Will Jesus reveal himeself to anyone with the name "Isa"

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While it is true that Acts 4:12 states:

for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."

it is not true that the syllables must be uttered in a particular language. Unlike, say, the Qu'ran, no mainstream Christian denomination posits the necessity of a particularly holy language.

"Isa" is clearly the identification of the same individual that Christians call Jesus of Nazareth. It is a peculiarly Islamic name, and the Islamic understanding of who Jesus is differs, but it is the same individual. To the extent that one believes Isa died on a cross (something that a Qu'ranic interpretation would deny) and that Isa rose again (again, Qu'ranically contradindicated), then Salvation would come through Isa.

It is true that Muslims believe that Isa was a man, but they deny he actually died on the cross. They also deny he was God. But they do recognize him as a great prophet, teacher, and worker of miracles. As such, there is a basis on which to build.

Indeed, in the Muslim world. I have heard many reports of Central Asian missionaries retelling the stories of Muslims who have had dreams in which Isa has revealed himself to Muslims. Key to these dreams, however, is that he is who the Christians say he is - the Son of God who died on the cross and rose again.

The question, thus, is not, what will Jesus' name be in whatever target language, but rather, what attributes does he reveal of himself. Anecdotally, it is occurring (I wish I could find the movie I saw about this!). By leveraging what a person knows of Jesus, but correcting the errors, Isa makes the bridge to understanding.

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The bible gives an instance of Jesus revealing himself to a nonbeliever: Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:4). So it is not outside Jesus's nature to appear to nonbelievers.

To be literal about the word reveal, there are many ways that Jesus is revealed besides special apparitions. He reveals himself by the Word (John 1:1). He reveals himself, he appears, through the sacrament of communion (Luke 22:19). He reveals himself through the poor around us who have physical needs (Matt 25:31ff).

But you are correct to doubt that a vision/ apparition would encourage one to believe that Jesus was mere prophet. 1 John 4 (NIV) says:

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

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1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Jas 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

From the Bible literalist perspective having a vision of Jesus and the being in the vision telling you to follow anything other than the word of God would be a doctrine of a devil and a candidate for a work of the devil.

From a Christian Psychologist perspective lots of people who are mentally sick have hallucinations involving religious figures and beings which tell them things from their own mind. This does not mean that all visions or religious experiences are false but it does mean that sometimes highly functional mentally ill people do have religious experiences not supported by the word of God (and sometimes even seemingly supported by the word of God). Its possible to induce a hallucination in an otherwise normal person through certain actions involving drugs and sometimes not involving drugs. Having psychotic episodes in such fashion is very dangerous.

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