The Nature of the Gospel in Islam Compared to Christianity
The Christian understanding of the Gospel centers on the person and work of Jesus Christ, presenting a message of salvation through faith rather than human effort [1, 2]. The term "Gospel" itself refers to the "good news" concerning Christ [9]. This good news proclaims that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, who serves as the propitiation for sins, and functions as the prophet, priest, and king for his people [1].
Central to the Christian Gospel is the concept of justification by faith. John Calvin explains that salvation is attained when a sinner, recognizing their own lack of good works, casts themselves entirely upon God's mercy [2]. Through the intercession of Christ, pardon for sins is obtained, and the individual is reconciled with God and justified [2]. Charles Hodge further clarifies that faith involves trusting in Christ as the source of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption [1]. This stands in contrast to any system that would emphasize human works as a means of earning salvation [1, 5].
The Gospel is not merely a historical narrative but is understood to have a spiritual dimension [3]. While the "sensible Gospel" recounts the facts of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, it must be "developed to a spiritual one" to fully grasp its significance [3]. The words of the Lord, including the Gospel, are considered pure and free from deceit, being the "Scriptures of truth" [7]. The Gospel is also referred to as the "doctrine of Christ" because Christ is its author, its preacher, and its very substance [9].
The spread of the Gospel is depicted as extending to all nations, with prophecies in the Psalms foretelling the conversion of Gentiles, including those from Egypt and Ethiopia [4]. Ministers of the Gospel are likened to stars, receiving their light from Christ and serving to illuminate the churches [6]. The "law of truth" found in the mouth of Christ is identified with the Gospel, which comes from the God of truth and concerns Christ, who is the truth [8].
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 13: He is freely offered to us in the Gospel. 93 The controversy between Romanists and Protestants on this subject turns on the view taken of the plan of salvation. If, as Protestants hold, every man in order to be saved, must receive the record which God has given of his Son; must believe that He is God manifest in the flesh, the propitiation for our sins, the prophet, priest, and king of his people, then it must be admitted that faith involves trust in Christ as to us the source of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. But ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 66: and destitute of good works. He, therefore, seeks the cause of kindness in himself, that thus he may affect the sinner by a sense of his goodness, and induce him, in distrust of his own works, to cast himself entirely upon his mercy for salvation. This is the meaning of faith by which the sinner comes into the possession of salvation, when, according to the doctrine of the Gospel, he perceives that he is reconciled by God; when, by the intercession of Christ, he obtains the pardon of his sins, and is justified; and, though renewed ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 9: Gospel of Peter, Diatessaron, Origen's Commentaries — 10. HOW JESUS HIMSELF IS THE GOSPEL. (part 1): The foregoing inquiry into the nature of the Gospel cannot be regarded as useless; it has enabled us to see what distinction there is between a sensible Gospel and all intellectual and spiritual one. What we have now to do is to transform the sensible Gospel into a spiritual one. For what would the narrative of the sensible Gospel amount to if it were not developed to a spiritual one? It would be of little account or none; any one can read it and assure himself of the facts it tells-”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 68:31: Princes shall come out of Egypt,.... The Vulgate Latin and all the Oriental versions render it "ambassadors". This verse is a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, under the names of Egypt and Ethiopia; which will be at the same time that the kings of the earth will become Christians, and antichrist will be destroyed. The Gospel is said to be preached in Egypt by Mark the Evangelist; and no doubt but there were conversions there in the first times of the Gospel; but there will be more in the latter day; see Psa 87:3. Unless we understand this of kings and princ”
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 5:6: For in Christ Jesus,.... The Arabic version reads, "in the religion of Christ"; in the religion of Moses, or of the Jews under the former dispensation, the things after mentioned were of some moment and consideration; but are of no account in the Christian religion, and under the Gospel dispensation: circumcision and uncircumcision make no difference in the church of Christ, or are any bar to communion with it; nor do they make any alteration in the love and favour of Christ, who is all in all to his people, whether Jews or Gentiles; nor have they any influence at a”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 1:16: And he had in his right hand seven stars,.... The angels or pastors of the seven churches, Rev 1:20. The ministers of the Gospel are compared to stars, because of their efficient cause, God, who has made them, and fixed them in their proper place, and for his glory; and because of the matter of them, being the same with the heavens, so ministers are of the same nature with the churches; and because of their form, light, which they receive from the sun, so preachers of the Gospel receive their light from Christ; and because of their multitude and variety, so the mi”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 12:6: The words of the Lord are pure words,.... This observation the psalmist makes in reference to what is just now said in Psa 12:5,, and in opposition to the words of wicked men in Psa 12:2; which are deceitful, sinful, and impure. The Scriptures are the words of God; and they are pure and holy, free from all human mixtures, and from all fraud and deceit; they are the Scriptures of truth. The promises are the words of God, and they are firm and stable, and always to be depended on, and are ever fulfilled, being yea and amen in Christ Jesus. The Gospel, and the doctrines ”
- Malachi (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Malachi 2:6: The law of truth was in his mouth,.... The Gospel, the word and doctrine of truth; which comes from the God of truth; is concerning Christ the truth and men are guided into it by the Spirit of truth; it contains most glorious truths, and nothing but truth: and this was in the mouth of Christ, being put there by his Father, who gave him what he should say, and what he should speak; and which was preached by him in the most faithful manner, and so as it never was by any other, for which he was abundantly qualified: and iniquity was not found in his lips; there was non”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 6:1: Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ,.... The Gospel is the doctrine of Christ, and is so called, because Christ, as God, is the author of it; as Mediator, he received it from his Father; as man, he was the preacher of it; and he is also the sum and substance of it: the principles of this doctrine are either the easier parts of the Gospel, called milk in the latter part of the preceding chapter; which are not to be left with dislike and contempt, nor so as to be forgotten, nor so as not to be recurred to at proper times; but so as not to abide in”