Debate Any Christian With These Explanations

Most religions don’t welcome questions—in fact, they often discourage them. Faith, I was taught, means trust, not investigation. Raised in a Christian household, I took this to heart. But eventually, curiosity got the better of me, and I started asking questions—big, uncomfortable ones. The answers I got were often unsatisfying and full of shaky logic. Then, everything changed when I found the call of the Mahdi. 

What I found so unique about this call is its emphasis on asking questions and following the evidence to find the truth, wherever that may lead. Below is a list of essential questions every Christian should consider, because sometimes, real faith in God begins with the courage to question.

1. What is the path to salvation?

We can all agree, the purpose of religion is to provide a roadmap: a way to get to a “better place,” whether it’s the eternal bliss of heaven, reincarnation into a higher form, or simply avoiding a plunge into eternal damnation. Across faiths, the destination may vary, but the goal remains the same. Everyone is striving to reach that elusive "better place." But how do we obtain salvation?

According to Christian teachings, salvation hinges on faith in Jesus. Believers hold that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross absolves them of sin, and simply professing belief in him ensures salvation. In Christianity, Adam’s original sin brought death into the world, and everyone inherited that sin. According to the writings of Paul, Jesus’ sacrifice paid for this sin. By accepting Jesus and his sacrifice, Christians believe their sins are forgiven. But a puzzling question is: If Jesus' sacrifice removed sin, and death is caused by sin, why do Christians still die? This question highlights an important flaw in the logic when it comes to the Christian perspective on salvation. 

The question then becomes: Is salvation only attainable in the afterlife or could salvation be possible to obtain here and now? Aba Al-Sadiq teaches that true salvation is attainable both in this life and the hereafter and it comes from following the divinely appointed spiritual guide. 

“In the Seventh Covenant we believe that religion is a man. So just like the Christians, it's extremely important. And salvation cannot be attained unless we recognize the Imam of the time, that Spirit of God. In the time of Jesus, Jesus was the Imam of the time, he was the proof of God in the time, he was the living spirit of God in the time. And nobody could get to the Father except for him…The same thing goes for today. The same thing goes for every day and age.” (The School of Divine Mysteries, Aba Al-Sadiq)

Heaven is a utopia because God is ruling there. Therefore, it is possible to create a utopia on earth under the rulership of the man who carries within him the Spirit of God. 

“And so [God] decides to send His Spirit into this world so that He also may give commandments, guide people, be obeyed, and create on earth a utopia, a heaven on earth, so to speak, where there's no suffering, and where everybody gets along and shares in all things.” (The School of Divine Mysteries, Aba Al-Sadiq)

It's crucial to recognize and follow a chosen representative of God in the present time. Obeying this figure's specific commandments, rather than relying solely on past scriptures, is a sign of true faith. The ultimate goal of religion, across traditions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, is to create a utopia—an ideal world free of suffering, jealousy, and crime, filled with love, peace, and prosperity. This utopia can be realized on Earth, just as it exists in heaven, by following God's Spirit and obeying His commandments. 

2. Is the Bible true?

The advice from some Muslim scholars to avoid reading the Bible or Torah, calling them “corrupted,” doesn’t align with the teachings of Prophet Mohammed and his family, who held these texts in high regard. The Prophet Mohammed saw the earlier scriptures as valuable and respected resources of divine wisdom, instructing followers to seek insights within them. The Quran affirms the enduring worth of the Bible and Torah: “If you are in doubt about what We have revealed to you, ask those who have been reading the Book before you” (Quran 10:94). In other words, the Quran expects believers to go back to the “People of the Book”—Jews and Christians—as keepers of earlier revelations.

We believe that there is truth in the Quran and the Bible and that the Quran is meant to be the final part of this divine message, completing and correcting the previous scriptures. To fully understand God’s message, one should read the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Quran side by side.

