its own. It only exists as a lack in a good thing. Like cancer. So when we complain about evil we’re actually presupposing Good. An objective standard of Good is a standard that is beyond mere human opinion. That can only be God’s nature. So evil may prove there’s a devil out there, but it can’t disprove God. Instead, evil boomerangs back to show that God actually does exist.

Is it because the Muslim God is the true God, and He punished Nabeel for leaving Him? No, there’s excellent evidence for the Christian view of God (see Nabeel’s book No God but One). Moreover, Muslims who suggest this should be asked, “Why did your God wait until Nabeel had written three best-selling books, made hundreds of hours of videos, and helped bring hundreds of Muslims to Christ? Is his timing off?” Not only that, Nabeel’s work will continue to bring people to Christ, probably in an accelerated manner after his passing.

So why didn’t God heal Nabeel? What purpose could God have for allowing Nabeel to die?

Some might suggest that people like Nabeel who experience tragedy must be worse sinners than others. Jesus refuted that kind of shallow speculation directly in Luke 13, when he said, “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Indeed, we are all sinners who will perish and we need to repent before it’s too late.

Is it because Nabeel didn’t have enough “faith”? People who claim such nonsense don’t know Nabeel or correct theology. Nabeel’s trust in Christ was deep and unwavering. But the larger point is that faith doesn’t guarantee good health and wealth as “Word of Faith” preachers assert. In fact, their self-serving theology can be refuted by one simple observation: Jesus and the apostles weren’t healthy and wealthy. In fact, they suffered and died for their beliefs. Don’t tell me they didn’t have enough faith!

The Ripple Effect

So why didn’t God heal Nabeel? What purpose could God have for allowing Nabeel to die? In answering that question, we need to admit that there can be no ultimate purpose to Nabeel’s death (or any event) if there is no purpose to life. But since God does exist, and the purpose of life is to be reconciled with Him though His son, Jesus, then even tragedies can help achieve that purpose. Perhaps more people will come to know Christ because of Nabeel’s death. It’s impossible for us to know the extent of that right now, but it’s not impossible for God.

We can’t see it fully because every event, good and bad, ripples forward into the future to touch countless other events and people. This ripple effect is also known as the butterfly effect. The idea is that a butterfly flapping its wings in South Africa, for example, could ultimately bring rain to a drought stricken portion of the United States. We can’t trace all of those ripples, but an all powerful God who is outside of time can. In fact, there have been billions of events in history, both good and bad, that helped make you who you are and helped put you where you are.

So we don’t know why God didn’t heal Nabeel, but we know why we don’t know. We’re finite and God is infinite. The good news is God’s character and power guarantees that He will bring good from evil “to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). That may happen later in this life. It certainly will spill over into eternal life.

The ripple effect led Jacques Marie Louis Monsabré, a former pastor at Notre Dame in Paris, to trust God even when he couldn’t see any good coming from evil. He said: “If God would concede me His omnipotence for 24 hours, you would see how many changes I would make in the world. But if He gave me His wisdom too, I would leave things as they are.”

Indeed, God will redeem Nabeel’s death for good like he redeemed Nabeel himself. But while Nabeel is now with the Lord, Michele and Ayah remain with us. As Nabeel asked in one of his final videos, please pray for them as well as Nabeel’s loving parents. And If you can help Michele and Ayah financially, would you please do so here?

While we grieve let us be thankful for Nabeel’s eternally significant life. He did more for the Kingdom of God in 34 years than ten thousand people do in 80. And the ripples he created — waves really — will help carry people into Heaven for generations. Blessings to you Brother. See you on the other side.

September 18, 2017/by Guest

Remembering Nabeel Qureshi

Islam, Theology and Christian Apologetics

By Brian Chilton

The Christian community lost a wonderful man of God this past Saturday, September 16, 2017. Nabeel Qureshi entered his eternal home after a year-long battle with stomach cancer at the tender age of 34. While Nabeel has left us, he has left behind a wonderful legacy that will impact countless individuals for years to come. How will Nabeel be remembered? I think that he will be remembered in three major ways.

