(CCU Faculty) How do you know if a prophet is from God? By his fruit! If his fruit is love and joy he is from God. If his fruit is hate and terror, he is not from God. “By this is my Father glorified,” said Jesus, “that you bear much fruit, and prove to be my disciples. Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; abide in my love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:9,11) Paul elaborated on this, writing that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Jesus also said, “By this all men will know you are my disciples, that you have love for one another.” Jesus taught us “love your enemies.” On the other hand, the Qu’ran teaches Muslims to “take not My enemy and your enemy for friends, offering them love, though they have disbelieved in the truth” (60:1) Many Muslims I have met are filled with hate. They are taught to hate their enemies, to hate unbelievers.
Jesus loved sinners, “God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” But the Quran says that “Allah does not love sinners” (2:190,276; 3:57,140; 4:107; 5:87; 7:55; 42:40) and “Allah does not love unbelievers” (3:32; 22:38; 30:45).
Jesus told the Pharisees, “I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.” The same can be said of Muslims, unless they show the love of God by the fruit they show in their lives. The New Testament says, “Beloved let us love one another, for love is from God. He that loves is born of God and knows God; he that loves not, knows not God, for God is love.”
Jesus told his followers, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” Telling his disciples of his death and resurrection, “your sorrow will be turned to joy…your heart will rejoice and no one takes your joy away from you…ask and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.”(Jn16)
On the other hand, Islam teaches terror: “We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve.” (3:151) “I will instil terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them.” (8:12) “strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies” (8:60) “And those of the People of the Book…God did take them down from their strongholds and cast terror into their hearts” (33:26) “And kill them wherever you find them…such is the recompense for unbelievers.” (2:191)
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life,” “I have come that they may have life,” and “Come to me, that you may have life.” On the other hand, Mohammad brought death. He often called for the death of others. He led his followers into battle, killed his enemies and divided the spoils of war with his troops. His followers (at least those who take his teachings most literally) have brought death throughout the centuries. “Allah loves those who fight” (61:4)
How can you show yourselves to be followers of God? According to Jesus, you should “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other…”
Radical Muslims often say, “We love death more than life.” Christians should bring life to those who are dead in their hate. We should “speak the truth in love,” not fearing what Muslims will do to us in return, for “perfect love casts out all fear.” We must be willing to die, to prove our love. After all, they are willing to kill to prove their hate.
Having read this, if someone is filled with hate and wants to kill me for having written it, he is not of God. However, if the reader is instead filled with love and a desire to bring love and joy and life to those filled with hate and terror and death, then he is very likely born of God. By their fruits you shall know them.
