How do you know that God wasn't using this jordanian Christian? If he was not feeling guilty (OK, I'd like to think the best) would he have told his story of lying? Also, his friend - the Muslim covered for him.
Sure, he lied about following Jesus. For all we know, this experience will help him stand tall on his beliefs or if he was a Christian in name only, perhaps he will learn more about it and begin to follow it.
The bottomline is it got me thinking about what I would do. I consider myself a decent Christian (new Catholic). I have a lot of room for growth and I struggle daily with having God in the center of my life. I have to admit, in this situation, I am not sure I would of told the truth unless I knew that my death would actually mean something. Also, if I was with a muslim, me not following along with the "out" I would of had could of jeopardized someone else. It just makes you wonder. Could God be using this situation to get us thinking and preparing for the same thing?
There will be a time when we're tested and I trust that when that time comes, I'll have the courage to speak my heart. However, if your heart is true, does it matter to speak the truth on deaf ears? The terrorist's don't care about anything but killing non muslim's. My death would just be another number-- I don't get the martydom thing unless your actually standing up. How one can stand up to someone holding a AK47 at your head is beyond me, I'd rather live and use the rest of my life to defeat them (fanatics) and spread gospel then just die b/c I won't save myself.
If your heart is true, then it's true.
Just my thoughts. In's God's time, he'll judge. Let us take this and learn from it. Prepare b/c the time will come where we could be faced with the same choices.
I have not weighed in on this matter, but I am reminded that Peter boasted that he would never deny His Lord, only to be prophesied by Jesus Himself that Peter would do it, no less than 3 times, a significant number ...
I am also reminded that Peter became a great witness for the Lord afterwards ... One thing we know for sure, when the Mark is being handed out (Revelation 13) that kind of denial is definitely irreversible ...
prior to that period, let us pray the Lord finds us worthy, which we can only be in His Blood (Luke 21:34-36), to escape those things that will come to pass ...