Pashtuns and Jesus

Pashtuns sincerely revere Jesus as a prophet of God.  They believe in His virgin birth; however they do not accept the Christian claim that He is divine. They believe Jesus is the Word of God, referring to Him as a messenger. He was pure and sinless, raised the dead and healed the sick. Pashtuns believe Jesus did not die on the cross, but that Judas was crucified in His place. They believe   Jesus was taken up to heaven, will be present at judgment day, and will one day return to earth to set up His kingdom and proclaim Islam for a 40 year period. Then the judgment day will come. Pashtuns believe that Jesus was given the gospel (Injil), but that Christians changed and corrupted thir holy book. Therefore, God sent  Mohammad, and gave him the Quran as His final revelation. During this Christmas season, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, continue to pray that the Pashtuns would come to know the love of God revealed through His Son. Pray that they would hear, pray that they would believe, and pray that they would respond to the truth of the gospel.

Most Pashtuns have never had the opportunity to believe in Jesus because they have never heard enough of the true  Gospel to be saved.  They have needs that can only be met through the person of Jesus Christ.  The burdens that the Pashtuns carry are heavy. God promises that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Rom 10:13).  Pray that the spiritual blinders that have held our Pashtun friends under bondage for so long would be removed.    Pray that the Pashtuns would come to believe that it is possible to know God, that they would have the opportunity to experience His love, His faithfulness, and His goodness. Pray that their hearts would be prepared to hear and understand the good news, “There has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” 

Although Muslims highly revere Jesus as a prophet, the Quran condemns any  thoughts of Jesus as the Son of God or as Deity.  They also believe that  Jesus  is not  the  mediator between God and man, He did not die on the cross, rise from the dead, nor is He the basis of  salvation for mankind.   The greatest sin in Islam is to commit “shirk”, which is making someone or something equal with God.