AN ANCHOR IN THE TIME OF STORM:

Reaffirming the Faith of the Chinese Church

For the 21^st Century
Samuel Ling

Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-11.

“An anchor in the time of storm:” older Christians know this hymn about Jesus’ constant presence in our lives. Above the flood waters of life, the Lord reigns: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam…” (Psalm 46:1-3).

The Lord rules with his mighty word above the flood waters of history: “Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts” (Psalm 46:6).  This is true not only about history in general, but about the history and development of the church in particular.

THE WISDOM OF GOD FOR US

First, the Word of God truly satisfies the human soul.  “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.  Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?  Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare” (verses 1-2).

Money buys food; money cannot buy true satisfaction in the heart.  Food and water feed the body; God feeds the heart, not temporarily, but forever.  Paul tells us that, while the Jews seek miracles, and Greeks seek philosophy, we preach Christ and Him crucified: to the Jews, a “anti-miracle” (stumbling-block), nothing to look at that we can think it is spectacular; to the Greek, an “anti-philosophy” (foolishness), nothing to compare with the latest intellectual fads in the university.  But to those who put their trust in Jesus, Christ is the very power of God, satisfying the deepest longings of the human heart; and the very wisdom of God, answering the core questions of the human mind.

O Christian, follower of Jesus Christ, do you believe this?  Do we truly believe that the Word of God alone truly satisfies?

GOD’S UNCHANGING PROMISE

Second, the Word of God offers the unchanging, faithful promise of God’s grace: “I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.  See,  have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the people.  Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor” (verses 3-5).

What is the gospel?  It is that God makes a genuine offer that he will be our God.  He makes a covenant with his people: when we put our trust in Him (the finished work of Christ’s death and resurrection), we belong to Him (as His covenant people).  He will never desert His people!

Many Christians in the church, by their behavior, show that they are some of the most insecure people around.   We are afraid that God will not love us if we do not perform according to standard, or if we do not serve Him like we should.  We are afraid that our methods will not attract people, and that they will not stay in our church.  We are afraid that our children will leave us.  We are afraid that we will not have enough money …  God promises to be with His people.  Our responsibility is to trust and obey. 

THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL

Third, the gospel of Jesus Christ includes the very crucial element of repentance (which is often left out in our presentation of the gospel).  Listen: “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.  Let him turn to the lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (verses 6-7).   Jesus instructed His disciples after He rose from the dead, that repentance is part of the gospel: “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:47-48).

Chinese churches are now employing a variety of methods to present the gospel, and this is wonderful.  We are taking the initiative to reach the world, we are creative, we are energetic, we are mobilizing the lay Christian man/woman to reach the world outside the church.  But we must remember that our presentation of the gospel must be faithful to the truth.

The world is full of hurting people who want to find someone to offer a sympathetic ear, a shoulder to lean on, and a friend to walk with in their hours of pain.  But hurting people need something more: they need to know the truth, and the truth will set them free.  In our effort to show our sympathy and concern (and we have often failed in this area in past decades), we have watered down the element of repentance as we present the gospel.  What is repentance?  It is the conscious decision of men and women to: (a) acknowledge sins as violation of the standards of our holy God; (b) sincere grief and sorrow over sin; and most importantly, (c) a turning to God, turning to the cross, to ask for forgiveness.

God promises forgiveness to those who ask (I John 1:9).  Jesus promises rivers of living water springing from our hearts, when we turn to Him.  But when we offer a watered down gospel (God meets your needs; you will no longer walk alone) without presenting the blood of Jesus Christ as the foundation (the only way) of salvation, we are cheating men and women to find the thing they need most.

The Bible calls sin sin for a reason.  God calls sin sin, so that forgiveness may be available!

CULTURE OR GOD’S WORD?

Fourth, we must guard ourselves, that we proclaim God’s truth, not our culture: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are y ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (verses 8-9). 

What are “thoughts and ways”?  They are the ways we think and live: together, they form “culture.”  The first-generation Chinese Christian immigrants tend to hold on to our traditional Chinese/Asian thoughts and ways; second-generation American-born Chinese Christians tend to absorb the contemporary, postmodern, western thoughts and ways.  Both kinds of culture (thoughts and ways) need the Word of God to evaluate and judge according to its eternal light. 

There are clear evidence that both the first generation and the second generation are substituting cultural ideas, values and lifestyles for the truth.  It is time we come together and examine how we have strayed.  (In the past 20 years I have tried to identify Chinese and American cultural values demonstrated in the Chinese church’s life and ministry; in the future we need to evaluate all of this more critically, using biblical norms.) 

THE WORD OF GOD IS POWERFUL

Fifth and finally, the Word of God is powerful to change us: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (verses 10-11).

Because Scripture is God’s very own words, the Holy Spirit works with the Word He inspired, to accomplish God’s purpose: to instruct us, to open our minds and heart, to convict us of sin, and to lead us to Christ and a life in submission under Him.  The Word of God is capable, and powerful, to do that. 

In order for the Bible to accomplish these purposes in our lives – teaching, reproof, correction, training in righteousness – we need to believe in its power, submit under its authority, hear, study, and meditate on it, and proclaim it faithfully. 

Ezra and Nehemiah experienced a true revival in their day – a revival which came because the law of the Lord was read, and made clear to the people of God.  We are facing many challenges and temptations today; we need all the power, strength, and wisdom we can get hold of.  For this, we need the Spirit of Christ.  For this, we do have the Spirit of Christ!  May God grant us the grace of hearing and doing His Word in our day.