Will Christ really condemn people?
Christians claim that Jesus Christ will judge the people on the day of Judgment and condemn them. Some of them claim that Jesus will “come once again, in another formula and role as the Major Judge who will condemn and has the right to condemn because he lead a moral life without sin”. No sin. ” They cite texts from the Gospel of John and other texts to prove this. These are as follows:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. “2 Corinthians (5/10)
The Gospel of John (5/26-27) says,
“For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man..”
2 Corinthians (5/10) states:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. “
Romans 14:10-12
“You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God. So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God”.
In Luke(6 / 37-39),
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? “!
Validity of the Christian Doctrine??
This doctrine stems its validity from, the Gospels or Epistles. It is quite known that the validity of the gospels is questioned. The least to be valid among them is the Gospel of John. The words of Paul in his letters are unacceptable, because as he was a fanatic Jew, and the first to cause the deviation of the Christian religion from its real face (i.e. monotheism) to polytheism and heresy claiming that deity Jesus Christ was a deity.
It is strange that the Christians, after proving such judgment, evade it and claim that it is only a reward for them because their true salvation and forgiveness of their sins have been already achieved by the crucifixion of. They construe the meaning of such judgment to mean many other thing than real judgment or distract it from the true meaning.
True View of Jesus’ Role
Whatever it may be, what should we believe is that God Almighty is the one who will hold people accountable on the Day of Resurrection in the true sense and no human may take part in it. Prophets may only be witnesses to it. In the Qur’an (13:40-41):
“And whether We show you part of what We promise them or take you in death, upon you is only the [duty of] notification, and upon Us is the account. Have they not seen that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders? And Allah decides; there is no adjuster of His decision. And He is swift in account”.
“And whoever invokes besides Allah another deity for which he has no proof – then his account is only with his Lord. Indeed, the disbelievers will not succeed.” (23/117)
Suppose the validity of these texts, which are based on Jesus being the Judge for people, it does not apparently indicate so. Jesus peace be upon him will be merely a witness on people on the day of reckoning that he delivered the message as a messenger from Allah (God) Almighty. He will witness against those who deviated from the straight path and were misled. The Qur’an testifies to this fact that is Allah will bring a witness from all nations. Such witness will be the Messenger who was sent to them:
“So how [will it be] when We bring from every nation a witness and we bring you, [O Muhammad] against these [people] as a witness? That Day, those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger will wish they could be covered by the earth. And they will not conceal from Allah a [single] statement.” (4:41-42)
“And [mention] the Day when We will resurrect from every nation a witness. Then it will not be permitted to the disbelievers [to apologize or make excuses], nor will they be asked to appease [Allah].” (16:84).
“And [mention] the Day when We will resurrect among every nation a witness over them from themselves. And We will bring you, [O Muhammad], as a witness over your nation. And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims.” (16:89).
“And [for] their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise. And there is none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely believe in Jesus before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection he will be against them a witness”. (4:157-159).
“And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, “O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, ‘Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah?’” He will say, “Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen. I said not to them except what You commanded me – to worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them as long as I was among them; but when You took me up, You were the Observer over them, and You are, over all things, Witness. If You should punish them – indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them – indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise”. (5:116-118).
One again, suppose such claim by the Christians to be true, how will Jesus hold the people who did not witness his message accountable?, They might not heard of his call or heard it in her false garment? The Quran says:
“We were not tortured until we send an apostle.”
‘Abdullah reported Allah’s Messenger (Muhammad PBUH) as saying:
I shall be there at the Cistern before you, and I shall have to contend for some people, but I shall have to yield. I would be saying: My Lord, they are my friends, they are my friends, and it would be said: You don’t know what innovations they made after you”. (Sahih Muslim 2297)
Anas b. Malik reported Allah’s Apostle ) PBUH) as saying:
“Some persons from amongst my associates would turn to my Cistern; when I would see them and they would be presented to me, they would be detained in the way while coming to me. I would say: My Lord, they are my companions, they are my companions, and it would be said to me: You don’t know what innovations they made after you”.( Sahih Muslim 2304 a)
Is Jesus, peace be upon him, aware of what is in the hearts of people so that he can hold them accountable? Allah says:
“To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills, and Allah is over all things competent.” (2:284).
According to Islam, Islam Jesus peace be upon him will descend down at the end of time, kill the Antichrist and break the cross and kill the pig. The descent of Jesus will be a sign for the Hour. Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said,
“By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya (i.e. taxation taken from non Muslims). Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it, and a single prostration to Allah (in prayer) will be better than the whole world and whatever is in it.” Abu Huraira added “If you wish, you can recite (this verse of the Holy Book): — ‘And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e Jesus as an Apostle of Allah and a human being) Before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness Against them.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3448), (4.159) (See Fath-ul-Bari, Page 302 Vol 7)
There are many prophetic hadiths (sayings of Prophet Muhammad), according to Ibn Kathir, a Muslim scholar, which tell about the descent of Jesus peace be upon him, before the Day of Resurrection as a just imam (leader or ruler) and judge, Therefore, Jesus will be only a judge in worldly life not the Hereafter and he will be a ruler. He, moreover, will not hold people accountable for bad intention in the heart, he rather will judge by what appeared to him by the law of Islam, including the words of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
The concepts of condemn, Judgment, reward and punishment are confused on the Christian part. We see false and contradictory interpretations of the concept of condemn. The Christians claim that Christ did not come to condemn people and claim on the other side that he will hold them accountable! Christ says according to the Bible John 12:47: “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” According to this Jesus did come to condemn the world, how will he hold them then accountable according to the following text: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven”(Luke 6:37)?!
References
- Studies in Jewish and Christian Religions, by Saud bin Abdul Aziz Al-Khalaf, Library of Adwa’ Al-Salaf, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Books of the Prophet’s Sunnah