Muslims and Christians both speak about the assurance of forgiveness.
But they say opposite things.

We see that very clearly in what their holy books claim about the assurance God gives us.

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The Qur’an (Surah 7:99):*

أَفَأَمِنُوا۟ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ ٩٩

Did they then feel secure against the plan of God? But no one can feel secure from the plan of God except those (doomed) to ruin!

The Bible (1 John 2:12):

Γράφω ὑμῖν, τεκνία, ὅτι ἀφέωνται ὑμῖν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι διὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.

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The Qur’an warns you not to feel secure about God’s favour.
The Bible promises all your sins are forgiven already.

Here, then, is the difference:

A Muslim lives in uncertainty of forgiveness.
A Christian lives in assurance of forgiveness.

What do you make of that difference?

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God has forgiven all people in Christ.
So when you look at Christ, you see God has already forgiven you.

You don’t need to do anything to secure this forgiveness.
God gives you that assurance through the words of Jesus.

You don’t see that in the Qur’an.
You only see it when you look at the cross of Jesus Christ.

If you want to hear how this assurance of forgiveness impacts our lives, listen to this sermon: If I’m already forgiven, can’t I just take what I want?

Or join us Sundays in Manchester, Wednesdays online.

* Qur’an quotation is the original Arabic with A. Yusuf Ali English translation.
Bible quotation is the original Greek with the ESV English translation.