Don’t try to save your Muslim friend
What does unhealthy evangelism have in common with unhealthy relationships? One person trying to change another.
This is one of the most common mistakes Christians make when they try to witness to non-believers. We enter into a friendship with the goal to convert the "sinner". We consider the non-believer a project instead of an opportunity to live out our faith by truly loving our neighbor as our Master commanded.
The truth is it is never your job to change someone! That is the work of God and the Holy Spirit. Our job is to love our Muslim neighbor as Christ teaches us. And while Christ did hold people accountable, He never forced anyone to believe especially on someone who wasn’t looking for change.
We’re going to look into what the Bible says about our duty in evangelizing to our Muslim friends.
Romans 8:22b-24 NASB
“...For there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus…”
These verses remind us that we all began in the same predicament – lost and in need of God’s grace. We have no standing over our Muslim friend just because we have found Jesus and they haven’t yet.
Matthew 5:16 NASB
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
2 Corinthians 5:20 NASB
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
Our actions directly impact how others see Jesus, since we are followers of Christ. Our Muslim friends will take special note of how we act and they’re noticing more than you think they are. When we live a life set apart from the world, they will wonder what makes us different. Only then will we have the opportunity to introduce them to Jesus.
Isaiah 11:2 NASB
“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.”
These are characteristics of the Holy Spirit. Note that it is the Holy Spirit’s job to open up someone’s heart to the knowledge and the fear of God.Thankfully, we don’t have the power to save or change anyone. This means we don’t carry the heavy burden of someone else’s salvation, and can instead devote ourselves to loving our Muslim friends without the pressure of forcing them into salvation.
Does this mean we have no responsibility towards our Muslim neighbor? Definitely not. We should be ready to:
Answer their questions.
Use every opportunity God gives us to testify about His goodness in our lives.
Be willing to pray for and with our Muslim friends when we see a need or pain in their lives.
Fervently pray for them to be drawn to the loving Heavenly Father through our acts and words!
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for sacrificing yourself in my place so that I can have a relationship with you. I want to live my life in a way that glorifies you and shows my Muslim friends that they can have this same kind of relationship with you. Please work in their hearts! Allow me to be there if they have questions and give me the answers that point them to You.
