Muslims want to know...: Recent Episodes
Eric Mason
Is the Bible Corrupt? Do Christians worship 1 God or 3? How can God die? These are a few of the many questions my Muslim friends ask me regularly. That's why I created this podcast- to offer answers to your questions about Christianity. I want you- my Muslim friend- to know why we believe what we do. Each 20-25 minute episode is geared toward answering your hardest questions using clear language and friendly dialogue. If you want to learn about Christianity but are tired of feeling attacked because of your beliefs, this is the podcast for you!
How can you find a local expression of the church with which to join? What kind of questions need to be answered before joining? What is a denomination? Are they good or bad for Christianity? Tune in to find out on our final episode of Muslims Want to Know!
If you were to start studying the Bible today, where would you begin? What might you need to know before opening your Bible to page 1? Is the Bible easy to understand? Do you need countless commentaries to decipher the story of the Bible? Does everything need to be taken literally? Tune in to find out the answers to these questions (and more)!
Are there many ways to get to God? Why is the god at the end of many paths not a good god after all? What separates Christianity from other world religions when it comes to our core beliefs about God, man, sin, and salvation? Is Jesus too exclusive? Why or why not? Tune in to find out!
There is a lot of confusion as to whether Christians truly follow Jesus or whether they follow Paul. In this episode I try to explain that Christians do indeed follow Jesus. But we all must understand who Paul was, his apostolic authority, what it meant to the early church and what it means to us today. Join me today in the first episode of season 4!
Here is the conclusion of our Advent/Christmas series! What does Christmas mean to us? How is Christmas good news in the dark cold of winter? Why is it we celebrate the manger and the cross at Christmas? Tune in to our final podcast of 2022 to find out!
What is Christmas? How does Advent relate to Christmas? What is one of the most famous song sung on Christmas Eve, and how does that song relate to the first Christmas Eve/Day? Tune in to find out!
What happened next in the story of Lord Jesus' birth? What happened at the naming ceremony of John the Baptist? Why was it such an important moment in the events leading up to Lord Jesus' birth? What is Zechariah's special blessing that can be found in the story and what does it mean for us today? How is John the Baptist a type of the Church to come? Tune in to find out!
What happened next in the story of Lord Jesus' birth? Why is it important to realize that the Holy Spirit begins prophetically speaking to the people through the people once again? Who was the 1st person to speak after being filled with the Holy Spirit? What is Mary's "Magnificat" and what significance does it have for us today? How is the Triune God involved in our story today? Tune in to find out!
What happened next in the events leading to Lord Jesus' birth? Why was Zechariah punished for asking a question, but Mary was not? Why is Mary a model of faith for us all? Tune in to find out!
Advent Devotional #1: What are the events leading up to the birth of Lord Jesus? Who is John the Baptist? Why is it that we first look to his birth and ministry in Advent to understand more about Lord Jesus? Tune in to find out!
What does the season of Advent mean to the Church? What are some of the Advent traditions of the Church? What is Advent preparing us for? When is Advent? Tune in to find out the answers to these questions and more!
What are the unique beliefs Christians have in regard to hell? Is hell a place that can be located, or something else? Who resides in hell? What is the line of demarcation for those who will enjoy eternal life verse those who are condemned to eternal condemnation? Why is it important to understand humans are not the judge of who goes where? Tune in to find out!
Many faiths have core beliefs about what happens to us after we die- how about Christianity? What are the core beliefs about heaven? Can heaven be physically located, or is heaven something else altogether? Is heaven our final destination? Tune in to find out!
What are the unique aspects of Christianity's beliefs surrounding salvation? Is salvation too exclusive? Why is it so important to humanity to understand the uniqueness of salvation through the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Lord Jesus? Tune in to find out!
In his book, “Orthodoxy,” author GK Chesterton said “Certain new theologians dispute original sin, which is the only part of Christian theology which can really be proved.”This brings up an interesting point: what is it about the Christian beliefs surrounding sin that have led many to place their faith in Lord Jesus? Why and how does Christianity explain both the brokenness of this world, and the means to fix it? Why is this a unique doctrine among Christians? Tune in to find out!
