Sarai's and Abram's lapse into unbelief was the progenitor of the Arabs, the traditional enemies of the Jewish people. Moverover Muhammad, the founder of Islam, whose adherents form Christianity's most difficult missionary problem, came from the line of Ishmael. Islam is the world religion which is perhaps, the closest to Christianity; thus it is the hardest to penetrate with the Gospel of Christ."
Before 9/11 the above quote was most likely the prevailing belief in the Christian church. No more. The years following 9/11, the doctrines of Islam are continually being exposed, bringing Christians realization that the doctrines of Christianity and Islam appose each other.
Unfortunately the Christian church, as a whole, is still woefully ignorant of teachings of Islam, and the danger Islam imposes on the freedoms that we enjoy here in America. This is one reason that the God, Christian's call Father, is raising up men and women to educate his church about Islam, and in doing so enabling Christians to fulfill the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19, which also applies to the Muslim.
The quote from the Scofield Study Bible is far from the truth. Islam is difficult to penetrate with the Gospel of Jesus Christ because of the following:
� Most Muslims are born into Islam therefore making it difficult to embrace another faith.
� Islam encourages violence toward those who leave the faith.
� In Islam, salvation depends on the actions of the believer, which fulfills the human desire to do good works to enter paradise or heaven.
� Muslims are blinded by Satan concerning spiritual truth.
The litmus test for any religion or belief system that is to be compared with Christianity is what is believed about Jesus Christ. Islam opposes the Biblical teachings concerning Jesus's Deity, His crucifixion and resurrection. In Islam the salvation message concerning Jesus is certainly denied.
Qur'anic passages concerning Jesus Christ, translated by Yusuf Ali.
YUSUFALI: O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His messengers. Say not "Trinity" : desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs. Surah 4:171
YUSUFALI: That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not:- Surah 4:157
The Bible teaches that Jesus was crucified and is the Son God. Choose in which book you will believe, the Bible or the Qur'an.