WHY MARTYRDOM?

OPEN LETTER TO A TALK SHOW HOST

Dear Radio Talk-Show Host,

I was shocked the other day when I heard you say that you would deny your faith in Christ if you were in Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani’s place! You went on to say that you didn’t believe he was potentially a martyr for Christ, but rather, of his own principles!

I enjoy your program immensely, and not only learn things that are happening in our country and the world, but your insight into the issues helps me understand the issues better and undergirds my discussions with liberals by providing me with ammunition against their insane worldview.

I do however, have to take exception to your position on Nadarkhani’s dire situation. First of all, you don’t quite have the facts right. He is accused of apostasy for converting from Islam to Christianity (as if that should be a crime, and a capital crime at that) but the truth is, he never was a Muslim! The records show that he became a believer in Christ at a young age and never accepted the faith of his parents. When that fact was brought to light, the Shiite authorities tried to accuse him of molesting women—which was so obviously a frame-up that they immediately back-tracked and resorted to some obscure pronouncement by one of their imams that his parents were Muslims when they conceived him, therefore, since he was conceived in Islam, ergo, he is a Muslim.

Now that his case has caught worldwide attention, the authorities have again backed away from their hard line and offered a pathetic option of giving him some more time to reconsider his staunch stand for Christ—all for the sake of world opinion—not justice!

Your comments made this brave man look a fool in the eyes of those who don’t understand what’s really at stake here. The entire world is focused on this man’s courageous stand in refusing to deny Christ at the cost of his family and life. For him to deny Christ—whether publicly or privately—would be to state that his life is worth more than the life Jesus laid down for him on Calvary! It would be saying that Mohammed—that pedophilic, murderous liar— and his false religion is as good as faith in Jesus.

Nadarkhani represents the millions of Christians in Muslim nations and Muslim occupied nations (as well as socialist, communist, Hindu, Buddhist etc.) that are likewise undergoing persecution because they have found that Jesus Christ is the only Truth, the only Way to God the Father and the only Giver of eternal life. For Nadarkhani to deny Christ would be to discredit Christ and His ultimate sacrifice for all of humanity, and would, no doubt, give his persecutors license to increase their persecution against people who merely want to follow their consciences.

Isn’t Christ’s glory and the honor of His name worth more than any of our lives? For any Christian to choose what’s left of their short lifespan in this world over Christ’s name and reputation before the watching world is to renounce Christ. Paul the apostle wrote in II Timothy 2:8-12 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel; wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of  God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sake that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him; IF WE DENY HIM, HE WILL ALSO DENY US!

Make no mistake about it; Pastor Nadarkhani is the fulcrum between the Gospel of Truth and Satan’s lies that have captivated the entire world. Nadarkhani may well be martyred, as was Stephen in Acts chapter 7, but Jesus will be glorified inasmuch that it will be said of Nadarkhani as it was of Stephen that Satan could not dissuade him from clinging to Christ. Christ will be shown as victorious over Satan and all his deceptions—including Islam. Islam will be shown as inferior in the eyes of Muslims and Christians alike if they cannot dissuade Nadarkhani from his hope in Christ no matter what he is forced to endure. And that will have a devastating effect on those who are convinced that Islam is true and that murdering innocent people is a guaranteed way to heaven. 

I hope and pray that Nadarkhani is released and free to leave Iran with his family; but either way, he is glorifying Jesus with his bold stand; and is making a powerful assault on the lie of Islam.

We need to pray for Nadarkhani’s (and others like him) deliverance, yes, but if God’s will is otherwise, we need to pray that Nadarkhani be resolute and not cave in to their satanic demands. As Stephen’s martyrdom encouraged believers to stand firm in their faith, so too will whatever happens to Nadarkhani.

Yes, Nadarkhani is being persecuted for his faith in Christ, not for his own stubbornness of sticking to his principles. At stake is Christ’s reputation to be able to keep His own, as He promised when He said concerning His followers that, “…And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand…” John 10:28