By Charles Gardner —
Imagine growing up with the ambition of sacrificing your life for Islam. But that was the only way to be sure of salvation and eternal life, according to what Iranian Mohamad Faridi was told.
In the meantime, he had to pay for his sins by self-inflicted punishment, flogging himself with sharp whips until he was thoroughly beaten and bruised, as many in Iran do even in public.
“It’s all about earning Allah’s favor and I just wanted to be sure of God’s approval,” explained Mohamad, who was born in Tehran in 1984. “But I was left with a sense of hopelessness.”
Then, after his two-year mandatory army service ended, he met up with his friend Rasul, a formerly violent man who was now calm and peaceful. Rasul explained that he had become a Christian and that it was Jesus who had changed him.
“He told me how Jesus was beaten, bruised, cut and crucified, how he had given up his life that I might have eternal life. Instead of needing to shed my own blood, Jesus had done it for me through his death on the cross.
“The veil of deception was torn from my eyes as the word of God pierced my heart and I fell on my knees as Rasul led me in a simple prayer, repenting of my sins and asking Jesus (who rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion) to become the Lord and Savior of my life.
“The burdens that felt like 500 pound weights fell from each of my shoulders and I knew I had been set free, and that the Islamic world operates under a lie.”
Later, when he entered a church, he was “showered” by the presence of God and heard a voice saying, “You’re home!”
He was given a New Testament in Farsi and Mohamad couldn’t put it down, reading the gospels five times and being especially blessed by Jesus’ words: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
But his father turned violent when he found out about his conversion and he was forced to leave home, spending the next three years evangelizing as a taxi driver.
When he realized the authorities were on his trail, however, he applied to the UN for refugee status and was able to flee to America, where he made a new life for himself and met his wife.
Now part of an Iranian church in Los Angeles, he says: “Jesus is the best thing that could happen to anybody. Nothing is better than to be approved of God and know that you have already passed from death to life.”
Having to leave his family and country behind, Mohamad has paid a high price. But as he points out: “We’re here for a short amount of time and the cost of living forever without God is what you have to consider. Jesus is knocking and if you open the door of your heart, and receive this gift, he will come in and dine with you.” (See Rev 3:20)
For full story see Leaving Islam for Christianity | Mohamad Faridi’s Set Free Story
