Islamic Works v. Christian Grace
| ISLAM AND SALVATION BY WORKS | CHRIST AND SALVATION BY GRACE |
| Salvation based on scales. (Surah 17:13-14) | Salvation based on the Cross and grace. (Ephesians 2:8-9) |
| Salvation based on a lifetime confession of faith in Allah and his messenger Muhammed. (Surah 1:2-4) | Salvation based on a personal confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (Romans 10:9-13) |
| God is impersonal; therefore, obedience to the five pillars is most important. (Surah 2:277) | God is personal and incarnate; therefore, relationship with our Heavenly Father is most important. (Isaiah 9:6; John 20:28) |
| Conditional love based on obedience to Allah. (Surah 60:1) | Unconditional love based on the blood of Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:8) |
| Heaven is pictured as men sitting on couches being served wine by perpetual virgins. (Surah 4:57) | Heaven is pictured as the worship of Jesus Christ as He rewards men and women for their works after salvation. (Revelation 21; 1 Corinthians 3) |
| Allah only saves those whom he wants. (Surah 14:4) | God saves all those who will receive Jesus Christ as Savior. (2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 2:2; Luke 19:10) |
| Sins are overlooked if the good outweighs the bad. | All sins must be punished since they offend a holy God. Therefore, the cross is necessary. |
| Salvation is never guaranteed (outside of jihad and martyrdom). (Surah 3:157; Hadith 1.35) | Salvation is guaranteed based on Christ’s finished work (Luke 23), the Spirit’s sealing (Ephesians 1:13), and the Word of God (1 John 5:12-13). |
| Muhammed himself did not know his eternal destiny. Why follow a man who does not know God’s plan for his eternal life? (Hadith 5.266) | Jesus Christ finished the work on the cross. Salvation is not based on man changing himself. Salvation is based on God transforming man from the inside out. (2 Corinthians 5:17). |
