And, you wonder why the Christian Church is confused

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. I Timothy 1:4-7

Looking for the red lines between Christianity and Islam

Reposted here from Faithworld, a Reuters News Article:

Can someone be Christian and Muslim at the same time? This came up over the weekend in two articles from almost opposite sides of the globe.

Rev. Ann Holmes Redding in Seattle thinks she can be both. Her Episcopal Church does not and is moving toward defrocking her if she does not renounce Islam. Redding, who has been an Episcopal priest for 25 years, first announced her dual faith over a year ago and was given 15 months to think it over. Now facing defrocking, she told Janet Tu of the Seattle Times that she is “still following Jesus in being a Muslim” and feels “privileged to see God in more places, rather than fewer places.”

Now take a Google Earth-style leap to Istanbul. There, Mustafa Akyol asked in the Turkish Daily News whether Islam required Christians and Jews to give up their traditions in order to be saved. The standard answer is yes, but Hayrettin Karaman, a professor emeritus of Islamic law, recently questioned that in the conservative Islamic daily newspaper Yeni Safak. “He noted that Islam does not necessarily ask Christians and Jews to abandon their traditions. It rather tells them to keep their traditions while respecting Islam as a sister faith,” Akyol wrote.

On the blog GetReligion, Mollie asks exactly where the doctrinal lines are. Judging from these two articles, it seems that Christians draw a clear line but Muslims may not. Is this the case? And if so, what does that mean for Christian-Muslim dialogue?

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Editorial Comment

The article’s author asked, “Can someone be Christian and Muslim at the same time?” Asking that question would be akin to asking, “What came first? The chicken or the egg?”

If you are ignorant of God’s design for creation and His timeline, you might say either the chicken or the egg came first. Doctrinally of course, the chicken came before the egg because God created all things in the beginning and it takes both a male and female to produce an egg that has life in it. Remain unfertilized, and the egg just sits there.

Can someone be Christian and Muslim at the same time? Why worry about that when, doctrinally, there are so many other issues not being addressed? In short order:

• Should anyone be called, “Reverend?”
• Why is Ann Holmes Redding even shepherding a flock?
• Is their doctrinal ignorance permeating the Episcopalian flock?
• Should she be immediately removed vs. allowing her to “think it over?”
• Is discernment so lacking that it took 25 years for this “reverend’s” belief system to become obvious?
• Is “dual faith” a more obvious “doctrine of devils?”
• Does denominationism promote “traditions of men” vs. following hard after God?

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.” Proverbs 30:12

If you follow after the Muslim God(s), then you are still lost in your wickedness. If you follow after religious tradition and denominations, then you are still lost in your wickedness. If you are professing another Jesus (that is religious vs. His being the only Holy One of Israel, then you are still lost in your wickedness.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Can someone be Christian and Muslim at the same time? Yes, if you are still reprobate and without the knowledge of God! No, if you are “Born Again” in Christ Jesus, being regenerated by the Holy Spirit!

“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but ye know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.” John 14:17

Believing the God created the Chicken first is based solely on His declaration that He alone created all things in the beginning and we have life because He authors it for each man, woman, child and creature.

Professing Christ and who He is and what He declares is what makes one a “Christian” (or Christ follower). You cannot follow after Jesus Christ as God and also follow another form of Jesus (as a religious figure).

Take some time to read Paul’s final admonition to Titus. It is found in the letter to Titus (New Testament portion of God’s Word) Here is but a snippet:

“A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sins, being condemned of himself.” Titus 3:10-11

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