{"id":1059,"date":"2014-01-15T21:45:44","date_gmt":"2014-01-15T21:45:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bienvenueafricains.com\/en\/?page_id=1059"},"modified":"2014-02-21T15:27:26","modified_gmt":"2014-02-21T15:27:26","slug":"questions-and-answers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bienvenueafricains.com\/en\/questions-and-answers\/","title":{"rendered":"Questions and Answers"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/span>What is the Bible?<\/a>
<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 The Bible is Approximately Three Times Bigger Than The Qur\u2019an.<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0This is a rough estimate.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 There Are Two Major Divisions of The Bible.<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0 They are called \u201cThe Old Testament\u201d and \u201cThe New Testament.\u201d\u00a0 The word, \u201cTestament\u201d means a written covenant or agreement.\u00a0 God made a number of covenants with his people that are mentioned in the Bible, but the two main divisions of the Bible are named after what are considered to be the two main covenants.\u00a0 The first one is the covenant God made with his people Israel through the Prophet Moses.\u00a0 The second one is the covenant God made with believers from all nations through His Son Jesus the Messiah.\u00a0 All of the parts of the Bible given to the people of Israel before Jesus the Messiah came are included in the Old Testament.\u00a0 All the parts of the Bible which were given to believers in Jesus the Messiah after His coming are included in the New Testament.\u00a0\u00a0 The Old Testament is more than three times as big as the New Testament.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 There Are 66 \u201cBooks\u201d in The Holy Bible.<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0The Old Testament contains 39 books, and The New Testament containing 27 books.\u00a0 They are called \u201cbooks,\u201d but some of them are as short as one page while others are as long as 100 pages.\u00a0 Included among these 39 books of the Old Testament are the Torah (\u201cTaurat\u201d<\/i>), the Psalms (\u201cZabur\u201d<\/i>) and many other books (\u201cSahifah\u201d<\/i>) of the prophets.\u00a0 The New Testament is the\u00a0\u201cInjil\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(meaning \u201cGood News\u201d about Jesus).<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 God Gave us The Bible Through More Than 32 Prophets And Apostles in at Least Three Languages.<\/b>\u00a0 He gave his prophets and apostles special guidance and inspiration, enabling them to write the books of the Bible in their own mother tongues.\u00a0 Some were written in the form of historical accounts, some are a listing of laws, some are poetry, some are laments, and some are prophetic proclamations.\u00a0 Most of the Old Testament was written in the Hebrew language, with some parts in ancient Aramaic.\u00a0 The New Testament (\u201cInjil\u201d) was written in the common Greek spoken at the time of Jesus\u2019 life on this earth.\u00a0 The names of some of the prophets are known, through whom God gave us many of the books of the Bible.\u00a0 Some of the books give little or no information about the prophet through whom God spoke to us.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 The Bible Was Written Over a Period of More Than 1500 Years.\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0The oldest books of the Bible are the books of the Prophet Moses, who lived about 1500 BC. \u00a0The book of Job (\u201cAyub\u201d<\/i>\u00a0in Arabic) is also very old, and the exact date is not known.\u00a0 The last book of the Bible is the book of Revelation, which was written through the Apostle John about 90 AD.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0 Jesus the Messiah, Himself Did Not Write Any Part of The Bible.<\/b>\u00a0 He is Himself the Word of God.\u00a0 By the guidance of God\u2019s Holy Spirit, 8 or 9 of Jesus\u2019 followers recorded the things He said and did in the 27 books of the Holy Injil (New Testament).\u00a0 They also explained the meaning of the Messiah\u2019s teaching and actions in the light of the Old Testament prophecies about Him.\u00a0 That is the reason they are called the Apostles of Jesus the Messiah.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0 Prophets And Apostles in The Bible.<\/b>\u00a0 The Bible mentions by name at least 134 different prophets and apostles, plus at least 96 others mentioned but not named.\u00a0 That makes a total of at least 230 prophets of various kinds mentioned in the Bible.\u00a0 The Bible mentions miracles performed by only 24 of these prophets, of whom Moses and Jesus performed the greatest number of miracles.<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0 Genealogies in The Bible.<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0By God\u2019s inspiration, Jesus the Messiah\u2019s complete genealogy of ancestors all the way back to Adam is found in the Bible.\u00a0 The relationships and stories of many of God\u2019s servants are recorded, such as Moses, Adam, David, Jacob, Abraham, Noah, Job, Solomon, Jesus, Jonah, etc.\u00a0 Also God\u2019s dealings with the people of Israel and God\u2019s purposes for all nations are explained.<\/p>\n