The Psalmist writes, "what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him?" Psalms 8:4 (CSB) What an excellent question! After all, what makes humanity so special? Why did God create us knowing we would fall? Why are we a special part of creation? What does it mean to be created in "His image?" Tune in to find out!
What do Christians believe about God? Who is God? What is He like? How do we relate to Him? Tune in to find out!
What are the "signposts" of Lord Jesus' return? What does His return have to do with the "Day of the Lord?" How are we to live in the tumultuous times leading up to His return? Tune in to find out!
Many people today are raising the alarm that we are living in the end times. Is this true? If so, what are some of the "signs of the times" we should be looking for? What does Lord Jesus have to say about this time and how are we supposed to live our lives if the "end is near?" Tune in to find out!
Muslims all over the world have visions and dreams of a "man in white who shines like light" Who is this person? Is he a prophet? An Angel? Who is one of the most famous converts who encountered this "man in white?" Tune in to find out!
Have you ever wondered if Lord Jesus can answer your prayers? Why is understanding who we pray to as important as understanding how to pray? What is the history of prayer as it relates to the Jewish people? Who did Lord Jesus pray to in the gospels? What are we really praying for? Tune in to find out!
Muslims pray 5 times a day. Are there any requirements like this for Christians? Do Christians recite prayers? If so where are those prayers found? How does Lord Jesus teach us to pray? Tune in to find out!
If Pentecost was the moment God the Holy Spirit wrote the law on believers' hearts, is it necessary for Christians to follow any laws in the Bible? If so, what are those laws? Tune in to find out!
Now that we just looked at whether Christians have seasons of feasting and fasting, it's time to answer the question "What is Pentecost?" What happened at the event of Pentecost and what does it mean for Christianity today? What does the event have to do with the Trinity? Tune in to find out!
Muslims just finished Ramadan, this brings up an interesting question for Christians- do Christians have seasons of fasting and feasting? Is there a religious calendar for Christians? Tune in to find out!
Are all Christians truly Christians? Are there people who represent Christianity who are not sincere in their faith? How can we know? Tune in to find out!
Muslims and Christians both believe in Satan. But their beliefs about his history, his involvement with creation, and continued involvement in the world are different. What do Christians believe about Satan? How is this good news for us today? Tune in to find out.
If an engineer wouldn’t build a bridge or design a system that would fail, why would God create a world that would fall? That was the question Muhammad had for me this week. It’s a great question! After all, if God is all knowing, all powerful, and is wholly good, how could sin be allowed to enter creation? Tune in to find out!
What happened between the institutions of religion and the state on Holy Saturday? How did they- along with Lord Jesus' disciples- wrestle with the miracle of the resurrection? What does this mean for all of us today? Tune in to find out in this special holiday episode of Muslims want to know!
If there are no eternal consequences for Christians who continue sinning, can the Christian God truly be called "just?" Why is sincerity of faith so important in Christianity to understand God's justice? Does God favor those who practice "religion" or whose hearts are oriented to him? Tune in to find out!
Does forgiveness of sins mean Christians have no consequences for them? Are they given a “get out of jail free card?” Is there assurance of forgiveness and salvation for Christians who continue to sin? Does the answer to these questions give us hope or fear? Tune in to find out!
Ever wonder why singing as a community is so important to Christians? What Biblical evidence is there that God accepts such worship? What have been the traditional guides for the composition of such music? Also, have you ever wanted to know the full 2000 year history of congregational singing in the church? Tune in to find out!
Both the Quran and the Bible forbid idolatry, and yet shows like "The Chosen" or YouTube series like the "Bible Project" are allowed to depict Lord Jesus. Why is it that Christians are allowed to depict Lord Jesus, the prophets, and Biblical stories? What is the difference between an icon and an idol? How does this tie into church history? Is there a difference in what a person might see in a Catholic Church vs a Protestant Church and why is that? Tune in to find out!
