The belief that the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) died in order to expiate the sins of all Christians and that death lies at the remission of sins is a very mistaken belief. In order to see the error in this belief, our Christian brothers need to reconsider Allah’s justice and the purpose behind creation by using their minds and consciences, and to bear in mind the following points:
* The idea that people are born in a state of sin is a violation of Allah’s infinite justice:
Everyone comes to this world to be tested. A person has a responsibility to spend every rational second serving Allah and living for His approval in the very limited amount of time bestowed on him. Allah says in one verse of the Qur’an:
He Who created death and life to test which of you is best in action. He is the Almighty, the Ever-Forgiving. (Surat al-Mulk, 2)
Therefore, a person whom Allah created from nothing is tested from the moment he enters this world and will be held to account for all he does in it. People’s sin or merit is based on the sincere actions they perform in this world. It is impossible, under the law of Allah, for a baby, unaware even of its own existence and who has not begun to be tested and who has only just opened his eyes on the world, to be in a state of sin.
* It is a violation of the infinite justice of Allah for a person to assume the sins of another and to suffer for them:
It is impossible in the system of testing created by Allah for anyone to redeem the sins of anyone else, even if that person is the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Everyone who exists or has ever existed in the world IS RESPONSIBLE ONLY FOR HIMSELF. Neither his parents nor his relatives nor the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) CAN ASSUME responsibility for his sins. NOBODY WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE for the deeds of anyone else. NOBODY CAN REDEEM ANYONE ELSE. When the moment of death comes everyone, Christians included, WILL GIVE ACCOUNT, ALL ALONE and in the Presence of Allah, for what they did in this world. Allah has revealed this in the Qur’an:
There is no one in the heavens and earth who will not come to the All-Merciful as a slave. He has counted them and numbered them precisely. Each of them will come to Him on the Day of Rising all alone. (Surah Maryam, 93-95)
Almighty Allah has also revealed in the Qur’an that nobody will be able to assume the sins of another:
Say: ‘Am I to desire other than Allah as Lord when He is the Lord of all things?’ What each self earns is for itself alone. No burden-bearer can bear another’s burden. Then you will return to your Lord, and He will inform you regarding the things about which you differed.(Surat al-An’am, 164)
...That no burden-bearer can bear another’s burden; that man will have nothing but what he strives for; that his striving will most certainly be seen; that he will then receive repayment of the fullest kind... (Surat al-Najm, 38-41)
The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is Allah’s beloved servant and prophet. It is a terrible violation of good conscience to maintain that Allah took the soul of a holy servant beloved of Him because of the irresponsible behavior, sins and excesses of those who came after him; it is a failure to properly appreciate Allah. It is a matter of great urgency for our sincere Christian brothers to realize the major error here.
The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) did not die and was not killed, Allah thwarted the plots of the deniers and took the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) alive into His Presence.
Mr. Adnan Oktar’s interview on Gaziantep Olay and Çay TV on 14 September, 2010
* The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) did not die:
Another important point that completely rebuffs the idea in question is the fact that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) did not die. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was raised into the Presence of Allah. He is alive in body and spirit and was protected and taken into the sky in a state of sleep. By itself this fact totally rebuffs the claim that ‘The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) died as a redeemer of sins.” For some mindsets, that see no other solution than the death of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) for the redemption of their own sins, and that maintain that his death prevented all of mankind from perishing, the fact that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is still alive no doubt comes as a great shock. But this is a definite fact. Those who fail to properly avoid sin by imagining that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will redeem their sins, who are flexible when it comes to what Allah has made unlawful or who do not regard abiding by the obligations imposed by the religion of which they are a member as a matter of all that much importance are making a grave error. Like everyone else, their every deed is written down. And everything they do will be held before them in the hereafter.
* The idea of a divinity that seeks death because of others’ sins (surely Allah is beyond that) is a failure to properly appreciate Allah:
It is Almighty Allah Who creates people in this world, determines a destiny for them and also creates the environment of the test. Of course, Allah is He Who best knows His servants. He has created events and instruments by which they will be tested in this world.
Human beings, on the other hand, are created weak and ignorant. They can easily fall into error, make mistakes, forget the truth despite knowing it very well or unwittingly make a mistake despite having a great fear of Allah. Because people are tested in this world. Learning from their mistakes, seeing their weakness, repenting their sins and intending never to repeat them are means whereby a person of good conscience draws closer to Allah.
