On the brow of a green hill, backed by a mountain range stretching from Taurus in the north to Akkar in the south, parallel to the azure Mediterranean, stood a rural house with no wings or balconies. Except for the cut stones in its walls, distinguishing it from the surrounding cottages, one could not tell that it was the house of a tribal chief. It was here in 1911 that I was born.

My name was recorded as Taufiq in the register of births. Although my birth was a source of joy for some, I myself did not have a happy childhood. There was an atmosphere of strife in my home which prevented any serenity.

My father had three wives. With the passage of time, they had learned to live together under the same roof in a sort of truce. However, my father's taking a fourth wife dealt a blow to all. It gave occasion for hatred, anger and contention and the "peace agreement" in the home was shattered.

This happened before I turned six, and my mind could not fathom all that was going on; neither could I comprehend why my mother insisted on creating a deep gulf between me and the other sons and daughters of my father. My eyes were the witnesses of a human tragedy played on the stage of a household charged passionately with rivalry and contempt.

I remember one particular morning with some bitterness, when, during my father's absence, I was snatched from my bed before dawn, dressed hurriedly and rushed off while still half-asleep. I awoke later in the house of my maternal grandfather where my two sisters had been sent an hour earlier. Here I heard my mother announce her determination to desert the home of her husband and live with us in a separate house.

When father returned, he tried hard to dissuade her, but she was inflexible, refusing any kind of settlement. He submitted to her wishes and entrusted her with some properties, so that by managing these she would have the necessary income with which to secure a decent upbringing for her children.

Although my father acted kindly towards her, she held a grudge against him all her life, refusing co-operation in any matter, even that of my upbringing. Jealousy rent her heart and she lost all reasonableness.

Despite my desire to honour her memory as a mother, I cannot but confess that she failed to provide me with a sound upbringing. She loved me sacrificially, but I had to endure her negativity, bitterness and sharp temper. These attitudes prevented her from being the mother she should have been. I can justify her behaviour to some extent, because she herself had grown up in a home with the same painful tragedy of polygamy, the social evil which has been and still is one reason behind the disintegration of many families in our beloved Orient.

My mother was divided between loving her children and hating the other wives of her husband. Thus, I spent my childhood in an atmosphere of conflicting emotions and knew little of stability. It was only natural that I bore the imprint of the environment in which I grew up. There were knots of disturbed emotions inside me, which prevented me from forming any ties with my father's other sons and daughters. They themselves were no better off than I. If it were not for the wonderful love of God that met me with special care and prepared me to know the Saviour, I would certainly have become the most evil of men.

My father was very fond of me and wanted to supervise my upbringing. He longed dearly for me to stay with him. It may be that he kept my mother under his protection, despite her hostility, for the very reason of his love for me.

One day, he took me to the town of Jabala where he had a large house and office for managing his affairs as head of the tribe, a prominent position in our district. He wanted to put me through school in that area. However, my being under the same roof as his new wife was enough to arouse my mother's feelings. Her mistrust led her to bring me back to the village where she was living. It was in this village that I spent five years at the Kuttab al-Khoja, learning to read and write. When a preparatory school opened nearby, my mother sent me there. It was at this school that I spent another five years, learning all that Sheikh Ahmad and his colleague, Ali Effendi, could impart to me.

When I became an adolescent, I possessed sensitivity and intelligence -- two qualities which developed despite the feverish hostility that surrounded me. Because of these attributes, I was able to discern the folly of my parents and establish a foundation for regulating my emotions and confused perceptions. Nonetheless, I sorely craved counsel, and my need kept clamouring for someone to guide me and show me the way.

My father would have been the natural person to provide me with the direction I so desperately needed because he loved me and was most fitted for this task. However, he was so busy with the children of his newest wife that he seemed not to have any time for me. It would also have been natural for my elder brothers to undertake such task, but thee were unfit for such a responsibility.

In this atmosphere, void of love and harmony, it became my own duty to lay a foundation for my future. Although I had no clear idea of what to do, I felt strongly that my first step was to go to secondary school and that without delay.

News of secondary schools opening in the cities kept reaching me, and this heightened my desire to attend one. This wish grew to be my dearest longing, so I rushed to my father and asked him to help me realise my aspiration. I shed many a tear before a decision was made to send me to the boys' secondary school in Latakia. After my mother made certain that none of my father's other wives lived in that city, she could find no reason for holding me back.

Having enrolled, I applied myself to my studies earnestly, and my own natural intelligence helped me progress rapidly. As a result, I was able to complete the higher syllabus in three years. Furthermore, my keenness and sharp power of observation helped me make up quickly for what I lacked in social graces.

During my years at secondary school, I lived in the home of a fine Christian widow. My father paid her for my room and lodging. Despite my relationship to her as a boarder, this generous lady treated me as a son and I admit with pride that her home was my first school of etiquette.

In this noble home, I observed how love that is patient, kind and forgiving spreads peace among the family members. The meekness and humility of the children there pricked my pride, and their vying to please me helped to rid me of coarseness and selfishness. This in turn urged me to re-examine much of my behaviour. In this family's simple circle of friends and relatives, I found hospitality and acceptance and the habits I learned helped to set my life on a firm foundation. The friends I made there were and still are the most loving, noble and loyal of any I have had throughout my life. How different they are from the complex-ridden children of many prominent families!

As a child, I inclined towards piety and adherence to ethical rules, in accordance with the religious order to which I belonged. As for my attitude toward the beliefs of other denominations, it was characterised by reserve. Furthermore, I was repulsed by the Christian religion, because it proclaims the crucifixion of Jesus Christ at the hands of the Jews; besides, certain theological treatises have accused Christianity of polytheism. I had been strongly influenced by the Batiniya school of thought in Islam which seeks the hidden meaning behind the revealed sacred writings of our faith. I believed that Christ must have been superhuman and far above the angels; so the idea that he was delivered to crucifixion by the Jews seemed preposterous.

I sometimes argued with my new friends and they appeared unable to refute my claims, owing to their lack of religious knowledge. One day, they invited a certain youth to debate with me. However, he did not contend with me at all but introduced himself to me cordially, saying, "I am A. M., a student in the Evangelical School, and I would be very pleased if we could be friends."

"Ahlan Wasahlan (welcome)," I said to him, "it will be a great honour for me to be counted among your friends."

This youth was very pleasant, courteous and discriminating. With such qualities, he won my highest esteem. We became quite fond of one another in a short time, and our mutual respect developed into a kind of brotherhood. God used this youth to lead me to a knowledge of the Saviour.

It happened that he invited me to accompany him to his church on one of our school holidays. "Our church will celebrate one of its feasts today," he said, "and I would be happy if you would come along and be introduced to the way we worship."

I told him: "I am sorry, but I hold certain private opinions about Christianity which prevent me from attending. I am not at all comfortable with what you Christians keep repeating about Christ being crucified."

"Just a moment, brother," my friend said, "the teaching of the cross is very sublime, more profound than you can imagine or think. It is the work of God in redemption, in keeping with His wonderful love for man. However, since you are not ready to consider this subject, let us not discuss it just yet."

After a period of silence, he removed a copy of the New Testament from his pocket and said to me: "Take this; it is the Gospel of God. Read it sincerely. Ponder its contents. I shall ask God to illuminate your mind, so that you may know the reason for which Christ came into the world as a man and died on a cross."

I took the Book and thanked him. Before going to bed, I reviewed his words, drawing on my memory to recall the echo of that unusual tone in which he had expressed himself, for I sensed the sincerity of one who wished happiness for his friend. A host of conflicting sentiments welled up inside me. In the end, I felt myself driven by an intuition, not of this world, to reconsider my negative reaction to his invitation.

I told him one day: "I have decided to accompany you to your church. I realise that I have no reason to be apprehensive."

"Good," said he with a bright smile, "let us meet tomorrow, Sunday."

I accompanied him to church that Sunday. I experienced things there that were altogether different from what I had previously heard or imagined. The way the church members worshipped pleased me, and it seemed not strange at all. The simplicity and reverence of all that went on impressed me. The beauty of the singing drew my attention especially, but it was the minister's sermon that affected me most, for it had an impact on my soul.

The simple folk with whom God placed me loved me so very much; it was only natural that I would be drawn by their love. I witnessed lives that were marvellously pure and saw the beauty of Christian devotion. Such a testimony did its work in my soul, melting the blind bigotry which had enveloped my mind and paralysed my thoughts, keeping me from accepting reasonable truths held by millions.

In this atmosphere, saturated with love, I could see the wisdom in my friend's advice to read the Gospel. After removing the copy he had given me from the drawer in my desk, I started to read. From the onset, I found myself gripped as though by magic; the words of Jesus seemed to have been written especially for me. Reading the Sermon on the Mount, I was introduced to a new world that glittered with love.

As I continued reading the Gospel, I grew in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. When I read John 3:16, an overwhelming sense of joy took hold of me, for in this passage of Scripture I discovered the key to the mystery of the cross: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

My mind was opened, and the veil over my discernment, removed. Suddenly, I knew why Jesus was willing to die on the cross: God loved man to such an extent that He lavishly gave the offering of His only Son to redeem all who would believe in Him, saving them from the punishment of everlasting separation from Him. But this truth often conflicts with man's understanding. The intellect of many rebels against it, hesitating to accept the idea that God would offer His only Son for mankind. But if Abraham offered his son, Isaac, to God because he loved Him, would God Himself -- the very fountain of love -- be less generous than to give His Son? Of course not! If love can be found in the heart of man, inadequate and irregular though it be, surely it is there without bounds in the heart of God, for God Himself is love!

The gentle breezes of love blew on me in this marvellous evangelical atmosphere, quickening the deadness of my heart, hardened by my rebellion and sins. I was spellbound with the love portrayed in the Gospel, so I studied it eagerly. I memorised all the passages which speak of the love of God to sinful man and, before long, I was aware of my need to seek salvation. To my joy, I came to know Jesus as my Saviour. He died for me on the cross, so that I need never perish; I could have everlasting life.

My knowledge of the Saviour was leading me to confess Him before others. But how was this to be accomplished? Would there be any understanding shown to one who had left the principles and traditions of his forefathers?

Danger seemed to be lurking in every corner, and the doors of compassion appeared closed in my face. It was my desperate need to hold fast to God's mercy, for the One who said, "Follow me," also said, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:28).

I still lacked a wide knowledge of things pertaining to the Christian life which would have equipped me to deal with my situation through prayer. However, the Great Shepherd knew my need for protection. I was positively assured that He cared for me and would ward off all harm, guarding me from every evil.

1929 was a year of momentous events for my family. A series of calamities befell my father. He lost his seat in the parliamentary elections, and this led to his decline politically, financially and socially. He started to drink and gamble until he was burdened by debt. His properties were foreclosed and his income shrank. This setback in my father's affairs affected the course of my life because, as his condition worsened, it became impossible for me to continue my education. I ended up having to work in order to support myself.

I left the halls of learning and sought out a position in the offices of government, hoping that my father's former fame would still be acknowledged and that some helping hand would surely be offered me, but nothing of the kind happened. The senior officials of my school opposed my leaving, suggesting a much brighter future for me if I continued with my studies. I did not heed this advice but continued in my efforts to find a job.

I applied for a position in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, but since I had no one to back my application, my appeal was denied. My thoughts were troubled, and I became like a ship in the midst of a fierce storm, tossed about in all directions. Friends noticed the turmoil on my face, and they wondered what was happening to me -- one who had just recently faced all the situations of life with a smile. Some tried to investigate the source of the problem in order to help me. However, my pride refused any interference from others in my affairs.

In spite of these events and the accompanying upsets and painful worries, my determination to announce my faith in Christ still occupied first place in my thoughts.

One rainy day in March 1929, I went with my friend, A.M., to meet the church minister and share my concerns with him. This pleased the minister, and he prayed for and encouraged me. However, he expressed deep regret at not being able to accept me officially into his church, because the law of the land prohibited that. He also showed alarm at the thought of a possible conflict with my father over the matter. After some thought, he advised me to go to Lebanon where the citizens enjoy freedom of thought and belief. He also promised to send a letter of commendation to the Evangelical Council there. This was done with the hope that they would accept me as a member in one of their churches.

Although the idea of moving to Lebanon seemed sound from the aspect of my benefiting from the laws in this land, it did not solve my problem. By relocating to a country where I had no friends or acquaintances, I risked being faced with new problems for which I would not be prepared. For one thing, I had to earn a living, which would be a challenge not easy to meet; I had no professional training or work experience.

I left the gracious minister without deciding on anything, because things appeared complicated and frightening. However, I did not lose my faith in God to whom I had entrusted all my affairs. Despite the many discouragements and frustrations which loomed on the horizon, I felt deep within my soul that relief was near.

As I was wrestling with my thoughts the following morning, my colleague at school, G. G., arrived. After greeting me, he said: "There has been a disagreement between my father and me, and I am unable to remain at home. I would like to leave for Lebanon as soon as possible and join the Army of the Levant, attached to the French High Command."

I quickly cautioned, "Can you cope with the hardships of army life?"

"Oh," he responded, "there are no real hardships, as far as the educated young men are concerned. After a period of training, an examination is given; those who succeed are sent to the officers' school and the rest, to the non-commissioned officers' school."

"If that is the case, what would prevent me from joining you?" I asked. It appeared to me that enlisting in the army would be the solution to all my problems; at least this is how it struck me as soon as he proposed going to Lebanon.

"I would be very pleased if we went together," my friend replied, smiling. "Give the matter some serious thought, but be quick about it. I will return tomorrow morning. If you decide to go, we can leave together."

"I have already decided and will start making preparations immediately," I said. "May God be with us."

I did not need much time to prepare, because the things I could bring with me to the barracks were few. I gave away my clothing to the sons of Mrs. S., and they grew sad when they heard of my plans to leave. As I left them the following morning, it was with tears and a heavy heart, for those good people occupied a place in my life which my family had failed to fill. If it were not for the boldness which new hope had created in my soul, I could not have left them.

G. G. and I set out in the direction of Tripoli, and we arrived by noon. After wandering about in the streets the rest of the day, we spent the night in a modest hotel. The following morning, we left for the army barracks. There, after being given a medical examination, we were enrolled into the First Infantry Division. That day was March 11, 1929, and I have been infantryman number 8382 since then.

The next day, I was sent to the training school, along with a group of youths from a variety of backgrounds. Every group of forty enlisted soldiers was allocated a room. To my dismay, I did not have a bed but a wooden board roughly 70 centimetres wide and nailed to two crosspieces 10 centimetres thick. As for the mattress, it was stuffed with a coarse straw of palm leaves.

After registering my name in the detachment roll, I was sent to the supply room to receive my uniform, rifle, kit bag, axe, a few cooking utensils and some equipment for setting up a tent.

From then on, I had to wash my own clothes and polish my gear and weapons. I also had to participate periodically in common chores, such as cleaning the room, sweeping the yard and carrying the food of our detachment from the kitchen to the dining room. Fortunately, I was relieved of this within the first week of entering the barracks. Some of the conscripted soldiers volunteered to do these chores for me in exchange for my writing their letters home; most of them were illiterate. Furthermore, the sergeant relieved me of some of my other tasks in exchange for writing his daily reports in French; he had no knowledge of this language.

The first stage of a lonely life began, which appeared to be my destiny. Nothing disturbed the peace here, save the sound of the bugle which blared out periodically, calling the soldiers to assemble, to gather for meals, to sleep or to rise.

As the days rolled on, I met with some unpleasant surprises. My father knew something of the reasons behind my departure and took it very much to heart. He could not rest until he officially requested the French governor to discharge me from the army and return me home. To ensure the success of this scheme, some advised him to reinforce his application by expressing concern about the adverse effects of city life on my character, owing to my youth and need for parental supervision. A friend of his, the district councillor, helped him in this endeavour by rejecting my application papers to the army. Since he himself had not signed them, he officially requested my discharge.

