Assurance of Salvation is provided for those who die a martyr’s death, so for others the assurance provided by the finished work of Jesus is a significant benefit. ET: According to Miller’s findings, Muslims do not have a doctrine for salvation (199); rather, Muslims use the word “salvation” in two ways: release from pressures from ordinary life (everyday use), and deliverance from punishment and attainment of reward from God (heavenly use) (Miller, 200). To a Muslim, the need for salvation cannot be denied because it is inevitable that there will be struggles in every day life and there will be consequences for our sins some day. There are disagreements, however, on the means to salvation. There is not agreement on the issue of free will and predestination; nor is their agreement on how to attain salvation (whether it is through the grace of intercession and by the mystical path, or if it is hidden in God’s will and controlled by his eternal decree or a reward for faith). Miller’s book points out each of these views of salvation and peoples’ reasoning for it. By studying these varying ideas of salvation, we learn that Muslims do not have agreement on the idea of salvation, meaning that there are a variety of ways that Muslims will lead their lives, depending on their belief. If a Muslim believes that it is their responsibility and doing to come to God, then they will place a lot of responsibility on themselves and what they need to do to live a good Muslim life so they can maintain the position and salvation they are choosing; they are placing part of their hope in themselves to choose correctly. If a Muslim believes in predestination and that they are born either a chosen one or not, then this will also affect what they place their hope in. They may place more of their hope in God. If a Muslim believes that salvation is a reward for their faith, they will work much harder at maintaining the 5 pillars of Islam and living obedient, submissive lives to God then the Muslim who believes in God’s mercy and grace. As Miller says, “Some Muslims place the question of human salvation in the arena of God’s mercy and grace. God, it is believed, is tender hearted, like the mother of young birds to her young, and more inclined to mercy than to wrath” (201).
K. According to Miller’s findings, Muslims do not have a doctrine for salvation (199); rather, Muslims use the word “salvation” in two ways: release from pressures from ordinary life (everyday use), and deliverance from punishment and attainment of reward from God (heavenly use) (Miller, 200). To a Muslim, the need for salvation cannot be denied because it is inevitable that there will be struggles in every day life and there will be consequences for our sins some day. There are disagreements, however, on the means to salvation. There is not agreement on the issue of free will and predestination; nor is their agreement on how to attain salvation (whether it is through the grace of intercession and by the mystical path, or if it is hidden in God’s will and controlled by his eternal decree or a reward for faith). Miller’s book points out each of these views of salvation and peoples’ reasoning for it. By studying these varying ideas of salvation, we learn that Muslims do not have agreement on the idea of salvation, meaning that there are a variety of ways that Muslims will lead their lives, depending on their belief. If a Muslim believes that it is their responsibility and doing to come to God, then they will place a lot of responsibility on themselves and what they need to do to live a good Muslim life so they can maintain the position and salvation they are choosing; they are placing part of their hope in themselves to choose correctly. If a Muslim believes in predestination and that they are born either a chosen one or not, then this will also affect what they place their hope in. They may place more of their hope in God. If a Muslim believes that salvation is a reward for their faith, they will work much harder at maintaining the 5 pillars of Islam and living obedient, submissive lives to God then the Muslim who believes in God’s mercy and grace. As Miller says, “Some Muslims place the question of human salvation in the arena of God’s mercy and grace. God, it is believed, is tender hearted, like the mother of young birds to her young, and more inclined to mercy than to wrath” (201).
Reference: Miller, Roland E., Muslim Friends: Their Faith and Feeling. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1995.