I love Muslims but they need to know this about Jesus

Reflection

Christian conviction about the identity of Jesus, as the eternal Son of God who died and rose again, sits at the very centre of the faith and marks a real point of difference with Islamic teaching about Jesus as a prophet. Christians who care about their Muslim friends and neighbours often feel a genuine tension: deep respect and affection for people, alongside a firm belief that something essential is at stake in how Jesus is understood. Paul's confidence that there is no other name by which people are saved (Acts 4:12) sits behind that concern. Holding this tension well means avoiding two failures: softening conviction to the point of vagueness, or expressing it in a way that feels like contempt rather than love. Genuine love does not require pretending that differences do not matter, but it does require humility, patience and a willingness to be a friend first. Christians are called to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), and that phrase holds both halves together on purpose.

Questions to sit with

• How do you balance conviction and kindness when talking about faith with someone who disagrees?
• What would it cost you to bring up Jesus with a friend of another faith?
• Do your relationships with people of other faiths feel like friendships or projects?

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