Christianity is Confrontational

I have mentioned in my previous post that the gospel of Christ is never traditional, goes by human standards or public opinion. It's always confrontational, to the preacher, as well as to the hearer.

If you've never thought of preaching the gospel as a challenge or confrontational to what you know is yourself, I would like to sincerely congratulate you. But you can only be one of the two: (1) You've laid down so much for the Lord that you no longer see preaching Christ as a doing but a living; or (2) You've never preached the gospel to a single person, so there's nothing confrontational to yourself, because you've not stepped out. I'm congratulating you only if you're the first.

Why is preaching the gospel confrontation first to yourself? Because there are many barriers to break, but these are all in your mind. You can only step out in faith after you have confronted these questions in your mind and overcome them. Yes, you can tell yourself a gazillion times "I need to preach the gospel, I should preach the gospel, I need to tell about Jesus!", but not until you actually confronted the thoughts of "this person won't accept Christ" or "He's not open" or "She's of a different religion", you won't take the step of faith to even say the word 'God' in your conversation.

If you don't already know, I'm a Chinese Malaysia, which means my racial identity is Chinese. I get this question from non-Chinese friends sometimes: "Do you celebrate Chinese New Year or Christmas?" I will answer with a smile, "both." Somehow, many people think that because I am a Christian, I shouldn't be celebrating Chinese New Year, because they think the festive occasion has to do with religion.

There's a big difference between cultural traditions and religious practices. Sure there are many festive occasions that are related to one's religion, but there are also many other practices we do simply because we are of that particular race. My fellow Chinese Malaysia, do you know that Christians can and do practice the tea ceremony during weddings, besides having a Christian wedding ceremony in church? Now, is the tea ceremony religious practice or tradition? Do you know that Christians can and do go for Ching Bing to remember their ancestors? Only we don't pray to them or burn any paper money to the dead. Is Ching Bing a religious practice or a tradition and heritage?

Many people think that Ching Bing is a religious practice. Well, do a search about how Ching Bing came about and you will know that the value behind this practice is a heart of filial respect for our parents. And this value is a precious and beautiful heritage that we Chinese practice through centuries. It has been made religious, with people telling you that if you don't burn more paper money for the dead, you will not receive blessing. Or if you pray more to them, the dead will bless you. There is serious misconception that visiting the cemetery to respect the dead is religious.

Friends, it is a tradition, a Chinese culture and heritage that should be kept and practiced, because it is a good value passed down from centuries to teach us to be respectful and honour those who are elder than us, our ancestors, our parents. The only religious thing that you do is when you burn the 'offering' and 'pray' to the dead. Religion is man's self effort to reach God, but to no avail because God is absolutely holy and man is sinful.

And this is why the gospel is confrontational to the hearer. To most Chinese families, when the parents learned that their children have become Christians, their primary concern would be that the children will no longer pay respect to them when they pass away. Christianity confronts tradition. But in this case, tradition is confused and mixed with religion. Does it confront the tradition and value of being filial? Yes, and it confronts the value so that one not only pay respect to the dead, but to the living. That, is transformation. When you believe in Christ, He says in His word to honour your father and mother, that your days may be long. Does He say we should honour our parents when they are living or dead? Of course when they are well and living!

In Jesus' preaching, there were many instances that were confrontational to the people who were listening to Him. Jesus said to one who wanted to follow Him, "Let the dead bury their own dead" (Matthew 8:22); declared spiritual worship to a Samaritan woman (John 4:23-24); said to multitudes who followed him, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brother and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple." -- He confronted traditions and taboos of His days. Jesus said to the Pharisees, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" (Luke 14:3); He said to the woman caught in adultery, "go and sin no more" when by the law of Moses she was supposed to be stoned -- He confronted religion and religious laws. It was transformation that He wanted to bring -- transforming mindsets and hearts, transforming dead works to become works of faith by grace.

When we yield ourselves to Jesus and let Him confront our old mindsets and old self, He transforms us into His likeness and glory. When we let Him transform us despite our backgrounds of traditions and culture, we will not be conformed to the values of this world. Even the good values of this world when transformed by the Lord, it becomes good and acceptable and perfect, will of God.

Don't be held back by your traditions or culture. Don't be held back because of religion, your futile self effort to reach God. Don't be held back because of you lack the courage and faith to confront the excuse to evangelise. God did not hold back His only begotten Son, the only Son that He love.