Fear of punishment

“Eschatology” is a word I once had to keep looking up to know what it meant. It is simply the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind. Although Christian eschatology is controversial, it’s worth studying so that despite the disorder and trouble coming to the earth, we know God is sovereign, He is just and merciful and He will bring this world to its conclusion according to plan.

Paul tells Titus, “we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Tit 2:13). Our waiting is not passive, “for the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (vv 11-12). Peter says we speed the day of Jesus’ coming by living holy and godly lives! In the meantime, God may seem slow to us, but it’s because he wants everyone to come to repentance and not perish (2 Pe 3:9-12).

The Qur’an is full of eschatology. “On almost every page [the Qur’an] is concerned with the fate of humanity in this world and in the world to come. Themes of punishment and vindication are woven through almost every surah, as the threat of punishment and the hope of reward are constantly brought before the attention of the Messenger’s audience” (Mark Durie, The Qur’an and its Biblical Reflexes: Investigations into the Genesis of a Religion, p. 48). A ‘nearer” punishment on earth will happen as a foretaste of eternal punishment.

In Islam’s early days, Muhammad warned the people to obey Allah or taste his punishment. Many disbelieved him and mocked and persecuted him and his followers. He told his followers to be patient in their poverty and affliction for they would receive their reward. But as persecution increased to the extent that believers had to flee their homes, Muhammad came under great pressure to prove his promise that Allah would punish disbelievers and reward believers. According to Durie, this increasing pressure led to a shift in his theology: he began preaching that Allah permits believers to carry out his “nearer” punishment on disbelievers by their own hands. In this way, Islam became a political/military movement.

Combine the Qur’an’s emphasis on punishment with Muslims’ complete insecurity about eternal salvation – no wonder many Muslims are open to talking about the afterlife and end times. This provides opportunity for Christians who should “…always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” (1 Pe 3:15). So, let’s pray.

Thank Jesus for His sacrifice on the cross through which “death has been swallowed up in victory,” for advocating for us in heaven, and for giving us confidence on Judgement Day because of His perfect love (1 Co 15:54-57; 1 Jn 2:1-2, 4:10-18). Selah

Pray Muslims’ fear of punishment will turn into  relentless pursuit of Jesus’ perfect love, for all fear of reading the Bible to be dissolved, for informed and confident Christians to be available to answer their questions about life after death and end times, and for the Holy Spirit to hover over every such interaction to point them to Jesus, King of love.