RSS FeedIslam overtakes Roman Catholicism
Written by Peter Youngren on April 13th 2008Two weeks ago the Vatican reported that Islam has overtaken Roman Catholicism as the biggest single religious denomination in the world. According to the Vatican 2008 yearbook, Muslims make us 19.2% of the world’s population, compared with Catholics at 17.4%. Roman Catholic statistician Monsignor Vittorio Formentti said, “For the first time in history we are no longer at the top: the Muslims have overtaken us”
Should we be concerned? Yes and no. Here are four essential statements, which are unknown to the majority of Catholics and Muslims.
1) The sin problem that separated God from man has been removed by Jesus’ death on the cross. It is not penance, pilgrimages, sacrifices or human effort that removes sin; its removal is an accomplished fact. The judgment for our sin has already fallen on Jesus. The price for sin has been paid in its entirety.
2) The only hope for humanity is in becoming new creations in Christ. No religion, church, ritual or pious observances will give eternal life. Eternal life is found in a Person, who by His Spirit comes to live in those, who receive Him.
3) Eternal life is by the unmerited grace of God, not of any works of our own. It is a gift from Jesus Christ to all those who believe.
4) The life that pleases God is the one lived in reliance on the indwelling Christ. Human strivings, efforts, and good religious deeds are called “dead works”, that we should repent from[Hebr 6:1].
Regrettably, many Christians and Muslims follow a merit-based path to God. This road will never bring salvation. If it did, the praise would go to us who “earned” that salvation. When eternal life is by grace alone, the praise goes only to the One who provided the free gift.
My overriding concern is not statistics, or which religion is ahead. My concern is that most people have never heard the Good News of what God did in Christ. There is very little knowledge about “being born again”, or becoming a “new creation” in Christ. Even those who are familiar with the terminology often think of these expressions merely as theological terms, rather than practical realities.
As far as World Impact Ministries is concerned, I am glad to report that the eight remaining Festivals in 2008 will all be conducted in areas where the Gospel awareness is low. Our outreaches will not be “preaching to the choir”, but to push the frontier of the gospel further. “Gospel Advancement” is our motto and with the help of our partners that is what we will do in 2008.
So, percentages change a bit between Islam and Roman Catholicism. The percentage that interests me is, what portion of the world’s population have heard the Gospel? Received it? Been born again? Give me your thoughts!
- Peter
jeffrey Tep
The Gospel is for the saved and the unsaved.For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.The works we do,are works of faith not works of the law.
Gal 3:12
Yet the law is not of faith,but the man who does them will live by them.
The righteous shall live by faith not by laws and principles.Gal 2:20.Love fulfills the law and His love compels us.The law does not bring faith but what it does is to bring the knowledge of sin.The believer who embraces the law will short circuit his faith.The devil will tell him why his prayers are not answered.Col 2:14
God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself,not counting their sins against them.2 Cor 5:19,1 Jn 2:2
The church is dealing with the issue of sin and the wrath of God.That was alrady dealt with 2000 years ago at the cross.
The question is,‘Are we reconciled to God?Or are we still dealing with the issue of sin and His wrath?‘
The world has a sin issue!The church has a grace issue!(Propiatiation)
God’s punishment and wrath has been fully poured out on the body of Jesus at the cross for the sins of the whole world!We need only believe and respond to His love!
Agape,
Jeff Teo
Ignatius
The hour has come that the focus is not on how many churches have been planted, or how many people are becoming christians. But how many are receiving the gospel? With recent events that have shaken Asia. God is telling us that no matter of religion and piousness can save us when we are faced with the inevitable question of death. It all comes down to whether people have received Jesus into their lives. God protects only His own and the more people don’t know this truth, many will not be covered by the blood that protects. Just like the night in which the death angel came and took all the first born of egypt. But for them that had the blood, death passed over from them. Jesus came 2000 years ago to be the passover lamb, because without the blood, we are not protected. Thank God for His son, thank God for the blood. But now the world must know. cos the hour is very short.
Jesus is the answer for the hour.
John Wong
Jesus, in the person of the Holy Spirit, lives in many people, be they Catholics, Christians, muslim, Hindus, Buddhists, even the those who have no religions;the only criterion-is they are so full of love of the kind that comes from Christ (whether they realise or not). Afterall, Jesus never talked about christians or Hindus, Buddhists, though the later two were already in this world when Jesus came to this world 2000+ years ago.
catherine
~ nl
Amen. I would be concerned to read statistics that said a greater percentage of Christians and religions sought salvation by works than those who accepted divine grace! Unfortunately, I think that condition already exists——
rizwan
~ UK
I believe most of the people on this blog are christians!
Christians i believe means the lovers and followers of Christ, right?
May i ask then why is it that no one is quoting what the master pointed out to us concerning these important points on salvation and sin???
Every one seems to be repeating in one breath the teaching and doctrine of PAUL!!!
Personally, i prefer Christ words over Paul who was a self appointed apostle of christ, who never knew, walked, talked, sat or prayed with Jesus Christ (interestingly he was the only person who allegely saw the vision of christ on the way to Damascus and the account versions he gives of this event differs in his letters he wrote later).
Salvation is too big and important to me at least, i am not willing to put my soul at risk on the words of any self appointed apostle whos words contradict the very teaching of the man (Jesus) whom he is supposed to be following.
Christ told us that the way to salvation was be keeping the commandments and that the person who teached man to break the very least of the commandments will be called the least in the kingdom of God. So Jesus has announced his verdict on those who teach men to abandon the commandments of God. Take your pick brothers and sisters!
Muhammad Athar
Dont worry guys because Islam will spread, Islam will advance and no body could stop it. Becasue Allah (God) loves it. Every sin is accountable and questionable. We have to answer every act of us after death.
Gigi Hagey
Jesus has indeed paid the price in full for fallen humanity. Praise God! We who belong to Jesus know that by Grace we are saved through faith and not of ourselves it is the gift of God and not of works that we should boast. However, I believe the disciple James wrote that ‘Faith without works is dead’
It concerns me that many Christians seem confused in this area. It is my fervent prayer that the bride of Christ stop criticizing one another and get on with the High calling to with love and compassion get the job of saving the Lost accomplished.
I feel very privileged to be part of a ministry at TICC where there are many
new believers from different walks of life and different cultures. We have the love of Christ in common and have with Almighty God’s help formed a preview of His wonderful idea of family.
I also thank God daily for a Pastor who has the temerity to take the Gospel ‘where angels fear to tread’
and come back to Canada and humbly teach his flock to fear no man but
love with the love with which our father God loves us.
Perhaps the Pope and our Roman Catholic friends need to concentrate as do we on Jesus and what he has already done.