The Chair of Peter Tips Over Backwards Trying to Pacify Muslims

The pope's speech requires no apology, but unfortunately the pope erred in stating that he has great "respect" for "great religions," such as Islam" in which the "one God" is worshiped. Muslims do not worship the one, true God. They worship a god, but it is not the God who reveals Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Here is what Martin Luther said about this point:

Turks and Jews boast a lot about God and claim to have a better faith than we Christians. They say they cannot be wrong. They say that they believe [Glaube] in one God, who created heaven and earth and everything else. This kind of faith certainly can not be wrong, they think. Christ, however, here concludes: ‘He who hates Me, hates my Father.” Now, since Turks and Jews hate Christ and persecute His Word, they certainly also hate the God who has created heaven and earth. They do not believe [Glaube] in Him and they do not honor Him. For Christ is the same one God. (StL 13a, 1285).

If we can't grasp this most fundamental point then we might as well close the doors of our congregations, shut off the lights, and go home.

If you do not worship Jesus as God, you are not worshiping the one, true God.

Jesus said: "If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” John 8:19.

It is a shame the Pope could not quote the one whom he claims to be the first Pope, St. Peter, who said, "There is no other name given under heaven among men by which we must be saved"!

Link: My Way News.

He expressed his "profound respect for the great religions, particularly for Muslims, who worship the one God and with whom we are committed to defending and promoting together social justice, moral values, peace and freedom for all humanity."

Comments

[Jim Roemke]

Man, it is unbelievable to me how willing Christians are to throw out Christ! When I see things like this with the Pope and again with confused commentator Bill, it truly scares me. Make no doubt about it, orthodox Jews and devout Muslims, the do NOT make any claim, nor would they ever want to, that they worship the same god as us Christians. It is too bad that they, by their denial, recognize the divine nature and exclusivity of Christ that so many Christians are willing to throw on the dung heap.

[revcwirla]

You've absolutely nailed it on the head, Paul. The pope had his opportunity, and he blew it. "Chair of Peter" indeed. Peter, who suffered beatings at the hands of his fellow Jews, and martyrdom at the hands of the Roman Caesar for confessing Jesus Christ to be the only name under heaven by which we are saved, would be ashamed of this fraud called the "papacy" that usurps the good name of Peter.

It's a classic ad hominum to dismiss Luther. He doesn't say that the Jews hate God. He says that because they hate Christ, they therefore hate God, since Jesus Christ is God. This simple piece of deductive logic seems to be lacking among many Christians today, including the pope himself.

This isn't Luther talking, but Jesus Himself: "He who rejects me, rejects Him who sent me." (Luke 10:16) Doesn't get much clearer than that, does it? Say all the nice things you want about Jesus, but if you reject Him as your God, you've rejected the only God this world has.

The pope quotes a little medieval nasty about Muslims and the entire Islamic world is thrown into a jihadic frenzy, while Christians quietly tolerate every blasphemy uttered against the name of the Lord Jesus. Falsehood always trembles in the face of the One who is the Truth, and the Truth doesn't need a sword to defend Himself, unlike the popes of the past and the deluded followers of Mohammed.

No apologies necessary.

[Jon C. Bischof]

If 1 Corinthians 10:20 is true (it is), then we who hold Scripture to be true must stop beating around the bush and simply say with Paul that "what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God".

It then makes perfect sense that they should murder all who contradict what "their god" has taught them. After all, was he not "a murderer from the beginning"?

[Ben C.]

What can we expect out of the pope though? Catholics like all other religions do not soley believe in Justification by Grace for Christs sake through Faith. It's like the pope is afraid to make a bold statement b/c he's not sure.

The other thing that gets me is why are Muslims allowed to shout to the hills "we have no god but allah" and the media and the world think this is neat and cool but if a Christian confesses the Trinity there would be rioting and name calling such as "radical Christian"?