The Question of Jesus: Why “We Believe in Jesus Too” Is Not the Same Claim

Many Christians have noticed a growing number of conversations in which Muslims say, “We believe in Jesus too,” or assert that Islam and Christianity worship the same God. These exchanges are often respectful and sincere, yet they can leave believers uncertain about how to respond. The issue is not hostility or conspiracy, but clarity. What sounds like agreement on the surface often conceals a profound theological divide beneath the shared language.

Islam is a missionary faith. Just as Christians are called to evangelize, Muslims are encouraged to engage in da’wah—inviting others, particularly Jews and Christians, whom the Qur’an calls “People of the Book,” to embrace Islam. These conversations are usually motivated by genuine conviction. Most Muslims believe Christianity has drifted from the true message of Jesus and that Islam restores pure monotheism. Their intent is often earnest, not deceptive. Still, sincerity does not resolve the question of truth.

Central to the confusion is the claim that Muslims believe in Jesus. In Islamic teaching, Jesus—ʿĪsā—is honored as a prophet, born of the virgin Mary by God’s command and empowered to perform miracles. However, this Jesus is not the Jesus confessed by the church. The New Testament presents Jesus as God revealed in the flesh. John’s Gospel opens with the declaration that “the Word was God” and that this Word “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1,14). Jesus forgives sins, commands creation, receives worship, and speaks with divine authority. These are not symbolic gestures; they are deliberate revelations of His identity.

Islam explicitly rejects this understanding. The Qur’an denies that Jesus is the Son of God, denies that God could have a Son at all, and rejects worship directed toward Jesus. The apostle Paul, by contrast, teaches that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” and that “in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Colossians 1:15,19). Christianity does not merely honor Jesus as a messenger; it worships Him as Lord.

The question of sonship reveals the depth of the divide. In Scripture, Jesus’ sonship is not a poetic metaphor but an eternal relationship within God Himself. At Jesus’ baptism, the Father declares, “You are my beloved Son” (Mark 1:11). Jesus claims exclusive authority to reveal the Father, stating that no one truly knows God except through Him (Matthew 11:27). When religious leaders accuse Jesus of blasphemy, it is because they understand that He is claiming equality with God (John 5:18). Remove this claim, and Christianity ceases to be Christianity.

The cross further exposes the incompatibility. The New Testament proclaims the crucifixion as the center of God’s saving work. Jesus says He came “to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Isaiah’s suffering servant bears the sins of the people, and the apostles declare that Christ “died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” and rose again in victory (Isaiah 53; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4). The cross is not a tragic misunderstanding; it is the purpose of Christ’s coming.

Islam denies the crucifixion altogether, teaching that Jesus was not killed and that it only appeared so. This denial removes the very heart of the gospel. Paul states plainly that if Christ has not been raised, faith is futile and humanity remains in sin (1 Corinthians 15:17). Without the cross and resurrection, Jesus does not save—He merely instructs.

Even the future role of Jesus highlights the difference. In the New Testament, Jesus returns as King and Judge, the one before whom every knee bows and every tongue confesses His lordship (Philippians 2:10–11; Matthew 25). He reigns at the right hand of the Father until all enemies are subdued (Psalm 110:1). In Islamic teaching, Jesus returns not to be worshiped but to deny His divinity and affirm Islam. These are not complementary visions; they are contradictory conclusions.

This is why the statement “we worship the same God” requires careful qualification. Christianity does not define God merely as a single creator but as the God who has revealed Himself decisively in Jesus Christ. God is known not only by assertion but by revelation. The Christian God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—truths Islam explicitly rejects. While both faiths claim continuity with Abraham, they reach mutually exclusive understandings of who God is.

For Christians, the proper response is not outrage or fear, but discernment. Scripture warns repeatedly about “another Jesus” and “a different gospel” (2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6–9). These warnings are pastoral, not paranoid. They exist to protect the church from losing the heart of its confession.

A faithful response in conversation is calm and honest. A Christian can say, “I respect that you honor Jesus as a prophet. I worship Him as the Son of God who died and rose again. That difference matters.” This approach neither insults nor blurs the truth. It recognizes sincerity while refusing confusion.

Pastorally, churches must prepare believers for these conversations by grounding them deeply in Christology. Many Christians know the name of Jesus but lack confidence in explaining who He is and why it matters. Teaching on the person and work of Christ should not be reserved for advanced theology; it is foundational discipleship. Congregations should also be trained to recognize when shared language hides different meanings. Words like “Jesus,” “God,” and “gospel” do not always signify the same realities.

At the same time, churches must model conviction joined with compassion. Peter instructs believers to give a defense of their hope with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). Truth does not require hostility, and love does not require vagueness. The church best serves its neighbors—not by minimizing differences—but by clearly and graciously bearing witness to the crucified and risen Lord.

Ultimately, Christians do not defend a concept or a system, but a person. The Jesus of Scripture is not merely admired; He is trusted, worshiped, and obeyed. As Jesus Himself said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Discernment grows where Christ is known, loved, and proclaimed without apology.