What is the deeper meaning of Christmas? Why do we celebrate it on December 25th? What hope can the story of Christmas bring us during these anxious times? Tune in to this special Christmas Eve episode to find out!
Have you ever wondered about the history and meaning of the Christmas tree? Did the time honored tradition come out of ancient peoples before Christianity? What do Christmas Trees have to do with the story of Christmas? Tune in to find out!
Reference articles are below:
https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/trees.shtml
https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas-trees
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia
https://www.worldvision.org/christian-faith-news-stories/origins-decorating-christmas-tree
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/st-boniface-and-the-christmas-tree
https://www.britannica.com/plant/Christmas-tree
https://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/f031_Tree.htm
https://time.com/5736523/history-of-christmas-trees/
What will happen after Lord Jesus returns? Why is the uniting of the Kingdom of Heaven and earth such good news for humanity? What does it mean when the Bible teaches that "old heavens and earth will pass away" while a "new heavens and earth are ushered in? Why does God want to dwell with His people? Tune in to find out!
What will happen when Lord Jesus returns? What does it mean for us in the meantime? How can we interpret the book of Revelation in a way that makes sense? Tune in to find out!
What happens after the resurrection and ascension of Lord Jesus? How does a small band of followers grow to a worldwide family of believers? Tune in as we explore the next section of the Nicene Creed and as we cover the entirety of the rest of the New Testament! All in less than 30 minutes! One Update: I accidentally left out Jude in my list of New Testament authors in the original recording: I have updated the audio since realizing the mistake, but it might take up to 24 hours to reflect that change! Thanks for listening!
What does the Nicene Creed have to say about the resurrection and ascension of Lord Jesus? Where do these events fall in the overall story of the Bible? What does the resurrection and ascension of Lord Jesus mean for humanity and what hope do they bring us? Tune in to find out!
We've already learned that Lord Jesus was the long awaited coming King- but did you know that he was to be a suffering servant as well? Why is his role as a suffering servant such good news for humanity? How is his death associated with sacrifices? Why did he have to shed his blood for humanity? Tune in on this week's episode to find out!
What were the specific prophecies concerning the blessed offspring of Abraham? What did they have to do with King David? How do they all tie together in the birth of Lord Jesus? Tune in to find out!
What does the Nicene Creed say about the prophets? How does this relate to the story of the Bible? Tune in to find out as we explore the message of the prophets and trace that message throughout the entire Old Testament. Yes that's right, in this episode I cover the Old Testament of the Bible in less than 30 minutes!
Why is there so much suffering in this world? What is the cause of it? How does understanding the early stories of the Bible help us make sense of all of this? Tune in as we look at the Nicene Creed and the Biblical account of what is called "The Fall" in order to continue our conversation on: "What is the Story of the Bible?"
What is the overall story of the Bible? That is a question that is on the hearts and minds of many Muslims. Over the next several podcasts we will be using the Nicene Creed and stories from the Bible to lay out the full narrative of the Bible. For today, join me today as we discuss the act of creation! How was everything created? Who created it? How was man uniquely created in the image of God? Tune in to find out!
Do Christians have a codified statement for entry into the faith like Islam does? What is the Nicene Creed? Why is this creed so significant? What light does the Nicene Creed shed on the roles and relationships of the Trinity? What does it have to do with life in the Church today? Tune in to find out!
This is a follow up to the last episode "How do you become a part of God's family?" Have you ever wondered about what daily life as a member of God's family looks like? How did the early Church model daily life for Christians today? What is the difference between The Church and the local church? Tune in to find out these answers and more!
This episode was going to be titled "What is the Church?" but at our recent soccer camp at the SAFC, one of the kids attending the camp asked "How do you become a part of God's family?" This was such a great question I decided to use it instead! Does membership in God's family require some kind of official admission? What unifies the Church? How does grace play a role in the daily lives of members of God's family? Is the Church just an institution or something more? Tune in to find out!
What is the Christian holiday of Pentecost? How is this holiday related to the Jewish holiday of Shavuot? Why does this holiday signify the beginning of the Church and the movement of Christianity? Tune in to find out!
