Blessed is the Man

Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has been sentenced to death for refusing to renounce his Christian faith.

Pastor Youcef, a pastor of the 400 member Church of Iran, has been imprisoned since October of 2009 in Gilan Province after protesting to authortities that his son was forced to read from the Koran at school. The latest trial, which was ordered by the Iranian Supreme court, was the fourth trial which has convicted Nadarkhani of apostasy.

The judges demanded that Pastor Youcef, 34, recant his faith in Christ. Even though the judgment runs against current Iranian laws, the judge ruled that the court should uphold the decision of the 27th Branch of the Supreme Court of Qom.

The judge asked Nadarkhani to repent. He stated: “Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?”

The judge responded: “To the religion of your ancestors, Islam.”

“I cannot,” Nadarkhani said.

It was the fourth time that he has been asked to renounce his faith and the fourth time that he has refused.

Pastor Youcef could be executed at any time without any announcement. His body might simply be delivered to his wife and two sons. Or, the execution could be carried out and the executioners might refuse to return the body.

We obviously should pray for Pastor Youcef, and we should ask our elected leaders to speak out against such actions. House Speaker John Boehner spoke out against the sentence last week. The White House later followed suit. Public pressure might make a difference.

We can also honor those who are “faithful, even to the point of death” who are promised the crown of life (Rev. 2:10).  “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:1-2).

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