9.\u00a0 Book Titles, Chapters, Verses of the Bible.<\/b>\u00a0 The names given to the books of the Bible, as well as the chapter and verse divisions were added later by scholars.\u00a0 They did this to make it easier to locate any particular statement or word in the Bible.\u00a0 It is important to realize, for example, that \u201cThe Gospel According to Matthew\u201d is a title not given by God, but by human scholars, who believed that the Apostle Matthew was the human author of this part of the Holy Injil, and that it contains the Gospel (\u201cgood news\u201d) of Jesus the Messiah.\u00a0 While it is fairly certain that the Apostle Matthew was the person God used to write this \u201cbook,\u201d we should not assume from the titles of the first four books of the New Testament that there are four \u201cInjils\u201d or that the Holy Injil is only the first four parts of the New Testament instead of all of it.<\/p>\n

(Source: \u201cQuestions about the Bible\u201d, <\/i>Rev. Richard P. Bailey. http:\/\/www.answering-islam.org\/authors\/bailey\/questions_bible.html<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Question: Hasn\u2019t the Bible been changed? Or, Why are there so many different Bibles?<\/a>
<\/p>\n

Answer Part 1: There Are Many Different Translations:<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0Some people are confused by the different translations in English, which they assume are altered or changed Bibles because they use different English words.\u00a0 Yes, there are different words used in different translations, but the meaning is the same because these translations are all translated from the same original texts in Hebrew, Aramaic & Greek.\u00a0 As an example, here are seven different translations of the same phrase from Romans chapter 8 and verse 1:<\/p>\n

\u201cTherefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 NIV<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 ESV<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 KJV<\/p>\n

\u201cThus there is no doom now for those who are in Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 Moffatt<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no condemnation for those who are united with Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 NEB<\/p>\n

Likewise, there are many different English translations of the Qur\u2019an commonly available, using different English words, but translated from the same Arabic original.\u00a0 For example here are four different English translations of Sura 3:72:<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues (as they read).\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 Yusuf Ali<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd there is a sect of them twist their tongues with the Book \u2026\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 Arberry<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd verily, amongst them is a sect who twist their tongues concerning the Book \u2026\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 E.H. Palmer<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd surely, there is among them a section who change the book with their tongues (as they read)\u2026\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 Sayed Vickar Ahamed<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd some truly are there among them who torture the Scriptures with their tongues \u2026\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 Rodwell<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd lo!\u00a0 There is a party of them who distort the Scripture with their tongues \u2026\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 Pickthall<\/p>\n

Answer Part 2: How is it Possible for God\u2019s Word to be Changed?:<\/b>\u00a0 God is eternal and so His Word is eternal and unchangeable!\u00a0\u00a0God says His Word cannot be changed!<\/b>\u00a0How can man change what God protects?:<\/p>\n

\u201cYour word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens<\/b>…Long ago I learned from\u00a0your statutes that you established them to last forever<\/b>.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(Psalm 119:89,152)<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that\u00a0everything God does will endure forever<\/b>;\u00a0nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it<\/b>.\u00a0 God does it so that men will revere him.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(Ecclesiastes 3:14)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe grass withers and the flowers fall, but\u00a0the word of our God stands forever<\/b>.\u201d<\/i>(Isaiah 40:8)<\/p>\n

\u201cDo not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.\u00a0\u00a0For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass form the Law until all is accomplished<\/b>.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(Matthew 5:17,18) (Source: \u201cQuestions about the Bible\u201d, <\/i>Rev. Richard P. Bailey. http:\/\/www.answering-islam.org\/authors\/bailey\/questions_bible.html<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Even the Qur\u2019an states,<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Word of thy Lord doth find its fulfillment in truth and in justice: none can change His Words: for He is the one who heareth and knoweth all.\u201d (Sura 6:115, A. Yusuf Ali translation).<\/p>\n

\u201cIf thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee then ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee: the Truth hath indeed come to thee from thy Lord: so be in nowise of those in doubt\u201d (Sura 10:94, A. Yusuf Ali translation).<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd recite (and teach) what has been revealed to thee of the Book of thy Lord: none can change His Words and none wilt thou find as a refuge other than Him\u201d (Sura 18:27, A. Yusuf Ali translation).<\/p>\n

