“Rashin Soodmand is a 29-year-old Iranian Christian. Her father, Hossein Soodmand, was the last man to be executed in Iran for apostasy, the “crime” of abandoning one’s religion. He had converted from Islam to Christianity in 1960, when he was 13 years old. Thirty years later, he was hanged by the Iranian authorities for that decision. Today, Rashin’s brother, Ramtin, is also held in a prison cell in Mashad, Iran’s holiest city. He was arrested on August 21. He has not been charged but he is a Christian. And Rashin fears that, just as her father was the last man to be executed for apostasy in Iran, her brother may become one of the first to be killed under Iran’s new law.”

The previous section is taken from article from the Telegraph in the UK. Iran’s parliament has voted to give the death penalty for anyone who turns from Islam. The majority of these are converts to Christianity. Read the article to get context for the following story.

Growing up I was told that a “profession of faith” was when you walked down the aisle, stood in front of people and told them that you surrendered to Christ. Though that is a courageous statement I am reminded of the biblical precedent for professing Christ: BAPTISM. Baptism was the action of a Christ-follower done publicly among disciples and non-Christians. That is why you read of religious critics making snide comments while John the Baptizer dunked people in the Jordan River. Their “profession of faith” brought scrutiny to their lives. They proclaimed the gospel by acting out the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus in a dramatic fashion.

I remember the first Muslim that I saw surrender to Jesus Christ. I was in Mombasa, Kenya. Her name was Fatuma. She had received medical aid and was given the option to hear why we had come from America. I told her it was because of the love of Jesus Christ. I proceeded share with her about Creation, Fall, Redemption and Completion. She was told that Jesus is God, not just a prophet, and that His death/resurrection was the only way that she could be reconciled with God. All of this was translated from English to Kiswahili, and from Kiswahili back to English. After talking with her, I asked if she understood. “Yes.” Do you believe what I have said? “Yes.” Do you want to surrender your life to Jesus Christ? “Yes.” ((WHAT!!)) Do you know that you must give up Muhammad and Islam? “Yes.” Do you realize that your Islamic community could and probably will reject you. “Yes.” Are you sure? “I want Jesus.” ((WOW!)) And so, she surrendered to Jesus and became my sister.

A few days later we baptized about 30 adults. Fatuma was one of them. When it came time to baptize her something unique happened. The pastor I worked with asked her name: “Fatuma.” Then he asked her what her new name was to be. She said, “Christian.” Fatuma knew that she was giving up everything. She could be divorced, beaten or thrown out of her village. She even gave up her old name. Her identity was no longer attached to Islam or her old world views. She was now “Christian.”

Imagine what could happen in our cities if we took our faith that seriously. Imagine how we would live if we understood that our entire identity has changed. Imagine how we would LIVE if we were ready to DIE for our faith in Jesus Christ. Imagine…

Pray courage for Christ-followers in Iran. May they trust Christ and give Him glory through life and death.

Pray also for Christians in the West. May God help us to live as though we could die… to live in the reality that the old has passed away and we have become new creations.

Philippians 1:20 it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ESV

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David Thew
Sojourn Pastor
Thewblog
twitter.com/davidthew