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How
just is the God of Islam?
If a person commits a sin such
as murder, or theft, should that person be punished? The obvious
answer is yes. But, why should he be punished?
There are two primary
reasons we can offer why someone who commits a sin should be
punished. First, he has broken the law of God and if God does
not exercise punishment, then what is the purpose of the law?
To not exercise punishment for committing sin, is to permit the sin
to exist without consequence. Second, he has harmed others and
if he is not punished, others will be encouraged to do the same.
Therefore, we can conclude that it is proper to
exercise judgment/punishment for the crimes committed by
individuals.
If the same person who has committed a sin such as
murder or theft, says that he is sincerely sorry for what he has
done and that he would never do it again, should society excuse him
from punishment? Maybe, maybe not.
God is holy and
righteous and if he didn't carry a punishment for sins, he would be allowing evil to exist without
consequence. The result would be, essentially, to condone evil, and
since God cannot do that, His justice requires that a proper
punishment be incurred for each sin.
Likewise, if God did not punish someone because that
person said he was sorry and would not do it again, then is God
being just? After all, if he did not exercise the punishment for breaking his law, then he is permitting evil to
exist without proclaiming its error or dealing with its consequence.
In Islam
In Islam, a Muslim who commits murder and thievery can
ask Allah for forgiveness and receive that forgiveness without
without Allah exercising any punishment whatsoever. There are undoubtedly situations where
Muslims have committed grievous sins, have not been caught, and have
later sincerely repented before their God, have asked
forgiveness, and (theoretically) been forgiven. We ask, where
is Allah's exercise of judgment upon the sin that was committed?
According to Islam, Allah may forgive that person -- if
he so chooses to. But, doesn't that mean the righteous
judgment of Allah is not satisfied? Doesn't it mean that the sin has
essentially been ignored by forgiving it and that the Law of God, though
broken, has resulted in no punishment? Is this just to not
exercise punishment for the sins committed? It is not. No, for we have already established
that punishment is the proper and righteous response to sin and that
to not punish is to not satisfy the law of God.
Therefore, since we can rationally propose a situation
where the God of Islam will forgive a Muslim without there being
punishment according to law, we can conclude that the God of Islam is unjust.
If Allah is unjust, then he is not the true God.
In Christianity
In Christianity, every sin is dealt with
by God in one of two ways. Either God satisfies the law by
exercising his punishment upon the sinner by sending him to eternal
damnation, or, he places the sins of the person on Jesus Christ who
suffers the punishment in place of the person. Either way, the justice of God is never
ignored. It is proper that sin be dealt with by a punishment relative
to the sin. To not do so is to not be just.
Therefore, we see that the God of Christianity is just
because no sin goes unpunished. After all, the Bible describes
God as being holy and righteous. His standard of holiness is
so great that all sin must be dealt with properly. The Law,
which is a reflection of God's holy character and nature, is not to
be violated without consequence. The consequence of all sin is
death.
The only way for us to escape the righteous and holy
judgment of God is to receive the sacrifice of Christ made on our
behalf where he bore our sins in his body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24).
There is no other way...except, that is, to pay for your sins
yourself in hell for ever.
Objections
First:
This means that the Christian is escaping judgment. This is true (in
both Christianity and Islam teach this). But it is
also true that the sin is being addressed in the person of Christ
and the punishment of that sin is satisfied -- unlike Islam where
the proper punishment due for breaking the law is not met.
Furthermore, in Christianity,
forgiveness of sins is assured by the sacrifice of
Christ who bore our sins in his body on the cross, which is why we
do not have to earn our forgiveness in any way.
"and He Himself bore our
sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live
to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed," (1 Pet. 2:24).
Second:
Is it just to transfer the punishment from one person to another?
Yes, since the law is still satisfied in that breaking it is dealt
with. In Christianity, the
debt, the penalty incurred by sin, was transferred to Christ and the
punishment of God fell upon the person of Christ on the cross.
"And when you were dead in
your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He
made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our
transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt
consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us;
and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the
cross," (Col. 2:13-14).
Therefore, all who
trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, are trusting in
the sacrifice of Christ who fell under the wrath of God the Father
and was punished in their place. In this way, sin is dealt with by
an act of justice. Remember, a holy and righteous God cannot let sin
go unpunished. We must ask then, why does the God of Islam not do what
is just?
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