Guidelines for Conversationa l Evangelism Evangelism means engaging people in discovery

Our first question Does evangelism start with God?

Our second question Should God reveal Himself for evangelism?

The Bible says: The heaven declares the glory of God (Ps.19:1) The glory of God will be revealed, and all mankind will see it (Isa.40:5) So, God’s aim in creation is to put Himself on display

The Qur’an and Islam say: Narrated Masruq: I said to 'Aisha, "O Mother! Did Prophet Muhammad see his Lord?" Aisha said, "What you have said makes my hair stand on end ! … : Whoever tells you that Muhammad saw his Lord, is a liar." ( Bukhari :: Volume 6 :: Book 60 :: Hadith 378 ) It is not given to any human being that Allâh should speak to him unless (it be) by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to reveal what He wills by His Leave … (Q.42:51) No vision can grasp Him [Allah], but His grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Courteous Well-Acquainted with all things (Q.6:103).

What we have, others are missing: Key of Evangelism God of the Bible reveals Himself He is personal, but Allah and gods in all other religions are impersonal. In reality, an impersonal god does not exist, cannot create, evangelize, be heard, save, and accordingly cannot have any messenger or scripture.

Revelation is for creation God is the Creator and the author of life Could God create, touch and talk without revealing Himself? He gave Adam and Eve life through His personal touch. Creation does not happen without the revelation of God.

Revelation is to fulfill His plans I will go before you and will level the mountains (Isa.45:2) The God of the Bible is the God of image. He has heavenly plan to implement on earth. He is personal, relational and active God.

Revelation is to give purpose to life God has created the humanity for a purpose To give purpose to life, God’s constant presence and supervision are necessary God gives purpose and meaning to life through His holiness, justice and love.

Revelation of God is unavoidable

Revelation is to make God’s word relevant to us The Bible is the written word of God, and Jesus is the personal Word of God How can the word of God be relevant to us if the personal Word of God does not relate to us personally? The written word of God is to prepare us to have a personal encounter with the personal Word of God. Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (Jn.1:14).

Conclusion: The God of the Bible is the revealing God but Allah is not

What does the revelation of God mean for us? We have God but Muslims do not We know God and the Truth but Muslims do not We are saved and have the joy of salvation but Muslims are missing both We are reconciled and submitted to God but Muslims are not We are established in the absolute justice but Muslims are not We have an heavenly identity but Muslims do not We are reconciled to the God of love and able to love but Muslims are not We are living in the absolute peace and are peace-makers but Muslims are not Key questions arise for all these

Revelation makes God Accessible God is everywhere and wants to find followers and dwell personally with them. He wants to live not only among us but even within us at the very center of our existence In the NT the word “Immanuel” means 'God-with-us‘. The word “us” indicates that we are God’s Temples and He is within us, having personal and intimate fellowship with us He is accessible

Revelation makes God Accessible Humanity is in chain and unable to go to God, but God is able to come to us Every other religion in the world asks the lost (who is in chain) to go to god, but God of the Bible comes to the lost in order to unchain him personally.

Revelation makes God Accessible If God comes, everybody, therefore, can say: God is everywhere, and near me, I,therefore, have a chance to call God into my heart, When God is in my heart, Satan, therefore, cannot have a place in me. This means; I am saved

Conclusion God in the Qur’an is not revealed to Muhammad God in the Bible reveals Himself to many people Who can then claim having God and knowing the truth? The followers of the Bible The followers of the Qur’an are without God

Revelation makes God known God is the source of truth. Only through the revelation of God are we able to have personal relationship with Him and know His truth personally (Jn.1:14). Personal knowledge requires personal relationship Knowing God is not only to know facts about Him but also to know Him personally and trust in Him

Revelation makes God known Can someone proclaim God without knowing Him? Those who do not believe in God’s revelation cannot speak about God. Can someone call himself the messenger of a non-revealing god? God revealed Himself to Moses and talked to him personally (Ex.25:9; 33:11; Num.12:8) God did not reveal Himself to Muhammad and did not talked to him personally Who, Moses or Muhammad, knows God personally and is able to speak about the glory of God?

Conclusion Having God personally, listening and talking to Him, and knowing Him personally affect all dimensions of our life and provides us with reasons to talk about Him That’s why God reveals Himself in Jesus for establishing relationship, conversation and evangelism Jesus speaks and we hear God speaking.

Conclusion cont.… Jesus said, “They know with certainty that I have come from you” (Jn.17:8) Through the church the manifold wisdom of God should be made known (Eph.3:10) “The One (God) whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23c)

Revelation establishes salvation Who can claim being free from the bondage of Satan without the interference of God? The revelation of God is for the salvation of humanity. God desires humanity to be saved here in this life If Satan reveals himself to corrupt humanity, why shouldn’t God reveal Himself to destroy the work of Satan and save people?

