CHRISTIANNEWS.COM.-A report prepared by the Open Doors organization reveals that there are places in the world where the Bible is still prohibited and having it can be a reason for death.
There are places in the world where people have to get their Bible out of a hole in the forest floor, they have to remove the dirt from the pages so that person and their family can read God’s Word together.
There are other places where you cannot have a Bible in your own language, because the government forbids translating it and many put their lives and families in danger just to have the Word of God in their homes.
All of these scenarios are real situations facing Christians in different parts of the world where the Word of God is a target and yet people are desperate for Bibles.
The Bible is one of the main ways that God reaches people in places where it is hard follow Jesus: His Word is a light for his people, the bread that sustains their faith.
In North Korea the Bible is strictly CONTROLLED by the government or the surrounding culture.
Just because it’s not technically “forbidden” doesn’t mean it’s easy to gain access to God’s Word.
In some hardline Muslim-majority countries, local authorities allow some categories of Christian communitiesfor example, not converted, own a Bible, but only under severe restrictions.
In other parts of the world, local authorities may allow the Bible in a legal sense, but families or communities may actively oppose ownership of God’s Word, making the Bible illegally effective.
In many countries in the top 10 of the 2020 World Watch List there are certain restrictions on God’s Word and other Christian materials. North Korea and Afghanistan are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, on the 2020 World Watch List (WWL).
Bible, persecution and death
In other places, such as Sudan, Iran, and the Maldives, in the past year, churches have confiscated Bibles and religious literature and/or have been punished for possessing Bibles and other Christian materials.
In Iran, having a Bible easily after converting to Islam could risk imprisonment and torture.
In Saudi Arabia, it’s okay to bring a Bible if you’re a foreigner, but if you do something like read it in public, or are suspected of having any intention of speaking publicly about your faith, that could mean prison.
On the other hand, it is not illegal for a foreigner to have a single Bible in the Maldives in his own language, but there is no complete translation of a Bible in the native language.
Target of attack all over the world
In Malaysia, Bibles are allowed, but it is not allowed to refer to God as “Allah” in Christian publications. The Bible is under attack all over the world.
Even though formal “bans” are very rare, in practice it can be difficult to buy, read and share God’s Word in places where it is difficult to follow Jesus.
According to the list of many countries in the World Watch List 2020, trying to access the Bible can cause danger, difficulty and pain. But the desire and thirst for God remains.
For Christians around the world, the Bible remains one of the most important parts of deepening their relationship with Jesus. It is the door for the light of Christ to enter lives, it is the bridge of salvation.
Posted by: .-Find out daily about the evangelical Christian news and the world.
Post Visitors:177