This reference lays out, in each faith's own terms, what Christianity and Islam teach about God, Jesus, salvation, and Scripture. The goal is clarity, not caricature — so that conversations with Muslim neighbors, family, or friends can begin from an accurate understanding of what they actually believe, and so believers can see clearly where the Gospel stands distinct.
| Topic | Christianity | Islam |
|---|---|---|
| The Nature of God |
One God eternally existing in three persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, and God is one in essence.Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14 | One God, Allah, who is strictly singular with no partners, no equals, and no divisions. The Trinity is explicitly rejected as a departure from pure monotheism.Qur'an, Surah 112 (Al-Ikhlas) |
| Who Jesus Is | The eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man, who died on the cross and rose bodily from the dead.John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9 | A highly honored prophet, born of the virgin Mary, but not divine. Islam teaches he was not crucified and did not die on the cross.Qur'an, Surah 4:157; Surah 19:19-21 |
| Salvation | A gift of grace received by faith, made possible entirely through Christ's death and resurrection — not earned by works.Ephesians 2:8-9; John 10:28 | Attained through submission to Allah, obedience to His commands, and the weighing of good deeds against bad on the Day of Judgment. No final assurance of salvation is given in this life.Qur'an, Surah 23:102-103 |
| Scripture | The Bible — Old and New Testaments — recognized as God's complete, written revelation, finished with the apostolic writings of the New Testament.2 Timothy 3:16 | The Qur'an, believed to be revealed by God to Muhammad and preserved without alteration; understood as superseding earlier scriptures, including the Bible.Qur'an, Surah 4:82 |
Each faith is described here in terms its own adherents would recognize as accurate — not as one side characterizes the other. Muslims and Christians both affirm the virgin birth of Jesus and honor him, though they hold sharply different views of who he is. Understanding these differences accurately is the starting point for any honest conversation.
"As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
JOSHUA 24:15 (NIV)