(1) Nabeel Qureshi will be remembered for his miraculous conversion. Nabeel recounts his miraculous conversion in his book Seeking Allah: Finding Jesus. Nabeel was raised in a loving Ahmani Muslim home by his Pakistani-American parents.[1] While attending medical school, Nabeel was challenged by his good friend David Wood to examine the evidence for the Christian faith. Because of the challenges given by Wood and Christian apologist Michael Licona, Nabeel looked into the evidence and was amazed to find that Christianity had a compelling case for authenticity.

After heavy investigation, Nabeel finally came to the point where he laid down a copy of the Bible next to a copy of the Qu’ran and prayed to God to reveal himself. Was he found in Jesus or the writings of the Qu’ran? After that moment, Nabeel had visions and dreams that clearly indicated that the Bible was true and the Jesus was God come to humanity. Nabeel, then, received Christ as his Savior despite the problems that would come from his family and friends because of his decision. Nabeel Qureshi will forever be remembered for his amazing conversion.

(2) Nabeel Qureshi will be remembered for his passion for the lost. Nabeel was highly educated. He received his M.D. from Eastern Virginia Medical School, a M.A. in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and a masters degree in religion from Duke University. Nabeel was pursuing a Ph.D. from Oxford University before he died. Nabeel had a passion for the lost. He had joined the RZIM team, headed by famed apologist Ravi Zacharias, had frequently lectured to crowds across the globe, and was featured in a few debates in his young career. Zacharias noted that Nabeel was “not just an evangelical; he was passionately evangelistic. He desired to cover the globe with the good news that God’s forgiveness was available to all. I have seldom seen a man with such deep conviction and proportionate passion and gifting. When he spoke, he held audiences spellbound.”[2]

(3) Nabeel Qureshi will be remembered for his desire for love. In the last video Nabeel Qureshi posted before his untimely death, Nabeel said, “I hope my ministry leaves a legacy of love, of peace, of truth, of caring for one another. That is my hope and purpose behind all of this.” Nabeel never intended his ministry to be used as a means to attack Muslims, but rather as a means of exposing the truth of Christianity. Nabeel went on to remind everyone that our God is a God of love. You can find Nabeel’s video below. One would be egregious to use Nabeel’s materials to attack Muslims when his goal was to demonstrate love. May we all be reminded through Nabeel’s life that God is a loving God.

Nabeel Qureshi is a man whom one should never forget. His life and legacy serve as a reminder that life is short and that while one is on earth, God has a purpose and a plan for that person. Join me in praying for Nabeel’s family and that God will be glorified through the loss of his young servant. While I never had a chance to meet Nabeel Qureshi on this side of eternity, I look forward to talking with him when I reach the heavenly home promised to us by Christ Jesus.

Additional Video Lectures by Nabeel Qureshi

“Death and Life in Jesus: 1 Corinthians 15 and the Ailing Christian”

“Can We Know if God is Real?”

“My Journey to Christ”

Notes

[1] Kate Shellnut, “Died: Nabeel Qureshi, Author of ‘Seeking Allah: Finding Jesus,’”ChristianityToday.com (September 16, 2017), retrieved September 18, 2017,http://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2017/september/died-nabeel-qureshi-author-seeking-allah-finding-jesus-rzim.html.

[2] Ravi Zacharias, “Ravi Zacharias Remembers His Young Protégé, Nabeel Qureshi,”ChristianityToday.com (September 17, 2017), retrieved September 18, 2017,http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2017/september-web-only/ravi-zacharias-nabeel-qureshi-apologist-rzim.html.