The governor of the district referred this application to the high commissioner who, in turn, referred it for investigation. The high command returned it to the commissariat, recommending that they reject the excuses put forward by my father. They also pressured the head of the military attaché at the high commissioner's office to endorse my papers. The councillor, however, finding this compromise an affront to his dignity, resorted to a trick. He sent an official letter demanding my expulsion from the army for the following reasons: misconduct, possession of money to spend on pleasures, a leaning toward vagrancy and leaving school before completing my studies.

These allegations were baseless fabrications, and I regarded them as the persecutions which, since that day, have dogged my footsteps continually. How irritating it was to me that these accusations were supported by statements purporting to be from my father. Was this a case of a tribal chief's pride being hurt by his son becoming an ordinary soldier, or was it a fanaticism seeking to quench my inclinations toward Christianity? Was it possible that both these circumstances made my prominent father feel doubly dishonoured?

The governor referred the matter to the high command, bypassing the military attaché of the high commissioner. Knowing that I was innocent of all I had been accused, God had prepared the detachment commander, a noble man of integrity, as my strong defender. I told him all of my story after he had summoned me into his office. No sooner had I revealed it to him than he rushed to my defence, rebutting every accusation levelled at me. In preparing his defence, he was helped by a certificate from my headmaster -- a former officer who held the Legion of Honour award -- which applauded my conduct and praised my exemplary character.

When his report reached the command headquarters, the chief of staff sent a complaint to the district councillor, asking him to either sign my papers or be charged with obstructing orders. He did not comply with these instructions fully, suggesting instead a solution which would satisfy my father, whose displeasure he considered undesirable for the mandate power. His solution was that I should be transferred to the second detachment stationed in Latakia where, according to the councillor, my training and preparation for the war college would be entrusted to officers of high calibre.

This proposal was referred to the high command for ratification. Fortunately, my detachment commander regarded this proposal as an attempt to cast doubt on his officer's standing, so he sent a detailed report, stiffly worded, accusing the councillor of conspiring with my father to deprive the army of an educated youth with a bright future. This report had a strong impact on the high command which made a final decision in my case, giving me the following options: discharge from the army, transfer to the second regiment, or remaining in the first regiment.

Naturally, I chose to stay with the first regiment in Lebanon where I could await a suitable opportunity to request official membership in a church. It was for this very goal that I had left my own people and country. After I had announced my decision to my commander, he was visibly moved and said encouragingly, "Do not fear any harm from now on, for I personally will take an active interest in your development."

"Thank you, sir," I replied with tears, "I will justify your faith in me."

This commander lived up to his promise. When I finished my first course of training, he promoted me to the rank of corporal and appointed a secretary and interpreter for me in his office. After a few more months, he promoted me as sergeant. This raised my morale, meeting my needs and presenting me in a favourable light in the community.

During this time, I began to visit an evangelical church where I found a spiritual atmosphere that impressed me. I also found encouragement from the pastor there, a man of God by the name of Abdallah Massouh. After a brief period of attendance, I was accepted into full membership.

On February 23, 1932, I was married to Martha Atieh in the National Evangelical Church of Beirut. Rev. Mufeed Abd al-Kareem, president of the Supreme Council of the Evangelical Church, officiated.

Our wedding lacked the pomp and grandeur of others which typically begin with a large procession, the pealing of bells and the joyous trills of women's voices. The bridal procession was composed of just the bride's brother and his spouse. Three other friends, who came by foot, bore their good wishes instead of floral wreaths. As for the procession of the groom, it consisted of two witnesses who happened to be construction workers.

Despite our wedding's lack of sophistication, it had the glory of simplicity and the majesty of humility, and it was overshadowed by the presence of the Lord who blessed it as he did the wedding in Cana of Galilee. There were neither speeches, cheers, clapping, nor any grand tunes played to arouse mirth, but only a simple hymn sung by the minister's wife and daughter, which mingled with the songs of thankfulness ringing in our hearts. They sang of the One who loved us and cleansed us from our sins by His blood.

When we left the church, there was no convoy of cars, decorated with ribbons. Instead, we went by foot to the taxi station and secured two seats in a car bound for Tripoli. When we arrived at Altal Square, there was no one waiting for us, but God was our companion and His voice whispered in our hearts: "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:3,5,8).

We did not have a house in the proper sense of the word, because the place I had prepared consisted merely of one room. Among the furniture were a simple bed with a mattress and pillow of straw, a small table and two chairs. However, we were happy. Our hearts were filled with a joy not of this world, created in us by the peace of God which the world can neither offer nor comprehend.

Since we did not have the money to buy kitchen utensils, we received our meals for a while at the home of our neighbour, Umm Fahd, whom we paid a modest sum in keeping with my small army salary. From our relationship with him, we learned the best lesson in communal co-operation and found it to be a great blessing, for it was here that we were drilled in the art of living simply and realistically, within our means. The Apostle Paul wrote: "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" (Philippians 4:11).

At that time, my wife and I were in need of social instruction, so God sent an elder sister to us, Mrs. Wajeeha Abu Rustum. She did not spare any efforts in giving my wife sound guidance and counsel. Opening her home to us without reserve, she afforded us the opportunity of meeting the best among her friends. I personally found Mr. Abu Rustum to be not only a faithful friend but also a wise mentor.

Our spiritual care was undertaken by Reverends Massouh and Nelson who kept an eye on us. They and their wives visited us regularly, and these occasions helped set my spiritual life on a solid foundation.

In summer 1934, I joined the military academy in Homs, where I was to spend the next five years. Half of my time was spent in the accounts division and the other half, in receiving my military and scientific training. At the end of the period, I passed the examinations successfully and obtained the certificates that entitled me to be promoted to the rank of officer.

During my stay in Homs, I joined the evangelical circle and attended the church meetings and other activities regularly. It was at the Homs Evangelical Church that I first heard a message on "the new birth". The speaker was an Egyptian preacher, Sheikh Kamel Mansour. His sermon enlightened my mind, for I learned that my Christian calling should go beyond my belief and activities with other Christians; it had to extend to the point of consecrating my life to God. I longed with all my being to devote my life to the Redeemer. However, this aim seemed to be unattainable, because life at the army barracks had made me somewhat coarse and short-tempered.

While at Homs, I won the esteem of many and made some worthwhile friendships, but these attainments were far from constituting a dedication of life. This grave subject caused me sleeplessness and much exercise of conscience. But this conviction did not last long, for the lure of worldly living soon dulled my sensitivity, and so I surrendered to so-called reality, counting dedication of life a form of mysticism, unattainable without long strivings and that only after reaching a certain age.

Days came and went, and momentous events occurred. My conversion to Christianity ceased being a secret and became common knowledge. Comments about me increased, and I was made the butt of the ugliest accusations. I endured this harsh treatment with a love that bears and endures all things patiently. I had been wounded in the house of my friends, deprived of my mother's affection, frowned upon by my brethren and shunned by my fellow countrymen. The resentment of my father's sons and mother's daughters only served to increase my resolution to stand firm in what I believed to be right. As a result of the slander aimed at me, I became more determined in my struggle for the sake of truth which I believed and upheld.

During that period, a group of religious men volunteered to reclaim me by means of debate. So I listened, bearing the sting of their criticisms with love and patience, replying to each question plainly and simply, repaying harshness with gentleness and in-gratitude with thanks, according to the words of the Apostle Peter: "Be tender-hearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing" (1 Peter 3:8,9).

The Lord was with me and His Spirit guided me, putting the right words in my mouth -- words seasoned with the salt of the Holy Bible which gives grace to all who hear. My answers were based upon what I had learned from the Holy Scriptures about the love of God for the world -- that love which provided a mediation between God and man through redemption by the Incarnate Word, secured since the foundation of the earth. I ended my words by saying, "This is the principle I have embraced, and I am unable to recant because it has illuminated my life and given me rest from my labours." The grace of God was working during that debate, dismissing anger and ending the session in peace.

Before long, another kind of approach was directed towards me by a group of educated young men. Their method was to hint at the sympathy of the mandate government for my former sect. They claimed that a special program was set up with the sons of prominent families in view. If I would recant, I would be assured a speedy promotion in the army. One of them, a friend of mine, whispered in my ear: "My brother, stick to your beliefs but pretend to renounce your faith. The important thing is to redeem your family name which is now beset by gossip and slander."

"My dear friend," I protested, "you are asking me to be something most hateful to me -- a hypocrite. You also want me to commit a most heinous sin. Have you not heard the word of Christ: `But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven'" (Matthew 10:33)?

After a brief moment of silence, I resumed speaking: "You say the government of the mandate is sympathetic to a certain sect and that I can obtain rapid promotion if I comply with your wishes. But have you considered Christ's question: "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul'" (Matthew 16:26)?

Even in my Christian circle, the Tempter tried to push me in a different direction, a road planted with wily traps aimed at my fall. This happened during an interview I had with Bishop K. who loved me dearly and showed a readiness to exercise his wide influence at the Army Chief Command to secure fast promotions for me. The condition was that I should join his denomination. He embellished the matter by adding, "I offer you not only material favours but also a spiritual blessing by rescuing you from the error of the Protestants."

"My dear sir," I said in a tone of exasperation, "what you are offering me is indeed attractive, but it was the Protestants who introduced me to Christ the Saviour. If your Christ is better, I am willing to follow Him even without promotion."

Rev. Dr. Assaf Bishara arrived in Homs for a series of revival meetings. He began with a message on the role of the cross in the life of the Christian, selecting the words of the great servant of Christ, the Apostle Paul: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

This sermon aroused my conscience anew, for in the depths of my being I longed to have an experience of the cross; then I could crucify my baser passions that lean toward evil and live instead for Christ the Lord -- a life of surrender, according to His righteous, good and perfect will. But no sooner did I try by my own efforts than I failed. The environment of the barracks did not assist me in this endeavour.

I decided to involve myself with Christians whom I felt possessed a high degree of spirituality. I thought that by mingling with them I would receive the desired lift. But alas, it turned out to be a search for the living among the dead. A certain headmaster and famous man of letters there insisted on celebrating our friendship with a glass of arak, an oriental drink like vodka. This disappointed me deeply, for I had thought him to be the "good salt" that would have seasoned the Bread of Life in me.

As World War II raged on, I was transferred to Company 191 of the infantry stationed in Latakia. This company was due to go to the front as soon as it was trained in the use of modern weaponry. However, this plan did not materialise, owing to the collapse of French resistance under pressure of Hitler's armies in 1940.

When the Vichy government was established, our detachment was disbanded and divided into regiments. As a result of this split, I was placed in the fifth regiment. In the summer of 1941, there were some skirmishes between the Vichy forces and the Allies on the borders between Palestine and Iraq. Our regiment was sent to south-west Syria to stop the British and Gaulists in Palestine from advancing into Syria and Lebanon. The fighting did not last long, however, owing to the combatants having started peace negotiations. There was a cease-fire, and we received orders from the high command to regroup and return to positions held before the break of hostilities. But the Allied Forces insisted on considering us prisoners of war. Accordingly, we were led to detention centres set up sporadically. Thus, it fell to my lot to experience captivity behind barbed wire. I was not released until I had registered as a volunteer in the Free French Forces, moving to the seventh brigade which was stationed on the Syrian-Lebanese coast, defending the shores.

During the period of my captivity, the subject of the surrendered life began to engage my mind afresh, and with it came a strong sense of conviction. I decided to leave the army as soon as the war ended, in order to dedicate my whole life to my beloved Redeemer. But, as I was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, I felt that the world lay at my feet. The pleasures and joys of life seemed to beckon me, as is often the case at the end of a war when most people give full rein to their instincts and invent countless ways of amusing themselves. I too went overboard, joining the circle of the upper classes. It was there that I lapsed into a spiritual hibernation until I was awakened by the voice of God which said, "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light" (Ephesians 5:14).

When it was decided in 1945 that the French should leave Syria and Lebanon, everything was ready for my family and me to leave for Europe. However, the Lord who had chosen me and brought me into His fold, protecting me through all the dangers and conflicts, did not allow this. His wondrous wisdom was at work in every way to release me from the grip of the world, so that I could enjoy true freedom as His child. It was meant for me to live the consecrated life for which I yearned since I had been illumined.

The years that I had spent in military service under the free French flag entitled me to French citizenship. While waiting for the legal formalities, an order was issued to transfer me to the French army stationed in Germany. This was a most attractive opportunity. Continuing my service in the large French army was bound to give me promotional opportunities; thus, I would attain a high rank in the military. This in turn would result in an attractive retirement income after another ten years. But God says in the Scriptures: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9).

In order to show the wealth of His patience toward this weak vessel which He had foreordained to honour His name, God intervened at the last minute by placing some obstacles in the way of my going to Europe. A new order was issued to send me to a colonial army stationed in central Africa. After two years, I would be allowed to rejoin my family in Marseilles. This sudden change made my wife fearful, and she refused to part from me -- a matter which obliged me to resign from the French Army. My resignation was accepted after a few days, and orders were issued for my discharge. In keeping with the rules in such cases, I was given a compensation for my services under the flag.

After my discharge in 1946, I took up residence in Tripoli. During those first days after my return to civilian life, it seemed to me that I lived in a world whose assumptions and mode of life were altogether strange. Even so, I had to conform to those among whom I was living and had to work at something to support my wife and children.

Some associates advised me to go into business, and when I expressed my aversion to this type of work, they tried to make it appear more attractive by telling me of those who were supposed to have made a fortune in a few years. Their reasoning was so powerful that I was soon persuaded to enter the world of trade. I eventually rented a shop in the centre of town and filled its shelves with novelty goods.

In the course of my new work, I was able to study people and observe that they violated the law of love in much of their dealings. I was deeply disturbed and disgusted by what I saw of man's moral corruption and his tendency to commit debasing and soul-destroying evils for the sake of material gain.

In this atmosphere, infected with degradation, it was as if I were teetering at the edge of a pit; and more than once my foot slipped, nearly landing me in the depths of destruction. I had the will to seek the face of God in sincerity, so I cried to Him, pleading earnestly for His helping hand. But there was also another force at work trying to oppose my efforts: Satan, the accursed deceiver, who tried everything to thwart my desire for God. This subtle schemer found an opportunity to enslave me with the guiles that abound in this type of business. He even aroused some of my previous inclinations to certain sins that I practised during my period of ignorance. We had a bitter fight -- a conflict between the Spirit which denies his thoughts, longing for self-denial and the flesh which formerly obeyed its own desires and lusted against the Spirit.

The Tempter was an expert in his approach. He displayed before me the pleasures which the world affords -- those which my new business made easier to acquire. Also, whenever he sensed any resistance from me, he tried to quell it with doubt as to whether a particular pleasure was really a sin. He whispered in my ear the subtle words with which he deceived our first parents: "Has God indeed said?" (Genesis 3:1). It was as if he were challenging me, asking, "Did God in fact say that you should not amuse yourself and pander some pleasures to your body after a hard day's work?" The wily Tempter nearly succeeded in his tricks but for the intervention of the blessed Holy Spirit who reminded me of the apostolic command that says: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:15-17).

The Holy Spirit of God continued His work in my conscience, convicting me in matters regarding righteousness, sin and judgement. He reminded me of all that Jesus had taught about holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. But as soon as the Tempter felt a rebuff, he would adopt a new strategy in an attempt to wear down my vigilance. This he did by introducing doubts of another kind; namely, uncertainty concerning the mercy of God. He would begin his subtleties by recalling my sins of ignorance in the ugliest settings. That which may have been a childish lapse was portrayed before me as a deep gulf separating me from God -- one which was impossible to bridge.