In one of his episodes of the School of Divine Mysteries, Aba Al-Sadiq explains this, stating:

"The Quran is chapter three of the story, the final chapter of the trilogy. It was meant to be read in connection to and with the Old Testament and New Testament. It should have been placed right after the New Testament in the Bible." (The School of Divine Mysteries, Aba Al-Sadiq)

But what about the idea of “corruption”? Both the Torah and the Bible, like the Quran, have seen editorial changes over centuries, sometimes to suit political needs. The Council of Nicaea in 325 CE was a prime example of this reshaping, as church leaders, under the influence of Roman Emperor Constantine, curated which Christian texts to preserve and which to discard. Writings that didn’t fit the political agenda—like those aligned with the Arian “heresy”—were cast aside and even burned, leaving us with a Bible that’s far from the full story.

Then, in 1945, the Nag Hammadi Library was unearthed, revealing a treasure trove of early Christian writings, from the Gospel of Thomas to the Apocryphon of John. These texts offered an alternative lens on Christian beliefs before Nicaean censorship, with passages that even echo the Quran. Take the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, where a young Jesus is said to form birds out of clay and breathe life into them,

“And he took from the palm tree a piece of clay and shaped it into the form of a bird. And he breathed into it, and it became a living bird. And he said to it, ‘Fly!’ and it flew away.” (Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Chapter 2)

This exact event is also mentioned in the Quran (3:49) but omitted from the canonical Bible. Such intersections offer a powerful reminder: these texts might be far more interconnected than the church wanted us to know.

3. Was Mohammed a true prophet?

If you were living in the time of Jesus, how would you have recognized him as a genuine messenger of God? Would it be his words, his miracles, or something more definitive?

Jesus gave us a powerful clue about identifying a true prophet when he said, “If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid.” (John 5:31) In other words, no genuine prophet arrives with only their own endorsement. Instead, they come with a lineage of credibility—a testament or appointment by a previous prophet or leader.

For Jesus, it was John the Baptist who publicly identified him. “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John proclaimed (John 1:29). And it wasn’t just John’s testimony; Jesus pointed to Isaiah’s prophecy, reading aloud in the synagogue:  

“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’” (Luke 4:16-21, NIV)

Unsurprisingly, Prophet Mohammed followed this same blueprint, claiming the mantle of prophethood just as Jesus had foretold. The Quran quotes Jesus saying,

“And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, 'O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you, confirming what was before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name will be Ahmad.' And when he came to them with clear proofs, they said, 'This is obvious magic.'” (Quran 61:6)

This was the very “advocate” Jesus had promised to send after him—a direct thread from one prophet to the next.

And here’s the key: Jesus warned about “false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). The implication? True prophets would still emerge after him, requiring a way for the people to discern a true claimant from a false one. 

Throughout the Old Testament, we see this ritual of endorsement as a gold standard for recognizing the chosen successor. David appointed Solomon with anointing by the priest, proclaiming him king of Israel (1 Kings 1:32-35). Moses publicly commissioned Joshua as his successor under God’s directive (Numbers 27:18-20). This wasn’t merely tradition; it was the God-given way to identify those divinely chosen. This pattern is a clear, waterproof method for recognizing an authentic messenger from God.

4. Is Jesus the son of God or a prophet?

In the age-old debate over the identity of Jesus, certain biblical passages raise questions that add nuance to the portrayal of him as divine. Take Mark 13:32, where Jesus himself states, “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” If Jesus were truly God, wouldn’t he know everything, including the timing of the end? By explicitly saying he doesn’t know, Jesus seems to underscore his role as a human prophet rather than a divine being.

Then there’s Luke 4:24, where Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” Here, he calls himself a prophet. So, if he identifies as a prophet, why jump to calling him God? And what about that moment in Matthew 12:40, when Jesus compares his coming ordeal to Jonah’s time in the belly of the fish, saying, “As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Just as Jonah’s story didn’t imply divinity but rather survival and return, Jesus’s parallel could be read as another example of prophetic endurance, not necessarily divine resurrection. By this logic, if surviving death made Jesus divine, wouldn’t that apply to Jonah as well?

