What Is Christianity?

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Christians claim that Christianity is monotheistic as reflected above in the Wikipedia definition.

How do you reconcile one person coming up from baptism, another entity descending upon the first in the appearance of a dove and yet another announcing to those present that the first one is His son - and yet all three are at that very moment only One God? Matthew 3:16-17 And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water (1): and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove (2), and coming upon him;and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (3).

If Jesus is God incarnate, how can he be tempted by the devil? Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Jesus later says that one can't tempt or make trial of God - Matthew 4:7 Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God.

How can God possibly worship the devil? Matthew 4:9-10 and he (devil) said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Notice how Jesus' response was the very essence of Islam! lā ilāha illā-llāh.
 
MustafaMc said:
Christians claim that Christianity is monotheistic as reflected above in the Wikipedia definition.

How do you reconcile one person coming up from baptism, another entity descending upon the first in the appearance of a dove and yet another announcing to those present that the first one is His son - and yet all three are at that very moment only One God?
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How I do it is by understanding that while you have identified 3 persons, that we still are speaking of just one being, even in those three persons.
 
MustafaMc said:
What definition for Christian do you accept? What criteria puts one within that realm and another outside? I accept one as Muslim who says that, "Allah is the only One worthy of worship and that Muhammad was His Servant and Messenger". I am very reluctant to call anyone who professes this statement to be a kafir or unbeliever.
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Mustafa, I have said these things and I have meant them, but I don't think you would ever call me a Muslim, nor would I request anyone to.


In answer to what I personally use as my definition of what it means to be a Christian -- to accept Jesus (the Christ) as both your Lord and Savior. Of course I believe more than that is true, but that is what puts one either inside or outside the realm in my understanding.
 
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Grace Seeker said:
Mustafa, I have said these things and I have meant them, but I don't think you would ever call me a Muslim, nor would I request anyone to.
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Greetings Grace Seeker, if I heard you say the shahada, then I could not but accept you as a Muslim. There is an hadith about a companion fighting what he believed to be a kafir, but this person said the shahada during the battle. The companion went ahead and killed him because he thought he was insincere and testified only to save his life. The Prophet (saaws) latter reprimanded this companion because he had erred/sinned in this instance.
In answer to what I personally use as my definition of what it means to be a Christian -- to accept Jesus (the Christ) as both your Lord and Savior. Of course I believe more than that is true, but that is what puts one either inside or outside the realm in my understanding.
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Please, clarify what is meant by "to accept Jesus (the Christ) as both your Lord and Savior". Do Catholics agree that this is what defines one as a Christian?
 
MustafaMc said:
Please, clarify what is meant by "to accept Jesus (the Christ) as both your Lord and Savior". Do Catholics agree that this is what defines one as a Christian?
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What I mean by saying that Jesus is my Lord is that he is the one who directs my life. I am not my own master, I am his servant.

What I mean by saying that Jesus is my Savior is that I recognize that I cannot by my own power, will, or work save myself, but that I am totally dependent on the work which Christ has done for me to find salvation.


I am only answering with regard to that which I know to be true for myself. I will not venture to answer for another.
 
Grace Seeker said:
What I mean by saying that Jesus is my Lord is that he is the one who directs my life. I am not my own master, I am his servant.
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In other words Jesus is your pilot rather than the co-pilot seen on many bumper stickers.

In contrast, the pattern for how I strive to live my life is the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (saaws); however, I am not his servant - I strive to be a servant of Allah by following Muhammad's example. I don't have the sense of Allah "directing" my life, but that may be a personal limitation.
What I mean by saying that Jesus is my Savior is that I recognize that I cannot by my own power, will, or work save myself, but that I am totally dependent on the work which Christ has done for me to find salvation.
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I understand that Christians rely upon the free gift of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross rather than their personal "works" for salvation. Likewise, I rely upon the Mercy of Allah to forgive me of my sins and grant me Paradise by His Grace. I pray, fast and give charity not to earn my salvation, but rather to not be disobedient to Allah.
 

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