These forces buffeted me as I lay in bed one morning. I was distressed, and my senses were in great turmoil. I was like a ship whose captain had strayed during a fierce storm. However, the love of God opened my eyes, so that I could see the wonders of His law. Before daybreak, the Spirit reminded me of the Word of God: "`Come now, and let us reason together,' says the Lord, `though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool'" (Isaiah 1:18).

Then I remembered the golden text which had illuminated my mind and led me to the knowledge of His love demonstrated at the cross: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

I dropped to my knees, reviewing the past, and found among my sins some that I still cherished -- those which had taken root by force of habit. So I took a pencil and started recording them on a sheet of paper -- an act prompted, no doubt, by the Spirit of God. The Lord then guided me to mount against each one in a campaign of prayer. He was pleased to hear my supplication and granted me victory. Crossing each one out with red ink, I knew before one week had passed that the blood of Jesus had cleansed me from all sin.

After that memorable night when my striving with God resulted in turning over a page polluted with sin and starting with a clean slate by the grace of Him who loved me and cleansed me, I had a series of spiritual experiences near the feet of my glorious Saviour. I feel it my duty to relate some of these as a testimony to the operation of the wonderful grace of God.

I only hope that no one will think I am boasting when I mention my experiences, for, like the gentle Apostle Paul, I have learned not to glory "except in the cross of my Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14). My purpose in recounting them is to demonstrate God's saving power and the working of His love in directing the lives of those who belong to Him. It is also to show His care for them in the hour of temptation and His preserving their souls from the grip of despair when, in His wisdom, He allows them to go through crucibles of testing and sieves of trial in order to test their faith. It also shows how He permits them to fall into shadowy depths of doubt without His speedy intervention, so that they imagine at times that He has deserted them.

In the course of my service in Marj Ayoun, I was given special grace in practical ministry. There was a reading room in Nabatiya, for which I was administrator. The contacts I had with the school teachers and students who frequented it were invaluable, because I was able to form solid bonds with them. In turn, these relationships opened the way to serve the Gospel in educational circles. Moreover, it was not long before I had gained the confidence of these students who often sought my advice regarding their personal problems. How happy I was to be given the wisdom to help them in this way! I also had the opportunity to spread the Word of God in the school attached to the National Evangelical Synod. Among my duties was providing religious instruction to all classes and a weekly sermon to the combined student body and teaching staff.

At the church, I collaborated with Rev. Wadee Antoun, the parish pastor. With much satisfaction, I remember those blessings which God allowed us to enjoy as we shared the Gospel of salvation in the parish churches. Thus, the five years spent in Nabatiya were a period of study and preparation for a wider ministry. During this time, I passed the examination in Arts and Divinity and earned the official preaching license from the National Evangelical Synod. At the end of this time, I was elected pastor of the Port Church and Evangelical Hospital. My experiences at the Port Church proved a great blessing, whether in church services, in sharing the Word of God with the patients at the hospital, in teaching the Bible at the nursing school attached to the hospital, or in leading a Bible study on the book of Ephesians at a ladies meeting in Tripoli.

The period of service in Tripoli did not last long. After one year, it was decided to close the hospital, owing to losses incurred during the previous five years; and since all members of the Port Church were employees in the hospital, it was natural that the church should also be closed. When this happened, I found myself unemployed. At the same time, my eldest son, who bore most of the financial burdens for the family, left his work in Saudi Arabia to study engineering in the United States. The combination of these circumstances placed us in dire need, so I asked some friends to recommend me to the Carmel Mission for work as a preacher. God in His wisdom planned for me to work for one year in the Christian Publications Centre of the mission. Here I had the opportunity to translate, write and edit a large number of Christian books and to supervise their printing.

At the end of that year, Rev. Abd al-Masih visited me and presented me with the following proposal: "Rev. Dr. Farid Audeh has asked us to find a pastor for the churches of Dbayeh, Hadath and Rabiya, and after some consideration, we have selected you. Would you think of returning to a pastoral ministry with us?"

After a moment's silence, he added: "One of the aims of our mission is to provide pastors for local churches that are financially unable to support one. We do not establish new churches in the countries where we work."

How I thanked God for this clarification from Rev. Abd al-Masih, for had he not provided it, I would have turned down his offer immediately. I was disgusted with the methods used by the majority of missions operating in our countries, which set out to establish new churches instead of co-operating with local ones. The methods most of them used caused accusations to be cast at our churches and promoted divisions among the ranks of believers. Worse still, most of the new churches gave prominence to their particular beliefs or special positions. As a result, proclaiming Christ as Saviour took second place, and these factors unfortunately produced a surplus of denominations and missions in the Arab Church. But despite my sympathetic response to Brother Abd al-Masih's clarification, I asked him to allow me some time for prayer. I needed a revelation from my Master and Lord, whom I worship in spirit, as to whether He wanted me to leave my work in publications and begin work as a pastor.

Rev. Abd al-Masih added, "I am authorised by the mission board to grant you two weeks to make your decision, so that you can pray about the matter."

This was the first week of July 1965, and that same night I began to lay the matter in prayer before the throne of grace. I adopted a method similar to that of Gideon in Judges 6:36-40, in order to make certain that the Lord would support me in this decision.

How great was my joy that God worked those things out for me before the end of the time frame. In those circumstances, I did not hesitate to go to the head of the mission, Rev. Martin Spangenberg, indicating to him my desire to begin work as a pastor. We drew up a contract beginning on September 15, 1965. On October 14 of that same year, I was ordained as minister in a large ceremony at the Beirut Evangelical Church, in which twelve ministers participated. I felt the magnitude of the responsibility placed upon my shoulders most deeply when Rev. Farid Audeh reminded me of my duties as pastor: being an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ, instructing and counselling God's people as a watchman and steward, directing them in the path of righteousness, guarding those whom He had bought by His death and for whom He had shed His blood, and guiding all in my care to the knowledge of God and to the perfection of maturity in Christ.

How great was the joy which flooded my heart when the twelve ministers laid their hands upon my head and welcomed me with the words, "We offer you the right hand of fellowship, to be a companion with us in this blessed ministry."

The death of my father in 1936 gave occasion for my brothers and me to re-establish contact. As we exchanged kisses of consolation, a spark of reconciliation was kindled among us. When I had returned to my house in Homs, I brought my brother, Hassan, with me. He lived with us for a while in an atmosphere of love which Christ had made possible.

Seventeen years passed, and Hassan had become an educated man with a wife and children. During this time, he neglected his relationship with me, and I rebuked him. This caused him to reflect on the days he had spent in my home -- the time when he had been stirred so positively. He sent me the following brief letter:

August 8, 1952

My dear Taufiq,

My mother told me of your annoyance, and you have every right to be angry. Nevertheless, the genuineness of my love and friendship towards you is still strong and can never be changed. No doubt you understand this.

When I remember you, my imagination paints a perfect picture of a true brother. You embody the hallmark of good taste, compassion and loyalty, and your attitudes have never worn thin. You have left a mark on my soul, the traces of which cannot be erased by time. My memories of your character have helped to form my personality. I have found in you a model to emulate. And so your annoyance with me is only a summer's cloud under which I seek shelter without fear. You certainly have the right to rebuke and blame me. I have the right to ask you for pardon. When each has received his right, no anger or disapproval remains.

Sincerely, Hassan

٭ ٭ ٭

It appeared that my delay in replying made dear Hassan think that his letter did not reach me, so he sent a second one, as follows:

September 7, 1952

Dear brother,

Sincere greetings to one whose vitality is his serenity, love and honesty. I beg forgiveness from a brother with such a generous spirit.

Your rebuke reached me some months ago, and I am now writing the second response. I hope you receive it. Love is potent, be it visible or invisible, near or far, and we have received the best portion of it. I beg you not to blame me or think of me as ungrateful. Since my youth, you have been my teacher with an outstretched hand of love. I have witnessed and savoured the values that I saw in you, and I confess my shortcomings toward you in every way. I am incapable of emulating or following you, because I am weak, lacking the ability to model myself according to your example. But despite this, I still love you with a love, pure and true, nurtured in my heart since I have been a boy. I cannot be overgenerous with this love which will end only at death.

Sincerely, Hassan

٭ ٭ ٭

I read both of the letters and pondered every word. The adulation for virtues not innately in me was hard to accept. These qualities were of my Lord and Saviour's making; He rescued me from the deception of this evil world. Life was manifested to me, and to be faithful, I had tell of the Lord of Life who willed to give me a new birth by the word of truth (James 1:18). So in keeping with my love for my Redeemer and Saviour, I wrote to my brother, drawing his attention to God, the Source of the virtues which he admired in me, for "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16):

September 20, 1952

My beloved brother, Hassan,

No, I am not angry with you. My chiding you was one of the sparks of love, the fire of which is quenched in the sea of forgetfulness.

Indeed, I live happily in my small world with a faithful wife and children whom I nurture in the fear and exhortation of the Lord. But the grace in which I stand has not erased the pictures of my larger world from memory -- the world from which I was removed before reaching the age of discretion.

I lived in that world in the shadows of dry, rigid, inflated traditions, having no trace of sacrifice which is the essence of love. Visualise with me the plight of a family living according to faulty customs void of spirit -- those which created deviant emotional complications at home. These difficulties affected us negatively as children, for they stamped our emotions with an instability that reflected the violent outbursts of our four mothers and the negligence of our father! These factors assaulted my innermost being, and I suffered their consequences for awhile, which left me drinking the drafts of a bitter life in various forms. I was a discouraged person with damaged feelings.

The attitudes of my parents swirled like a tide around me -- sometimes high, sometimes low. The random eruptions from both my mother and father, disguised as concern for my future, buried me under the debris of their emotional warfare.

When I passed from boyhood to adolescence, I viewed life with pessimism and despaired of ever making something of myself. But God's care did not desert me; I had a splinter of faith and confidence in His mercy.

I desired to live in love and harmony with my brothers and sisters. Regrettably, my wish was frustrated by the reality of an environment charged with malice, hate, envy and strife. Being a rebel, I refused to surrender to the bitter reality. I often tried to draw closer to my father's other sons and daughters, but I collided with a high wall of scheming on the part of his other wives -- a barricade which blocked all my attempts. This filled me with grief and unleashed my tears.

As a rebel, I also deserted father, mother, brothers and sisters, seeking love in God's wide world. Divine providence led me to Christ's Church, and it was there that I first experienced genuine love. Thanks be to God who did not leave me to beat the air with my emotions but guided me into the fold of the chosen and beloved, those whom Jesus clothes with "tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and long-suffering" (Colossians 3:12).

And now, I thank you for the expressions of love which overflowed from your heart. You conveyed your feelings in a wonderful way, but your superlative praise is something I find hard to accept. I magnify the Lord who willed to have mercy on me, granting me a new birth by the infilling of His Holy Spirit.

Brother, I possess no righteousness in myself. The law of honesty demands that I confess to you that there is nothing good in me. It is God Almighty who illuminated my soul one day with His piercing light. He enabled me to see the wretchedness of my condition.

I knew I was full of things that offended God. I felt a need for cleansing from the filth of sin, so that I could be born anew. I needed to be saved from my inbred selfishness that relished hatred, pride and injustice.

To my joy, the Lord set me in the way of the Gospel of His love. More precisely, He placed the Gospel in my hands. I learned about His love from the person of Christ whom He offered, according to the divine truth: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). I understood this lesson practically from the words of Jesus: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:13).

I was drawn by the power of love. Soon, the "Love Passage," written by the Apostle Paul, became my guideline on every occasion, and I repeated its marvellous cadences with a delight not of this world: "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

It was in the school of love where I learned that those who do not do what is right are not of God; they who do not love have not known God, for God is love (1 John 3:10). These are the requirements of love, and they should be learned and practised by all. If they are, then what was written by the prophet Isaiah will come to pass: "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9). No, my brother, I have not forgotten -- nor can I -- for that is impossible. Even if my tongue has grown weak in mentioning your name, you are forever in my thoughts.

There is no need to apologise, Hassan, because Christ has healed my heart of resentment. I have no right to expect an excuse, so do not apologise. This is a form of satisfying the ego, and people have called it a duty. As for my ego, it was crucified and mortified with Christ long ago. As far as I am concerned, the "duty" of forgiveness has become a response of love.

Do not say that I live in a world of idealism and delusion, and do not accuse me of exaggeration. Be kind and understand that my condition is a result of what I have experienced. It is a reality in which I am living, and my soul is fully content. Many have criticised me, accusing me of folly, short-sightedness, apostasy and infidelity. This angered me in the past, but now I am thankful, because by their criticisms and injuries they drove me to re-examine my position. God has helped me in my endeavours, trying me, testing me and guiding me in the paths of Jesus, the Good Teacher, to learn from Him what is true.

I am not philosophising, Hassan. I am one who has the simple faith which is a gift of God to the poor in spirit and which guards them from the evils of complicated matters. Open your heart to me, so that we can continue our correspondence on the basis of this love. Let us implore God to empty us of our selfishness and fill us with love, for He Himself is love.

Sincerely,

Taufiq

After mailing my letter to Hassan, I prayed to the Lord earnestly that it would be received well and that He Himself would accompany the message with His grace. God heard my prayers and granted my petition. On October 15, 1952, I received the following letter from Hassan:

My dear brother,

I have never been so late in writing a reply as I have been this time. The reason for my hesitancy could very well be the result of my wonder at the stages you passed through before you settled down in your life. With amazement, I witnessed your struggle to control and shape your personality, independent of every influence. You scorned every condition and rejected every tradition once you had received the incentive of love which set the tone for the whole of your life.

Love has a profound effect on every man in proportion to the measure he experiences it. In your case, you have had a large portion as a result of your deep faith in it. In fact, I have noticed that you have utilised love both as a means and an end -- a means to solving your problems in keeping with your inquisitive, wholesome spirit and an end toward attaining peace and deliverance from the shackles of selfishness.

What you mentioned to me of high ideals is not new to me. These were the strong guides in your constant struggle for the peace of heart you sought. I applaud you for each step you took towards building your new world, and I wish you continued blessings and happiness.

Love is undoubtedly the fruit of faith, casting light upon our world and making sweet sacrifices in varying degrees. Indeed, one can only find pure love in a believing soul which ever strives after perfection through self-sacrifice and complete surrender to God. This striving imparts an enlightened will and hearty desire for such sacrifice, free from the inclinations and passions that oppose the noble purpose for which love was created.

Much has been said about you, and I do not doubt your position because you are able to understand things that others cannot. Those who know you and have savoured your character cannot but admire the spiritual strength which has played a large part in shaping your personality, according to the faith which you espouse. I, as one who respects the right of personal choice, feel that you have acted according to the standards you set for yourself.

Ever since you reached the age of maturity and rationality, you have been motivated by a firm belief in your heart. You discovered facts that had eluded you earlier, and these in turn have brought about a change in your views; then you went on to practise them. Your new faith, as you explained it to me, was proof of your great concern for your soul and your emancipation from an inherited weakness. Thus, you have gained an insight which is immortal in beauty and strong in essence. Only those who, like you, seek distant horizons can aspire to such a lofty height of compassion.

I must confess that my own problems resembled yours. In fact, they were probably more complicated, for I lived lacking almost all sense of paternal security or maternal affection. I was tossed out into the world before my character had been formed and was exposed to every current, whether good or bad. I had to fend for myself single-handedly, both materially and morally, without a father's help, a mother's love or my relatives' compassion.

Instinct and disposition were my leaders -- yet without guidance or direction. Even so, God was good to me, not depriving me of all that you call love. I grew up, by nature, a lover of good. But I must confess that my fractured childhood and youth left me twisted in psychological knots, the early results of which caused me to leave school. Therefore, I did not lay a good foundation for my future.