In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see an especially telling glimpse into Jesus’s humanity when he pleads, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). If Jesus were God, would he really need to plead with himself for intervention? This moment speaks to a deeply human vulnerability and dependence on divine will—a far cry from omnipotence.

The Old Testament’s repeated emphasis on God’s singularity also contradicts the idea of Jesus as a divine figure within a trinity. Deuteronomy 6:4 commands,

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one,” a foundational declaration of God’s indivisibility. Isaiah doubles down on this concept: “I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6).

All these passages together seem to tell a different story from the mainstream Christian doctrine, hinting at Jesus as an extraordinary prophet of God rather than a deity. 

5. Was Paul an apostle of Jesus?

Paul looms large in the New Testament—of its 27 books, 13 or 14 are traditionally attributed to him, making him one of the most influential figures in Christianity. But here’s the catch: Paul’s claim to apostleship is, in many respects, deeply questionable.

Unlike the true apostles chosen by Jesus, Paul never met Jesus in the flesh, and his claim to authority rests solely on a highly inconsistent account of a vision on the road to Damascus. In fact, the book of Acts presents different versions of this story, which contradict one another—this alone should raise concerns about his legitimacy.

More importantly, Jesus clearly set the number of apostles at twelve, aligning with the twelve tribes of Israel. After Judas’ betrayal, the remaining eleven apostles prayed for guidance and selected Matthias to replace him, maintaining this symbolic number. Paul, however, inserted himself as a self-proclaimed apostle later, making him the 13th—an idea that directly contradicts Jesus’ instructions.

Additionally, Paul’s teachings often contradict the words of Jesus. Where Jesus upheld the Jewish law, saying, "I have not come to abolish [the law], but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17), Paul openly rejected it, stating that believers are "no longer under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14).

Jesus treated women with dignity, including them as followers and giving them important roles in His ministry. He engaged women in theological discussions (e.g., the Samaritan woman in John 4) and appeared to them first after His resurrection, showing their significance in the faith. In contrast, Paul called for women to be silent and submissive in church.

Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)

I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;[a] she must be quiet. (1 Timothy 2:12).

It sounds as if Paul is the one that turned Christianity into a religion that degrades women rather than raises them.

While Jesus rejected earthly power, saying, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only" (Matthew 4:10), Paul taught submission to governing authorities, claiming all authority is established by God (Romans 13:1-2). And this while Jesus only a few years earlier had been executed by the Romans.

Paul is clearly a figure who distorted the teachings of Jesus, introducing new doctrines like the Christian understanding of atonement for sins and advocating submission to oppressive authorities. Paul's influence fundamentally altered Christianity as we know it today.

For an in-depth look at Paul’s departures from Jesus’s teachings—and a scripture-based approach to identifying a true messenger versus a false prophet—click here.

6. Who is the Paraclete?

The Paraclete, as mentioned in the New Testament, refers to the "Comforter" or "Advocate" that Jesus promised to send to his disciples after his departure. In John 14:16-17, Jesus states, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth.” The term “Paraclete” comes from the Greek word parakletos, meaning “one who is called alongside” to help or support. However, it's essential to recognize that the New Testament was originally written in Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus and his disciples, before being translated into Greek. Some scholars argue that the original Aramaic term used by Jesus may have been Ahmed, which means "the praised one."

In a riveting episode of the School of Divine Mysteries, Aba Al-Sadiq does a deep dive into this topic and clarifies what the term Paraclete really means. "Paraclete," as mentioned in the Bible, was originally a prophecy about a messenger who would come after Jesus. The word "Paraclete" was a translation inserted to replace the original Aramaic word "Ahmed," referring to Prophet Mohammed. The change was deliberate, intended to prevent recognition of Mohammed as the next prophet, and to solidify the control of early Christian leaders and Roman authorities over religious interpretation. 