What do Christians mean when they say "Lord Jesus ascended into heaven?" Did he go up into space, or some physcial location? What does this event mean for the church and how does the ascension prepare us for what is about to happen at Pentecost? Tune in to find out!
How does the gospel of John end? Did Lord Jesus continue to appear to His disciples? Was Peter restored by Lord Jesus after denying that he knew Him? What does the restoration of Peter have to do with forgiveness and vocation? Tune in to find out the answers to theses questions!
Does the story of the Bible end after the resurrection of Lord Jesus, or is there more to the story? What is the nature of Lord Jesus' resurrected body? Can faith and reason coincide in the face of the miraculous? Tune in to find out!
Have you ever wondered what Easter Sunday is all about? Why is it called Easter in the first place? What is the resurrection of Lord Jesus and what kind of hope and promise does it give each one of us? Tune in to find out!
What is the holiday Christians all over the world are celebrating today? Why is the Christian holiday Good Friday linked to the Jewish Passover? Why is this Friday called "Good" when it commemorates the death of Lord Jesus? Tune in to find out!
When Lord Jesus said he would fulfill the sign of Jonah, did he literally mean he would somehow survive the crucifixion? After all, if Lord Jesus survived the crucifixion, then that means he was not actually resurrected- which would destroy Christianity! Are there other places in the Bible we can find clarity on this? Tune in to find out!
There was such a great response to the last episode, I decided to do a second part to it! If Lord Jesus does not say the words "I am God, worship me," does that mean he is not actually God? In the last episode I made the case that he does indeed claim to be God, but doesn't use those exact words. But are there other examples from the Bible where Lord Jesus claims to be God? Does he demonstrate that he is God through his actions? Can we tell by the reactions of others around Lord Jesus that he was claiming to be God? Tune in to find out!
If Lord Jesus never actually said "I am God, worship me" should we consider Him to be God? It's a fair question. But, is a claim more important than a demonstration? Or, did Lord Jesus say he was God without using those specific words? Today we look at one instance from the gospel of Matthew to answer those questions and more!
When it comes to answering questions about the Trinity, there are multiple paths and explanations we can take that shed more light on the Triune nature of God. Likewise, there are multiple questions that arise when discussing the Trinity. How do we talk about the Trinity when the math just doesn't add up? Is there any other way to explain the Trinity we haven't already explored? Tune in to find out!
Ever wonder why your Christian friends are walking around today with ashes in the form of a cross on their foreheads? Why is it that Christians enter this season with fasting, prayer, meditation, and giving sacrificially to the poor, orphan, widow, foreigner, and the untouchables of society? Tune in on this special episode where I answer the question "What is Lent" and answer all these questions (and more!)
Christians and Muslims share a belief that Lord Jesus is the Word of God. Christians believe that this means Lord Jesus is God Himself, Muslims do not. Why do Christians believe this? What is it about the nature of Lord Jesus that can make Him both the Word of God, God Himself, and the Son of God all at once? Today we look at John 1:1-18 to help answer the question, "What do you mean Jesus is the Word of God?" Thanks for listening, and enjoy!
Why is that Christians have so many Bible translations? Is there one translation that is the best? If there is no single source for the translations, does that mean the Bible has been corrupted? Is the Bible considered to be the eternal word of God, or does that title belong to Lord Jesus? Tune in to our first episode of the New Year to find out!
Why do Christians all over the celebrate Christmas? Is the holiday just about Christmas trees and Santa Klaus? Is it just about the celebration of Lord Jesus' birth? Or is there something deeper that brings Christians together every year on December 25th? Tune in to find out!
Join me this Thursday, December 24th, for a special Christmas Eve episode titled "What is Christmas?"
Can Lord Jesus heal us today? Are there stories in the Bible that demonstrate Lord Jesus' authority over sickness? What role does faith play in healing? Are we guaranteed healing through our prayers? All these questions are answered in the most recent episode of Muslims want to know! Thanks for listening!
Does Lord Jesus have authority over creation? What does this mean for us? Is he really God, or is he just a prophet? Tune in to find out!
