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THIS CONTENTIOUS ISSUE OF CONVERSION
How often, we confront this Newspaper headline ‘ XYZ State introduces
anti-conversion Law’ & recoil with some trepidation & indignation on a deeply
spiritual issue - a heart to heart transaction between an individual & his Creator- being dragged into the social realm even while we reflect on the
Last commission of our Lord (Matt 28:18-20).While some ‘positives’ are existent such as
- Constitutional ‘safeguards’ in place for Christians in our great country (my love for my
country is exceeded only by my love for my ‘eternal’ country to come-II Peter 3:13)
to peacefully share their faith with others
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- The powerfully influential secular media (can also be a double-edged weapon) ever ready to take the
side of ‘anyone weak suffering unjustly’
Let’s contemplate for a moment a bleak situation (a la first century AD when the fledgling Church came under severe
State persecution) where ‘sharing our faith peacefully or leading others to Christ peacefully would be outlawed’
with no enlightened media to plead our case.
Whose dictates are we to follow then? The one of the State or that of the Lord who has created all the
States there are in this world? Yes, in all other matters e.g.…payment of taxes & several other State
statutes, we ought to implicitly, follow the laws of the Land (Romans 13:1) which have been framed for
our common good (imagine the anarchy that would reign in our society with out the deterrent penal codes
in place for punishing crime) but when it comes to the Divine ordinance of sharing the ‘Good news’
(that accepting Christ as personal Lord & Savior is salvation) vis-à-vis State opposition, should we
then change tack & in all willingness lower ourselves to the status of being ‘Law breakers’?
Before, finding an answer to this contentious issue is it not worthwhile to ponder on what is
exacting fuelling our desire to share the ‘Good news’? If there is any preposterous, selfish assumption
that, it is the only way for us to become a majority from being a minority in our nation, lets trash
it straightaway, for that doesn’t honor our Lord. On the other hand, if we have experienced first hand, the redemptive power of our
Lord from the clutches of several debilitating addictions & are ‘enjoying the exquisite pleasures
of His presence’ (Psalm 16:11), every minute of the way & want others also to ‘enjoy to the hilt’
what we are enjoying, then let’s share what is in our heart, passionately keeping the others’ benefit foremost in our mind
like the early apostles
did who knew wisely which side of their spiritual bread needs to be buttered (Acts 4:16-20). To this,
if the State objects & persecutes us lets accept the persecution peacefully, (if there are
ways/forums to register our protest peacefully vis-a-vis this State disposition, let’s exercise
that option too) praying all the time for the ‘wisdom to dawn upon’ the Powers that be.
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Also those of us, who are having a highly misplaced opinion that a surging Christian birthrate, would make
us the majority, need to examine deeply our relationship with Him, for Christian population does not go up
in His eyes by physical means but only by spiritual means. How many hearts have surrendered to Him
sincerely is the only valid, scriptural criterion to judge the increase in Christian populace. The radical
transformation in the life of the spiritually converted ones’ accompanied by their good deeds which would
be too conspicuous to ignore (Acts 19:18-20) alone should be the guiding factor for us to form a judgment
on this issue.
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When it comes to personal sharing of one’s faith with others, my advice is
simple. Never try to push Christ down someone’s’ throat rather initially find
some common ground of interest (world events, sports etc) in line with the
Pauline teachings in I Cor 9:22-23 to develop a rapport & then share what the
good Lord has done in your life & leave the results thereof in His Hands.
Convincing & convicting a soul is not our business for this spiritual
transaction can take place only by His supernatural power (John 6:44). Let
our Heavenly Father do His job He is so adept at doing for ...for so
many years...nay milleniums now... even while we stick to doing ours sincerely.
Yours in Him,
Suresh Manoharan
The list of essays to follow
- Aiding the AIDS patients
- Doing away with the dowry
- In the Sports field....
- Honouring the National flag
- Don't tax the tax man
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