The Paraclete is understood not merely as the Holy Spirit but as another messenger like Jesus himself—someone in whom the holy spirit resided. Someone who Jesus said would “teach you all things, and remind you of everything which I said to you.” (John 14:26). This is a much more logical explanation of these verses than the traditional understanding of the Paraclete in Christian theology. The role of the Paraclete is to remind people of Jesus' teachings and guide them further, fulfilling the divine mission. Prophet Mohammed was the fulfillment of this prophecy.

7. Jesus said “I am the light of the world,” why would we need anyone else?

Jesus did say, “I am the light of the world” (John 9:5), but he also clarified this statement by adding, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." This is crucial because it indicates that his role as the guiding light was specific to the time when he was physically present. While Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through him (John 14:6), he emphasized that his presence as the "light of the world" was limited to his time on earth.

When Jesus ascended, he entrusted his followers with the Holy Spirit and promised that God would continue to guide them. Just as God sent Jesus for that time, the continuation of divine guidance comes through those appointed by God after him. In the same way that Jesus was the light during his time, each era has a divinely appointed leader to guide believers, and it is our responsibility to find and follow that leader, the "light of the world" for our time.

8. Is reincarnation mentioned in the Bible?

In Jesus’ time, the idea of reincarnation—or the return of souls—wasn’t as foreign as many might think. This concept surfaces in a casual yet telling conversation between Jesus and his disciples in the book of Matthew. When Jesus asks, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” they respond with names of figures from the past—John the Baptist, Elijah, and Jeremiah—implying that people saw these revered prophets as potential returnees in new forms. Notably, Jesus himself asserted that John the Baptist was indeed Elijah returned, affirming the prophecy that Elijah would precede the Messiah (Matthew 11:11-15). Without Elijah’s reincarnation through John, the legitimacy of Jesus as the awaited Messiah would be called into question, as the Old Testament prophecy of Elijah’s return had to be fulfilled first. 

Hints of reincarnation and karma pop up throughout Jesus’ teachings, and even his disciples seemed comfortable with the idea. In John 9:1-3, when they encounter a man blind from birth, the disciples don’t question whether he might be paying for sins from a previous life—just whose sin it was, his or his parents’. In a similar vein, Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 26:52—“for all who draw the sword will die by the sword”—suggests a karmic principle, implying that actions in one life might echo into another, shaping a recurring cycle of consequence and redemption.

Even the Old Testament nods to this cycle of life and death. Job reflects, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there,” (Job 1:21) while another verse in Job mentions God returning souls from the pit, hinting at a cycle of rebirth (Job 33:29-30). 

Also, Job 14:14 asks, “If someone dies, will they live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.” The word “renewal” comes from the Hebrew word “Chaliyphah,” which means “change of garments” or, in this case, “change of bodies.” This reinforces the idea that life is a continuous cycle of rebirth, where the soul goes through changes in different bodies.

Altogether, these examples underline a narrative of the soul’s continuity beyond single lifetimes. Whether through allegorical hints or direct statements, both Testaments show that reincarnation and the eternal journey of the soul may indeed be far more rooted in scripture than traditionally understood.

9. Was Jesus really crucified?

In the Bible, it’s mentioned that some people thought Jesus might be the reincarnation of John the Baptist. When Jesus asks his companions who the people say he is, they respond:

"Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." (Matthew 16:14)

This shows that people back then believed in the idea of souls returning in different bodies.

What makes this even more intriguing is that Jesus and John were the same age, so if John's soul had entered Jesus, it would have occurred while they were both grown men. This suggests that people of that time didn’t just believe in reincarnation (a soul being born again in a new body after death) but also in the transmigration of the soul—the idea that a soul can enter or exit a person’s body while that person is still alive.

You might wonder: What does this have to do with the crucifixion? Well, more than you may think.

The Bible tells us Jesus was crucified, died, and miraculously rose from the dead three days later. The Quran, on the other hand, asserts he was not killed, claiming it only seemed so. A tension between these perspectives seems inevitable, right? One that might prevent Christians from embracing the Prophet Mohammed or the teachings of Islam? Not so fast. There’s a fascinating twist here, a hidden narrative within both faiths.

