“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” [Galatians 1:8]
A typical
polemic used by some Christians against Muslims is that they are preaching a
different gospel, and therefore are under God's curse. Let us take a closer
look at this claim.
“But even if
we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we
preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!”
Notice the
unusual use of pronouns in this verse. The pronoun “we” is used to
include the speaker (Paul) alongside angels. Again, the pronoun “we” is
used to affirm that what the speaker preached is the true message. In both
instances, the subject pronoun reveals that Paul is speaking of a personal
message one that should be accepted exclusively, and anything else discarded.
Is the Muslim Message a "Different
Gospel"?
Firstly, the
claim that Muslims preach a different gospel is both correct and incorrect, depending
on how you look at it.
Muslims
recite the words that Jesus Pbuh spoke to his people during his time on earth.
The Qur’an is clear that Allah Swt revealed the Injeel (Gospel) to Jesus Pbuh .
Thus, Muslims are reciting the original message that Jesus conveyed.
Furthermore,
Muslims do not "preach" the Gospel in the Christian sense rather, we
recite the Qur’an, which contains the words of God and also narrates what Jesus
Pbuh said to his people.
Paul Came After Jesus Pbuh
Secondly,
Jesus came before Paul. If anything, it is Paul's gospel that should be
questioned, as he speaks from his own personal narrative.
“In the day
when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my
gospel.” [Romans 2:16]
Notice Paul
uses the possessive adjective "my", emphasizing it as his own
version of the gospel. In other verses, Paul claims to have received this
gospel from Jesus himself (Galatians 1:12).
In Galatians
1:11, Paul again uses the first-person singular pronoun:
“I want you
to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of
human origin.” [Galatians 1:11]
Clearly,
Paul refers to this gospel as a personal revelation, not something directly
taught by Jesus to the public.
Hence, if
Paul is preaching a gospel different from what Jesus Pbuh taught, Muslims are
not heretics. In fact, according to this logic, Paul himself would fall under
the curse mentioned in Galatians 1:8.
“Do not add
or subtract from the word of God.” [Deuteronomy
4:2]
“You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the LORD your God… but you
will be cursed if you reject the commands...” [Deuteronomy 11:27–28]
“Do not add to it or subtract from it!” [Deuteronomy
12:32]
These verses
clearly state that God’s commands must not be altered. Anyone who does so
brings upon themselves God’s curse.
“You must
not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.” [Leviticus
11:8]
“You must not eat any fat or any blood.” [Leviticus 3:17]
Compare this
with:
“Do not
handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” [Colossians
2:21–22]
“All food is lawful.” [Romans 14:20]
Paul appears
to dismiss the commandments of Yahweh as human rules, suggesting that the Old
Testament laws are no longer binding.
Yet the Old
Testament says:
“The law of
the LORD is perfect.” [Psalm 19:7]
Meanwhile,
Paul writes:
“The former
regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made
nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced…” [Hebrews 7:18–19]
If anyone is
guilty of rejecting God's laws, by biblical standards, it is Paul not Muslims.
Conclusion
Muslims do not
preach the personal gospel of Paul. Nor do we preach any gospel at all. Rather,
we recite the sayings of Jesus Pbuh that were conveyed to the Children of
Israel the original revelation known as the Injeel. Paul, on the other hand,
presented a personal version of the message that contradicts earlier scripture
and commandments.
By biblical
standards, he may fall under the very curse he described.
