Christian Faith - Punishable by Death
On March 3rd, in China 17 leaders of a Chinese religious group are on trial because of their faith. While imprisoned they have been abused and assaulted. Sleep deprivation and electric shock to various parts of their body [I'll skip the details] where used to elicit false confessions. One defendant. Xu, urged everyone in the court to believe in Jesus; otherwise, they will one day face eternal judgments in heaven. He also urged his children to continue to follow Christ without fear." Government sources have said Xu and at least three co-defendants will be sentenced to death. (Reprinted from Voice of the Martyrs)
On March 3rd, two Muslim seminarians in Pakistan's Punjab province were found guilty today of murdering a Pakistani Christian, who died 22 months ago after being tortured to convert to Islam. Before a courtroom packed with Islamic madrassa students and police, Judge Javed Iqbal Warraich sentenced Maulvi Ghulam Rasool and Mohammed Tayyab to 25 years in prison for their part in torturing and killing Catholic university student Javed Anjum. Prosecution lawyer Khalil Tahir Sindhu told Compass he was pleased with the verdict, but he would appeal for the sentence to be changed to the death penalty. (Reprinted from Compass Direct)
I feel it's important to pass along some of this kind of news. All over the world there are people who so deeply and desperately want the hope of Christ that they are willing to suffer anything for it. In North Korea where possessing a Bible is punishable by public execution to Indonesia and India in which Christian organizations are burnt or vandalized. These people are attacked for their faith.
This is not simply academic agreement with a set of ideas. Their Christian faith is something so real that it overshadows and overwhelms all other experiences. In the Bible in John 8:36 it says "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." INDEED! It's like an affirmation. There is not doubt. It's not a partial freedom or a temporary freedom, but a definite freedom.
Freedom in Christ does not manifest itself in the form of cash or real-estate or ones circumstances in life. Our life on this earth is but a small microscopic spec of time when compared to the incomparable wealth and beauty of eternity. In God's perspective, you free because your soul, your very self is now under his authority, and no one can take from you your spiritual freedom.
True freedom lives in ones soul. Torture and death can not take it away. It is eternal and can not be defeated.
Adam
On March 3rd, two Muslim seminarians in Pakistan's Punjab province were found guilty today of murdering a Pakistani Christian, who died 22 months ago after being tortured to convert to Islam. Before a courtroom packed with Islamic madrassa students and police, Judge Javed Iqbal Warraich sentenced Maulvi Ghulam Rasool and Mohammed Tayyab to 25 years in prison for their part in torturing and killing Catholic university student Javed Anjum. Prosecution lawyer Khalil Tahir Sindhu told Compass he was pleased with the verdict, but he would appeal for the sentence to be changed to the death penalty. (Reprinted from Compass Direct)
I feel it's important to pass along some of this kind of news. All over the world there are people who so deeply and desperately want the hope of Christ that they are willing to suffer anything for it. In North Korea where possessing a Bible is punishable by public execution to Indonesia and India in which Christian organizations are burnt or vandalized. These people are attacked for their faith.
This is not simply academic agreement with a set of ideas. Their Christian faith is something so real that it overshadows and overwhelms all other experiences. In the Bible in John 8:36 it says "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." INDEED! It's like an affirmation. There is not doubt. It's not a partial freedom or a temporary freedom, but a definite freedom.
Freedom in Christ does not manifest itself in the form of cash or real-estate or ones circumstances in life. Our life on this earth is but a small microscopic spec of time when compared to the incomparable wealth and beauty of eternity. In God's perspective, you free because your soul, your very self is now under his authority, and no one can take from you your spiritual freedom.
True freedom lives in ones soul. Torture and death can not take it away. It is eternal and can not be defeated.
Adam
posted by Sojourn @ 11:29 AM
<< Home