This moring I was watching a report on enforced Sharia Law in the region of Aceh, Indonesia. Here is a link to the report...

On patrol with Aceh's Sharia law police

A BBC reporter accompanied the ‘Sharia Police’ on their nightly rounds, locating people of the opposite sex found sitting too close to one another  amongst other such ‘crimes’.

Isn't it ironic how Islam so strongly denies it's followers many earthly pleasures even going to such extremes as it's women having to wear the Islamic Burqa or Niqab, not being allow to sit too close the opposite sex who you are not married too to fasting in the month of Ramadan, yet their great hope (for the men at least) is so very earthly and sensual indeed. Those men who are fortunate enough to attain their heavenly goal can look forward continual sex with seventy beautiful young virgins (who somehow instantly regain their virginity after sex) and have an endless supply of fantastic food as well as the finest wines. What a total contrast to the Christian hope who look forward to being released from the most basest and fallen passions of this corrupt flesh, to walk in the holiness of God.
I am not suggesting for a moment that sex is somehow dirty, sex within marriage is a holy thing and even a picture of Christ's union with His Bride, the Church but even this earthly desire we will be released from which is evident in the following scripture. Jesus when being asked whose wife a seven timed widow will be in the resurrection replies... The contrast continues in the fact that Sharia law is enforced on Earth to restrict the moral behavior of Moslems yet how can God judge a people who only kept His law by it being enforce upon them? As in the Christian faith, isn't it logical that a man should be judged on what he chose to do willingly, thus proving the state of his heart by his actions? Jesus used an example of the old Jewish law that said such things as...you shall not eat this or that, you shall not eat with out washing your hands firsts etc.. to show where the problem really lies, that being in the heart. So a Moslem may not wear this or that nor sit too close to another but will these rules and regulations really change the inner person or just the outward appearance? These religious practices such as a Priest wearing his glorious robes, Catholic saying their thousands of Hail Marys or beating their bodies into submission or Jews and Moslems refusing to eat this or that, appear to have a form of holiness... yet they do nothing to change the inner man. The Christian faith however, regarding this matter is based on the fact a person will be judged on what he freely choose to do during this life. The Law was given to Moses to reveal to us what a terrible fallen state Mankind is in, wanting to do good we find that we do evil. Paul puts it very well when he says... In other words, Paul seeing that the law of God is good (do not commit adultery, no fornication, lust, do not lie etc...) he wants to keep it but finds that he keeps doing the very things he hates! (sound familiar?) Why is this? Because the work of the law is to show us our desperate fallen state and then drives us to look for help. The law was brought in to open our eyes to our terrible condition and separation from God with the terrifying yet righteous consequences of that condition, the prophets came to show us the answer to this problem and then finally He, the answer came [Jesus] and not only fulfilled God's righteous law for us but paid for those laws which we in our fallen state, broke.

Today, when a man our a women keeps doing that which they know is wrong be that drinking, hatred, unforgiveness, pornography, flirting, stealing etc... all that destroys a man, their conscience will rise up and cry out “I must stop this”. Many times they will for a season manage to stop but they always return to trampling their conscience in one way or another. This state will eventually bring on depression and desperation, something has to be done else the poor soul will self destruct as many do, they have a few choices.

1. Many love their sin so much that they will find anything to justify it. Hiding behind lies and deceit many attempt to silence their conscience with alcohol, drugs and sex. This course of action will eventually harden the person's ‘god given conscience’ until they can no longer hear it's voice, then they are free to do as they will but their end is truly terrifying.
2. Still others, such as myself in desperation, acknowledge their state and set themselves on a course of action to find the answer which lead me to Christ.

So the Law not only reveals to the honest soul that they are fallen but points them towards the only answer, which is the promised Christ. So what happens to the retched person who comes Christ? In our humility and recognition of Him who died for us we are ‘born again’ of a new spirit, a new creation, changed...not outwardly but inwardly. Although we for a short while now have to battle with this corrupt flesh, Christ gives us the victory over the power of sin so we do not have to be a slave to it any longer. Even the Jews will turn from those outward appearances, in the keeping those laws and be changed in the inner man. But what have the Moslems to look forward to? With no recognition of Jesus as their Messiah what do their laws drive them to but despair. No wonder so many in absolute desperation... condemned in their hearts, inwardly recognising their fallen state cling to the Islamic lie that blowing themselves up in the name of Allah will secure them entrance to their heavenly paradise. If you are not Christ's but reading this, if you know you have hardened your heart and your conscience is dead, I implore you to read the New Testament...your conscience will come alive again and point you to the only answer... which is Christ who loves and died for you.