Franklin Graham tells Islamic extremists: 'The grave has no hold on the believer'

Franklin Graham says radical Islam 'reared its ugly head again' when its followers attacked Christians in Pakistan during Easter Sunday.Reuters

Rev. Franklin Graham has denounced the terrorist attack conducted by Islamic extremists during Easter Sunday in Lahore, Pakistan.

On his Facebook page, Graham said radical Islam "reared its ugly head again" when its followers killed innocent Christians—mostly women and children—on Easter Sunday. He said the families were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ after He took people's sins to the cross when they were mercilessly slaughtered by the Islamic extremists.

Despite the attack, Graham strongly believes Christians in Pakistan will continue to hold true to their faith. "As Christians we know that when death comes to someone who has trusted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, they are ushered into the presence of our Heavenly Father and will live for eternity in His presence. The grave has no hold on the believer," he says.

The intent of the Islamic terrorists is clear, said Graham, since even before Sunday's terrorist attack, they had already threatened the Pakistani government that they would continue targeting Christians until Sharia (Islamic law) is imposed for good in the country. But Graham said their plan will not succeed.

"Muslims want Sharia Law. They want the whole world to bow to Islam — that won't happen," he assured. "The Word of God tells us that one day 'at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father' (Philippians 2:10-11). I serve a risen Saviour!"

The Islamic extremist group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar took responsibility for the Easter attack. Its spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan said they are now starting "annual martyrdom attacks" to convey to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the prime minister that they have finally "arrived" in Punjab.