Update from Pakistan

I talked to Pastor Fiaz a couple days ago. The book of tracts (complete set) that he is working on is fully translated and proofed. Earlier this week he gave a copy to two Bible School professors so that they could write their own endorsements to be printed on the back cover. Fiaz also said that the book passed “the grace test.” That suggests that they have discussed the idea of universal salvation and have concluded that it does not violate the principle of grace as they understand it.

They may have had that discussion on account of my focus upon God’s law, particularly in the tract, Prison or Restitution.

Fiaz expects this book to be ready by Monday so he can bring it to the print shop.

Fiaz refers to these 12 tracts as “very powerful sermons.” When I began writing these, I had no idea that they would be so useful in Pakistan. Certainly, they are written in simple language that is very suitable for translation into Urdu, but I had been thinking more in terms of passing them out on the street to people who know little or nothing about the gospel.

God is always full of surprises. He likes surprises. It’s part of His good humor. I have learned that when He says to do something, He usually has ulterior motives and has a good laugh with us when we finally get the joke.

Anyway, this will be the second full book translated into Urdu. I told him to print 2,000 copies of the book and each of the tracts (separately). I sent him the money last month to pay for this. Thanks to all who have sent extra donations to cover that cost ($3000). I am thankful that you support this effort to spread the New Covenant gospel to the other side of the world.

Two weeks ago when I talked to Fiaz, he was asking me for more details about the restoration of all things. My tracts, of course, only lay the foundations of New Covenant evangelism, and these truths immediately raise questions—especially for those believers who have been taught that unbelievers will burn in hell forever. It appears that no one over there has ever heard the good news gospel until now. In fact, both Christians and Muslims have been in agreement that unbelievers or infidels go to hell forever.

So this is a new concept to them. He was amazed at the new concept that eonian does not mean "everlasting." Frankly, I am a bit surprised that there seems to be no opposition yet. Pray that the good news gospel will have time to take root before the storms come.

It is difficult to do much teaching on Telegram. There is just too much to teach, and he usually calls after midnight (his time). I can see his kids sleeping in the background. (We do video calls on Telegram.) I know my mind would be seriously compromised if I tried to write after midnight. So I suggested that he should download The Restoration of All Things (book) and make that his next translation project instead of The Laws of the Second Coming. It made more sense to lay more solid foundations on the concept of universal reconciliation so that he could answer the people’s questions before moving on to other topics.

So as of two days ago he had already translated the first two chapters. He hopes to finish by the end of next week. He tries to do a chapter a day, except on weekends, when he has to prepare for church meetings. I suspect, though, that he is using this material in his sermons now and that this is why he needs more teaching to respond to their questions.

Questions are a sign of interest in learning something new.

I also suggested that after translating the Restoration book, he might want to translate the pocket size booklet, A Short History of Universal Reconciliation. I have found that a big question people eventually have is: How did the concept of universal reconciliation become lost? This booklet answers that question. Fiaz should soon become Pakistan’s foremost expert in this concept, so he can teach the professors as well.

Whenever we talk on Telegram, he thanks God for bringing us together, and I thank God as well.