One critique that Muslims often make of Christianity is that the Bible says sin is okay because the Bible doesn’t hide man’s sin. It is true that the Bible tells many stories of godly men who sinned. But these stories are not told to encourage sin. They are told to show how God hates and overcomes men’s sins.
What are People Really Like?
The Bible tells the true story of people. In it we are able to see people who are just like us. The Bible doesn’t leave out things that are difficult or sinful, but tells about life as it really is. The Bible states that “there is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10).
Understanding that people in the Bible are like us gives us hope. We don’t have to become perfect people in order for God to love us or before we can come to God. God loves us no matter who we are or what we’ve done!
The Quran also states that the prophets sinned. Abraham, Noah, and Moses all asked God for forgiveness of their sins. In Qs 26:82, Abraham says, “Forgive me my sin on the Day of Judgment.”
David, A Man after God’s Own Heart
David is a prime example. In I Samuel 13:1, the prophet Samuel told Saul that God had rejected him as king over Israel. Samuel said, “The LORD has sought out a man (another man) after His own heart and appointed him leader of His people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.”
That man was David. David became king over Israel after Saul died. He tried to follow God and lead his country in a godly manner. But just like every other man, David was sinful, and he fell into sin.
David and His Adultery with Bathsheba
II Samuel 11 tells the story of David and Bathsheba. While Israel was at war, David stayed behind. He saw Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers, while she was bathing. He asked to have her brought to him. He slept with her. She became pregnant. David tried to cover up his sin by having her husband killed. He wanted to marry her. This was a horrible sin.
Many do not understand how David could be called “a man after God’s own heart.” But he is called this because of the way he dealt with his sin and because of his desire to please God.
The prophet Nathan approached David and told him that God saw David’s sin and held him accountable. David mourned his sin
and asked God to forgive him. David’s remorse is seen in Psalm 51. “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Zabur/Psalms 51:2-4).
God Hates Sin but Loves People Who Have Sinned
God does not love sin. He hates and judges sin, but He loves the sinner. One proof of His love is that Isa Al-Masih, through Mary, is a descendant of David, even though David sinned. There is no one whose sin is so great, including David’s, which cannot be forgiven by God.
In Jesus Christ, there is always hope! There is forgiveness for every sinful person. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Injil, Romans 6:23).
[We invite you to visit us at https://www.isaandislam.com/way-of-salvation to learn more about God’s gift of Salvation. God loves you and waits to hear from you. Isa clearly said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Injil, John 14:6) For a deeper understanding of Isa we suggest you subscribe to “Isa, Islam, and Al-Fatiha” at this link.]
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Genesis 6 describes a period in history when the sons of God mated (had intercourse) with the [beautiful only, no ugly ones!] daughters of mortals.
This seems inconsistent with both the Jewish and Christian doctrines of monotheism. One Christian sect told me it didn’t really mean the sons of God, but good people. If so, the Bible cannot be taken at face value (literally).
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Dear Simon,
One shouldn’t take it literally when it is not literally true or take it literally true when it’s intended to be literally true. Or, figurative when it’s intended to be figurative, etc. One must see the biblical text using logic, contextual analysis, etc.
There are arguments about who the “sons of God” are in the context of Genesis 6. One view sees these as Godly men of the Sethite line. Another view sees them as powerful men or rulers. Another view sees “the sons of God” as fallen angels.
However, if we follow the story that there were giants who were born (“Nephilim”), and God brought the flood to the earth to because of their wickedness, it seems that the first view is most likely.
When looking at any passage in the Bible, one must consider it within the context. A person must look at the other passages around it, and then study the passage within that context. This will make a difference in what that passage means. You can find one meaning of the term “son of God” at https://www.isaandislam.com/christian-beliefs/qson-of-godq-what-does-that-mean.html.
Thank you.
Y/J
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Dear Y/J,
I think you have done a good job to try to explain this weird passage in Genesis.
I agree that we need to see the context and the whole passage, not just a short phrase. The same mistake is made of critics of Islam who take a short phrase of the Quran, and try to portray Muslims as bloodthirsty killers, etc!
The Genesis 6 passage is an embarrassment to us all, because we all wish to accept the Bible as guidance and God’s (literal) word.
Thanks for engaging in constructive and friendly dialogue.
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Simon Jones,
I agree with you that the Bible is our Guide. The Bible is the Word of God, consisting of wisdom, knowledge, and revelation (2 Timothy 3:16). A person must interpret and read the Injil contextually as well as literally. He must always interpret the Bible with the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit.
We are glad that you enjoy our dialogue and we also hope that you will benefit from it.
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