When our father died, I returned to the village. It was then that you proposed that I should accompany you to your house in Homs. I still remember this because important events are engraved upon the mind and are never forgotten. I recall how we travelled -- me sitting on your lap as far as Tartous and beside you all the way to Tripoli. From there, in the stillness of a July evening, we travelled on the 8:30 p.m. Homs train, riding second class. On arriving at Homs at 1:00 a.m., we hired a horse-drawn carriage which took us to your house in Hamidieh. Your wife opened the door and welcomed us, and I spent some time among you. For the first time, I lived in an atmosphere of affection and genuine love, which made me forget my former pain and banished my worries. The void in my life seemed finally to be filled. During the two times I stayed with you, I felt as if I were the most beloved and favoured among you. Given the chance, I could narrate the details of those events, for I still relive them at times. Be assured that these memories are among the most precious that I have.

My relationship with you has enriched me, for it has influenced my understanding of the meaning of life. I was a simple youth with limited perception, and since I could not find a noble role model, I always kept your picture near me and imitated you in my actions.

Through your truly noble expressions and stimulating conversation, your gracious example now appears more clear and effectual to me than ever before. The love which resounds from your heart finds an echo in mine. In truth, it is a divine grace that two brothers should share this flame which dispels all darkness of soul, illuminating life's uncertainties.

Love and light are similar in that they both shine, dispelling darkness. I believe that God is love. There is no greater love than that of a man giving himself for the sake of his loved ones.

It would please me, dear brother, if you would continue writing me.

Believe me, my heart beats with your love, and your memory is dear to me. However far we may be from one another, and though circumstances change, I shall keep my love for you because it was nurtured in pleasant circumstances. It now lodges firmly in my soul, and time cannot erase it. I am proud that you are the lofty ideal I have aspired to and the one I have sought to emulate. Thanks be to you, my brother. My greetings and respect rightly go to your wife, and my kisses to the beloved children. I hope you are all well. May God keep you.

Yours sincerely, Hassan

Hassan would not refrain from making me the subject of his praise. Once again, I felt a certain shame at being given credit for something that was not intrinsically a part of me. Whatever I have, I have received as a favour from the One who condescended to love me. Thus, I sought to direct my dear brother's eyes to Him, who, with such a vast storehouse of love, is able to extract something sweet and succulent from that which is barren:

October 23, 1952

Dear brother,

Your letter arrived at a time when I desperately needed to hear from you, and it had a very positive effect on my soul. I thank the Lord my God who has given me grace in your eyes. Indeed, your love for me is so great that it covers my sins and veils my shortcomings. Faced with your noble sentiment which wants to clothe me with perfection and your precious confidence in me despite my wretchedness, I am once again bound to point you to the source of this grace in which I now stand.

I am, O Hassan, like the rest of humanity. I have been guilty of shortcomings and have indulged in the grossest sins during my time of ignorance. I disobeyed the requirements of justice and trod its laws underfoot for awhile. But God, the Lord of compassion and every consolation, the Source of all righteousness, holiness and truth, has shown great mercy towards me. He soothed my misery and showed me the way to Jesus, the Shepherd and Bishop of souls. Jesus is the Word which, since the beginning, was with God and became incarnate, dwelling among us for a time, doing good, and healing all who were under Satan's authority, in accordance with the words: "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). About this divine person, the Apostle Paul wrote: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:5-8).

Thus by laying down His life for humanity, He revealed the attributes of God, so rich in love, compassion and every kindness. Yes, the love of God has appeared, and people everywhere have experienced the God who came as a Man into our world, carrying the heart of God, declaring that God is love. This love did not consider it improper that the Holy and Righteous One, the King of Kings, should endure trials and pain in a hard existence and humble circumstances. He bore all this in order to save people from the bondage of sin and to release them in liberty as children of God. He saved me, a sinner, personally and granted me an inheritance with the saints in everlasting light.

Dear Hassan, rest assured that Christ's message was not just a list of tenets designed to elevate the social standard of His people or a slate of political rules for unifying the nation and expanding its vital sphere, as has been the case with thinkers and leaders of nations down the ages. Rather, it was a creative act, raising the spiritual and ethical level of all who receive Him.

As for His teachings, they are a code of love in all things. Thus, they serve as an incentive for those who already lean toward goodness, crystallising their aims and propelling them in the path of perfection. They are also positive in that they convict of sin and reclaim those who are disposed toward or practising evil by winning them over to paths of righteousness.

Jesus presented His teachings to the people in a framework of a wonderful, practical love which led Him to lay down His own life for others. In His life of true holiness, none was able to convict Him of sin. In His ministry, attested by supernatural power, He demonstrated clearly that He was a wonderfully unique person. How true are the words of the great prophet Isaiah, seven centuries before His incarnation: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

How could Jesus be anything but unique? He had been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. Thus, He was matchless in His birth. He is the eternal Word of God; this is attested by the inspired Scriptures: "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1:3-5).

He is the Son who is the brightness of God's glory and the express image of His person, upholding all things by the word of His power, sitting down at the right hand of the Majesty on high after He by Himself had made purification for our sins (Hebrews 1:3). In order to redeem and save man, He humbled Himself and took on a human body, being born in a manger, because there was no other place for His mother to deliver Him. Thus, He was without parallel in His humility.

The earth in its fullness, the world, and all that dwells in it is His (Psalm 24:1). Its treasures and elements are in His hands and at His disposal. With a word from His mouth, He fed several thousand on merely two fish and five loaves of bread (John 6:1-13); yet He Himself often slept on an empty stomach, and more than once He suffered from pangs of hunger.

He was matchless in His self-denial, not having a shelter where He could stay or a refuge to which He could resort. To a disciple who had resolved to follow Him, He declared that "foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (Luke 9:58). He left His glorious throne surrounded by ministering angels and came into our world of misery and pain, living among a despised group of fishermen and tax collectors. In this circle of extreme lowliness, He refused to be waited on by anyone, for He said: "The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

So extraordinary was He in His lowliness. He mixed with sinners and evildoers, ate with them and spoke to them -- all with the view of raising their spirits and lifting them up from their fallen state, restoring their self-respect by forgiving them their sins. When He was criticised by the religious leaders for associating with sinners, He said: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: `I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" (Matthew 9:12,13).

The Lord of glory was wonderful in His poverty. He humbled Himself to such a degree that He renounced all possessions, not even having a plot of ground for burial; this prompted a rich man to offer his own rock-hewn tomb.

As He went about dealing with the problems of society, He solved each of them with patient love. He never judged a wrongdoer for his wrong or a villain for his villainy. Instead, He offered all who came to Him forgiveness, grace for repentance, holiness of life and a place with Him in the life to come.

Witness a woman caught in the act of adultery, confronted by a group of scribes and Pharisees intent on stoning her. Each of them most likely cursed her and applauded the law which convicted her. They gathered around her, their own eyes darkened by their evil deeds, not seeing the spectre of their own sins. Their bloodthirstiness deafened their ears to the cries of one who, in her misery, begged for mercy. Jesus faced this malicious group with holy anger raging in his heart. His hatred of such despicable hypocrisy sanctified His wrath. Had the Pharisees truly been guardians of virtue, they would have also brought the unchaste man who was just as guilty. The Author of the law and commandments looked at them squarely. As the Judge of all the earth, He said, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first" (John 8:7).

His words fell on them like a whip, singeing like a flame of fire. No doubt, they were afraid, and their knees knocked together. Each looked at his neighbour, expecting him to begin the stoning, but all were mistaken in what they anticipated would happen. Their hands trembled, dropping the stones. One after the other slunk away, beginning with the eldest. Yes, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye the judges had become the accused because a shaft from the light of God had shone, piercing their innermost secrets and exposing their private lives to be full of wickedness and lust.

O Hassan, who can say that he is without sin? Is it not written in the Psalms: "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place"? (Psalm 24:3).

The scribes and Pharisees scorned that woman's deed and regarded her as worse than themselves. Indeed, a corrupt human heart enjoys discovering one which is more evil. People of this sort are furthest away from mercy. Their own consciences protest when a fallen person is shown pity. They overlook the fact that God's heart is rich in pardon. His great love draws a sinner with compassion, and He quickens the fallen through forgiveness.

The accused woman was indeed guilty. Her offence was noted by a group of those who adhered to the letter of the law which kills. They had no pity in their hearts for those who broke the law of Moses. However, when faced by the Holy One, they were unable to execute the punishment they had planned. The Lord placed one condition on them: He who was without sin among them was to throw the first stone. In this way, He stripped them of their authority over the law, because they themselves were shown to be wicked transgressors.

When all had left, that unfortunate woman found herself face to face with Him who was without sin -- He who was wholly entitled to throw the first stone. But to her joy, she learned that He who was without sin was also the Saviour who had come to seek and save that which was lost. His response to her, full of mercy and truth, is recorded for us in the Gospel according to John: "`Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?' She said, `No one, Lord.' And Jesus said to her, `Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more'" (John 8:10,11). He said this to show that knowledge of God implies more than punishment and that "there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance" (Luke 15:7).

It is obvious, my brother, that Christ did not overlook her deed; neither did He belittle her sin. But He gently reminded her of her wrong and showed her that His kindness, tolerance and patience leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). Thus, His forgiving her was the surest means for her to break the bondage of her past.

What shall I tell you of the work of Christ among the sorrowing whom He comforted, lightening their woes and wiping the tears from their eyes? What shall I say of the persecuted in this world, the afflicted, the outcasts? All this would require a long time to relate. But what I can tell you is that Jesus, my Saviour, the Loving One, came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. He is my great High Priest who entered God's Holy of Holies after sacrificing Himself for me. He secured the legal requirements for forgiveness through the blood of His cross. This is the Redeemer about whom the prophet Isaiah wrote:

This is the Redeemer who met me and declared His love for me, despite my many misdeeds and hideous sins. He spoke His word to me, which captivated my soul and filled my heart with faith, hope and love. Thus, I was drawn to His cross, "for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

I once wandered through the desert of life with a keen hunger for righteousness. My desire was one which none of the world's religions could satisfy. In my soul, I had a great thirst for truth -- a craving not quenched through any human teaching. But the Lord stopped me and said: "...Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world" (John 4:14; 6:51).

Yes brother, this is my Jesus, my Beloved, my Saviour and the Bishop of my soul. He stood by me at a time when I was deprived of a father's love and when, in the morning of my life, my mother's face frowned at me. He stretched out His precious, nail-pierced hand and wiped the tears from my eyes. In that darkest of nights, when the light of love from my brethren was hidden, He said to me: "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12). He is the Mediator of peace between earth and heaven, and He has reconciled me through His substitutionary death for my sins. He then refined me in the crucible of His love, making of my wretched self a new creature in accordance with the words of the Apostle Paul: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). He took away my sin, for He paid the price for it after suffering in my place on the cross. He satisfied divine justice and cancelled my punishment in hell, which I deserved for every idle word spoken and every wicked thought entertained in my mind.

Dear Hassan, my heart now overflows with many thoughts on the subject of God's love revealed in Jesus Christ. But the scope of this letter prevents me from mentioning them all. I hope we shall have an opportunity to meet personally. Then I can tell you face to face of the many spiritual experiences I had since I met the Redeemer who has given me true life and immortality.

Sincerely, Taufiq

Before I mailed my last letter, I asked a few of my close brethren to fast and pray with me, so that God's Holy Spirit might accompany the message to Hassan's heart. Accordingly, the Lord honoured the prayers of faith. Before long, I received a reply bearing the glad tidings of how he had been affected by the message of love:

January 10, 1953

My dear brother,

Your last letter has occupied all my days, filling my thoughts and gripping my imagination. In it, you tell your story, including significant confessions, hopes and aspirations in this life with its bittersweet experiences, difficulties and humiliations. You endured all until you arrived at your present position in which all your psychological problems have been resolved. You now have rest from what had alarmed and wearied you. You are truly a self-made man entirely, both materially and morally. You can be proud at having shaped your own personality through your experiences, trials, investigations and inquiries. You have not spared yourself any effort at arriving at the highest degree of perfection attainable.

I read your letter many times over, and each time I found a freshness and magnificence in it. I sensed in its expressions your tranquil soul, born of love and purity. It conveys the noblest of human emotions and the grandest tokens of love and dedication. Your confessions have made me more attached to you. I am determined to continue keeping you as my highest example -- which you have already been these many years. Your claim to be weak and wretched has only raised you in my estimation.

The thoughts and feelings which you communicated to me through our brief association have had a deep impact on my character. You have smothered me with affection, love and generosity; the years cannot erase this. And now you display your love and sincerity in the form of teachings and truths as you did one year previously, when you wrote me a similar letter which I have kept and will keep forever. I return to it from time to time for inspiration and insight. I long to drink from it your tender spirit and purity of motive.

Spiritual conviction is one of the graces unavailable to most people. Actually, I do not consider a person as having attained personal contentment unless he is sure of his soul's salvation and knows that he will meet his Lord with a pure heart. Happy is the man who reaches this goal, having obtained righteousness, being saved from doubts and fears. Among the roads leading to one's spiritual elevation are those within the realm of religion and philosophy, for the pious and the wise rank highest and happiest among men. Religion can be considered as high philosophy capable of helping man realise spiritual bliss, even though it causes one to exceed the bounds of logic at times.

I, like you, believe that a man is only illuminated through love. He cannot triumph over his pains and hardships without inspiration from God. You yourself once roamed the wilderness of life alone, being deprived of parental love and scorned by your next of kin. It seems as though God wanted to deliver you from your trials by allowing you to fall into despair, only to show you the face of your great Saviour, Jesus. You heard Him say to you: "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12). Your spiritual hunger and thirst were great when Jesus met you and showed you pity, saying: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). It was then that you grasped the new life in view of that great light which appeared to you. You rushed to seek that heavenly bread, so that you could be filled once and forevermore. You were reborn as a new creature with a new spirit, according to the apostolic words: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I do not doubt that you have arrived at the peak of personal contentment in the shadow of these vital teachings. I applaud and congratulate you for this gigantic step and for the approval and acceptance you have found. The path toward stability and immortality -- the things most people lack -- was illuminated for you. I will not hide from you my own failure to arrive at the contentment I am seeking. This requires inspiration, which I lack.

In many ways, our troubles have been similar, stemming from the same cause, for we both lived away from our mothers and father and we both have tasted the bitterness of deprivation in all its forms. But you have been able to find the road to happiness. You had someone to wipe your tears, ease your loneliness and lift you up when you stumbled. After passing through the greatest spiritual tribulation, you have finally surrendered to joy and contentment. As for me, I have not been as fortunate.

What impressed me most was your conviction and firmness -- no doubt the result of your numerous experiences in light of what was revealed to you. I wish a situation would arise that would help me understand exactly what it is from your argument that still eludes me.

I was pleased to hear what you told me about yourself, not concealing any delicate matters. You admitted your sins as a penitent, without negative emotions and without recalling memories that arouse confusion. As your faith grew and your thinking became sound, you gained victory over your weak points. You espoused divine love after testing its wholesomeness.

It gives me joy to be the object of your trust. You are revealing to me that which delivered you from blackest darkness to another world -- one in which the standards of love, self-sacrifice and faith reign.

You enchant me with topics that engage my mind and stimulate my deepest feelings and emotions. Thanks to you, my brother, for you are relieving my intense thirst. I acknowledge the spiritual guidance and glorious truths which you are revealing to me.

I believe much of what you are sharing with me -- indeed all of it. I believe that Jesus is Himself God, and as such He is almighty. His birth is power; his feeding the thousands on two fish and five loaves is might; His raising the dead is force; His healing the mute man and the leper is strength. Nothing is impossible for Him!

