I think, looking at the Book of Daniel, you are not required to martyr yourself as a Christian, but can “lay low” and survive if that is your choice. In Daniel when told to bow to an idol, they did not bow, but did not make a show of it, they simply did not bow. Similarly when Daniel was ordered not to pray to anyone but the King he continued to pray to God but did not charge in and berate the king or his advisors, inviting martyrdom. When asked though, in every case in Daniel, Daniel, Shadrak, and Abednigo did not deny God when faced with martyrdom. They did not seek or avoid.
In other words, if I were a Muslim, who became a Christian, in a country with Sharia law, I’d think seriously about keeping it as quiet as possible and witness “on the sly.”
Good advice.
Good advice.
Just today at our women’s Bible study, there was a young 25 yo missionary to Thailand. The Bible study is broadcast over the internet, but before she took the stage, they were careful to turn off the internet connection. They said her life could be in danger because of where she works. She’s assigned to an area of Thailand that is mostly Muslim, and over the past two years has become good friends with the daughter of the local Muslim “bishop” — not sure of what his title would be. The daughter has become a Christian and studies the Bible each week with this missionary. God has really given this missionary a heart for Muslims, but she has to do her work there very carefully. She said that when she meets with this daughter to study the Bible, they have to meet in a different location each time. Thinking about it now, I think she very much underplayed the dangerous situation she is in on a daily basis.
But what was it that Churchill once said about feeding crocodiles and hoping?