Faith2

Religion

The word religion is translated into Chinese as ‘sect + teaching.’  Strictly speaking, this is incorrect and there was no equivalent word in Chinese since God was unknown in China until modern times.  Religion concerns God and related human activities.  Since God created all peoples and there is only one God, a correct religion is not a sect but is universal.  Teaching is important.  But Jesus taught us that doing is equally important.  Luke 11: ²⁸He (Jesus) replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." 

I used the word correct religion above and earlier.  What I mean is that only two religions are God’s religions: Judaism and Christianity.  All other religions are incorrect in the sense that they are not from God. 

Why not a religion from China? 

A Chinese may question why no correct religion originated in China.  According to the Bible, Judaism started from Abraham (Gen.12).  (It may also say that it started from Moses and the first 5 books of the Bible.)  This is why Abraham is called Father of Faith.  I heard two explanations.  1) God had to start from somewhere and Abraham was the one chosen.  2) At that time, Abraham was the more righteous one among all mankind.  Whatever the reason, this is a historical fact.  My understanding is that God will not start another religion in any other place (Is.55:9-11).  God is One and Only (John 1:14). 

Some Chinese may say that we do not want to worship a “foreign” God.  First, most Christians (or, for that matter, most Muslims or Buddhists) are not blood related to the origin of the faith.  Marxism is a kind of foreign faith; a faith without God.  Many Chinese worshiped it before.  Prior to that, Buddhism was originated in India and was widely followed in China.  This is just a lame excuse. 

Second, there are ample biblical references that God intended for Him to be known to all peoples in the world through the ages.  In Gen. 12:2-3, ³ “I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."  Note the words all peoples.  There are many additional verses in OT.  In NT, Matt. 28: …¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  Note the word all nations. 

From the biblical point of view, there are only two groups of peoples, Jews and Gentiles.  God has not created another religion for any race, nation, ethnicity, or language no matter how big, small, black, white, smart, or dumb.  I do not see why He will treat Chinese differently.  In fact, if a new religion is created in China, I am quite sure that it is not from God. 

For a Christian, nationality, ethnicity, or race are no longer that important.  The most crucial thing is that he/she is in the Kingdom of God (Ga.3:28).  Think about it.  Greek had splendid achievement in sciences, philosophy, logic, and politics.  Scientifically speaking, they were ages ahead of China.  Many Greeks became Christians (in fact Greek was part of the Roman Empire, which became the original Christendom).  Ancient Egypt had splendid civilization and wealth.  The first university was established in Egypt.  When visiting The Metropolitan Museum in New York, I was greatly impressed by achievements in ancient Egypt.  In many ways, ancient Egypt was more advanced than ancient China.  Although the Old Testament was quite negative (cf. Exodus) on Egypt, yet much of Egypt became part of Christendom in early Christianity.  These civilizations in no way were inferior to ancient China (if anything they were more advanced).   

Col.3: ¹¹Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.  (cf. I Cor. 12:12-13, Gal. 3:28.)  Scythians were a tribe of most degraded kind of barbarians.  Paul here really meant to include all peoples at that time and the region.  It is interesting to read [1].  Germans, French, English, and Russians were barbarians. 

In 1^st century when Paul preached, the Roman Empire was more diverse than today’s USA.  Cultural, ethnic, racial, and status differences were wider than nowadays in the US.  At least, we do not have slaves any more.  (By the way, Philemon concerns a runaway slave who became a brother in the Lord and is a very moving letter.)  Col.3:11 shows that all saints (Christians) could worship together and no one was higher than the other.  If you study the history of the early church, you know that was exactly what happened. 

Why gospel has not reached Chinese earlier? 

Good question.  I give two points.  First, God has His plan.  If you read the history of the early church, you will be marveled by His wisdom and power.  Jesus, the Son of God, was little known at the time even to Jews, truly fulfilling Isaiah 53.  Even his disciples were deflated by his crucifixion and went back to their old business (e.g., fishing).  If not for God’s work through the Holy Spirit, how can we have today’s billions of Christians?  The start of the Church is well recorded in the Bible.  Gradually, the gospel was preached one country after another, one language after another, and one continent after another.  China is one of the distant lands, both geographically and politically.  Second, Chinese are a very proud people and the regimes have been corruptive, repressive, or in war.   Many devoted missionaries were sent to China.  Initially, very little progress was made and many were even killed.  You must have heard the Boxer in early 1900’s.  Many Christians, both foreigners and Chinese, were killed for just being a Christian.  Slow progress of Christianity in China has to do with sins, Satan, and other worldly obstacles.  I plan to discuss this later. 

What about those who have not heard the gospel? 

A common understanding is that after death a believer will go to the heaven while a non-believer will go to hell.  This is perhaps too simplistic.  A difficult question is what about someone who died without hearing gospel or an infant died too young to make a decision?  Some take this as an excuse for not believing.  They argue how can God be so unfair?  First, no one deserves to go to heaven.  Romans 3:10-18 (and references in OT).  Note Paul really meant everyone including Abraham, Moses, King David, etc.  Suppose you and others travel aboard a ship.  Then there is a huge storm and the boat begins to sink.  Some have drowned and you are clinging to a piece of wood.  Now the Lord comes with a lifeboat and offers you a chance for life.  Are you so foolish to refuse the offer?  Do you have the right to complain why He has not arrived earlier?  Second, I firmly believe that God is righteous.  He will judge what one is given and what one has done.  Third, fairness is more or less a worldly standard while God’s standard is righteousness, which is much higher.  Jer. 17: ¹⁰ "I the LORD search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward a man according to his conduct,
according to what his deeds deserve."  Who can claim this? 

1. "What Went Wrong", Bernard Lewis, 2001