I would like you to tell me more about His death and crucifixion whenever it is convenient, for I do not understand these great themes sufficiently. Please enlighten me on these momentous events.

Your dear wife has never changed her attitude towards me since the time we first met. She has been like a mother and sister to me whenever I have stayed with you in Homs and Latakia. Nothing pleases me more than to remember those days when I accompanied her wherever she went, whether at home or market, by day or night, or when helping with the children. No other mother could have cared for me as she. No sister could have understood me the way she did. These special memories fill me with joy each time I think of them. I hope that your dear wife, my beloved sister, is happy to hear my good news. I hope you are all well.

Sincerely, Hassan

I read Hassan's letter, and my soul was filled with a joy that cannot be described by the pen of an ordinary writer. How could I be anything but exuberant over the Word of Life touching his heart and drawing him to the Saviour whom he confessed to be Master, Teacher and Guide! I sat down and began to pen the following lines:

January 9, 1954

My dear Brother,

At a time when I was yearning for some comfort from heaven, your esteemed letter arrived. It filled my soul with joy unspeakable!

What greater comfort can I have than to know you are prepared to exchange the inherited bonds of tradition for the freedom of the children of light -- that you should listen with me to the voice that says: "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).

What greater consolation than to know the Word of Truth is finding a place in your emotions and affecting your soul -- that faith should lead you to a knowledge of Jesus in His divine and wonderful love! What greater contentment than to realise you should be attracted by the power of God's sacrificial love, that you are seeking spiritual peace in the shadow of the cross, the most overwhelming representation of God's love for man! And what greater privilege than that God should entrust me with your confidence in explaining the subject of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that I can respond to your wish as far as my humble knowledge is able, clarifying for you what you find unclear about the death of Christ!

My precious brother, the subject of the cross is a very solemn one. Before examining it in detail, it is necessary that I begin by mentioning some essential events in the Bible which involve the love of God in the salvation of man.

The Holy Scriptures teach that God created man in His own image -- in righteousness, holiness and truth -- and that He made a covenant of life with him on the basis of full obedience to His laws. A passage from the book of Genesis reads as follows:

Adam lived for a time in the Paradise of God, in a supremely pure environment, enjoying spiritual communion with Him. This fellowship filled the heart and mind of Adam with joy. He was innocent and this attribute is precious to the heart of God. He was also pure and this condition comes from an anointing of the Holy Spirit. He was a believer and faith is the hand that receives God's blessings. He was righteous and righteousness is the essence of God's light.

The Lord God, however, permitted Adam to be tempted concerning whether he would choose to maintain his proper place of submission, obedience and fidelity. There was one command placed upon Adam, which set the limit between what he could do and what he should refrain from. God wished to teach him that there is a barrier between what is allowed and that which is forbidden, and that it is sin to cross it. God used a symbolic approach, namely, a tree with forbidden fruit.

The test came as a temptation from Satan. He approached the first woman, Eve, as a counsellor, interested in the well-being of the first family. He confronted her with a question seemingly simple, but lined with deceit: "...Has God indeed said, `You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" (Genesis 3:1). It was as if this deceiver were saying, "Is it reasonable that God, who lavished so much love upon you, surrounded you with such care and gave you so much joy, should really forbid you to eat from every tree in the garden?"

Our first mother was beguiled by the cunning way in which Satan asked this question. It even made her distrust the wisdom of the first command. Under the influence of doubt, she replied, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, `You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die'" (Genesis 3:2,3).

Eve, prompted by mistrust, twisted the words of God by adding, "nor shall you touch it." This addition made her guilty of a serious offence -- that of distorting the Word of God. To increase her doubt regarding the integrity of God's command, Satan said to her, "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). Thus, the Deceiver's words sounded reasonable and convincing. He made it appear as if God had restricted them by an unreasonable warning, preventing them from being equal with Him in knowledge. Doubt flooded the woman's heart, and before long she succumbed to the deceit from the enemy of good. She noticed that the fruit was good to eat and attractive to the eyes, so she took some, ate of it and gave to her husband as well: "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings" (Genesis 3:6,7).

Thus, the first couple fell -- Eve, because she doubted the goodness of God's command, broke it and involved her husband in her sin; Adam, because he trampled God's covenant, overstepping his bounds and trespassing (1 John 3:4). And since the wages of sin is death, according to the law of God (Romans 6:23), both offenders fell under punishment, in keeping with the divine warning they had been given: "...But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:17). The meaning of death here is not the disintegration of the body in the grave, but that of the soul in hell -- an eternity spent in a lake of fire. The prophet Isaiah gives us a glimpse of the torments of hell: "And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh" (Isaiah 66:24).

Adam fell and came under the bondage of the law, so God told him: "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, `You shall not eat of it', cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herbs of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:17-19). God then drove him out of the garden of Eden, and he and his wife laboured and toiled in pain. They had children who, in turn, were also barred from Eden, having lost an inheritance in Paradise.

It is understandable that the offspring of Adam and Eve would be weakened as a result of inbred sin on an earth cursed because of man. Our first parents did not merely become sinners themselves; they transmitted their sin to their children through the process of succession. This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul: "Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned..." (Romans 5:12).

Consequently, we cannot say that Adam's sin did not reach us or that every person is born with the unhampered ability to choose only good, owing to no trace of his parent's sin in him. I do not understand how some can hold to this view so tenaciously when the truth of the Bible refutes it plainly.

Adam was a representative of the human race. All the promises which God gave him were for him as well as his descendants. Thus, when judgement was pronounced, the earth was cursed for his progeny too. They were also destined to eat bread by the sweat of their brow. Death was to have power over them as it did over him. Also, the punishment of pain during childbirth, decreed for Eve, has been experienced by her daughters down the centuries. The blind poet, Abu Al Ala' Al Maari, realised the inherited sin-nature of man when he wrote: "This my father inflicted on me, and I have inflicted nothing on anyone."

If we can see that heredity affects all forms of life to a great extent, why do many find it difficult to acknowledge the effects of our first parents' disobedience on mankind? Human experience in every age and epoch cries out continuously with David, son of Jesse: "The boastful shall not stand in Your sight" (Psalm 5:5). The Apostle Paul understood the inherent corruption of the human heart and the inner battle we experience when we seek to do good:

The eminent English scholar, Huxley, has said something to the effect that he knows of no study which has come to a more wretched conclusion than that of humanity. From behind the darkness of history it became clear to him that man is subject to a force that controls him with colossal power; he is a weak, blind prey to forces that lead him to destruction, a victim of endless delusions that make his intellectual existence a heavy burden, destroying his body with sorrows and troubles. For thousands of years he has been the same: fighting and persecuting, only to return to mourn the victims and build their tombs.

Does one need these testimonies in order to appreciate the essence of their messages? Is it not sufficient for man to look into the depths of his soul, perceiving his inclinations and passions, to know that the law of sin dwells within him?

It is enough to look at society in order to sense this reality that resides within humanity. The Bible says:

Yes indeed, the presence of sin in the human heart is a reality which only the self-deceived can deny. The corruption of human nature is obvious: man fails to uphold morally what he himself knows is true and proper, even after he repents. He is bound to fail in every attempt at virtue unless he receives the help of God through the Holy Spirit. Man's spirit is not undefiled, as was Adam's before he fell.

Even a casual examination of human villainy down the ages is enough to convince us that man has lost his innocence. He is thoroughly permeated by corruption. We see the first manifestation of man's inherited fallen nature in the first murder when Adam's son, Cain, slew his brother, Abel. And why did Cain murder Abel? Was it not because he was evil? Why do we fight one another? Is it not because of the evil rooted in human nature? Why does one nation go to war against another? Is it not a result of individual evil on a collective scale?

In the past, men of God realised that people are weak and that the law cannot bring healing from the disease of sin. Therefore, they looked for a remedy other than sacrifice and burnt offerings. It is written in the New Testament that the gifts and sacrifices offered at the temple were not able to clear the conscience of a worshiper (Hebrews 9:9). In the book of Isaiah, it is written: "`To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?' says the Lord. `I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs and goats. When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts?'" (Isaiah 1:11,12).

During this period, God revealed to His faithful servants that He had prepared an effective way of salvation by means of a peace mediator who would come in the fullness of time (Galatians 4:4) and perfect forever by the offering of Himself all who believe in His name (Hebrews 10:14).

Consider Job who was beset with the worst kind of trials and most horrible afflictions. He, in his most wretched hour of need, caught a glimpse of the Divine Mediator and deeply longed for His intervention before God: "Nor is there any mediator between us, who may lay his hand on us both" (Job 9:33).

Isaiah, with the eye of prophecy, saw the Messiah, born of a virgin and called Him Immanuel, which means "God with us" (Isaiah 7:14). He also called Him by other divine titles: "Wonderful, Counsellor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). He then expanded on the redemptive work that He was to perform:

The account of Saul of Tarsus (who later became Paul the Apostle) is also highly inspiring. After striving for righteousness by the law, he sought the mediator of whom Moses and the prophets spoke, seeking deliverance from his body of sin and death. This mediator, Jesus, met him on the road to Damascus, delivering him from the letter of the law which kills, freeing him with liberty in the law of life. He wrote the following testimonies out of his own experience:

Consider also the following verse from the book of Hebrews:

The basis for the work of redemption is the Incarnation, the pivotal topic in the Holy Scriptures and the subject of the many divine prophecies filling its pages. These revelations began with general signs of a deliverer who would come to save mankind in the fullness of time. He was to be a great blessing to all nations. The details concerning Him became clearer and clearer with the passing of time, starting with the mention of the seed of a woman, then the seed of Abraham, then the tribe of Judah, then the House of David and finally His birth by a virgin. In these revelations, it is said that He would have extraordinary attributes and that He would redeem a chosen people for Himself, for whom He would be ruler and king (Isaiah 9).

In these statements, it is amazing that some very unusual and intricate details are given. These are impossible to attribute to human ingenuity. Among them is the precise place of His birth:

It is also said that He would be both lowly and glorious:

He would be a king; yet with humility, not visible glory:

Incredibly, He would also be Priest:

The most magnificent words concerning the Incarnation are found in the inspired prologue of the Gospel according to John:

Thus, the Incarnation is indubitably supported by the Book of God which teaches that it was the means used by the eternal Word to redeem mankind: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

And now dear brother, allow us to accept with meekness the specific declarations recorded for us in the Bible about the appearance of the Word in flesh. The Scriptures are presented to us not on tablets of stone like the law but on precious pages that reveal Christ to us personally. This is indeed comforting. How thankful I am to God that the Gospel, which I received and in which I stand and am saved, did not come through a human mediator; neither did an angel bring it down to Christ on a preserved tablet; nor did God speak to Christ from a secluded position, as He did with Moses when He gave him the Ten Commandments at Sinai. The Gospel or Good News is Christ Himself, in keeping with the Scriptures: "God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds..." (Hebrews 1:1,2).

Therefore, dear brother, the Gospel is the eternal Word of Life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life -- the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us -- that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1-3).

Jesus upheld his unity with the Father; this is what He personally declared and taught:

This is the Gospel, my precious brother: the good news of the united work of God and Christ. It teaches us clearly that the Incarnate Word was the embodiment of what He came to convey to us. He Himself said: "He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, `Show us the Father'?" (John 14:9).

The Word, which was with God from the beginning, came down from heaven as a revelation of God, dwelling in Jesus. Thus, He could say: "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him" (John 1:18). This truth was also revealed to the Apostle Paul whose only ambition was to know Christ: "But indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:8). This apostle went on to exhort the believers at Ephesus to strive after the same goal, emphasising that the purpose of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is unity in the faith, maturity in the knowledge of the Son of God, and attainment to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).

This is the truth of the Incarnation. In the Bible, it is described as God being manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). Thus, it differed from the laws of nature which govern physical birth. It was the appearance or revelation of the Word, indicating that what took bodily form had previously been veiled or hidden, for "no one has ever seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him" (John 1:18). In heaven, He dwelt in unapproachable light and no one could see Him (1 Timothy 6:16). On earth, however, He became incarnate, taking on the form of a man. But when he did appear, there was no change in His nature, for He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:15).

What truly floods the soul with joy is how the inspired Word explains the purpose of the Incarnation; namely, to undertake reconciliation between heaven and earth. And although this unveiling of the One whom no one had ever seen is almost too wonderful for the human mind to grasp, it is yet the clearest expression of God's grace and truth in His dealings with mankind: "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).

When we study the Gospel in depth, we learn that the purpose of the Word becoming incarnate is that He should serve as mediator between God and man:

Those who ponder the writings of John the Evangelist will notice how the Holy Spirit takes pleasure in repeating the message about the redemption completed by Christ. He reveals that the purpose of the Incarnation was to take away sin and to overturn the works of the Enemy of souls, the great Deceiver:

The writer of the book of Hebrews couples the incarnation of Christ with His work of redemption that justifies sinners, saying:

All these passages point to the mediatorial role of the Word who became flesh. They make it plain that He is the One who, in the fullness of time, became flesh: "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" (Galatians 4:4,5).

He was that same Word who was in the beginning with God. He is an eternal being and His essential relationship as Second Person with the Father is apparent to every serious student of the Holy Scriptures. The relationship was manifest when He became flesh. None but the spiritually blind and hard of heart can deny this truth.

If you read the divinely inspired writings of John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, you can see that he was chosen to reveal the manifestation of life through Jesus Christ. We can see this in his testimony: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life -- the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us..." (1 John 1:2). From these inspired words, we understand that the life in Christ was not something new; it was the eternal Word that was from the beginning with God and which became visible. John explains the purpose of its manifestation; namely, that believers might have fellowship with the Father and Son: "...Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3). This blessed fellowship is a call to walk in the light: "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practise the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:5-7).

Yes, the life in Christ had been there since eternity. This marvellous truth is upheld in many passages in Holy Scripture:

It may very well be that the greatest thing in John's testimony of the Incarnation is the way it was revealed by the love of God which Jesus Christ Himself announced. This love was not something new, but eternal. It remained hidden until it was unveiled in the Redeemer of the world who quickens those dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:5). The beloved disciple writes: "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him" (1 John 4:9).

The truths we have witnessed are of surpassing beauty. By faith, we can gaze upon the Word who, through love, became one with us in flesh and blood, having shared our sorrows and experienced the depth of our misery. He not only pitied us but actually partook of our flesh and became "a Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3). Before He was sacrificed for our sins on the "altar" of the cross, He, the Lamb of God, had borne every form of hurt, mocking, shame and ridicule. He was truly the Holy One in whom dwelt "all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9); yet, for our sake He was spat upon, stricken, slapped, kicked, flogged and lastly, crucified on a cross. What awesome love is this! It was manifest in all its fullness and perfection, to the honour of God's great name and the joy of His heart over the salvation of all who believe. How majestic are the words of the Apostle Paul in this connection: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

The Incarnation did not break the eternal bond between Father and Son, nor did it weaken it. This bond remained intact during the Word's becoming flesh, as is attested in the words of Jesus:

These declarations in themselves would lack substance, had they not been supported by miracles which no normal human could do. The wondrous deeds of Christ indicate that His words were those of One who is the radiance of God's splendour and the exact representation of His being, sustaining everything by His powerful word (Hebrews 1:3). We cannot deny the amazing statements about the vital fellowship Jesus had with His Father during His time upon the earth:

In Scripture, it is recorded that God shared some of His secrets with Abraham (Genesis 18:17); made oaths with him, Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 33:1); and did great wonders through Moses; yet none of these men nor any other prophet or angel had authority to say, "I and the Father are one." Indeed, none except Immanuel, "God with us," was able to speak in this way and escape the punishment of God who had said, "I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images" (Isaiah 42:8). Praise and thanks be to Jesus Christ who has been the Word with God since the beginning, and is Himself God! On account of His great love to fallen man, He appropriated a human body and offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin, reconciling us to God with the blood He shed on the cross.