Revelation establishes salvation God does not leave salvation up to humanity, as He is the only One who can overcome Satan. Revelation of God for salvation means that each individual is looked after by God Wouldn’t it be comforting to have God and the certainty of salvation in this life on earth?

Conclusion “For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, “A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Lk.2:30-32) “You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household…in which God lives by his Spirit (Eph.2:19,22)

Conclusion cont.… No Salvation in Islam … 'Aisha further said, "And whoever tells you that the Prophet knows what is going to happen tomorrow, is a liar (Bukhari :: Volume 6 :: Book 60 :: Hadith 378). No soul can know what it will earn tomorrow (Q.31:34) … nor know I [Muhammad] what will be done with me or with you. … (Q.46:9)

Conclusion cont.… Muhammad did not believe in the revelation of God and therefore remained unsaved (Q.31:34). Moses and Daniel believed in the revelation of God and was saved: This people have committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. But now, if You will, forgive their sin, and if not, please blot me out of Your book which You have written! (Ex.32:31-32). … there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation; until that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book (Dan.12:1).

Revelation establishes submission If God is not a personal and revealing God, how then can the personal man submit to Him? You can only submit yourself to someone who is personal and revealing in order to make the submission possible

Conclusion God has not revealed Himself to Muhammad and Muslims; they, therefore, cannot call themselves submitted “Islam” means “submission”, and “Muslim” means “submitted”. Logically, Islam cannot provide submission. It is therefore illogic if Muslims ask others to submit to Islam since they are not submitted themselves

Revelation establishes justice Satan, as the second most powerful spiritual being, has revealed himself to establish injustice in the world. Shouldn’t God, as the mighty spiritual being, reveal Himself to destroy the work of Satan and establish justice?

Revelation establishes justice If the establishment of justice is for us as personal beings, then God must personally reveal Himself in order to make His justice relevant to us. Revelations in the OT on the Mount of Sinai for writing the Tablets, or in the NT for residing in the hearts are the examples of God’s personal revelation to establish justice.

Revelation establishes justice Where did and does sin take place? Where does a just God deal with sin? Where should a man encounter God’s justice? Can a just God leave the solution of the present sin for the life after? If people are crying for or desiring God’s peace, justice, salvation, care, etc. now, why shouldn’t God meet their present needs now, instead of leaving them for the life after?

Conclusion God revealed Himself in order to establish justice (Matt.12:18-21; Isa.42:1-4) God is the ultimate authority in the realm of morals. He is therefore personally committed to establish the truth from the beginning to the end?

Conclusion cont… A genuine and loving God must overcome Satan now even if it costs Him a lot; …having disarmed the powers and authorities (or spiritual forces of evil in Eph.6:12), he (God) made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Col.2:13-15) The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work (1Jn.3:8b), establish justice in the hearts of nations (Matt.12:20-21), and create peace among nations and between nations and God (Col.1:20)

Revelation establishes heavenly identity for us God reveals Himself in order to change His followers to be good in order to be able to do good: Being comes first not Doing. If people are not established in the Kingdom of God first, they will not be able to do good. In Islam (and all other religions) Doing comes first without Being good.

Conclusion “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph.2:10).

Identity: a comparison (God and Heaven) Muslims’ heaven In Islamic heaven man is not utterly released from the bondage of sin Christians’ heaven Man in Christian heaven is completely purified

Revelation establishes peace, unity and love Relationship commences with revelation, and revelation ensures unity and love If God loves us, He must give Himself to us for the full consummation of love. Have you ever loved someone without seeing, hearing or touching? ‘to love’ or ‘to be loved’ is relational and without revelation real relationship does not happen. With revelation, God reveals Himself as the great lover of humanity. He reveals His love for reconciliation and unity

Conclusion “I passed by, and when I looked at you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign L ORD” (Ezek.16:8) “I (God) remember…how as bride you loved me (Jer.2:2). The Spirit and the bride say, “Come” (Rev.22:17). When one calls, the other comes.

Conclusion cont.… “For God was so pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him (Jesus), and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Col.1:19-20)

Conclusion cont.… Paul said: “He himself is our peace…He came to teach peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near (Eph.2:14, 17); Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and share together in the promise in Christ Jesus (Eph.3:6) Peter said: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (1Pet.1:2)

Do Christians need a reasoned approach to evangelism? How can this ministry be strong and wide spread? Is God calling you to play a role in this ministry? Dr. Daniel Shayesteh