Dear Friends,
Unless you’ve been on Mars for the past few weeks, you’ve heard about the death of a young man named John Allen Chau. He was the 26 year old missionary killed on the North Sentinel Island (near India) by natives. As of right now, his body is still on the beach of that little island slowly decaying away. To my knowledge no one is protesting that he was murdered. No one seems upset that nobody has had the decency to recover his body for his family. The Indian Government announced today that they would not everrecover the body.
The problem is that John was a Christian missionary and he was illegally attempting to tell some non-non-believers of Jesus’ love for them. So the common thinking seems to be (if you read every newspaper I’ve read), he kind of “had it coming” in going over there. There is widespread support for the Indian government’s determination to allow these natives to remain untouched and “un-corrupted” by “civilization” (whatever that means). To most folks (at least all that are writing in the media) these people are better off without hearing about Jesus’ love and how He came to save them from hell. Now why in the world isn’t anybody saying this just like that?
Why is no one celebrating the sacrifice of this young Christian martyr? He was brutally murdered for attempting to offer the good news of salvation to 100 or more souls and save them from eternal separation from God. Right? Do you believe that? Or do you think that these ancient people are really pretty good compared to other “religious folks”, and if there is a heaven, they’re probably going to be there anyway? If you think that way, you must be a reporter for the New York Times, because you cannot believe in the gospel and accept such nonsense.
The errors and abuses of missionaries in the past notwithstanding, the idea that civilization is somehow the enemy of a people that murder a slender, young, unarmed man is ludicrous. Saint Paul and the other apostles broke the law and were executed for their faithfulness to their savior. How is this young man any different?! It’s shameful that this young man is not being recognized as a hero to his faith.
Count me as one of the cranks that believe the bible is the authentic, reliable and final word from God on man’s depravity (“man” would certainly include these natives) and man’s need of a savior. Christ died to save the savage as well as the polished and sophisticated.
In truth, it seems that a whole lot of “Christendom” does not believe that one must profess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that Jesus was raised from the dead. No, all you have to do is live like a savage and you will “naturally” avoid hell and go to heaven. Good grief: Read Romans 10:9.
God bless John Allen Chou. I have no doubt that others will come to Christ because of his sacrifice.
Warmly,
Dean Barley
Founder/Camp Director
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