March 19th, 2006 > “A Christian Is Chosen by Jesus Christ”

“Men choose a religion, but a Christian is chosen by Jesus Christ. To be a Christian

means to belong to Christ. Jesus asked me to renounce even my life, to follow Him

faithfully, not to fear the world even if my body must perish. I prefer to know that God, the

Almighty, is with me, even if it means that the whole world is against me. “I am in God’s hands. For 45 years I have walked with the God of miracles, and His goodness is for me a shadow that protects me in His love.

“The God of Daniel, who protected his friends, protected me during my nine years in

prison, and all torments changed to my good, so that I have the fullness of love and

gratitude.

“Of all the prophets, Jesus alone was resurrected from the dead, and He remains our

living Mediator forever. I gave my life into His hands. For me, life is an opportunity to serve

Him, and death is the privilege of getting to be with Him.”

Pastor Mehdi Dibaj of Iran was on trial for his life, and these words were the defense he

gave in court. An upper-class Muslim, he and his family had converted to Christianity. He

had dared to translate Christian radio programs and books into the Farsi language. He

was arrested in 1985 and accused of apostasy, denying the Muslim faith. For this, he

faced the death penalty.

In Iran, social and political pressure is sometimes used to force Christians to recant their

new-found faith in Jesus Christ. Some are even tortured. Dibaj was imprisoned alone for

two years in a cramped hole with no room to stretch his legs. While he was in prison, his

wife, Azizeh, left Dibaj and was forced to marry a Muslim.

When Dibaj steadfastly refused to deny his faith, the court condemned him to death. But

after one month he was set free because of international attention that had been brought

to his case. Soon after this, however, he was found dead in a park. It is believed by some

that Islamic leaders had called for his execution.

Despite losing their father, his four children remain faithful to Jesus Christ.

Excerpted from:

by dc Talk

ISBN 0764227467

Published by Bethany House Publishers.