Explaining the incarnation
In Islam, Allah is known to be transcendent, knowing all, yet fundamentally apart from us. As Quran 112:4 states, 'He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent". The idea then that in Christ "became flesh and lived among us" is an idea that both abhorrent and absurd to our Muslim friends. Yet in Christian theology, it is foundational to our salvation. Here are a a number of ways that we can respond to objections to the incarnation that Muslims raise.
God can enter time and space. He's been doing it from the beginning
coming soon God has been entering time and space from the very beginning we he made man Adam from dust of the ground. In Christ he stepped into space and time taking on flesh permanently. »
Can God die?
coming soon Death is ultimately just the point that our bodies and spirits separate. When Jesus died the same happened, his body went onto the grave and his spirit to paradise. »
Jesus gave up his rights, not his attributes
coming soon At the incarnation Jesus chose to limit himself by the confines of humanity. However, becoming flesh he didn’t give up his divine nature, rather he chose to lay aside the right to make use of his divinity. »
Jesus was faithful, where Israil were not
coming soon A key purpose of Jesus becoming fully human was to perfectly fulfil the purpose for which we were created. In doing so he became a perfect sacrifice on behalf of sinful humanity. »
Can God go to the toilet?
coming soon There is nothing sinful about going to the toilet, our bodies were perfectly created by him yet Jesus humbled himself to take on a body to because our Saviour. The sinful human heart however, is disgustingly unclean, yet in Christ we are loved. »
God becoming flesh show us we were made to know him
coming soon The purpose of life according to the Bible, is to know God. God entering into creation shows us that this is the purpose we were created for. »