An ex-LGBT activist in Malta reportedly facing potential prison time after sharing his testimony of leaving behind a gay lifestyle to follow Christ is continuing his battle in court.
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Matthew Grech recently joined CBN’s Faithwire to provide an update on his case, the legal ramifications, and why he’s fighting for freedom.
“I really do believe that God is going to come through and usher us into victory here,” he said, noting he’s back in court this week.
As previously reported, legal problems began when Grech shared his story of leaving the LGBTQ lifestyle and finding Jesus with a local outlet in Malta. He said two presenters with PMnews Malta wanted to know more about the nation’s crackdown on so-called conversion therapy and his take on the matter.
Malta, in 2016, became the first European Union country to ban attempts to “change, repress or eliminate a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression,” leading to fines or even jail time.
“Last year, I was invited to share my story on a program and answer questions about so-called conversion practices,” Grech said. “And I mentioned an organization … that supports men and women who leave LGBT and an organization that promotes a biblical sexuality.”
Here’s his story:
Just days later, he said three people reported him to police and accused him of breaching the law. Suddenly, he was in legal trouble. “I had to go to the police and I exercise my right to be silent,” he said. “And the police press charges against me.”
Grech is reportedly the first person in his country to be prosecuted in such a way.
“If I’m found guilty, I could spend five months in jail, or I could … pay a fine of up to 5,000 euros … just for really exercising my freedom to be a Christian and to support others who want to move away from unwanted LGBT identities or desires,” he said.
In the end, Grech said he’s grateful for the support and prayer he’s received from Christians across the globe. He’s confident he will be victorious in court, but even if he’s not, he has no plans to give up hope or to cede to the state.
“Our fundamental freedoms are being breached here, and I believe there are not just constitutional laws in Malta, but also European laws and international laws that protect us in this scenario,” he said.
Regardless, Grech said he plans to cling to the Lord and take whatever comes his way.
“Worst case scenario … I want to be like Paul, the apostle of my life,” he said. “I want to be able to say, ‘I know what it means to live in abundance … what it means to live and lack.’”
Grech continued, “Worst case scenario [is] prison and sharing Jesus in prison and just suffering for the sake of Christ and counting it all joy for the prize of knowing Him, knowing that he’s producing perseverance and … he’s strengthening our faith through every trial.”
In a previous interview, Grech told CBN’s Faithwire about his life before finding Jesus, noting he was in same-sex relationships and embroiled in New Age beliefs.
That lifestyle was obliterated, though, when Grech was invited to church one day and experienced something he had never felt before: “the presence of God” and the love of genuine believers.
He said the impact of that experience was profound, leading him to embrace a Christian life fully.
Watch his testimony:
“I did commit my life to Jesus Christ and it’s been an awesome journey of just growing in this new identity and life,” he said, noting how his faith also led him away from a gay lifestyle. “I stumbled upon Bible verses on homosexuality one day. I had never heard homosexuality addressed from a pulpit before, but I was really challenged, and I remember just really wanting to be in the will of God.”
Grech said he committed to prayer and God and decided to shift his life to align with biblical truth. He said he realized, “What society calls gay, I don’t have to wear that label anymore … When I understood that, hope filled my heart … heaviness left my body.”
The former gay activist said he “decided to repent” of his past lifestyle and start to explore his identity in Christ. Read the full story.
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