Teslis-Tewhid, Principle Difference
Between The Two
Basic
differences, even contradictions among religions, are an actuality. An expression which we may call
conciliatory is often voiced:
three monotheistic religions of the world – Judaism, Christianity and
Islam are described in this way.
It is worth considering if this usage has a unifying element, or
not. The three religions to which
ordinary folks refer as monotheistic are basically discordant and in many cases
antithetical. Monotheism, as is
being used today, starts with Abraham.
The historic significance of monotheistic belief is seen in the course
of history by Abraham’s faith in the One God and God’s reckoning it to him for
righteousness (cf. Genesis 15:6).
Jesus
Christ is from Abraham’s family as far as human line is concerned. Jesus explained Abraham’s monotheism
with striking language: “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to
see my day; he saw it and was glad.”
When the Jewish religious leaders heard this emphatic statement of
Jesus at the temple, they became aggravated: “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham
was, I am.” Then they grabbed
stones. They were pursuing a
hazardous objective, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple (cf. John 8:56-59). His hour of death had not yet
arrived. Jewish rejection of Jesus
has been a long tradition. These
people whose history stretches four thousand years back to Abraham, at the end
of the ages, will believe in Jesus Christ. This is one of the distinct revelations in God’s Word (cf. Zechariah 12:10; Isaiah 44:3; 59:20;
Ezekiel 39:29; Psalm 14:7; Romans 11:26; Revelation 1:7).
The
New Testament addresses everybody in precise emphasis: “For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be
justified” (Romans 10:4). The
monotheism of the religion which before God does not acknowledge Christ as the
termination of the Law is captive to legal formalism. The adherent of that religion is the picture of a person
groping to find his/her way to fulfillment of life. This endeavor is nothing short of the effort to be a slave
of God under the heavy burden of the law; whereas God, who is love, does not
seek slaves, but children. He is
not in search of Umma (world-wide
community of the faithful), but of individual men and women devoted to the
faith of Abraham.
THE BELIEF PROJECTED IN THE NEW
TESTAMENT IS MONOTHEISM
After
having referred cursorily to Judaism – being outside of the subject − we ought
to direct our attention to Islam which is on center stage around the
world. He/she who acknowledges
Jesus Christ as the pre-existent Person from the eons, the Creator, but
uncreated Word, is an unwavering believer of Teslis (description of trinitarianism in Islam. Arabic: enlarging to three.) Christ is the eternal God who appeared in flesh. Against this belief, the Muslim is an
unswerving devotee of Tewhid (Unitarianism
in the strictest sense: one Allah alone, with no concession whatsoever.) These two words divide sharply the
monotheism of Christianity and that of Islam. This irreconcilable division may disappoint the advocates of
idealistic monotheism along with syncretism in our day.
The
teaching of God’s Word and the firm belief of Christ’s follower who espouses
the fact of the One in Three and Three in One godhead center on this
truth. Whoever deviates from this
divine fact is a heretic according to the historic Christian faith. Among these are the Arians, Jehovah’s
Witnesses (Russelites), Unitarians and the most committed of all, Muslims. All councils throughout the history of
the Christian church have interpreted the New Testament in adherence to the Teslis (Trinitarian) stance. They explain the Christian faith in the
light of this God-inspired truth (cf.
Matthew 28:19; John 14:26; 15:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 2 Thessalonians 3:5;
Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:2, etc.)
Every person acquainted with a major language should study the Christian
classic, ‘Trinity’, written by
Augustine of Hippo (354-430). In
this book written by a redeemed and illuminated intellectual theologian the
reader can find the answer to his unending queries. Augustine’s handling of this truth based on the Holy
Scriptures has addressed whole centuries and instructed millions.
MYSTERIOUS UNITY OF GOD’S PERSONALITY
It
is not wrong at all to say that Islam’s fierce objection to the belief of Teslis is centered on the doctrine of Tewhid. Reference to the Quran takes the person to the very root of
the militant contention always expressed by the informed Muslim. “But
the unbelievers among the people of the Book, and among the Polytheists, shall
go into the fire of Gehenna to abide there for aye. Of all creatures, are they the worst!” (El-Beyinne [98]:
6). The title in English of
the mentioned Sura is ‘Clear Evidence.’
It
is a known fact that according to Islam those who believe in the triune godhead
throughout history are mentioned as ‘kafir’
(blasphemous, or infidel). Teslis is the most terrifying
sin. All sins can be forgiven, but
from the Islamic viewpoint, attributing any partner (Shirk, Ishrak) to Allah or making someone equal to him can never
be forgiven, whereas in Christianity belief in Teslis (trinitarianism) is the most meaningful and profound ground
of truth. God, Three in One, One
in Three, is the Being of the supernatural RAB
(LORD): Father, Son (Word) and Holy Spirit. This is the irrefutable manifestation of the One God
revealing himself in Three Persons.
