Through Whom Does God Come to Us?

Adapted by Colin Melbourne from a
Baptist missionary report from South Asia

© 03-08 Born-Again-Christian.info

There are so many religions, which one is right? Which leader told the truth? Through whom does Almighty God come to us. How do we come to God? A devout Muslim from South Asia discovers the truth when he dares to ask God directly.

I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Holy Bible John 14:5 and 1 Timothy 2:5 NIV

'God, I want to know You, talk to me!'

Oh how He loves it when people get real with Him, when they call out with all their heart for truth and righteousness, longing to be rid of the terrible burden of sin. Religion says, "No! How dare you think that God will listen. You are just an unworthy worm in the dust. What does a Holy God want with a sinner like you?"

So people accept their situation preferring to believe they're fated to remain apart from God forever, serving Him through religious rituals, incantations and routines, offering their own sacrifices in the vain hope He might eventually accept them into His Presence.

All religions are like this, and all are false. God has already shown how much He wants sinners to be one with Him, it is no secret, it is not a mystery, God wants all sinners to come to Him and receive forgiveness, cleansing and peace. But there's only One Way. He came and told us so Himself. It's recorded in John's Gospel.

Here's how one devout Muslim man found out.

He was raised in a South Asian family of sincere Muslims, and attended the mosque regularly since childhood. He said that though his Father impelled him to follow Islam, 'I wouldn't just pray because I had to, I would cry out with tears, 'God, I want to know you. Talk to me.'

That is the heart cry of many people around the world today. You've also prayed like that haven't you? That's why you are reading this article, it will point you to the only way you can come to God.

'Why had I never heard this before?'

Gulshan Esther

Torn Veil

Healed by a Miracle
Gulshan carried out all the demands of the Koran including visiting Mecca and Medina on the Hajj, but she was not healed. Then she read about Jesus in her Koran, and began asking Him to heal her.

One day, the man was on a train, and spotted a foreigner whom he greeted with the usual warm Muslim hospitality, and they soon became friends. The foreigner was a missionary, but never mentioned Christianity because witnessing to Muslims was forbidden in this particular country, as it is in most Islamic nations. During one of many visits to the foreigner's home, the Muslim man noticed his friend had lost his usual smile whilst reading a local newspaper. It contained an article forbidding Muslims to be friends with Christians, to which the Muslim responded, 'We can be friends, but your faith is different'. He had been looking for an opportunity to bring the foreigner to the mosque to teach him about Islam, and seized his chance. Gently the Muslim said, 'What you believe is wrong'.

The missionary drew his attention to the fact that it was not he who had raised the topic, and they went into his study to continue the discussion privately.

The Christian showed him a Koran in the Muslim's own language, not the usual Arabic, it was the first time the Muslim had seen the Koran in his mother tongue. He was asked if he had read the New Testament (Injil), to which the man said, 'No, why should I? It is rejected.'

The missionary respectfully showed him some verses in the Koran that actually said the opposite. It said Muslims should read the previous books, not just the New Testament, but also the books of Moses and the prophets. He later testified, 'I was so surprised that I grabbed the book from his hands. Why had I never heard this before?'

Have you read the Injil my Muslim friend, as the Koran instructs you to do?

How can God have a Son?

Continuing their friendly discussion the missionary asked why the man thought Christianity was wrong. He replied that it was because Christians say that Jesus Christ is Almighty God in the Flesh, and explained that Muslims believe in Jesus, 'But as a prophet, not as God. How can God have a son? You shouldn't say that, it is a grave sin. You will be burned in Hell forever. Friend, I want to save you.'

Is that a question holding you back from accepting Christianity as the truth? Does it seem impossible to you for God to create a human body in the womb of a virgin, and impart His Spirit to it directly, then walk on earth as a Man. He is Almighty, nothing is impossible for God the Creator of all things.

That is precisely how He chose to show Himself to mankind, and He will show Himself to you too if you sincerely seek Him, as this precious Muslim did.

His heart was in turmoil, and he longed to know more. Soon he was introduced to other Muslims who had accepted Christ and become Christians, they told him, 'Brother, we were in darkness. Now we are God's children.'

After more discussion and study of the Injil the missionary presented him with a challenge, 'Ask Him to come to you in the name of Buddha, in the Hindu god's names, in Muhammad's name, and in Jesus' Name. See which name He answers.'

'Is Muhammad Your Anointed One?'

The Muslim was entirely sincere, indeed desperate to know the truth, and he knew that God knew his heart and would not play games with a genuine seeker, so one evening he went to his room, closed the door, washed and knelt, placed a chair in front of him, and invited God to show Himself.

He prayed, 'God, all these years I have prayed to you. You know my heart. I want to know you. I need to challenge you. Talk to me. If you are the God who created me, I ask you to come to me in Buddha's name.'

Here, in his own words is what happened next,

'I waited. No answer. Then I said, "I ask you to come to me in the name of all those Hindu gods. If this is the way you want me to worship you, I will worship those idols." I waited five minutes, 10 minutes. No answer.

Then I started praying in the name of Muhammad. My heart was heavy, because I always had such respect toward Muhammad, the holy, beloved prophet of God. I told God, "All these years I have been praying to you through Muhammad. The time has come now to ask you if Muhammad is the anointed one." There were tears in my eyes. I waited, 10, 20, 30 minutes. No answer.

Then, unwillingly, I said, "If you want me to pray in Jesus' Name, if He is your real Anointed One, I ask you to come and talk to me."

Let me tell you, I didn't have to wait 30 minutes. Right at that moment, I felt like Someone walked into my room. The hair on my body stood up. I felt from my feet to my head that somebody was touching me.

I heard a Voice saying, "I am Jesus, your Lord. I love you. Do you want to know anything more?" I cried, "No, my Lord. I trust you! You are my Lord from today. All these years I have been worshiping God, and He never answered. Today, You answered."

I didn't sleep that night. Such joy filled my heart that I had never felt before.'

'To this day I am serving Jesus in His ministry'

The very next day he went to tell the missionary what happened, but he didn't have to, his joy and peace were obvious and they embraced as new Brothers in Christ. He willingly confessed his new faith in Christ for the salvation of his soul, renounced Islam, and was water baptized soon after. He testifies, 'From that day on, God has had such mercy and grace to this sinner. To this day I am serving Jesus in His ministry.'

Now What Will You Do?

Do you want to follow religion, the words and traditions of men, or do you truly want to follow Almighty God, and His Word? Will you sincerely read the Injil asking Almighty God to show you the truth? If so, I suggest you start with the Gospel of John because it contains much of Jesus talking directly on the vital questions you have about Him.

To put it bluntly, He is either Almighty God in the Flesh, as God's Word clearly proclaims, or He is a liar whom Almighty God will refuse to endorse. I beg you not to trust your precious soul to fate, not to man's word, not to tradition, not to religion, but to put your whole trust in God directly, and ask Him to show you if the Lord Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only way to God, as He claimed. God will not disappoint you, if you will dare to trust wholeheartedly in Him.

Colin Melbourne

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