This is part of the environment of the test our Lord creates in this world. In creating such a system in the world, Almighty Allah tells His servants that He is the “Ever-Pardoning, Ever-Forgiving” and opens the doors of repentance to them. Allah is the most merciful of the merciful. He forgives and pardons. When a person makes a mistake, deliberately or otherwise, when he commits a sin, great or small, he has the privilege of repenting to Allah and begging His forgiveness. Because, as revealed in the Qur’an, Allah is the "Ever-Pardoning, Ever-Forgiving.” (Surat al-Mujadala, 2)
To claim that death is the reward for all sin is to fail to grasp and appreciate Allah's attribute of being very forgiving and accepting repentance. This claim is in total conflict with the purpose of human beings’ existence in this world. Such a claim is also a violation of Allah’s justice as manifested in the test. If death were the reward for everyone’s sins, and if Almighty Allah did not forgive people out of His own goodness, then Allah reveals that the whole world would be devastated:
If Allah were to punish people for their wrong actions, not a single creature would be left upon the earth, but He defers them till a predetermined time. When their specified time arrives, they cannot delay it for a single hour nor can they bring it forward. (Surat an-Nahl, 61)
Allah also reveals in the Qur’an that human beings have been given great favor because of His sublime mercy and acceptance of repentance:
Were it not for Allah's favour to you and His mercy . . . and that Allah is Ever-Returning, All-Wise. (Surat an-Nur, 10)
Were it not for Allah’s favour to you and His mercy . . . and that Allah is All-Gentle, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nur, 20)
The fact that Allah accepts repentance, forgives sinners is also revealed in the Gospels. Therefore, it is of the greatest importance for our Christian brothers to consider these true and accurate provisions in the Gospels:
... With the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. (Ephesians, 1:7-8)
When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life." (Acts, 11:18)
For He [God] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness... we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians, 1:13-14)
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John, 1:9)
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. (James, 5:15)
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if You forgive men when they sin against You, God will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Lord will not forgive your sins. (Matthew, 6:12-15)
He [Jesus] said to them, "When you pray, say: "God, hallowed be Your name... Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation." (Luke, 11:2-4)
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke, 6:37-38)
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord... (Acts, 3:19-20)
Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. (Acts, 8:22)
To claim that death is the reward for all sins, and that this is His law, when Allah bestows the blessing of forgiveness on us, opens the doors of repentance and reveals that He is forgiving and loving is to assume a most grave responsibility. In addition, this completely violates Allah’s title of the forgiver, He who accepts repentance, in the Gospels. It is very important for our genuine Christian brothers to reflect on why this belief has been added onto Christianity and to make the appropriate decision by the use of their consciences.
* It is definitely inconsistent for Christianity to claim to be a religion of love and also to espouse the idea that sin is cleansed with death:
All Christians maintain that Christianity is a religion of love and act in the name of love. It is of course true that Christianity is a true religion sent down by Allah, and that applies to all the other divine faiths. Almighty Allah wants love from His servants, and true love is only possible through genuinely loving Allah – scrupulously abiding by all our Lord’s commandments and prohibitions.
But this fact conflicts with the belief held by some Christians that death redeems sins. Allah is He Who loves His servants and wants to forgive them. Allah reveals in the Qur’an that:
He is the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Loving, (Surat al-Buruj, 14)
Allah desires to turn towards you, but those who pursue their lower appetites desire to make you deviate completely. (Surat an-Nisa’, 27)
The fact that our Lord is loving and forgiving is revealed as follows in the Gospels:
... The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James, 5:11)
But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy, made us alive—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians, 2:4-5)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans, 8:28)
But when the kindness and love of God appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. (Titus, 3:4-5)
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John, 4:11)
It is very important that Christians should fully understand these sublime attributes of Almighty Allah, Who loves His servants, protects and watches over them, feels affection for them and forgives and pardons them. Only people who can properly comprehend the titles of Allah can see what a grave danger the error in the people they are dealing with poses.
* All Christians are responsible for their every deed, at every moment of their lives, and they will all be called to account in the Presence of Allah:
Like everyone who has ever lived, is living now or will ever live in the future, Christians will also be called to account for their actions. None of their sins have been redeemed. Just like everyone else, all Christians are responsible individually for their actions and will be rewarded for all their sins and good deeds on the Day of Reckoning. Nobody will be able to say, in the Presence of Allah, “my sins have been paid for already, and have been cleaned by the blood of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh).” Nobody in the Presence of Allah will be able to claim he is free of sin, and nobody will achieve salvation by saying, “I had faith.” On the Day of Reckoning, a book in which all his deeds are written will be placed before every individual, and all he did will be laid open.
No matter how much some Christians think that their sins have already been expiated, and no matter how much they seek to avoid their responsibilities before Allah, they will be unable to avoid the Day of Reckoning. This false belief they espoused in this world is invalid in the Sight of Allah. It is therefore of the greatest importance for devout Christians to be warned on this subject and see the truth. This is essential for their happiness and position in the hereafter.