In this basic teaching, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, each
One separately and yet jointly is the One God. It is a spiritual perception, explained in the New Testament
in the following mysterious wording:
“God was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed
on in the world, taken up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16).
This
is the Biblical belief of monotheism.
God is seen in man’s creation, redemption and sanctification. He does all these as One God in
three distinct Persons. This
understanding can only be attained with supernatural perception. The end result of approaching the
concept of God in the simplified formula of one+one+one = three, with any
further argument excluded, is religion put into a straight jacket. Such simplistic determinism is
witnessed everywhere. However, the
truth of the matter is stated in the profoundest manner: “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14). This is the fundamental teaching of the New Testament,
the eternal God taking on flesh without any violation of his Supreme
Being. This carries our attention
to the record in Genesis that man was created in the image of God.
Tewhid is a view which takes away the element of mystery
from the godhead, formulating a hasty and austere axiom. The attainment of truth can only be
realized through investigation.
Theology and natural science succinctly teach this. It ought to be remembered that all
assertions which run contrary to truth are human inventions. Conversely, truth is eternal and embraces
all eons. The comprehension of
this can be appreciated by investigating every subject in its entirety and full
objectivity, obtaining answers with divine-historic perspective. Again, it is befitting to go to a verse
in the Quran which is known to almost everybody: In the last day Allah is interrogating Jesus by addressing
him as ‘son of Mary’. Allah asks
him if he taught man, “Take me and my
mother for two gods, beside God.” Jesus
replies that he has not done such a thing, and if he did, Allah would have
known (Al-Ma’ide 5:116). The English title of the Sura is ‘The Table’. It is clearly seen here that the three gods to whom
reference is made are Allah, Jesus and Mary. It will also be helpful to look at the seventy-third and
seventy-fifth verses of Al-Ma’ide.
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIERCE CONTENTION
The
doctrine of Teslis has to do with the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. How
could it be that Mary finds her way into the three-in-one one-in-three
godhead? At no period in history
has it ever been heard that the Christian faith espoused such an earthly and
ridiculous belief. Deviation to
such a disparaging belief has been rebuffed more profoundly by Trinitarian
Christians than by the Islamic rejection of it. People who have believed in the triune godhead never allowed
such a ridiculous invasion of the truth of the Trinity. It is obvious that in the Quran a
viewpoint is proposed which runs contrary to the historical-theological course. At this juncture we are reminded of the
obligation to be conscientious in the objective search for truth. Truth does not allow anyone an escape
route. From where could the
prophet of Islam have obtained this information which is without concrete
confirmation? The person who takes
up an objective historic study will encounter no difficulty in receiving the
right answer to the belief of Islam.
Prior
to the appearance of Islam in the fifth century there existed a peculiar
cluster of people which worshipped and honored Aphrodite (Venus), whom they
considered the queen of heaven.
With the spread of Christianity these pagans switched to the new faith
without exactly knowing what it was.
Worst of all, they didn’t search the Christian scriptures. However, these heathen did not wish to
abandon the adoration of Aphrodite.
They found an easy solution by naming her ‘Mary’. This way Aphrodite became Mary. Such a bewildering belief was condemned
outright by the Christians of the time and was rejected as being part of their
faith. It was categorized as a
heretical cult. Nevertheless, its
adherents continued serving and venerating Mary as Queen of Heaven. Thus Mary was enthroned on Venus’
seat. The cult was so thoroughly
devoted to Mary that her importance surpassed that of God and Christ. The followers of the cult came to be
known as ‘Miriamists’. Both in
their teaching and practice a triune formula was venerated with Mary at the
head. The prophet of Islam who in
his commercial dealings traveled from the Arab Peninsula to Damascus and Aleppo
became acquainted with the Miriamists.
He listened to the tenets of their religion and formed an idea. The most regrettable formulation in his
mind was to equate the Miriamists with the Christians. Being illiterate according to Islamic
legend he considered Jesus Christ an element in their teaching. This opinion passed into the
Quran. The Muslim prophet, not
having understood the true Persons of the Holy Trinity strayed to erroneous
beliefs and practices. Following
the spread of Islam the Miriamists this time embraced the prophet’s religion
and their cult withered. But the
essence of this deviate teaching could not be wiped out. It even influenced Islam considerably
in its reverence of Mother Mary.