\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Does the Bible predict the coming of Muhammad?<\/a>
<\/p>\n

The Paraclete Passages of John 14, 15 and 16 Cannot be Prophecies of the Coming of Muhammad. <\/b>Christians believe these passages are Jesus\u2019 promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit to live in their hearts.<\/p>\n

Muslims claim that Christians have changed the Greek word from\u00a0periclytos<\/i>, which means \u201cillustrious one\u201d (almost the exact meaning of \u201cAhmed,\u201d another name for Muhammad), to paracletos<\/i>, which means advocate or helper.\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Muslims interpret Jesus\u2019 words as follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cHe will abide with you forever \u2026 he lives with you and will be in you\u201d<\/i><\/b>\u00a0(John 14:16,17) \u2013 They say Muhammad is the last prophet, so his message (Qur\u2019an) and life (Hadith) abide with us and in us.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Spirit of Truth\u201d<\/i><\/b>\u00a0(John 14:17; 15:26) \u2013 They say this refers to Muhammad, who was called\u00a0Al Ameen<\/i>\u00a0(the honest one) from his childhood.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe shall not speak of himself, but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak\u201d<\/i><\/b>(John 16:13) \u2013 They say the angel Gabriel dictated every word of the Qur\u2019an to Muhammad, and not one word was from himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe shall glorify me\u201d<\/i><\/b>\u00a0(John 16:14) \u2013 They say the Qur\u2019an gives more respect to Jesus than Christians do!\u00a0 \u201cTheir changed Bible curses Him with crucifixion and says he addressed his mother disrespectfully as,\u00a0\u2018Woman\u2019<\/i>!\u201d<\/p>\n

I have three responses to Muslims\u2019 arguments on this subject:<\/b><\/p>\n

RESPONSE\u00a0A<\/span>:\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0It is pure conjecture to say that Christians have changed the Greek word, periclytos<\/i>\u00a0to\u00a0paracletos<\/i>. \u00a0There is no historical or any other proof of this.\u00a0 Where is there any ancient copy of John\u2019s Gospel with the word\u00a0periclytos<\/i>?<\/p>\n

RESPONSE\u00a0B<\/span>:\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0By tracing the teaching of the\u00a0Injil<\/i>\u00a0(New Testament) on this subject from the beginning, we will see how obvious it is that the Lord Jesus is speaking about God\u2019s Holy Spirit:<\/p>\n

1)\u00a0 John the Baptist\u2019s<\/b>\u00a0(Yahyah\u2019s<\/i>)\u00a0<\/b>testimony about Jesus baptizing with the Holy Spirit:<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cJohn answered them, \u2018I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie\u2019 \u2026 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, \u2018\u2026 I myself did not know him, but, he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, \u201cHe on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain,\u00a0this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit<\/b>.\u201d\u2019\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(John 1:26-34)<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0 Jesus\u2019 promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit:<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I will ask\u00a0the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth<\/b>, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.\u00a0 You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.\u201d<\/i>(John 14:16-17);<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u00a0when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father<\/b>, he will bear witness about me.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(John 15:26);<\/p>\n

\u201cBut now I am going to him who sent me\u2026I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.\u00a0 But if I go,\u00a0I will send him to you<\/b>.\u00a0 And when he comes he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment \u2026 When\u00a0the Spirit of truth<\/b>\u00a0comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.\u00a0 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(John 16:5-14)<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0 Jesus connects his promise with John\u2019s testimony:<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd while staying with them he<\/i>\u00a0[Jesus]\u00a0ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for\u00a0the promise of the Father<\/b>, which, he said, \u2018you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now<\/b>\u00a0\u2026 But you will receive power when\u00a0the Holy Spirit<\/b>\u00a0has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.\u2019\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(Acts 1:4,5,8)<\/p>\n

4)\u00a0 The actual coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of the feast of Pentecost<\/b>\u00a0and Peter\u2019s teaching about it. \u00a0(The Jewish feast of Pentecost took place 50 days after Jesus crucifixion and resurrection.)<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.\u00a0 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.\u00a0 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.\u00a0\u00a0And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit<\/b> and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance \u2026 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, \u2018What does this mean?\u2019\u00a0 But others mocking said, \u2018They are filled with new wine.\u2019\u00a0 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: \u2018Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.\u00a0 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.\u00a0 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:\u00a0 \u201c\u2018And in the last days it shall be,\u2019\u00a0God declares, \u2018that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh<\/b>, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days\u00a0I will pour out my Spirit<\/b>, and they shall prophesy.\u2019\u201d \u2026 And Peter said to them, \u2018Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and\u00a0you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit<\/b>.\u00a0 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.\u2019\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(Acts 2:1-4,12-18,38,39)<\/p>\n