Enter the so-called gnostic gospels, texts from early Christian circles that were quietly left out of the New Testament. These writings, largely banished from society, tell a story that reconciles both crucifixion narratives. They claim Jesus’ soul escaped the crucifixion, leaving his physical form and, in a radical feat, transmigrated into other bodies. According to this narrative, while Jesus’ body was on the cross, his soul escaped, leaving another to take his place. And who was this stand-in, this mysterious substitute?

Both gnostic texts and hints within the Bible itself point to Simon of Cyrene, the man historically recorded as helping carry Jesus’ cross.

"A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross." (Mark 15:21).

Knowing this casts a new light on those puzzling resurrection scenes in the New Testament. There’s Jesus, appearing to Mary Magdalene, who doesn’t recognize him; she thinks he’s the gardener.

"she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus." (John 20:14).

 It wasn't only Mary who failed to recognize Jesus. His own disciples see him again and—amazingly—don’t immediately know who he is. Why the anonymity? Why the hesitation to recognize someone as familiar as their teacher?

The gospel of John, chapter 21 notes this was the third time Jesus appeared to his followers after the crucifixion, as if each encounter involved a man who was Jesus but, somehow, wasn’t.

The teachings of Aba Al-Sadiq have finally made sense of this age-old debate. His explanation aligns the Bible, the gnostic accounts, and the Quran in a way that unlocks this mystical puzzle: Jesus was crucified in “appearance only,” his soul moving from body to body, eventually reappearing to his followers in a new, altered form. Crucified, yet transcendent. Dead, yet alive. This understanding bridges these faiths, providing a logical answer that Christianity’s more traditional explanations fail to match.

10. Is the Jesuit covenant still valid today?

The story of the Abrahamic faiths is one of promises, betrayals, and renewed hope—a tapestry of divine covenants that stretch back to the dawn of humanity. The scriptures record God establishing covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses, before the arrival of Jesus Christ. Each covenant marked a sacred bond between God and mankind, a spiritual contract meant to guide and protect. But as the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear: these covenants were often broken.

The Children of Israel, central to the story of the Mosaic Covenant, repeatedly faltered. Their transgressions led to 40 years of wandering in the desert, the destruction of the Holy Temple, and even the loss of the original Torah and the Ark of the Covenant. Despite God’s forgiveness, each violation came with consequences, a reminder that breaking faith carries a price. And then came the turning point—Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah.

Jesus, sent specifically to the Israelites, came to renew this sacred bond. In his own words, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). But instead of embracing him, the Israelites turned him over to the Romans, and with that act of betrayal, God ended the Mosaic Covenant once and for all. In its place, Jesus established a new covenant with a new people, as he foretold: 

“The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” (Matthew 21:43).

The bond once held by the descendants of Isaac shifted to the descendants of Ishmael, fulfilling God’s ancient promise to Abraham:

“As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will surely bless him... and I will make him into a great nation.” (Genesis 17).

And from Ishmael's line came Prophet Mohammed, the next bearer of God’s covenant, the sixth covenant. But this time, the scope was broader. Mohammed’s covenant wasn’t just for a chosen people—it was a covenant with all of humanity. Yet, as history shows, the Mohammedan covenant was also broken.

When a covenant is broken, it is no longer valid. That is why the scriptures record new covenants being established throughout time. The covenants established with Moses, Jesus and Mohammed are no longer valid, which necessitates the establishment of a new contract between God and mankind. 

Now, in a world rife with spiritual disarray, the Mahdi, Aba Al-Sadiq, has come forward to establish the final and ultimate covenant—the seventh covenant, a last chance for mankind to renew its bond with the divine and strive for that long-promised peace on Earth.

“Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan seeks to unite all religions, and show the falsehoods and show the truths in every one of them, thus uniting all Covenants, all messages from all Prophets under one divine Covenant and message, the Seventh Covenant.” (The Goal of the Wise, Aba Al-Sadiq, Door 7, p. 110)