In recent days I’ve become reluctant to watch and/or read the news simply because of all the bad news that I hear. However today, there was one bit of good news that I read about, regarding the release of the Afgan Christian who was originally sentenced to death according to Afghanistan’s Islamic laws. 
Abdul Rahman was arrested for having a bible leading ultimately to his exposure as a Jesus follower, a Christian to which he was forced to recant his faith and/or admit insanity. He did neither. By the grace of God he was released. Rumor has it that he will probably be killed by orders of radical Muslic clerics, but for now I rejoice over his freedom and for his powerful testimony.
This testimony I’m sure is being down-played by the media so I won’t even bother to fight that battle. But what I would like to focus on is the potential effect of this man’s testimony to the Muslim world, to the pagan nations, to our post-modern and godless society. Some have speculated that churches may arise in Afghanistan. The very fact that this made it on the news is an act of God’s grace. Not only did God spare this man’s life but that God allowed for this man’s testimony to traverse the channels of our media.
Some day, God’s grace will cease, His kindness will cease, the testimonies of His saints will cease to be known, and His earthly mission will cease. One hymn that captures this thought precisely is one that we recently started singing at church entitled, Jesus I my cross have taken. Particularly the 6th stanza:
Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith and winged by prayer
Heaven’s eternal day’s before thee,
God’s own hand shall guide thee there,
Soon shall close they earthly mission,
Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight and prayer to praise.
Soon God will close His earthly mission! If you are without hope today and without assurance of what will happen to you when you die, God has made provision for your plight through His Son Jesus Christ whom He sent to die for your sin. Believe on Christ for the forgiveness and you will be saved.
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Dude – i’ve been feeling the same way about the news. Normally I’m a news hound, but I’ve been staying away because it’s too depressing. I guess it proves the proverb – trusting in man is a snare! And that’s what the Republican-Christian does – I think they put too much faith in the politics – when we know that the world is going to decay and decay.
Anyway – great blog entry. In a strange way – I hope that the man WILL be executed for 2 reasons:
1. It may demonstrate the barbaric ways of Islamic law.
2. It may galvanize the the Christian community at large.
Lastly – great hymn. Our YG sings that one – it’s a good one!
That is strange that you want this guy executed ?!! But I see your point.
Hopefully there’s other ways to make that point without death of Christians, like a plain reading of Sharia Law which says, “death for all those who abandon Islam.” We can leave it to liberal hermeneutics to interpret that passage as they try to articulate the theology of the “religion of peace.”
Yeah, I know it’s too strange – I take it back that “I hope” that this guy will be executed… You’re right – that’s overboard. I guess what I meant was that if he were to be executed, it may actually promote a greater good. But perhaps that’s wacky thinking. Really, I was hoping that this story would become even more mainstream = and expose the particular theology that calls for the man’s execution. My question: where were the Islamic “peaceful” representatives denouncing this man’s potential execution? As they say, “the silence is deafening.”
Anyway, as I write this, I know that he as already been granted asylum in Italy.
in addition, from the TODAY’S Yahoo nEWS COVERAGE:
“Muslim clerics in Afghanistan condemned Rahman’s release, saying it was a “betrayal of Islam,” and threatened to incite violent protests.
“Some 500 Muslim leaders, students and others gathered Wednesday in a mosque in southern Qalat town and criticized the government for releasing Rahman, said Abdulrahman Jan, the top cleric in Zabul province.
He said the government should either force Rahman to convert back to Islam or kill him.
“This is a terrible thing and a major shame for Afghanistan,” he said.”
Violent protests? That’s crazy, man.
Yeah I hear you.. This testimony is a double-edged sword.
It testifies of this man’s faith and testifies of Islam’s violent and murderous theology.