Christianity and Islam-Some Differences

Christianity and Islam-Differences

There are many differences between Christianity and Islam. Some of the differences are as follows:

Jesus-Islam considers Jesus to be just one of a long-line of prophets. To Christians-Jesus is the very son of God. Jesus-is the “Lamb of God.” That means that Jesus is the method by which God reconciled the world to himself. Jesus was the sinless sacrifice, the Lamb of God, that was given in our place and who died that we might live. God accepted this sacrifice and reconciled the world to Himself evidencing this through the resurrection of Christ.

Mohammad-Islam considers Mohammad to be the Prophet of God. Mohammad is the culmination of the prophets and is the greatest prophet. To the Christian and Jew, Mohammad is not a true prophet.

God-Islam calls God “Allah.” Islam believes that there is but one God and He is called “Allah.” The predominant strains of Christianity are Trinitarians. Although we believe there is only one God, we believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Three in One.

Atonement- Christians believe that the sacrifice for our sins was the blood sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God. Jesus was like the Passover Lamb and His blood covered our sins and the demands of the law that we should die. Therefore Christians believe that we are saved by grace instead of by law.

Salvation-Islam believes that one is saved by acknowledging that There is One God and that Mohammad is His prophet. It believes that one is to abide by the teaching of the Quran and follow the instructions and laws of the Qur’an regarding life. Christanity believes that you saved by faith in Christ that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died to save us from our sins, and that He is resurrected and will reign eternally. Christianity emphasizes the grace of God, rather than the law that man could never satisfy.

Islam believes that Mohammad is the only Prophet and following the Islamic path is the only way. Christians believe that Jesus is the only door to salvation and there is no other way to be saved except by following Christ.

Incarnation-Christians believe that the nature of God was implanted into the womb of Mary and that Jesus, although truly man, was also truly God. Islam believes that Jesus was just a natural man.

Holy Book- To the Christian, the Holy Book is the Bible containing the Old Testament and the New Testament. After the New Testament, there were no divinely inspired books to be added to the Bible. The Bible contains what God needs us to know and the writers of the Books of the Bible were inspired by God. The Bible is to be followed.


To Islam, the Qur’an is inspired by God and contains the writing of Mohammad who was inspired. It is the culmination of Books, although there are traditions and ways of Mohammad called “Sunnah” along with supplemental books , writings and laws called Hadith. The Qur’an along with Sunnah and Hadith are to be followed.

Resurrection-God validated the actions and sacrifice of Jesus for the sins of mankind by resurrecting Jesus who died on a Roman cross. Jesus now lives eternally. His followers will live eternally with Him. Islam, acknowledges that Mohammed did die but they also question the resurrection of Christ.

The Return-Jesus in time will return to the earth to establish a period of peace. In Islam, the Shiite Branch believes that the 12th Imam will return to earth to establish a period of peace and prosperity.

The Sword and the Kingdom of God-Jesus was and is the King of Peace. When Peter took up the sword to defend Jesus and to fight for Him, Jesus told Peter to put down the sword. Conversion is not to be by the sword but through free choice. God’s kingdom is not of this world. In Islam, the sword is a legitimate method of propagating the faith. God’s kingdom is to be established in this world.

Separation of Church and State-There was a time that church and state in the West were not separated. “Christian” kings enforced the edicts of the church. Conversion to Islam was punished in the European Middle Ages. Today church and state are separated. If a Christian is converted to Islam, there may be spiritual penalties for not following the true way, but there are not penalties imposed by the state. Church and state are separate.

In much of the Islamic world, the institutions of church and state are not separate. Civil law is closely tied to religious law much as it was in Europe in the Middle Ages. Conversion by a member of Islam to Christianity is punished not only spiritually but actually in the present through state imposed penalties, including death.

In short, in most Christianized countries conversion from Christianity to Islam is permitted politically. In most Islamic states conversion from Islam to Christianity is prohibited upon penalty of death. (Turkey is one of the few Islamic countries that have separated church and state through the leadership of Ataturk.)


Although there are many more differences between Christianity and Islam, the ones set forth above are some of the key ones.

HarleyDad