If
the Muslim chooses to study the evidences of objective history he can delve
into the depth of the problems and misgivings which trouble him. Quite likely they will evaporate and
the spring of heretical teachings will be exposed. When a religion is deprived from objective evidence it finds
itself in perplexing quandaries, causing its followers to row in rough waters.
ELEMENTS OF BELIEF THAT BACKFIRE
The
teaching of Tewhid so predominant in
Islam, robs God of personhood and from a healthy relationship with his
creatures. It reduces him to an
unloving, unloved entity, unable to make his dwelling in his believers’ inner
life. Allah cannot use attributes
employed by man, i.e., Father, Son, etc.
He cannot provide atonement for the sinner, neither new birth nor
certainty of eternal life. He is a
harsh master of slaves, who dictates to and regulates rules on his
followers. Men and women attached
to such a religion cannot enter into life-relationship with the living
God. They cannot call on God as their
father. They are orphans on this
God-created earth.
The
adherent of Tewhid is deprived of the
unlimited blessings of the three-in-one, one-in-three godhead. This God
astounds his/her believer with the blessings he bestows: unqualified salvation,
ethical guidance that runs absolutely in concurrence with belief in God,
unwavering love to God, also to friend or foe, appreciation of meaningful
prayer, worship with content.
Belief in Tewhid points to an
Allah of unity. This austere
doctrine reduces God to an imposing and harsh task-master who dictates
burdensome commands. The religious
person depriving his/her soul of God’s generous provisions slides into fatalism
and apprehension. He/she endeavors
to make matters of life function, and on the other hand relies on Ummaism
(community attachment) or other makeshift connections. A person unable to subdue the flames of
vengeance and vindictiveness is not capable of exchanging them with the
pleasant breeze that suppresses the scorching heat. He is one who cannot avoid
resorting to harshness and oppression.
He is unable to forgive; neither knows the joy of absolute forgiveness
which radically transforms the world of the redeemed sinner. He is a person without the certainty of
life everlasting. He is a religious
devotee whose chains of sin have not been broken. He is a person who cannot be extricated from misgiving and
disquiet. He moves in a world of rejecters who cannot be relieved from
negativism. In too many cases, he
resorts to superstition, fear and unknowable fatalistic beliefs, demons, etc. At the same time, he cries “Help me,
Allah!” He/she is a person with a
burning desire to be liberated; a person whom God and the Christian believer
love very specially.
The
formalistic-ritualistic outlook of the person who follows Islam is of one who
has been stripped of meaningful relationship with his maker. God’s supernatural attributes are
overshadowed. This person is not
fully aware that God’s character is metaphysical, above the natural, beyond
mathematical calculations. It is
inconceivable to grasp such a God with human measures. The father of Jesus Christ disclosed
himself through his revealed Word and his Word manifested in the flesh, in the
Person of Jesus Christ (cf. John
1:18). In Teslis God the Father is eternal (cf. Deuteronomy 33:27; Malachi 3:6). God the Son is eternal (cf. Hebrews 1:10; 13:8). God
the Holy Spirit is eternal (cf. Genesis
1:2; Hebrews 9:14). The Second
Person in Teslis is co-existent with
the Father, not created – conversely the One manifest in his character as the
creator who took human flesh through Mary. He is the eternal Son.
Any attempt to strip him of this honor carries the individual into the
state of a lost traveler who is seeking to find direction in an open
desert.
At
this juncture an observation regarding Christ’s position as the incarnate eternal
Son of God may illuminate our subject.
In ancient Greece where the light of civilization glowed, men in their
search of God deified human beings who in turn as gods came to man with a
series of demands. Against this,
God who wants the human race to know him accurately, assumed the body of man in
the person of Jesus Christ, who humbled himself and met our fundamental need.
FAITH ENRICHED BY BELIEF IN THE FATHER,
SON AND HOLY SPIRIT
Relationship
with the God one-in-three three-in-one endows the person with unthinkable
riches now and throughout eternity:
1. One who believes in the Son as the
gracious expression of the Father’s love obtains eternal life (cf. John 3:16-18; Hebrews 12:9).
2. He/she can address God as ‘my Father’, even as ‘abba, Father’. This heartfelt approach to God is even more reassuring
than a child’s attachment to his/her physical father (cf. Psalm 68:5; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6).
3.
He/she who believes in Jesus Christ as God’s Son worships God by addressing him
as “our Father who is in heaven”, boldly
bringing his requests to him. The
worshipper of Christ’s believer is a privileged person, worshipping in his/her
own language, way of expression and conversational manner (cf. Matthew 6:9). The
personal feelings of Christ’s follower are expressed in this way.
4. To the believer there is one God and
one Father (cf. Ephesians 4:6) who
bestows the privilege to approach him through his Son.
