“We are all children of Abraham,” my friend observed as I sat with him in his shop. I agreed for sake of brotherhood. But later, my quick answer made me ponder, “Are we really all children of Abraham?”

Two years ago, before moving here and learning firsthand about Islam, I would have easily said, “Yes. Through Ishmael, Islam can say they have their piece of Abraham.” However, now I am coming to see that this assumption is one of the pivotal lies to which Islam has unwittingly fallen prey. (Though never would I use the following reasoning with a Muslim.)

Galatians 3:7 and 14 say, “Understand then that those that are of faith, they are sons of Abraham. . . . [The Lord] redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

Think. How does an Indonesian or Nigerian Muslim, for example, trace his bloodline to Abraham? It is unlikely that he is a blood decedent of Ishmael. He must reach back to Ishmael by faith, but faith in what? No one knows. Sadly, Islam is a mystery with no Messiah to unpack it.

Of course, I, with English-German descent, have no chance of being a true child of Abraham, either. But I am! How? Through faith in the mystery of Jesus Christ and His work on Calvary! In Him, I am heir to all the promises. Muslims, on the other hand, have faith in a method and no faith in Jesus. Herein is the lie and their false security. Their prized link to Abraham is a chain of hope with a critical missing link—Jesus.

“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise” (Gal. 3:29). Make certain you are Christ’s.

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