What a beautiful vision the Apostle Paul skilfully presented when he wrote to the Philippians about the attitude which was in Christ Jesus. He said: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:5-8).

If we are unable to plumb the depths of His wonderful love for us, let us be content to rejoice with David, son of Jesse: "This was the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes" (Psalm 118:23).

Redemption is the work accomplished by the Lord Jesus on the cross where He fulfilled the demands of God's law and justice and took the place of sinful mankind, dying for our salvation. In His substitutionary suffering and death, all the due penalty for the sins of humanity was fully satisfied. He met the requirements of divine justice and vindicates all who believe in Him.

The word in the Scriptures that describes the gift of redemption through Christ is grace. The heavenly Father was under no obligation to show us earthly rebels any mercy. Likewise, the Son was not coerced to become incarnate, fulfilling the function of Redeemer. However, the entire Godhead, rich in mercy and love, held back the punishment of the law and accepted the vicarious sufferings which the Incarnate Word endured on behalf of sinners. The Saviour proclaimed this truth when He said:

In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul helps us understand why the Second Person of the Trinity offered to "empty Himself," take on the form of a man, suffer and bear our sins substitutionally in His body on a cross: "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:3,4). In other words, the death sentence we deserved as the "wages of sin" (Romans 6:23) was borne by Jesus, the substitute, as He fulfilled the prophecy which says: "...He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

Redemption guarantees forgiveness and the blessings of salvation to those who believe in God, because:

Thus, Jesus became incarnate to represent mankind, bearing the judgement for our sins. The Apostle Paul elucidated this subject, saying: "...God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

You might ask me why God chose this particular method. I would answer by saying that Scripture emphasises how man fell under the curse of the law, owing to his failure to keep its precepts by reason of the inherited law of sin in his soul. Because sin entered the world through a perfect man (Adam, before the Fall), it was necessary that the "Second Adam" -- Jesus, the Perfect Man -- should remove it. Since perfection was unattainable by ordinary men, the eternal Word had to become flesh. He became Man in order to mediate between God and man, and this He did on the cross when He died as a redemptive sacrifice for the human race. When He uttered His last words on the cross, "It is finished" (John 19:30), the veil in the temple, separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, was torn. This veil represented the barrier which sin had caused between God and man. Thus, the substitutionary death of Christ for us on the cross reopened the way into God's presence. This is what Jesus was describing when He said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). This profound truth is also upheld in the book of Hebrews: "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh..." (Hebrews 10:19,20).

Yes, Christ completed the work of redemption through His substitutionary sufferings, which resulted in the justification of sinners. It is written: "...All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus..." (Romans 3:23,24).

I am presenting to you the following points that explain how redemption satisfies some vital areas:

This is the main subject of my letter to you, Hassan, because here I will expound what you have found difficult concerning the death of Christ. It appears to you like a riddle whose answer evades you. Your search, like that of others who have tried to uncover the details of this subject apart from the Gospel, can be likened to someone looking for the living among the dead.

In the previous sections, I submitted brief discourses to you on the Incarnation, salvation and redemption (atonement). This served as an introduction to the subject of the cross -- the "altar" on which the substitutionary sacrifice for the human race was offered.

Some are tempted to say that the cross is a fictitious event and that, if it signified anything, it shows the ignorance of those who believe in it; thus, reason must brand it as folly. To such people, the Apostle Paul said: "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:21-24).

I have already mentioned to you that the death of Christ demonstrated the law of reciprocation. This principle may be difficult for the purely carnal man to grasp, but it is one of the most fascinating aspects of nature. For instance, wind and rain and other elements disintegrate the rocks, through which process alluvium is released, enriching the soil throughout the earth. Also, the sun expends huge amounts of its energy continually, supplying us with heat and light. Yet another example is the silkworm which, before becoming a butterfly, "dies" to its larval stage; but before that, it leaves behind hundreds of eggs which, in turn, also become silkworms. Jesus made a profound statement in connection with this fundamental principle of nature: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain" (John 12:24).

There are indeed other examples which would show the cross to be the acme of this principle, revealing to the careful investigator the amazing fact that self-giving is the basis of fruit-bearing.

I will now offer you several facts substantiating the death of Christ on the cross:

I will now narrate to you the stages in the trial of Christ, beginning with events that preceded it and influenced its outcome:

The soldiers of Pilate gathered the whole garrison around Christ, stripped Him and covered Him with a purple robe. Then they wove a crown of thorns and put it on His head. A reed was also thrust into His hand, in mockery of a royal sceptre. They bowed before Him and said, "Hail, King of the Jews" (Matthew 27:29). After this abuse ended, Christ was taken back to Pilate who presented Him before the crowd. Perhaps he thought that the bloody appearance of Christ would arouse pity in the crowd, making it easier to have Him released. But the vengeful crowd, excited at the sight of the wounded prisoner, shouted loudly, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"

Thus, the office of Christ as teacher and performer of miracles had come to an end. His role as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, began. In the past, He had demonstrated His authority by works of power. But now it was no longer necessary, because all things were at an end. The time had come for Him to take the place of sinful men and bear their curse (Galatians 3:13).

The crucifixion did not take Jesus by surprise. He had alluded to it when Nicodemus visited Him at night (John 3:14-16). He had made reference to it shortly before the Transfiguration (Matthew 16:21). He had also revealed it to the Jews halfway during His ministry (John 12:32).

Death by crucifixion originated with the Phoenicians, and it was Alexander the Great who had brought it to the Holy Land. The Jews, however, rarely used this form of execution because of the following instructions in their law: "If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God" (Deuteronomy 21:22,23).

The Romans used this form of execution against foreigners and slaves who had committed heinous crimes. Under no circumstances could this sentence be passed on a Roman -- no matter how vile his crime -- owing to the shame it incurred upon the victim. But when Jesus was lifted up, He transformed the shame of the cross into the hallmark of glory and a source of blessing.

At last, the rulers succeeded in getting rid of Jesus. They marched Him to Golgotha, followed by a large procession. All eyes were fixed on the Teacher from Galilee who was drained of energy, spattered with blood from his open wounds and carrying His cross on His back, torn by the scourge. Thus was fulfilled what was written by the prophet Isaiah: "I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting" (Isaiah 50:6).

Christ passed through the alleys of Jerusalem, bearing His cross, the "altar" upon which He would be offered; and thus, another prophecy was fulfilled: "The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar" (Psalm 118:27; NIV).

Jesus was in a state of great exhaustion because He had not slept at all since His arrest in the garden. He had been taken captive from the garden of Gethsemane to the palace of Annas, then to the residence of Caiaphas and then to the governor's palace. He stood during the long interrogations, and the abuses were interrupted with beatings and scourging that resulted in a loss of blood. Added to that were the bitter psychological agonies which beat upon His tender, noble, loving and perceptive soul. It pained Him to remember His disciples quarrelling about who was greatest at their last supper together (Luke 22:24-30). It grieved Him that Judas had betrayed Him, that Peter had denied Him and that the others had fled. Moreover, He was disappointed over the change in the crowd's attitude toward Him -- the crowd which only a few days earlier had hailed Him, crying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" (Matthew 21:9). This same crowd now wanted Him crucified.

All these factors served to weaken Him physically until He collapsed under the load of His cross. It was then that the soldiers seized a man from Cyrene, Simon by name; him they compelled to carry the cross of Christ. It could be that the centurion in charge of the soldiers pitied Jesus and ordered Simon to carry the cross. It even seems that this centurion was righteous, for when Jesus died on the cross he said, "Certainly this was an innocent Man" (Luke 23:47).

The death procession moved onwards, joined by others, among whom were many women who wept and lamented. Turning to them, Jesus said tenderly, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children" (Luke 23:28).

From the Gospel, we learn that many people treated Jesus with contempt; yet, nowhere do we find mention of a woman who hurt Him. Could the reason for this be that His teachings elevated the place of women in society? Even as He suffered on the way to Golgotha, He faced the mourning women, forgot his own pain and seized the opportunity for preaching. He drew their attention to what was more important than shedding tears for Him out of pity: shedding tears of repentance.

This is a masterpiece of a picture, my brother. It shows you the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world on the way to the altar of redemption. How I wish you could stand before this wonderful scene with reverence, feasting your eyes on the colours of sacrificial love, replete with God's light -- the light of Him who gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

The procession finally reached Golgotha, and the soldiers hurried to set up the cross. Meanwhile, the Roman officers offered Jesus vinegar mixed with gall; this was to numb His senses from feeling the full extent of the acute pain which was soon to follow. Jesus refused this however, because it was His intent to experience the full dregs of the anguish of the cross while totally conscious. I do not think any other person would have refused this offer.

After these preparations, the Roman officers ordered Jesus to lie down on the cross. They proceeded to nail His hands and feet. Then they raised the cross with Him on it and lowered it into a slot in the ground. Thus, Jesus was suspended between heaven and earth, and between two thieves who were also being crucified. This was a fulfilment of prophecy: "...He was numbered with the transgressors..." (Isaiah 53:12).

In his account of the Gospel, John the Evangelist records that Pilate wrote a title and placed it on the cross. This title was in three languages: Hebrew, the language of religion, for Christ was the Son of David and the Son of God; Greek, the language of learning, for Christ is the Light of the World and the Eternal Truth; and Latin, the language of political might, because Jesus is the King of Kings. As for the inscription, it read: "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" (John 19:19). The Jews objected to this and wanted it changed to read: "He said, `I am the King of the Jews'" (John 19:21). Pilate refused, because, from the start, he had despised and ridiculed the Jewish nation. He said, "What I have written, I have written" (John 19:22).

Jesus transformed the cross into a glorious platform from which He pronounced the highest expressions of love, forgiveness and hope. At the peak of His sufferings, the Lord of Glory made seven statements:

These words form a prayer of intercession on behalf of His murderers. Such a request had never been heard before. Previously, He had granted pardon as One who had the authority to do so. From the cross, He spoke as one interceding on behalf of His enemies, sparing them God's wrath for what they were doing to Him. It has been suggested that since He was undergoing punishment on behalf of man, it was not fitting for Him to use His authority in the matter of forgiveness; so, He requested divine pardon from His Father in heaven. How consistent He was with the very command He gave to us: "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you..." (Matthew 5:44).

By requesting forgiveness for His tormentors, He was also fulfilling the prophecy which says: "...He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:12).

In His intercession, He assumed the role of advocate, saying, "...They know not what they do." Although the Jews were wise in many ways, they missed their Messiah, owing to their blind fanaticism for the letter of the law. Thus, they "did not know the time of their visitation" (Luke 19:44). Because of their zeal for the traditions of their forefathers, they neglected the Holy Scriptures which testify of Jesus. How accurately did the Lord of Glory describe their condition: "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29). Had they opened their eyes, they would have recognised His glory in the teachings He had conveyed and in the signs He had performed among them. They were blinded to his works of mercy, because the hardness of their hearts had greatly diminished their capacity to truly see. Well was it said of them in Matthew 15:14: "They are blind leaders of the blind." The Jews were ignorant of the reality of the redemption which Jesus had come to accomplish for mankind; their vengeful priests and elders had turned them against Him. But despite their evil ways, the Saviour forgave them and disregarded their ignorance.

A godly man once said that the restitution of good with evil is satanic; the reparation of evil with evil, bestial; and the repayment of good with good, humane. However, rewarding evil with good is a divine act, and no one is able to do it except Christ and those who, by faith, have come to share in His divine nature.

Earlier, the Lord of Glory had said, "I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself" (John 12:32). He was soon to fulfil these words, beginning with the thief being crucified at His right hand. It appears that this villain was moved by the prayer of Christ for His murderers. He must have been amazed at His patience in the face of the taunts by those who reproached Him -- especially by the thief on the left. The virtue of the Lord had a profound effect on his soul, and he was lead to trust the crucified Saviour and repent of his former sins. During those moments after his conversion, he served the Redeemer by rebuking his blaspheming companion. In this service, he proved more courageous than the disciples of Christ who had scattered and deserted their Master.

The Lord said to him, "Today you will be with Me in Paradise." Jesus said today, not the Day of Judgement when "at the name of Jesus every knee [shall] bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and every tongue [shall] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10-11).

What had this thief done? He had broken the laws of God and man. He did no good deeds, but spoke words which were acceptable to God. These words were met by God's love which forgives sins and transgressions. This thief confessed his guilt and did not seek to hide his iniquity: "We receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong" (Luke 23:41). After a moment's pause, he turned to Him who had come to seek and save that which was lost: "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). This man had a kindred mind with the tax collector who had prayed in the temple afar off, not even looking up to heaven, beating his breast, pleading, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" (Luke 18:13). And as this tax collector went away justified, so the thief went to heaven justified. Bible scholars have called him "the thief who stole Paradise."

The words this thief uttered embody the confession the Lord expects from all if they want justification, sanctification and an inheritance in His kingdom. It is truly a miracle that at such a moment, on the day of a shameful crucifixion, this thief recognised what the Jews and their priests, scribes and Pharisees had failed to see when the Lord of Glory lived among them.

The Gospel according to John tells us that a group of women stood nearby when Jesus was on the cross; among them were His mother and her sister, and the mother of James and John. Since He had been stripped of His clothes and had nothing of value to leave behind, it was natural for Him to entrust His blessed mother to the care of her nephew, John, the disciple whom He loved. Even though pain racked His body, He still thought of others. To His murderers, He granted forgiveness (Luke 23:34); to the repentant thief, Paradise (Luke 23:43); and to John, He entrusted the care of His mother (John 19:27).

It is worth noting that Jesus addressed Mary as "woman" and not "mother". By this, He wanted her to perceive His relation to her as Saviour, an office vastly higher than His kinship to her as son.

To John, He said, "Behold, your mother!" Thus, to the disciple whom He loved, He left a precious legacy, fragrant with blessings. John is indebted to Mary, the mother of Christ, for important details regarding her wonderful son, the details of which are on the immortal record of the Gospel according to John.

Around noon that day, the sun was overshadowed by a darkness that enveloped the universe for three hours. As He hung between heaven and earth, Jesus was separated from mankind to face sufferings on a deeper level.

Great expositors have understood this darkness to symbolise the withholding of God's favour from Jesus as He bore in His body the guilt of the whole world and the attendant punishments of the curse of the law and the wrath of God.

Human perception cannot fully grasp the kind of suffering that Jesus endured. But knowing that He bore all the world's sin in His body, it is not hard to imagine Him recoiling at the extent of evil with which He was faced.

Dr. Roemer, a servant of the Lord, said: "When Jesus hung on the cross to redeem us from the curse of the law, all the sins of the world in every age and generation assaulted Him with all their currents and waves, washing over His head, `deep calling unto deep!' This wrenched out the cry from the depths of His being, `My God, My God why have You forsaken Me?'"

We dare not inquire what went on between Jesus and the heavenly Father during those hours when the light of the sun was veiled. Nevertheless, when we ponder Christ's redemptive mission, we understand that the Word which was with God became incarnate to save us from the curse of the law. The Son of God, in keeping with His great love, volunteered to provide divine forgiveness for sinful mankind. He acted as a substitute for all when He died on the cross.

The prophesy in Isaiah 53 and similar echoes in the writings of the Apostle Paul paint a marvellous picture of "the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world." Because sin veils the face of God from the sinner (Isaiah 59:2), it follows that God hid His face from Jesus at that hour.

Philip Melanchthon (AD 1497-1560), the notable reformer, said, "The cry of Jesus, `My God, My God why have You forsaken Me?' is positive proof that Christ bore in His human soul the wrath of God against sin."

