9:111 in the Qur’an marks the next reference to the Gardens of Paradise:
Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur’an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme (Yusuf Ali).
The very lives and properties of Muslims have been purchased by Allah. In his covenant with Muslims ever-faithful Allah has made a binding promise to Muslims, recorded in the Taurat (Torah), Injeel (Gospel) and Qur’an, namely, that the Garden of Paradise will be entered by those who kill others or are killed while engaging in militant jihad.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Paul exhorts:
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.
The Qur’an does not indicate what price Allah paid to purchase Muslims. By contrast, the Bible is very clear as to what price was paid to purchase the lives of Christians, namely the blood of Christ. This is how Peter expresses it:
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Peter 1:18-19).
When Muslims are purchased by Allah they are not thereby guaranteed salvation, but must earn this by ensuring that on the Day of Judgment their good deeds outbalance their bad deeds. Only martyrdom provides assurance of salvation. By contrast, for Christians being purchased by God means that they are already redeemed, already guaranteed entrance into Paradise.
Posted August 6, 2009
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