What are evil spirits? Does Lord Jesus have power over them? If so why does he have this power? Why do they listen to him? If you are concerned about evil spirits this is the episode for you! Unlike other episodes which tackle the "Big questions of Islam," this episode gets us closer to learning more about Lord Jesus' power and authority by answering the question: "Does Jesus have power over evil spirits?"
Welcome to the second part of our 2 part series on the question "Does the Bible Predict Muhammad?" In this episode we look at more Biblical verses and passages that are pointed to as prophecies of Muhammad.
Is the "Counselor" spoken of by Lord Jesus in John 16:7-13 a mistranslation of a Greek word that is the equivalent of one of Muhammad's 5 names? Who is the "servant" spoken of in Isaiah 42:1-9? Is the "Son of Man" referenced in Daniel 7 a prophecy of Muhammad?
I guess you'll have to listen to the podcast to find out to whom each of these passages point!
Does Moses predict Muhammad? After all, Deuteronomy 18:15-19 says: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.?" Is this greater prophet spoken of Muhammad, or someone else? Who could truly be considered greater than Moses? Looks like you'll have to tune in to this week's episode to find out!
Recently, my wife and I were spending time with a Muslim family in our neighborhood. We were discussing our beliefs with the family when one of the children asked “But your God is dead, right?” This podcast is a direct answer to that question! Yes Lord Jesus died, but he was resurrected three days later. So, what is the resurrection? Does it mean Lord Jesus was simply raised from the dead? Did His Spirit ascend to heaven without His body? Is it all just a metaphor or symbol for transcendence? Guess you'll have to tune in to check it out!
Was Lord Jesus really crucified on a cross? Did Allah swap Lord Jesus' body with Judas' body to make it look like Lord Jesus died on the cross? Did Lord Jesus somehow survive the crucifixion? These are all the questions we are tackling in this episode of Muslims want to know. There are a lot of Bible references in this episode, as usual, the translation I use is the CSB translation. If you don't have a Bible, feel free to download the free YouVersion App so you can follow along!
This episode tackles the question "How can God die?" After all, if God is all-knowing and all-powerful, how could He let himself die? If Lord Jesus is the Son of God and dies, does that not mean that God also dies? In 25 minutes I try to answer these questions and more! Tune in and find out how God's eternal quality of love explains both how and why Lord Jesus had to die. Listen in and learn how His love extends to you and to all of humanity!
In the last episode I presented clear Biblical evidence that Lord Jesus was considered the Son of God by almost every character in the 4 gospels. So, if the Bible is clear that Lord Jesus is in fact the Son of God- and therefore God- then we must ask the next question; How can God become a man? Listen in and find out 1) Why God had to become man in the first place 2) How He was able to become man. In answering those questions, we will learn about the creation and purpose of human beings, how sin entered our world, and how God always had a plan to save us from the corruption of sin and death!
In this episode, I try to answer the question "Is Jesus God, or just a great man?" Unlike the last three episodes, much of this episode will be spent using the Bible to build a case for the deity of Lord Jesus. Building off of what we have learned in the previous 3 episodes, I attempt to explain to my Muslim friends why Christians believe Lord Jesus is the Son of God. As the Son of God, He is- therefore- God.
In this episode I answer the question "Are Christians polytheists or monotheists? Do they believe in 3 Gods, or one?" Using scripture and creation as a starting point, we explore the Christian doctrine of the "Trinity" and why belief in the Trinity is important to understanding all that exists.
Last week we looked at whether or not the Bible was corrupted through the manuscripts that were copied throughout the years. In this episode, we answer the question: "If the manuscripts weren't corrupted, did the books that were included/excluded in the Bible corrupt God's message?"
Muslims want to know "Has the Bible corrupted?" Are the words Christians claim to have today the same as the ones written centuries ago? Is the Bible reliable? Join me as we tackle these questions head on in a 2 part series! This first episode is devoted to determining if the manuscripts passed down to us by Lord Jesus' closest followers were changed in any way as they were copied throughout the years.