Original Blog Source: http://bit.ly/2ykpKO8

About the Author

Brian Chilton is the founder of BellatorChristi.com and is the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast. He received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); and received certification in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Brian is in the Ph.D. program in Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University. Brian is full member of the International Society of Christian Apologetics and the Christian Apologetics Alliance. Brian has been in the ministry for over 14 years and serves as the pastor of Huntsville Baptist Church in Yadkinville, North Carolina.

September 18, 2017/by Guest

Book Review: No God But One: Allah or Jesus? by Nabeel Qureshi

Islam

By Timothy Fox

Are Christianity and Islam different paths to the same God? Is Jesus really divine or just another prophet? Which is the true word of God, the Koran or the Bible? In No God But One: Allah or Jesus? (NGBO), Nabeel Qureshi explores many of the most common questions involving Islam and Christianity to show “the differences between Islam and Christianity have great implications, and that the evidence of history strongly supports the Christian claims” (11).

But this book is not merely academic; it’s personal. Nabeel calls NGBO a “summary of fifteen years of research that wrenched my heart and transformed my life.” The content and tone will be familiar to anyone who read his first book,Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus (SAFJ), which chronicles his journey from a devout Muslim to follower of Christ. While Nabeel says that book is “the heart of my story, detailing the relationships, emotions, and spiritual struggles in my search for God,” NGBO is “the mind of my story, examining the religions and their claims” (11).

Another similarity with SAFJ is the use of personal experiences to frame deep theological issues, making NGBO both engaging and easy to read. As I read his previous book, Answering Jihad (read my review here), I was amazed at how Nabeel approached such a difficult topic with great sensitivity, clarity, and brevity. The same goes for his latest. A lesser writer could have used four times the amount pages to convey the same information but Nabeel makes his points simply and with ease, moving briskly from one topic to the next while still providing a thorough response.

Content

NGBO is divided into two main sections, each framed around a key question. The first is “Are Islam and Christianity Really All That Different?” Nabeel discusses five points of contention between the religions: sharia vs. the gospel, Allah’s unity vs. the Trinity, Jesus vs. Muhammad, the Koran vs. the Bible, and Jihad vs. the Crusades. But again, this is not just scoring points in a religious sparring match; it’s the result of a lifetime of careful study: “A decade of experiences as a Christian contrasted with my first twenty-two years of life as a Muslim leaves me no alternative conclusion: Christianity is very different from Islam” (169).

After establishing the vast differences between the religions, the second question is “Can We Know Whether Islam or Christianity Is True?” The case for Christianity rests on three facts: Jesus’ death, resurrection, and deity. Nabeel states “If all three are true, we have good reason to accept the Christian message” (173). To establish the truthfulness of Islam, he focuses on its holy book and prophet: “If we can determine that the Koran is the word of God, or if we can determine that Muhammad is a messenger of God, then we have good reason to accept Islam” (175). Nabeel explores these five points by using the historical method and interacting with the works of leading scholars.

But what if you are already a committed Christian and have no interest in Islam? This book is still important for you as the objections to Christianity that Nabeel answers are not unique to Muslims. Many a skeptic has questioned the reliability of the New Testament or accused the concept of the Trinity of being incoherent. And don’t forget that Nabeel began as a critic of Christianity and raised all of these objections himself.

Conclusion

NBGO ends with a third, deeply personal question: “Is it worth sacrificing everything for the truth?” Because accepting the truth comes with a price. Here in America, we think changing religions is as simple as switching political parties. However, “Leaving Islam can cost you everything: family, friends, job, everything you have ever known and maybe even life itself” (349). Nabeel learned this firsthand, as did Fatima, a young Saudi woman whose courageous and heartbreaking story sets the tone for the entire book.

No, Christianity and Islam are not two paths to the same God. They present radically different views of God and salvation and only one can be true. So who is God, Allah or Jesus? Nabeel concludes:

“There is no God but one, and He is Father, Spirit, and Son. There is no God but one, and He is Jesus” (349).

Resources for Greater Impact:

September 15, 2016/by Guest