RESPONSE\u00a0C<\/span>:<\/b>\u00a0 Yusuf Ali argues that,\u00a0\u201cThe future Comforter cannot be the Holy Spirit as understood by Christians, because the Holy Spirit already was present, helping and guiding Jesus.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0 The Messiah Jesus, however, clearly taught that at the time He said this to His disciples, the Holy Spirit was present\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0Himself (and therefore\u00a0with<\/span>\u00a0His disciples) but not yet present\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0the lives of His disciples.\u00a0 Ten days after Jesus Ascended to heaven, on the Jewish Feast Day called Pentecost, they received the Holy Spirit, who came to live\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0them forever:<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I will ask the Father, and he will give you another\u00a0Counselor to be with you forever<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 the Spirit of truth \u2026\u00a0he lives\u00a0with<\/span>\u00a0you<\/b><\/i>\u00a0[in Jesus]\u00a0and will be\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0you<\/i><\/b>.\u201d (John 14:16,17)<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cDo not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.\u00a0 For John baptized with water, but\u00a0in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit<\/b>.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0 (Acts 1:4,5)<\/p>\n

\u201cNow it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.\u00a0 He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and\u00a0put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.<\/b>\u201d<\/i>\u00a0 (2 Corinthians 1:21,22)<\/p>\n

(Source: \u201cQuestions about the Bible\u201d, <\/i>Rev. Richard P. Bailey. http:\/\/www.answering-islam.org\/authors\/bailey\/questions_bible.html<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\n<\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>Why do you call Jesus the \u201cSon of God\u201d? God is not a man who gets married and has sons!<\/a>
<\/p>\n

This expression is used metaphorically and not in a physical sense.\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>The Bible does not teach that God got married to Mary and had a baby!\u00a0 That is blasphemy!\u00a0 Almighty God is not a physical being, so such a thing is not only unthinkable, it is impossible!\u00a0 The term, \u201cSon of God\u201d is used as a metaphor to describe a spiritual relationship, which we will see below (see answer #5).<\/p>\n

The following are a few examples of the common use of this kind of metaphor in the Bible:<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026\u00a0and all the\u00a0daughters of song<\/b>\u00a0are brought low\u00a0<\/i>\u2026\u201d (Ecclesiastes 12:4)<\/p>\n

\u201cGo up to Gilead, and take balm,\u00a0O virgin daughter of Egypt<\/b>!\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(Jeremiah 46:11)<\/p>\n

\u201cJudah\u00a0has<\/b>\u00a0profaned the sanctuary of the Lord \u2026 and has\u00a0married the daughter of a foreign god<\/b>.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(Malachi 2:11)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe field is the world, and the good seed is the\u00a0sons of the kingdom<\/b>.\u00a0 The weeds are the\u00a0sons of the evil one<\/b><\/i>.\u201d (Matthew 13:38)<\/p>\n

\u201cJames the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is,\u00a0Sons of Thunder<\/b>) \u2026\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(Mark 3:17)<\/p>\n

\u201cJesus said to them, \u2018If God were your Father<\/b>, you would love me, for I came from God \u2026 You are of\u00a0your father the devil<\/b>, and your will is to do your father\u2019s desires<\/i>.\u2019\u201d (John 8:42,44)<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026\u00a0the spirit that is now at work in\u00a0the sons of disobedience<\/b>\u00a0\u2026were by nature children of wrath\u00a0<\/b><\/i>\u2026\u201d (Ephesians 1:2,3)<\/p>\n

Yes, Jesus was born physically of the virgin Mary about 2000 years ago, so He has been the son of Mary for some time, but he has always been the Son of God:<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026\u00a0in these last days he (God) has spoken to us by\u00a0his Son \u2026 through whom also he created the world<\/b><\/i>.\u201d (Hebrews 1:2).<\/p>\n

Answer Part 2: \u00a0\u201cSon of God\u201d is a title, not a description<\/b>.\u00a0 Messiah Jesus was not sexually \u201cbegotten\u201d by God.\u00a0\u00a0 He was not born of God in the physical sense!\u00a0 This is evident from the following Bible verses:<\/p>\n