Iranian pastor refuses to renounce Christ; one step away from death penalty

Excerpt:

When asked to “repent” by the judges, Youcef stated, “Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?” The judges replied , “To the religion of your ancestors, Islam.” To which he replied, “I cannot.”

It is reported that Youcef was able to see his children for the first time since March and was in good spirits speaking of how he longed to serve the church upon his release.

Pastor Youcef will be brought to the court for two additional “hearings” on September 27th and 28th for the sole purpose of being called upon to recant his Christian faith. The ACLJ’s sources report that although Pastor Youcef’s attorneys will attempt to appeal the case, there is no guarantee that the provincial court will not act on its own interpretation of Sharia law and execute pastor Youcef as early as Wednesday.

Technically, there is no right of appeal, and under Iran’s interpretation of Hadith and Sharia law, Pastor Youcef is to be given three chances to recant. He has already been asked to recant twice, and will be asked to do so again Tuesday. If he does not recant his Christian faith, he could be executed at any time.

Lord, have mercy! protect these people and reverse the ways of Satan.

Amen, and a stunning example of where the "real" power, strength in the "true" faith is. One man standing up against tyranny, that has to force their people into submission in order to keep members in their faith... What a weak, pitiful excuse and example of what Islam is. This pastor is willing to die for his faith, while those of Islam, are willing to kill for it instead. Forced faith is not faith at all, it's false and cannot stand because it has no substance.

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Here me out, I'll be banned soon enough!

Very well said. What an abomination.

If they execute him, they see it as a Punishment.

They fail to see that it would be a his Victory!

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Christ is your Salvation and your death is a victory!

Amazing, he is standing in the faith without so much as flinching, God bless him.

Khameni should know, that having muslim ancestry doesn't mean a person will choose islam... It's all about choice. Youcef has guts to stand up for what he believes in.

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In the Armour of God, my sword of the word of god is a two handed sword. The shield of faith is on the right hand side of the crossguard. Satan will not win!

Update: now they've thrown it back to the lower courts for retrail.

Sadly, his case is high profile, it got to the media, the bulk of us dying for the faith goes without any of that fanfare, and is entirely unnoticed. God notices, but man does not. Egypt right now, many Christians are being killed, no court, no getting to the media, just dead and reduced to being a mere number on the grand scheme of things with what we read in our news these days...

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Here me out, I'll be banned soon enough!

prayers are going up...