God is On the Move
"Truth is not primarily a philosophical issue but a matter of theology. God is true, the Spirit is the Spirit of truth, his Word is true, our faith is true, and unless we are clear and firm about truth, this Congress might as well stop now." These words from Os Guinness, a leading evangelical apologist, brought the delegates at Lausanne to their feet.
Our morning began with a study of Ephesians 1. One cannot help but notice how many times Paul focuses in this chapter on our salvation "in Christ." The gospel is all about Christ -- being saved by Christ, through Christ, by the Spirit of God, and the Word of God. Our salvation is not about us, but about what God has accomplished for us through Christ. It is Christ alone.
As Christians, particularly in the West, we struggle with the problem of relativism. This struggle is both within and without the church. Within the church many Christians are consumers, not disciples. One Chinese delegate from the USA shared how among his people they see salvation from a human perspective. Salvation is all about us -- the benefits we receive. He called Christianity in the West a jaccuzi religion -- the goal is to do whatever makes me feel good. To be Christ-centered in all of life is very difficult if church and religion is all about me, for my benefit.
Without the church society in general has no use for the gospel. Society, particularly in the West, is doing well -- people are affluent. This is a real challenge for Western Christians. How do we bring the gospel to people who have no real felt needs, no sense that they might need God. Under the impact of globalisation, pluralism has gained ground. Individuals create their own logic and create their own realities. In many places of the world this pluralism has silenced transcendent truth.
So how do we reach a world which seems to be so far away from a God consciousness, from a real need for God? Michael Herbst, a chaplain at the University of Greifswald, Germany, emphasised that we need to witness to Jesus from below. Rather than simply "preach to people" (witnessing from above) we need to bring the good news to people through our deeds. People need to see the gospel real in our lives. They need to witness the transcendent power evident in the lives of believers. As Rebecca Pippert also stressed, if we are reach the lost in the world we must begin with building relationships with people. We must find ways to engage in conversations with irreligious people in ways that create opportunities for the gospel.
Witnessing to the truth of Christ is not about a composition; it is a Person. It is not a tract that we pass out but a way of life in which people see Christ in us. But ultimately it is all about the truth of Christ -- his life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Looking for truth outside of Christ is like looking for water in a desert.
Our first day ended by focusing on Asia, particularly the suffering church in places like China. We heard testimonies from the Christians in China who were not allowed to leave their country to attend the Lausanne Congress. Their song, The Lord's Love for China, which we heard, spoke of how withered trees revive in Spring. They might be whipped, even slaughtered, but they have no regrets. With obedience they follow the footsteps of our Lord. An 18 year old highschool student from North Korea shared a testimony of how her parents were persecuted for the faith and were driven out of North Korea. After her mom died from leukemia, her dad returned to North Korea to being the gospel to his homeland. He was jailed twice and for the past number of years this young woman has never heard from her dad. She fears he might have been killed. She now lives in South Korea, but her goal is to study political science and then eventually return to North Korea, and like her mom and dad, bring the gospel to her people. What an inspiration of a life of no regret! God is on the move in Asia. Christ is building his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
May we as Christians in the West have a similar passion to bring the whole gospel to the whole world!
About the author
Jack De Vries was hired on by the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia and began his work as Ministry Training Coordinator in January 2008. In 2012 this role shifted to that of Ministry Development Coach.
Jack came from Canada where he pastored three Christian Reformed churches: Alliston CRC, Alliston, Ontario(1983-87), a church plant: New Life Community Church, Pickering, Ontario(1987-95), and Bethel CRC, Listowel, Ontario (1995-2007). Jack is a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity - 1983) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Doctor of Ministry - 2003) Jack and his wife Jeannie currently live in Petrie, a northern suburb of Brisbane in Queensland. They attend and are members of Bray Park Community Church. They have four adult children and seven grandchildren living in the USA and Canada.
In Isaiah 58:11 we read: "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Australia has seen times of drought and floods. There is another type of drought in Australia; there is a spiritual drought. But God promises to provide refreshing rain, a never ending supply of refreshing water. The water he provides will satisfy the needs of all Australians. As we take up the missional vision God has given us we extend the life changing invitation of Jesus: "Come! Whoever is thirsty, come, and take the free gift of the water of life!" (Revelation 22:17)
