Costly Conversion - UBM [David Eells]

Dear friends: After a student meeting in Los Angeles a few years ago, I was approached by a student from the University of Southern California who was from the Middle East.

The young man had come to a meeting where I was speaking on "the uniqueness of Jesus". He said, tremendously moved by what you said about Jesus tonight. My father is a religious leader in Pakistan. In my country when a person becomes a Christian he is often killed".

The student related how a medical doctor and his wife had given him a New Testament when he arrived in America. He had been reading it, and decided that Jesus was the one for whom he had looked all his life.

"I found no realities in my religion", he said. "I need Christ in my life, but I know if I receive Him, I must write my father and tell him what I have done. And he will disown me. My father is a very wealthy, influential man", he said. "If I receive Christ, he will cut off my allowance, and I will have no source of income. I will lose my student visa and I will have to return to Pakistan in disgrace".

And he added very soberly, "I will probably be killed, quite likely by my own family".

I didn't press him, but waited prayerfully as he sat quietly, his head bowed. Finally after about 30 minutes, largely of silence, he said, "I am ready". I wept when I heard those words. We knelt and prayed, and this brilliant young student received Christ into his life.

Immediately, He began to experience unusual persecution. He wrote his father, who did disown him. All of his personal belongings were stolen. I later learned that he had gone for many days without food. Then he lost his student visa and was forced to return to his country. I have had no contact with him since. I believe he was martyred for his faith.

Not long ago a Pakistani was converted on our Unleavened Bread Online Bible Study, who told us the same thing about the cost of his conversion and we have not heard from him since, either. Jesus said, {Mt.10:36} and a man's foes [shall be] they of his own household.

Before he left, I asked him, "Are you sorry you received Christ?"

I shall never forget the expression on his face as he replied, "No, I am not sorry". When I think of that experience I realize how fortunate I am. For the most part Christians in the free world are applauded when they receive Christ. But this young man made his decision knowing the cost. (Philippians 2:5-8) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Why is it that Christians in this country expect to not even suffer the loss of their self life when converting? They hear and believe the lie of prosperity Christianity. (Mark 8:35) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

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