The one thing that impressed me the most when I first arrived in China was the masses of people. It is not like I had never been in a large crowd before, but in China the large crowds are everywhere you go. You might as well abandon the love of personal space if you decide to travel to that part of the world.
It is really hard to grasp the number of people that live in China. 1.4 billion is a number too hard to wrap one’s mind around. Breaking it down into more manageable parts helps a little. Think of a city with a population of one million, and then imagine 1,393 of those cities. In each of them there are a million personalities; a million souls for whom Christ died. From that perspective, the scope of the need seems overwhelming. In many missions-minded churches you’ll find a wall map with pins showing where missionary families are working. We have to be careful not to let that pin distort our perspective on the proportions of the need. One thumb tack can cover an area of several million people. No wonder Jesus said to his disciples,
“…the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
Kinmen Island is only about 3km off the shores of China. It is so close that one might think it was part of the Mainland, but it is, in fact, an island of Taiwan. For people like Aidan Ellis-Patterson, an Australian English teacher working on the island, the possibility of a take-over from the Chinese government is a daily reality, and even more so in these days of threats of coming from Beijing. According to Aiden, it would not take much effort for the Chinese Communist Party to take the island. The Nationalists fled Mainland China to claim Taiwan along with Kinmen Island in 1949, and the Chinese Communist Party has never recognized Taiwan as an independent country.
The Peace that Passeth Understanding
The 140,000 residents who live on the island can never completely feel at ease under such conditions, at least not if their peace and safety comes from worldly circumstances. What the Taiwanese people need is not a better political situation, but they need the peace which passeth all understanding that is found in Christ. It is a peace that transcends all earthly circumstances and gives them the hope of heaven. Who will go and tell them about the One who can give them that peace?
A recent article published by lifesitenews.com explains some new regulations that the Chinese Communist Party may enact as a means of choking out foreign religious influence in China. The Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs drafted the new law that enforces greater restrictions on religious activities carried out by foreigners and exacts certain punishments for law breakers. Some say that the new regulations treat any unauthorized religious activity as a form of espionage. The new law would not only try to restrict missionary interaction with Chinese people, but also attempt to restrict the flow of religious material brought in by foreigners.
The CCP, of course, explains the new law as simply a way to make China more self-sufficient and less dependent on foreigners. Most believe, though, that China is restricting religious activity because it does not want any authoritative influence in China other than the Chinese Communist Party.
On the surface it may seem like just a political move by China to tighten control over its people, but we know that the spirit behind this banning of missions work in China is ultimately Satan and man’s rebellion against God. Just like it says in psalms chapter two about the nations desiring to break free from God’s authority, these efforts are a rebellious act against the God of heaven by attempting to keep silent the His Word and to keep the Gospel from being proclaimed. On the other hand, as we consider the need for the gospel in China, we must remember that our highest authority is Jesus. He gave us the command to take the gospel to all nations.
The Free Republic reports on October 7th, 2020, that threats came from Bejing’s ambassador to Canada, Cong PeiWu, over Canada’s willingness to protect political activists in Hong Kong. The move to shelter these activists came after the Chinese Communist Party in recent months enacted the new National Security Laws which target pro-democracy activists. The ambassador stated that the Canadian government’s willingness to provide asylum to “violent criminals” would put the lives of all Canadians in Hong Kong at risk. The Canadian government found the comments “unacceptable and disturbing” and responded with a statement that they would stand to protect the rights of Canadians all over the world.
They Need True Freedom and Safety
A life of freedom and safety is what people desire. We live in a world that is corrupted by sin and so there is never any real guarantee of security. There is one, though, who can give us true freedom and security no matter where we live on this planet. Christ offers forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternity in heaven. That is what the people of Hong Kong need. Regardless of what threats may come, with the hope of the gospel, people can live with joy and peace. Who will go and tell them?
Threats of war against Taiwan have been the rhetoric coming from the Chinese news media lately and from the Communist Party Leader himself, Xi JinPing. The warnings came as U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, visited the region on Oct. 6th making comments affirming the strong ties the U.S. will maintain with Taiwan.
Taiwan, of course, did not take the threats lightly, and according to an Epoch TImes report, called on the Communist Party to stop threatening and to engage in “meaningful dialogue”. Despite the call for a civil discussion, Xi told troops during a recent marine base visit that they should prepare for war. According to the Epoch Times, some believe that XI has the intention of leading his country into war to gain the legacy of a great leader. Whether that is true or not, only time will tell.
The Greater War
In all this talk of war, we cannot forget the greatest battle of all. That is, the war of sin against man’s soul. It is a war that has eternal consequence. The good news is that there is One who has fought that battle and purchased victory for all who believe. What the people of China and Taiwan need most is not the “peace and safety” that comes from military might, but the true peace that comes from having ones sins forgiven. They need to hear the gospel. Who will go and tell them?