Years
ago I was given 7 thick books to read and write a review for each book within a
week. It was a tough assignment that every seminarian must not be surprised by.
They were about Indian Church History. As I read them, I admired the zeal of
the pioneering missionaries for winning souls for Christ and the sovereign work
of God throughout history. This post is a reproduction of the reflection I had
taken then– the evangelistic zeal of the earliest missionaries to India, which we
ought to imitate for the spread of the gospel and to fulfil (obey) the Great
commissions more effectively.
Three
areas we need to imitate:
Firstly,
their passion for the spread of the gospel irrespective of their sound or
erroneous doctrine. Jesus was the
greatest missionary. He was so passionate that He came to seek and save the
lost (Luke 19:10). Before his earthly ministry was over He commissioned that
all believers must spread the gospel in one way or the other way (Matthew
28:18-20). Therefore, all of us must be passionate to spread the gospel. The
earliest missionaries to India were very passionate. Francis Xavier would visit
the sick, travel to many places to spread the gospel. He would even go along
the street calling for people. Menezes based on his belief that the Pope is the
Vicar of Christ (which of course is false) would do anything to bring the
Malabar under the Papacy. William Carey came all the way from England, despite
the denials and rejection of him by his church to preach the gospel to India.
He was not highly educated but was never intimidated.
Secondly,
their compassion for the lost soul enduring hardships and sacrificing their
lives. Ziegenbalg and his friend had to endure
the bad relationship they had with the captain of the ship even before they
reach India. William Carey, despite his poverty and England’s forbidding of
missionaries, risked his life to enter India. Christian mission is never an
easy way (cf. Matthew 7:13-14). They not only endured suffering but also had suffered
in seeing their loved ones suffered. Carey’s wife and daughter died in India.
What a heartbreak that must be! Carey did not turn back. He continued to work –
harder and more fruitful.
Our
Lord Jesus Himself says that we must count the cost of following Him (Luke
14:25-33). It is to put God’s way before anything. These people of history
endured suffering and hardship. The reason they did what they did is because
they were compassionate for the lost souls. Jesus wept out of compassion in
Bethany (John 11:35). Scripture tells us many times about Jesus’ compassion for
people (Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 20:34, etc.) We ought to do things because of our
compassion. It is said that Carey would weep and weep for the lost sinners in
his prayer. He helped abolish Sati. He established an institution to educate
the people of India. Other missionaries gave away even their small salaries for
the poor Christian. Why is our evangelism fruitless? Could it be because we
have no compassion for the lost souls?
Thirdly,
their reliance and confidence they have in God to fulfil (obey) the Great
Commission. The reason and motivation for our
evangelism is because God is interested in saving people (John 3:16-17;
1Timothy2:3-4). In fact, Jesus said that His sheepfold comprises all tongues,
nations, and tribes. He predestined that the elect would be saved through the
hearing of the gospel (Romans 10:17). Thus we do evangelism not because we have
clever ideas or anything but that we trust God. No amount of hearing the gospel
will save anybody; no amount of wise argument will convert anyone to Christ; no
amount of gifts to poor people will lead them to Christ; if the Holy Spirit
does not work (cf. John 3:8). We must rely on the Holy Spirit of God.
However,
Jesus promised His disciples that He would be with them throughout the ends of
the earth (Matthew 28:20). For us that is true – we have the Holy Spirit in us,
we have the Bible, the word of God which is living and active, converting the
soul (Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 19:7). Thus we do evangelism knowing the power of God
and His faithfulness (1Corinthians1:18). We cannot do God’s work without
trusting God’s faithfulness. We cannot have confidence in our ideas or anything
except in His word. That’s what the earliest missionaries to India did. They
rely on God and trust God. They were confident in God. William Carey said,
“Expect Great Things from God, and Attempt Great Things for God.’ History has given
the verdict that William Carey indeed expected great things from God and attempted
great things for God.
Carey
came to India from a group of people who did not believe much in evangelism.
Carey because of his reliance and confidence in God came to India despite the British
government’s disapproval. He lived in India by faith without much help or no
help at all from England for his survival. He worked in a factory. Then he
tutored himself in languages. He became a professor. He established
institutions. He translated the Bible into many Indian languages. He did that
because he relied on God and had confidence in the power of the Word of God.
Are you trusting God? Are you convinced that “… in it (the gospel) is the
power unto Salvation” (Rom 1:16-17)?
Let
us learn from church history and imitate them. Paul told us to imitate others
who are worthy of imitation (1Corinthians11:1). We do not need to imitate them
in all areas (and rightly so) but we must imitate their passion for the spread
of the gospel, their compassion for the lost sinners, and their reliance and
confidence in God of Salvation. Amen!