J.D. Greear - Breaking the Islam Code: Understanding the Soul Questions of Every Muslim

J.D. Greear is a faithful pastor with a bold vision of reaching all personsand specifically Muslimswith the gospel of Jesus Christ. His analysis of this challenge is insightful and the clarity of his gospel witness shines through.

Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr.

President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary,
host of The Albert Mohler Program on national radio and Internet,
and author of numerous books

A refreshing new approach anchored solidly in biblical truth, free from the excesses and inadequately contemplated claims of a good many contemporary approaches Both theologically and evangelistically encouraging.

Paige Patterson, President,
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Former President, Southern Baptist Convention

There is no book that exceeds this one in terms of theological depth wedded to practical savvy.

Dr. Bruce Ashford,
Director of the Center for Great Commission Studies
at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Your bookhas helped me communicate much more effectively with Muslims who are seeking the Truth. Now, rather than arguing with my Muslim friends, I end up sharing with them at deeper levels with words and ideas that they can understand.

Patrick F., missionary to Afghanistan

The hard work of engaging Muslims, gaining insight into their mind-set and heartfelt spiritual quest, then applyingScripture to their needs is evident throughout this bookValuable reading for those engaging Muslims in a variety of settings.

Keith Eitel, Director of Missions
at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Rarely have I been so moved by the clarity, freshness, and effectiveness of any contributionto reaching our world in our timeThisapproach trumps any I have seen on the bottom line, which is actually reaching Muslims with the gospel.

Alvin Reid, Bailey Smith Chair of Evangelism,
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary,
and author of Inside the Mind of the Radically Unchurched

This book has profound and captivating insights into Islam that will catapult readers into deeper understanding and better relations with Muslims.

Dr. Bruce Sidebotham
Reserve Army Chaplain
and Director of Operation Reveille

Very readable and practicala good introduction to reaching Muslims, and at the same so full of gems that many experienced field missionaries will profit from reading the approaches and ideas presented.

Dave C.
regional leader for Pioneers mission
agency in Southeast Asia

A tremendous bookIt uses very plain language and examples with which students could educate themselves in order to make a difference in their relationships with Islamic students. I would highly recommend this to my students.

Miles ONeill
Director, Campus Crusade for Christ,
UNC Chapel Hill

Incorporates both a thorough understanding of the Muslim worldview and practical approaches that explain the Bible in a way that does not clash with that worldviewAn approach that is theologically accuratepractical, and culturally appropriateI endorse this work.

Guy Armstrong
Southeast Regional Director,
Campus Crusade for Christ

Practical advice for engaging the Islamic culture in conversations of the cross. My time studying Islamwould have had minuscule effect with my Muslim friends had it not been for the guidancein this book. Thank you for this wonderful tool!

Lance Michels, seminary student
and missionary to Southeast Asia

Breaking the
Islam
Code

J.D. Greear

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked RSV are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

All emphasis (italics) in Scripture quotations has been added by the author.

Cover by Left Coast Design, Portland, Oregon

Cover photos iStockphoto / Distinctiveimages; Cokeker / Shutterstock;Backcover author photo by Kimberly Goodson Naranjo

BREAKING THE ISLAM CODE
Copyright 2010 by J.D. Greear
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Greear, J. D., 1973
Breaking the Islam code / J.D. Greear.

p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-7369-2638-6 (pbk.)
1. Missions to Muslims. 2. IslamRelationsChristianity. 3. Christianity and other religions Islam. 4. IslamEssence, genius, nature. I. Title
BV2625.G74 2010
248.5088297dc22
2009021815

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 / VP-SK / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To the fame of God our Savior among Muslims.

To my mom and dadthank you for preaching
Jesus to me in word and deed.

To Drs. Paige Patterson and Keith Eitel, who taught me
to believe God for the salvation of the Islamic world.

And to my precious daughters Kharis, Alethia, and Ryah
Thank God someone told our family about Jesus!

Your names mean Grace (Greek), Truth
(Greek), and Joyous Celebration (Malay).

May God enable you to take the grace and truth
of Jesus to the Muslims of the unreached world for
their everlasting joy and His eternal glory.

Contents

Prologue
A Story of Friendship

6. Re-coding the Gospel
A Gospel for Muslims

7. The Gospel Confronts the Ultimate Religion of Works
Understanding Islam as a Self-salvation Project

8. The Objections, Part One
About God, Jesus, and the Cross

9. The Objections, Part Two
About Prophecy, the Bible, and Christianity

Appendix: Speaking in Islamic Code
How Far Is Too Far?

Prologue
A Story of Friendship

I ll never forget the last day I lived in a Muslim country.

I had spent the morning doing the final preparations to leave the place and the people I had learned to love, so I could come back to finish my schooling in the United States. It was a sad day.

Around noon, a close friend, Ahmed, came over to visit me. He had been one of my closest friends for the last two years. He had befriended me at a time in my life when I was alone in a strange country. We had talked, traveled, studied, and fished together.

I had tried a number of times to bring up Jesus to him, but Ahmed, though always polite, seemed eager to leave the subject alone. He was as committed a Muslim as I had ever met. He was kind of like an Islamic youth pastor, volunteering his afternoons to serve and love underprivileged Muslim youth. When I would talk about Jesus, he would smile and say, You are a good man of faith. You were born in a Christian country and you honor the faith of your parents. I was born in Muslim country and I honor the faith of mine. You were born a Christian and will die a Christian. I was born a Muslim and I will die a Muslim.