A man of God once commented: "If the death of Christ were merely the death of a great celebrity for the sake of truth, then His cry has no meaning. But if He made Himself sin for our sakes, then it is our sins and those of the whole world that drew out that cry from His breast."

Able expositors believe that Jesus uttered this cry loudly in Aramaic, so that many would hear, know assuredly and witness that He was deserted by His Father at that moment. From this cry of anguish, the whole world would know how great the price was which He paid to purchase eternal life for all who believe in Him.

The end of the darkness at the ninth hour, about the time when sunlight returned (Matthew 27:45), signalled that Christ's soul-sufferings had ended; yet, His physical pain increased. The Good Shepherd who leads His flock to the still waters (Psalm 23:2) was afflicted with thirst. The Good Teacher said He thirsted -- He who told the Samaritan woman, "Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). The command to give food and drink to enemies if they hunger and thirst is written in the Old Testament (Proverbs 25:21); yet, the Jews who were recipients of the law denied Jesus even a drop of water to cool His tongue as He hung before them, dying. The Roman soldiers were amused that He had reached such a point of weakness and exhaustion. One of them took a sponge, dipped it in vinegar, raised it on a reed and gave it to Him. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy which says, "They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink" (Psalm 69:21).

The thirst of Christ was not slight, but most intense. It was that of one in the throes of death -- not just a natural death, but a death for the sins of others. Jesus at that hour went beyond the limits of suffering normally associated with death, proving by this that He was indeed Immanuel, "God with us."

With these words, redemption was completed. Thus, the most important event in all human history was accomplished. With redemption achieved, reconciliation between God and man was also realised. On the cross, the Saviour satisfied the law with all its foreshadowings and requirements, and ended the Old Covenant with its ordinances, conditions and demands. Jesus abolished the sacrifices, burnt offerings and gifts, because "by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14).

The sins of the Jews culminated in this ultimate act of rejection. From the start, they had not accepted Jesus; rather, they rejected His teachings, denied His miracles and blasphemed His name. Finally, they took Him captive, led Him to judgement, witnessed against Him falsely, spat in His face and delivered Him to His enemies who scourged Him, mocked Him, put a crown of thorns upon His head, pierced His hands and feet, lifted Him up between two thieves, stripped Him, divided His clothes among themselves and made a dreadful spectacle of Him with utmost cruelty! But Jesus fulfilled every detail of God's will, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He fulfilled the Scriptures with their prophecies. No longer was the blood of animals needed; neither the Passover, the Jews' feast of feasts: "Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Corinthians 5:7-8).

The atonement is complete. Christ has rested from His work. Now we are redeemed by the merit of His work on the cross on our behalf. We are to rejoice over the work of Christ for us:

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation (Romans 5:8-11).

With this seventh and final utterance, Christ bade farewell to His earthly ministry and descended for a short while to the grave, that place of death which He illuminated by making it a doorway into eternal life and a point of departure to the Heavenly Jerusalem which is the habitation of God with man. This last utterance of Christ has also been quoted by many a dying believer.

John the Evangelist writes that after this last utterance, Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit (John 19:30). He gave it up willingly, in accordance with His own words:

As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. Therefore My father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father (John 10:15-18).

Jesus died on a cross during the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, on the same day when thousands of lambs were being slain to atone for the sins of the people. As these were being slaughtered, the Lamb of God, bearing the sin of the world, shed His own precious blood to wash away every stain of iniquity and transgression.

Jesus the Lord died. No wonder the veil of the temple was torn in two! The rocks also split, the graves were opened, and many bodies of saints who had died were raised (Matthew 27:51-53).

My dear brother, it is not enough to regard the cross of Christ as merely a touching historical event. It is also a divine transaction. The Lord of Glory undertook this act to purchase a holy possession for Himself -- a people to proclaim the virtues of Him who called them out of darkness into His marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9). These respond to the cross of their Redeemer by crucifying their own whims and passions, as the apostolic saying puts it: "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin" (Romans 6:5,6).

In the Holy Scriptures, we can find the following prophecies with their fulfilment:

Consider the following physical proofs which confirm the crucifixion of Christ:

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus delivered a parting address to His disciples. It is rightly considered the gem of the Gospel. In it, He reveals His concern as teacher, His compassion as friend, His love as redeemer and His grace as saviour. As shepherd, He also shows His pity towards His little flock of simple disciples who had set their hopes on Him and left all to follow Him. Since He knew what the future would hold for them of painful sorrows, severe hardships, bitter disappointments and tribulations, He prepared them spiritually and psychologically to face the troubles that would confront them. He also instructed them concerning how to accomplish the second phase of the proclamation of the Gospel.

The Master began His magnificent discourse with some words of encouragement and comfort: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:1-3). Then He added: "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you... The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:18,26,27).

Like a faithful father, knowing that His last hour had come, He gave them His last will and testament: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34,35)... You are My friends if you do whatever I command you (John 15:14)... If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you (John 15:18)... They will put you out of the synagogue; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go away to Him who sent Me"... (John 16:2,4-5).

From the context of this magnificent address, we understand that Christ did not hide His end from His disciples. If we compare what is in this discourse with what He said earlier, it is evident that the main purpose of His coming to earth was to lay down His life as a ransom for many.

The apostles of Christ wrote their works by inspiration of the Holy Spirit for our edification. Allow me to quote to you some of Jesus' own declarations concerning His redemptive death, which they recorded for us:

Those who read the book of Acts and the various epistles of Paul, Peter, John, James and Jude, will note that the teachings expounded therein were preached world-wide, proclaiming a crucified Christ whose blood had been shed for sinners. The Apostle Paul summarised the Gospel in these words: "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the Gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which you also are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you -- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures..." (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

The following is a selection of sayings that were documented and in which the death of Christ was expounded. These, in turn, circulated through the inspired, sacred writings of the apostles:

I suspect my brother spent much time studying the contents of my last letter. He kept silent for several months, during which my patience was tested. However, when he did reply, he sent me his comments, as well as a list of questions:

April 9, 1954

My dear Taufiq,

Affectionate greetings. I wish you and all members of your family happiness and prosperity. I received your letter at a time when I was thinking of you and remembering our times together. I was happy to learn that you are doing well. Accept my thanks for the good wishes, tenderness and love you directed at me. You are my favourite and the dearest of all. As I write you now, it is with thanks to the inspiration of your noble expressions and engaging ideas. Obviously, your topic regarding the crucifixion of Christ, the Master, has aroused my interest as much as my admiration. In it, I sense a genuine desire on your part and a clear attempt to expose the facts with plenty of undeniable proofs as support. I feel proud to have a brother with such broad knowledge and the ability to deal with inquiry from every aspect.

I have no objection to your narrating events, because I found them clear and plain. However, I believe that every event has a visible aspect which corresponds to an invisible one. For instance, when we see a man turn pale and tremble, we know that this response is due to a corresponding internal stimulus, and we describe the condition as fear. In the case of the Qur'anic statement on the crucifixion, "...Yet they did not slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them" (Sura al-Nisa' 4:155), some are satisfied with thinking that it was really Christ who was crucified, while others doubt that it actually was Him.

Why was Christ crucified? You say it was to atone for the sin of Adam which has been passed on to the entire human race, because his offence resulted in spiritual death. The one who sins will die, and death carries the sense of divine wrath and also spiritual death. I agree with you that Adam represented mankind. How apt are the words of a certain poet on this subject:

If Adam's sin was not forgiven, then he died deserving God's wrath and was sent to hell for his deeds. Likewise, all his offspring, whose sins have not been forgiven, have also gone to hell. This means that everyone from Adam to Christ, whose sins have not been forgiven, is in the fires of hell. On the other hand, since Christ has atoned for the sins of Adam, He has also atoned for those of his offspring. Sin has overtaken all mankind, and this requires the forgiveness of Adam's sin for all who came after Christ. But the offence of Adam was not forgiven those who lived before Christ. Those living after Christ are fortunate, whereas those living prior to Him are unfortunate. If it is suggested that those before the time of Christ were forgiven, I would ask why they lived in sin and died in it, after it was forgiven them. Can a man be forgiven after death, when no longer alive and active?

It occurred to me that the murderers of Isa (Jesus) were also tainted with the sin of Adam. How can it be that the Lord was killed and that the murderers received forgiveness for their deed? Also, why did those before the death of Isa not receive atonement, whereas those after Isa did? Why was Isa not slain earlier, as soon as Adam sinned; then forgiveness could have been granted to all equally? In that way, all the offspring of Adam would be equal in the matter of forgiveness. As long as God is almighty and nothing impossible for Him, why could He not have forgiven Adam and his descendants without needing to have the Son killed, allowing Him to be spat upon and crucified? Where is the wisdom in having this affair delayed until the time of Christ?

Also, why is Adam held accountable for sin? Is Satan not the cause? Should the Lord be humiliated and killed for Satan's sake? God could have forgiven many sins without hardship and without needing to make Isa pay the price for the redemption of Adam and his offspring. We have seen that the Redeemer is superior to the redeemed, logically speaking. How then could the sin of Adam receive such emphasis in the sight of God, being preferred to Isa?

It also occurred to me that since Satan incriminated Adam, he was worthy of death, because he, not Isa, was the cause of the problem. If God wanted to punish justly, would it not have been more equitable to make Satan suffer and be killed for his own disobedience and for seducing Adam, instead of having Christ, the innocent Lord, punished for the offence of Satan?

Reasoning in this way, I find it no problem to believe that the crucified one merely took on the likeness of Isa. The Father could create a likeness of the Son, so that even His mother and friends would have mistaken him to be the real Christ. In this way, the Father would have rescued Him from degradation and death. It may be that the Qur'anic words, "...Yet they did not slay him, neither crucify him...", reflect this idea. Thus, Isa's murderers targeted Him but killed another who resembled Him, and they thought it really was Him.

Redemption was foreordained by God when He instructed Abraham to slay his son, Ishmael. But when Abraham was ready to kill him, God sent him an angel which provided a ram to be killed in the place of Ishmael. Naturally, you will agree that the redeemed one, Ishmael, was of greater consequence and more value than the ram with which he was redeemed. How can it be that God would redeem Ishmael, who was to be slain by the hand of his father, and not redeem Christ, the Favoured One, in order to save Him from the wicked hands of His foes who were intent on killing Him unjustly? Could not God have spared Christ by transferring His likeness onto someone else, making the beholders think that He was the victim, even as He saved Ishmael with a ram? I see nothing to exclude such an option.

Since this discourse is an involved one, and long at that, I shall be content with these comments, hoping that you will provide answers to my questions. The facts I have provided are so strong that they cannot be brushed aside, even in part. I ask God to help you and to bring you every happiness and success. I wish you health and contentment.

Hassan

٭ ٭ ٭

I read Hassan's letter and pondered the questions he raised which indicated some degree of concentration and depth. My brother did not mean to entrap me through his many questions. Rather, he hoped that I might be able to shed some light on the close of Christ's earthly life. He had not yet been emancipated from the ideas of the Batiniya sect. The followers of this school of thought do not believe in the death of the prophets. Instead, they speak of the end of their earthly lives as ghaiba which in Arabic means "becoming invisible". Therefore, I was not surprised to have to return to the subject of the cross once more. It was my pleasure to reply to his inquiries in the following letter:

My dear brother,

Your letter reached me at a time when my soul was longing for tender consolations. Despite my lowly estate and modest educational accomplishments, you have insisted on elevating my humble status. I thank the Lord my God for choosing to employ a wonderful means to guide me to the way, the truth and the life: our Lord Jesus Christ. He has covered my shortcomings and washed my sins with the blood of redemption. Witness how He is using this vessel of clay, one of shame, for honour. He has given me favour in your eyes and has made me the object of your confidence in a matter as grave as this.

My precious one, you have raised ten very important issues in your letter. These have driven me to investigation and inquiry, with a view of furnishing you with replies.

Since the matters under discussion pertain to God's benevolent plans for man, which He has declared in His inspired Word by the Holy Spirit, I implore you to draw near with me to what God has said. Let us do so, having taken off our sandals in His holy presence and with heads bowed before His glory. Let us be content with what He has revealed to us of His kingdom's mysteries and His blessed plans in redemption.

Let us approach these declarations of truth without contentious thoughts or intellectual quibbling, for the Word of God is loftier and nobler than to submit to human scrutiny. It is higher and holier than to be weighed in the scales of logic by earthly wisdom which is always subject to human factors, influenced by passions and environment. Let us keep away from every thought designed to make the truth of God agree with our own inclinations, tastes or any erroneous inherited beliefs which we have accepted as absolute, without inquiry. Let us implore the source of heavenly truth to grant us grace and a spirit of understanding, so that we can pull down every thought which sets itself up above the knowledge of God. Assessing the truth of God with human knowledge or wisdom is an assault against God by fallen human hearts, darkened by sin. The Apostle Paul said: "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out! `For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counsellor?' For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:33-36).

Reading your letter, I am convinced that you are familiar with the reasons necessitating redemption. However, your viewpoint is influenced by some doctrinal considerations that cling to human reason. Although I esteem this faculty in you, I feel bound by sincerity to chide you for hesitating before the truth of redemption. The mercy of God and my witness for the truth that liberates prompts me to ask you to avoid every intellectual explanation in your desire to verify the divine truths revealed in God's precious Book. These truths, according to the Word of God, "never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21).

And now, I shall present to you some replies to the subjects you raised in your last letter:

In order to expound the subject of mediation, there is no need for me to return once more to the themes of the Fall, justice, condemnation and mercy. I will therefore call your attention to man's nature which constrains him to contemplate the future. His conscience tells him that all his deeds will be tried by a righteous Judge. He feels guilt when he does wrong and fears punishment in the future world; this mars his happiness in the present. All the heavenly religions have unanimously upheld that man is corrupt, a slave of his passions. Thus, he is incapable of facing God, because he has lived according to his fleshly lusts and the desires of his conceited mind. He has loved his carnal nature which is against God.

The fact that man is alienated from God by his love of carnal and worldly things does not mean that he hates every attribute of God. Even the worst evildoers do not hate the mercy of God. Rather, they covet it and hope that it will secure His forgiveness for them and make them acceptable to Him. Consider the following two verses from the New Testament, in reference to man's sinful nature:

These verses remind us of the words of Christ to a religious leader of the Jews: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

From these verses, we understand that man is fallen. If he is to inherit eternal life, God's image of righteousness, holiness and truth must be restored to him; this is the image which Adam had borne before his tragic fall. However, this transformation is as impossible for him as it would be to raise himself from death. But what is impossible with men is possible with God, for He "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). The psalmist has said: "...Hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption" (Psalm 130:7).

God redeems those who take refuge in Him and turn from their sins: "The Lord is long-suffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression" (Numbers 14:18). He is willing to receive the sinner if he returns to Him: "Say to them: `As I live,' says the Lord God, `I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'" (Ezekiel 33:11). However, if God forgives a sinner, there has to be ample justification for so great a pardon. The work of a mediator is therefore necessary -- one, who by virtue of His standing with God, can quicken our dead spirits and clothe us in His righteousness, so that we can appear before God sanctified and blameless. This unique mediator has to be:

A. Human. It is written that the reason Jesus took on our nature and not that of angels was in order to come down to our world and redeem us. It was essential that He should be born under the law which we had broken. He had to fulfil all righteousness, suffer and die as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. He had to become a partaker of our humanity and experience our weaknesses, as it is written:

B. Without sin. According to the law of Moses, the sacrifice of atonement had to be without blemish. Likewise, the One who would lay down His life for the sin of the world had to be blameless. It is impossible that the Saviour of sinners would Himself be a sinner, because He would not then be able to enter the presence of God and present Himself as an offering for sin. Moreover, He could not be a source of holiness and eternal life for His people unless He Himself was righteous and holy. In the letter to the Hebrews, we read:

C. God. Man is incapable of overriding the authority of Satan. The Bible calls the devil "the god of this age," "the ruler of this world," and "the prince of the power of the air" (2 Corinthians 4;4, John 12:31, Ephesians 2:2). Thus, only a divine person could rescue mankind whom the enemy of righteousness had taken captive. The only one who could undertake the great work of redemption had to be the Almighty who alone possesses infinite wisdom and knowledge. Only He could become the head of the church and the judge of all. In order to be the source of spiritual life for the multitude of the redeemed, He had to have "all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9). He was a link between God and man, because He was God appearing in human flesh.

