Secret Believers

Be challenged and inspired by the secret believers found in many Muslim countries who pay a heavy price for being a follower of Christ. It is perhaps strange to some, especially in a post modern culture, to not only hear of Muslims choosing to follow Christ when they know they will have to suffer persecution if they are found out, but also that they love and revere the Bible as if it was the very word of God. I could imagine some of my Pomo friends telling them that if they stick with Islam and continue reading the Koran they will still, just as easily, get to heaven- they don't need to go through that suffering that comes with following Christ in a Muslim land. To me, what these secret believers have is a much more authentic New Testament faith than what we have in the West. The early Christians suffered severely- we do not. They, when they become a Christian know that they might well have to lose their lives for believing. In the West, we are offered all sorts of sweets to entice us -happiness, peace, prosperity,a good job,healing, happy marriage- then we easily give it up if we think we can get a better offer. When the Master called to the crowd he declared: If any man would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and come follow me- that call prepared those who responded for execution more than for a happy self fulfilling life.AK