5. God dwells in the person who believes
in Jesus Christ as his only begotten Son and he/she dwells in God (cf. 1John 4:15).
6. The person who believes in Jesus as
God’s Son is a recipient of unthinkable gifts (cf. Romans 8:32; 1 Corinthians 1:5-7; James 1:5, 4:6).
7. The person who acknowledges God as the
Father of the Lord Jesus Christ is enriched with blessings through this
mysterious relationship unknown in human circles elsewhere (cf. John 17:21). The
person who does not appreciate God as Incarnate in the Son, the living Word,
who listens to us and answers our requests, is in constant search of a concrete
personal relationship with God. In
the failure to obtain this elsewhere, he/she naturally resorts to a human
being, consequently deifying the creature.
THE ADHERENT OF TESLIS WHO ACKNOWLEDGES THE SECOND PERSON
OF THE TRINITY ENJOYS GOD’S APPROVAL
(cf.
Matthew 3:16, 17; 12:18; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; 2 Peter 1:17)
1. In the mentioned verses we hear from
the highest witness of God the Father regarding his only Son. God is introducing his dear Son to
mankind encouraging the person who believes in him.
2. The Lord Jesus Christ is designated Son
of God in power by his resurrection from the dead. Belief in this divine act secures everlasting life (cf. Romans 1:4).
3. God the Father made his only Son heir
and sovereign over mankind. The
Father has granted him absolute authority to forgive sin and justify sinners,
to offer eternal life and judge sinners (cf.
Matthew 28:18; John 5:22, 27; 8:16; 17:2).
4. The concrete manifest evidence of God’s
love is his giving his only Son as atonement for lost mankind’s sin (cf. 1 John 4:19; Romans 5:8).
5. Eternal life can be appropriated by
knowing the only true God and his Son Jesus Christ, whom he sent to humankind (cf. Acts 8:37; John 17:3; 1 John
4:15).
6. No human source can apprise anyone of
Jesus Christ being God’s Son. Only
the Father can reveal the Son to mankind and enlighten the believer in this
joyous knowledge (cf. Matthew 16:7; John
1:49).
7. Only the person who acknowledges Jesus
Christ as God’s Son can enjoy him in his full splendor for all eternity (cf. Revelation 1:12-16; 2:18).
JUST AS THE FATHER AND THE SON ARE, THE
HOLY SPIRIT IS AN ETERNAL PERSON
THE BELIEVER WHO HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT IN
HIS/HER LIFE
BREATHES IN THE AIR OF THE EVERLASTING
1.
Just as the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is the Creator (cf. Genesis 1:1, 2; Job 26:13; 27:3; 33:4;
Romans 1:20; Hebrews 1:10). “…no
one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians
2:11b).
2. The Holy Spirit descended upon the
small community of believers following the ascension of Jesus Christ to the
highest. He supplied them with
entirely new power and sufficiency (cf.
Acts 2:2). He is the Guide and
Counselor of the believers until now.
3. Prior to his crucifixion the Lord Jesus
Christ promised the apostles that he would send the Holy Spirit (cf. John 14:16-18). The person who acknowledges the
Holy Spirit as Lord is capable of knowing that he/she is a Spirit-guided child
of God (cf. Romans 8:16). This person is not an orphan on
God’s earth.
4. The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete sent by Christ to his
believers. He is Comforter and
Counselor. The believer wrestling
with the harsh realities of life is not afraid even of death (cf. John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7).
5. The Holy Spirit dwelling within the
believer bears witness for Christ (cf.
John 15:26; Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8).
The believer can present Christ to sinners through the effect of the
Holy Spirit alone (cf. John 15:5).
6. The Holy Spirit is the ‘Spirit of Truth’ (cf. John 14:17). He “…convicts the world concerning sin, and
righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). The Holy Spirit’s deeds and
glorious executions are evident in the life of the believer.
7. The Holy Spirit is Lord. Along with the Bride (the Church assembly),
He is awaiting the triumphant return of Christ (cf. Revelation 22:17).
CONCLUSION
As an individual studies God’s inspired Word, he/she
is bound to realize that the two positions, i.e., the Christian who finds the
certainty and consistency in Teslis, and
the Muslim who takes determined opposition to this through Tewhid, are in perpetual variance and doctrinal clash. It is inconceivable to reconcile the
monotheism of the two religions or establish a common theological and
attainable ground between the two.
The Muslim who is eager to earn God’s approval in his/her life is under
the compulsion to examine the belief of Teslis
with open-mindedness from Scriptural-Historical stance, pray to the One God,
asking him to reveal his truth.
God will enlighten every soul that seeks the light.
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