From a Biblical perspective all the qualities demanded of such a mediator were combined in Jesus. He alone manifested all the necessary attributes of such a one. His mediation of peace between heaven and earth encompasses all He has accomplished and is still accomplishing for the salvation of man. All His actions were those of a divine person, whether His vicarious sufferings on the cross or His intercession as High Priest at the right hand of the Majesty on high. He is the Lord of Glory who emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant, being obedient unto death.

If you require proof that Christ is the only mediator between God and man, here are some rich pointers:

a.) The text of the Bible bears a clear witness: "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).

b.) Jesus alone, while on earth, undertook all that mediation entailed, pertaining to redemption. In heaven, He is undertaking all that is required in terms of intercession on our behalf: "He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world" (1 John 2:2). The following verse also bears witness to this: "Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).

c.) Jesus fulfilled all His mediatorial work to a perfect degree; so there is no need of another: "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14).

d.) Christ is the only Saviour: "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

e.) There is no room for another mediator between us and God, because Christ has become like a brother to us: "For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren... Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people" (Hebrews 2:11,17).

f.) He invites us to Himself by the Holy Spirit who operates in the heart of man, helping him, convincing him, renewing him and leading him by the light of divine revelation. There is no doubt that Christ is our only Mediator: "For through Him we... have access by one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2:18).

In my previous letter, under the title "Redemption," I offered you a brief exposition on the role of sacrifice in sacred history. Your questions, however, have led me to return to this subject.

The Bible tells us that some of the offerings in the Old Testament were with blood, while others were not. Some of the blood offerings were called blood sacrifices, of which the most significant were those offered on the great Day of Atonement. These were meant:

May 15, 1954

My dear brother,

Grace to you and peace from God. Holding true to my promise, I am submitting to you the answers to the allegation that the Holy Bible has been corrupted. Those who hold this view even oppose well-educated Muslims who believe that divine providence has preserved the precious Book from any tampering or corruption by human hands. These Muslims believe that this charge is the worst slander against God's Book, for it lacks scientific and historic substantiation. Through Moses, God ordered the Jews not to add to or subtract from what He had commanded them (Deuteronomy 4:2). Solomon the Wise also testified in a similar manner: "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar" (Proverbs 30:5,6).

In the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, we have the following stern warning: "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Revelation 22:18-20).

After reading these stern warnings, is it possible that any believer could corrupt the words of God? As for evil men, they would not have been able to corrupt the Holy Scriptures either, because it would have been impossible for them to collect the thousands of copies scattered throughout the world and alter them!

It is truly sad that some have accused Christ's apostles of corrupting the Gospel; this, by the way, also constitutes an attack on the Qur'an itself, for the Qur'an witnesses to the nobility of the blessed apostles, calling them hawariyin ("friends") and the fellowship of Christ and God. The Qur'an also attests to the authenticity of the Holy Scriptures.

Everyone who studies the Qur'an seriously will be amazed at its clear witness to the inerrancy of the Bible. This is a true testimony, found in many suras, requiring no explanation or interpretation:

Undoubtedly, whoever meditates deeply on these Qur'anic texts will find clear proof for the honesty of the early apostles and Christians who zealously cared for their Book. These verses are also plain witnesses that the Bible is inspired by God. This agrees with the attestation of Christ's apostles as to the accuracy and inspiration of the Book.

The apostle Paul said: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16,17). The apostle Peter said: "...No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20,21).

On the basis of these verses, Christians accept the Old Testament books, from Genesis to Malachi, which the early church received through the Jews. They also affirm the New Testament books, from the Gospel according to Matthew to the book of Revelation, which the church acquired from the apostles.

In defence of the integrity of the Bible, I shall now proceed to mention the evidence I was able to collect, proving the accuracy of the Holy Scriptures and their freedom from tampering, corruption or alteration:

Earlier, I mentioned that among the treasures of Christendom are manuscripts of the Bible, written on parchments, three hundred years before the coming of Islam; the Qur'an refers to these writings by various names:

In the book, Uyun al-Akhbar by al-Razi, it is written: "All prophets who came during Moses' time and after followed the same canon until the time of Isa; all prophets who came during Jesus' time and after followed his canon until the time of Muhammad. But the canon of Muhammad will not be abrogated until the Day of Resurrection."

In the book, Hidayat Al Talibeen Ila Usul al-Deen by Muhammad Taqi al-Kashani, it is written: "Muslim scholars have decided that Muhammad is the Prophet of this age, and his religion abrogates the religions of all earlier prophets."

In reply to these sayings, I would declare that nowhere in the Qur'an or Hadeeth is there any mention of such abrogation. This allegation is just as ridiculous as the claim of corruption. Such a claim confuses the teachings of the Qur'an, making it say things that are not there. In fact, the only book to which any abrogation applies is the Qur'an itself, as the following verses testify:

Neither of these texts state in any way that the Qur'an came to abrogate the Bible, but rather, that some Qur'anic verses abrogate others. It has been claimed that there are 225 abrogated verses in the Qur'an.

Al-Baidawi has made an exhaustive exposition of the verse in Sura al-Hajj, showing how some of the following words from Sura al-Najm 53 have been abrogated: "The intercession of those cranes above is desired." You can look up his interpretation on this topic. Several other scholars have mentioned this subject, such as al-Jalalan and al-Tabari. Ibn Hatem, after Ibn Abbas, said: "Possibly, the inspiration descended on Muhammad at night and he forgot it the next day. Thus, the verse was given: `And for whatever verse we abrogate or cast into oblivion, We bring a better or the like of it'" (Sura al-Baqara 2:100). Al-Baidawi said that it was given when the polytheists or the Jews said, "Do you not see that Muhammad commands his followers to do something, then forbids them and commands something opposite?" The purpose of this verse was to describe the doubts of the people of the Book and the Muslims regarding such changing of texts. Al-Suyuti said that abrogation was the speciality of this nation.

According to the conclusions of the scholars, we see that these passages refute the claim that the Psalms abrogate the Torah, and that the Gospel abrogates the Psalms, and that the Qur'an abrogates the Gospel. Indeed, the Qur'an very clearly states: "Say: `Bring a Book from God that gives better guidance than these, and follow it, if you speak truly'" (Sura al-Qasas 28:50).

In his book, Izhar Ul Haqq, Rahmat Ul-Lah al-Hindi says, "The talk of abrogation of the Torah by the Psalms and the Psalms by the Gospel and the Gospel by the Qur'an has no basis either in the Qur'an or the Hadeeth." Well has this scholar spoken, for the Qur'an contradicts the claims of the abrogationists totally. It says: "He has laid down for you as religion that He charged Noah with, and that We have revealed to thee, and that We charged Abraham with, Moses and Jesus: `Perform the religion, and scatter not regarding it'" (Sura al-Shura 42:11).

From this, can we not see that it is ridiculous to say that the Qur'an has abrogated the Bible? How dare any Muslim go beyond the teaching of the Qur'an which says that it is a guidance to the precepts of the People of the Book: "God desires to make clear to you, and to guide you in the institutions of those before you, and to turn towards you; God is All-knowing, All-wise" (Sura Woman 4:31).

The Qur'an also enjoins the People of the Book to act according to the precepts therein, for it says: "Whoso judges not according to what God has sent down -- they are the evildoers" (Sura al-Ma'ida 5:49).

My brother, whoever reads the Bible seriously will find its teachings to be totally consistent, having one direction: the revelation of the purposes of God to mankind. There is no such thing as abrogator or abrogated among its lucid passages.

In the books of the Old Testament, we learn how God created the world, made mankind and how sin entered the scene. Further along, we read about the divine promise of a Saviour who would come in the fullness of time from the seed of a woman. In the meantime, God made a covenant with Abraham, promising him that the Saviour would come through the line of Isaac. This covenant was renewed with Isaac and Jacob and was a subject on people's tongues throughout the succeeding generations. When Moses came, he was given the law which included those great and precious promises. The prophets who followed him were given clearer visions of that Saviour who was to come in the name of the Lord. Likewise, the books they wrote were in harmony with what Moses had described; some even foretold the way in which He would come, the town where He would be born, His miracles, teachings and atoning death.

The Torah reveals the purposes of God which were given to Moses. The Gospel presents an account of the life of the Saviour, His teachings, death, resurrection and ascension; and these are in fulfilment of the prophecies in the Torah and Psalms. Those who acknowledged God, inclined towards Him, worshipped Him and believed in the coming Saviour, found in Him contentment for their hearts. The writer of the book of Hebrews refers to this when he says: "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13).

In the psalms and the prophets, the news of the Saviour became clearer. From the beginning, God separated for Himself a people whom He nurtured gradually, bearing their evil deeds and stubbornness. We are told that the symbolic rituals and religious observances He taught them were designed as a temporary arrangement, creating a distinctive separation between Judaism and heathenism until the advent of the promised Saviour who was to be a blessing to all nations. They were taught that these rituals, although God-ordained, were of no avail unless coupled with a dedicated and consecrated life.

This truth was revealed to the prophet Micah when he wondered about the efficacy of endless sacrifices and offerings in God's sight:

All the Jewish ceremonial laws, whether sacrifices, burnt offerings, incense or washings, were merely symbolic. They were realised in the fullness of the New Testament spirit which Christ guarantees to all who believe in Him, whatever their race, sex, language or colour. We read in the book of Isaiah: "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9).

The New Testament does not abrogate the Old; rather, it expounds it and brings out its spiritual content, satisfying people in all times and places.

What I dearly wish you would keep in mind is that the law in the Torah is twofold, having both ceremonial and moral components. The first was given to the Jews temporarily to separate them from the heathen nations and to preserve them from falling into the abominations of polytheism; this was in preparation for the Age of Grace. In the book of Hebrews it is written: "Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience -- concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation" (Hebrews 9:1-10).

In his prophecies about the Lamb of God, which all these sacrifices foreshadowed, the prophet Isaiah disclosed the intent of the animal sacrifices (compare Isaiah 53 and Revelation 5). Since Christ, the great sacrifice to which all other sacrifices pointed, was offered in the fullness of time, it follows that Christians no longer have to offer them. Amazingly, the Jews also stopped their animal sacrifices out of necessity, because their temple had been destroyed. The Torah forbids them to sacrifice anywhere except in Jerusalem, within the walls of the temple.

The moral law, however, is eternal. It is to be enforced at all times, because the commandments in it relate to God; breaking them is an affront to Him. These commandments were not annulled by the gospel of Christ, but expounded and reinforced. For example: "You have heard that it was said to those of old, `You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27,28).

The significance of the matter is that all the teachings of the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, are fixed and admit no abrogation; they represent God's good and perfect will for man. This proves to us that the way of salvation in every day and age is the same, and those who have not believed in Christ will be judged. Abraham rejoiced to see His day: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad" (John 8:56). Christ said: "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36).

My dear Hassan, I send you these contributions, not knowing how they will affect your noble spirit. I do not think for a moment that you will find in them the sort of material to satisfy your hunger for lofty themes, the depths of which my modest knowledge cannot plumb. However, I hope the excerpts from the Word of God in my letter will create in you a yearning for righteousness which is of God by faith. Your hunger will then be filled, and your thirst, quenched, according to the words of Christ: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6).

David, son of Jesse, recognised this fact when he said: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1). The prophet Isaiah knew it as well, for he said: "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance" (Isaiah 55:1,2).

My brother, mere things do not satisfy, whether bread, learning or money. Jesus said: "It is written, `Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4). However great their quantity or quality, things cannot satisfy or sustain the spiritual man, because he is a living being and not merely a machine of flesh, blood and bones. If he were only that, material food would satisfy him, and it would be suitable for him to devote all his strength to secure it. Likewise, man is not just mind that thinks and invents, for if this were the case, he would find his sustenance in the spheres of knowledge, literature and the arts. But who is content with being merely an eating and drinking organism or a repository of learning? I do not think any intelligent person would want this. But sad as it may be, there are "not many wise, not many learned." For this reason, most people seek after matter, measuring themselves against one another in material terms. Remember the saying which Abu Ghassan used to repeat: "If you have a piaster, you are worth a piaster!" What a miserable appraisal of man, created in the image and likeness of God who purchased him with the most costly commodity in the universe: the blood of Christ!

Truly, man is satisfied neither by material things nor learning, culture or the arts. Experience has proven to us that many have amassed fortunes, and yet their souls have not been satisfied. Instead, they have become even more consumed with greed. Many have filled their minds with much learning, philosophy, literature and arts; yet, they have remained spiritually thirsty. How true is the saying: "Two things there be that never are satiated -- the seeker after knowledge and the seeker after wealth." And so, I would point you to the Word of God. There is no difference between the incarnate Word which shows the path of life and the inspired Word of God which judges for salvation. Christ said: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life... If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you ... You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life..." (John 6:63; 15:7; 5:39,40).

Sincerely, Taufiq

I sent this letter to Hassan some years ago. Until now, he has not requested more information, and it appears that he found that for which he was seeking: more details about the death of the Lord Jesus. It may be that our discussion drove him to study the Holy Scriptures.

We met four times during those long years. Each time he declined to be drawn into a discussion, owing to the presence of those before whom he preferred to remain silent. However, I sensed a change in his life and a transformation of his goals. Also, his dealings with people took on an earnest, gentle tenor. There is evidence in all his words that he has been through some sort of experience -- one that has left him more interested in spiritual things. I have heard that he has become a model husband and father. After speaking with him, how pleased I was to sense the presence of faith in his life, coupled with hope and love. I was overjoyed to learn that he would rise to my defence whenever my name was slandered.

Finally, if there is something I could leave with you, it is my deepest gratitude to the One who had mercy on me, accepting my repentance and showering me with His bounty, until He produced:

"Out of the eater... something to eat, and out of the strong... something sweet." (Judges 14:14)

Dear Reader, if you have read both parts of this book carefully, you will be able to answer the following questions easily. If you want to test your knowledge please mail them to us.

Copy and paste the above-mentioned questions into the contact form and write the answer below each question.

Please use our Email-Form to contact us or write to:

Iskander Jadeed devoted his life to Christ as a fatherly pastor. Reverend Jadeed passed away into God's mercy on December 19, 1989, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 80. He was stricken during the last ten years of his life with Parkinson's Disease. Despite the weakening of his body, he remained sound and alert in spirit. Although he could not write his thoughts any longer, his books spoke clearly on all continents. They continue to speak today, according to the promise of Jesus: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Reverend Jadeed is living with his Saviour and Lord today, according to his faith. He explained the secret of his effectiveness with the words of Jesus in Revelation 3:7-8: "These things says He who is holy, He who is true, `He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens': I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name." Above all Biblical texts, he preferred the testimony of the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 1:15-16: "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief... for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all long-suffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life." However, he disagreed with the Apostle Paul as to the identity of the chief of sinners; he was convinced that this position was his own. Through his life of self-denial, Reverend Jadeed experienced the promise contained in this profound Biblical passage as an apt description of his life: