When someone is explaining the gospel to Muslims, and comes to the part where Jesus died for our sins, the first response is usually along the lines of, “no man can pay for the sins of another.” And you know what? There is truth to that. Then how does Jesus fit in? Let’s look at the Quran:
- “No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.” — Quran 6:164
- “No bearer of burdens shall bear another’s burden.” — Quran 17:15
- “No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another.” — Quran 35:18
- “No soul burdened with sin will bear the burden of another.” — Quran 39:7
- “That no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another.” — Quran 53:38
It’s a concept drilled into the minds of those who follow Islam – No man can bear the burdens of another man’s sins. This is true.
Although, there is a problem for Muslims. Their texts actually do teach the opposite of what is often claimed.
Abu Burda reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
“Abu Musa’ reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:
According to the hadith, Jews and Christians pay for the sins of Muslims even if they have “as heavy sins as a mountain.” The notion that one cannot pay for the sins of another just does not stand.
But according to the Bible, no man can pay for the sins of another. Someone who is impossibly in debt cannot cannot pay the debt of another person. It’s impossible.
We are all hopefully in debt with our sins. Our sins are treason against God. Even one sin separates us from God because God is so holy and above us, that no sin can dwell with him.
But there’s good news!
According to both the Quran (Quran 19:19) and the Bible, Jesus was sinless (1 Pet 2:22). He had no “burdens to bear.” In fact, Jesus is the only one who qualifies as he is the only sinless one. He can pay for our sins.
Here’s the issue: If he was every only a man, he could only pay for the sins of one other person, as that is all he had to give. Because Jesus is God in the flesh, born of a virgin supernaturally both in the Quran (Qur’an 19:20–21), and Bible (Luke 1:34–35), He is able to give his life for all humanity.
That’s what he did. It was prophesied he would do so (Isaiah 53), and that he would accomplish this by dying on the cross (Psalm 22).
Muslims (and Christians), are sin problem is too large. The Bible is clear.
“There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:11).
Our good works are impossible to pay for our sins. But there is very good news for you and for me. The one who “had no burdens to bear,” who has no sin, willingly and of his own accord, paid for our sins on the cross.
The Bible says this:
” For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
What do you need to do? Put your faith in Jesus:
“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago” (Acts 3:19-21).
This is what Jesus said to Paul when he saw the man in white:
“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me’ (Acts 26:12-18).