Let me start by thanking God for a brother like you, educated in world religions. I came to the US in 1979 from Pakistan. My family are all Muslim. I on the other hand did not find any fulfillment in that religion. I have now come to understand who Christ is. I have been challenged by many of my co-workers who are Muslim. I have also been put down for my belief in Christ. My question is, If Jesus had such a big impact on so many people while he was here on earth, where were the people of eastern religions? How come they were not impacted by Jesus? Is it fair to say that if the people of eastern religions had seen and witnessed Jesus perform miracles, they would believe in him? (Maybe then they would have passed that belief on to the generations of today.) -- Behzad

Thank you, Behzad, for your question. Your decision to follow Christ despite opposition is commendable. Your question shows that you are well aware that somewhere down the line, the early Christians failed to take the pure gospel everywhere in the world. Yet actually many of the eastern peoples were affected by Jesus! The apostles preached all through the land where Islam later would take hold (six centuries later). Thomas even made it to India! While the whole world was not evangelized, substantial inroads were made. And church history suggests that many of the Asians east of Israel remained faithful for many, many generations. (They were not as caught up in church politics as the Christians west of Syria.)

Whether all the easterners would automatically have repented on seeing the miracles and hearing the Word, however, is questionable. People have to have the heart, the willingness, as well. Please take a look at Luke 16:19-31 - the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus - and you will see exactly what I mean.

It is indeed sad that the thread of true Christianity was lost somewhere along the way. The same challenge faces us today: to take the saving message into all nations (including yours, where already there are many disciples!)

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