Youcef Nadarkhani is free. The pastor who has languished in an Iranian prison for nearly three years was released on Saturday. He had been condemned to die for his faith, but he is now with his family. This is a personal victory for him, and I am grateful he has persevered and overcome the privations he suffered. He has proven his faith is genuine; he was willing to suffer a martyr’s fate for standing up for the truth of the Gospel.

But as an analysis of the situation notes, he was not fully exonerated by the Iranian regime. Although the apostasy charge was dismissed, he still was found guilty of conducting evangelistic activities. The penalty for that was three years in prison. He had served two years, eleven months, so upon payment of a fine, he was allowed to go free at this time. This is not real leniency on Iran’s part; it’s another attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of a confused and distracted West. His release also follows only one day after Canada cut off all diplomatic relations with Iran. “See,” they are saying, “we’re not that bad; it’s the evil Western countries like Canada that are the real problem.”

Meanwhile, other Christians remain in Iranian prisons for precisely the same reason Nadarkhani was incarcerated. For a fuller treatment of this story, and how this episode doesn’t indicate a softening of the Iranian stance, I highly recommend an article from Commentary, which you can access here.

What does the future hold for Nadarkhani and his family? Will he stay in Iran or leave? Biblically, he is under no obligation to remain where he and his family are in danger of death. He could leave with a clear conscience. On the other hand, each Christian must seek the Lord’s guidance as to where he will do the most good for the advancement of the Gospel. Perhaps he may believe the Lord is calling him to stay. Whatever he decides, I rejoice today that he is free to fulfill God’s will for him. His imprisonment was a testimony to the truth; the rest of his life can be as well. May he continue to draw close to the Lord, and may his efforts for Him be blessed.

The riots go on . . . and on. Some NATO personnel carelessly burn Qurans that terrorists had been using to pass secret messages, and the Afghan population goes wild. Two U.S. soldiers are killed, then two U.S. military advisers, who should have been safe in one of the government buildings, are shot and killed by one of the Afghan security force personnel they have been training.

The riots escalate. No matter that President Obama sent over an apology. What has transpired is an insult to Islam, as apparently is most everything a Westerner does. It’s time to take to the streets, express outrage, call for the killing of Americans, and forget that the Taliban ran a brutal operation before our arrival. They don’t care; they prefer the Taliban.

It’s just another normal day with the religion of peace.

In Iran, we are now told that pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is scheduled to be executed. His crime? Being a Christian and refusing to recant his beliefs. At one point, Iran seemed to realize that putting someone to death simply for being a Christian might affect their public relations, so they declared his real crimes were rape and extortion. That was so blatantly phony, no one bought it. The international “community,” such as it is, is now asking the Iranian government not to follow through on the execution. If that government doesn’t listen to the request, no big deal; the “community” will go back to its appeasement policy.

Personally, I have no problem with some kind of apology for the original action of burning the Qurans. Even though I don’t consider it a holy book, and the action definitely not a crime of any sort, we should avoid inflaming an already inflammatory situation. But the sense of proportion is out of whack. Where is the Afghan government’s apology for the out-of-control, fanatical response to the incident? Which is really worse, burning some books out of carelessness or mobs racing through the streets trying to kill Americans—and succeeding?

If President Obama is so sensitive to religious beliefs, I await his reversal of policy on the HHS mandates that violate religious liberty in his own country.

Is there really any hope for helping Afghanistan or should we just wash our hands of the whole country? An emotional response is that we leave them to their own fate. Unfortunately, that fate may be the return of the Taliban and outright coordination once again with Al Qaeda. This is very much one of those between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place decisions.

As for pastor Youcef, it would take a miracle now to save him in this life. His martyrdom, should it occur, will be a travesty of justice, but also a grim reminder that Christians need to come to grips with reality. Western Christians, in particular, have never had to face this type of persecution. This should lead us into sober reflection and an examination of our own hearts before God. Is our faith genuine? Would we face death as unflinchingly as Youcef Nadarkhani?

We may have to answer that question someday because the religion of peace may put that question to us.

Yousef Nadarkhani lives under a sentence of death. Iran plans to execute him for the crime of being a Christian pastor. It all  began in 2009 when Nadarkhani objected to his children being indoctrinated into Islam in the school they were required to attend. He was standing for parental rights as well as the Christian faith.

His outspoken views led to his arrest and the eventual death penalty sentence. This has created a furor in what could be called the remnant of the civilized world. In a rare moment of moral clarity, even the Obama administration has spoken against this unjust sentence. Republicans and Democrats alike unite in admonishing the Iranian regime and calling for Nadarkhani’s release.

Iran is under some pressure, therefore, to review the case. At one point this past week, his lawyer believed there was a 95% chance that the verdict would be overturned. Then, amazingly, the Iranian government changed its tactics—no, Nadarkhani was not being sentenced to death for being a Christian; rather, it was because he had raped someone and even ran a brothel.

That one doesn’t survive the laugh test. It is so transparently false that no one is buying it. These false accusations are reminiscent of the Stalin Show Trials of the 1930s or how Hitler got rid of his enemies: concoct a fantastic story without a shred of evidence and use it to advance the goals of the regime.

What’s going to happen to Pastor Nadarkhani? No one knows for sure yet, but it doesn’t look hopeful. In the midst of this, though, one thing is crystal clear—this man is a model of Christian steadfastness and devotion to the One who saved him from sin. His refusal to deny his Savior is a testimony to the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit. His life—and perhaps his death—will serve as a sobering reminder to Western Christians that we are not simply playing a religious game. We are eternal beings with either heaven or hell awaiting us, and we must answer the call to be faithful, even unto death.

Think of Yousef Nadarkhani; pray for him and for his family. Let his life be an inspiration to those of us who claim the name of Christ.