“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). *** “Pastor, should I tell my father that I am getting baptized?” one of my Iranian catechumens, 18 years old, asked me last week in class. “My mother is fine about me becoming a Christian. But my father is a strict Muslim. He would disown me if he knew.” On the one hand, we are commanded to honor our father and mother (4th Comm., Ex 20:12). This young man is clearly going against the wishes of his father by converting to Christianity. On the other hand, the young man is also leaving a false religion that denies that Jesus Christ is God. So, he will have to confess the truth, even if at a great personal cost. The question seems to be *when* to tell his father. I replied that something might be working in his favor. “What’s that?” he asked. I replied: “Thirty-four years ago the eastern part of Germany was essentially a giant prison. The majority of East Germans were against the cruel dictatorship that ruled their land, but they had no way of overthrowing the regime. Even in the summer of 1989, everyone thought that the wall [see picture of a piece of it now in Hamburg] that kept the East Germans locked in would remain forever. But only a few months later God worked a miracle. The wall opened up and the hated totalitarian government collapsed soon afterwards. Amazingly, no one was killed in this peaceful revolution. Iran today is in a similar situation. Only a fraction of the people truly believe in Islam and support the cruel mullah government.” “That’s for sure,” everyone agreed. “That’s why we all fled and want to become Christians.” “God willing,” I continued, “the cruel mullah government in Tehran will someday collapse and many, many people, who are currently secret Christians, will come out of hiding. Can you imagine the wonderful conversation you would have with your father if he said, “Everyone around here is converting to Christianity. You live in Germany…Could you explain this Jesus Christ to me?”
The Tiews in Germany 