No, you’re not confused. This topic initially was a two part post. But, there’s just too much to ponder with this Chinese Christian experience.
Only Christians Have A Continuous Creative Spirit
Yes, here in the states we want to be “like Mike”. In China, they want to be like us. Yes like us, even with all of our problems.
Hsu, a former television journalist is a telling example of how a member of China’s educated elite emulated the US and moved to Christianity. It began with a search for freedom. “Westerners are not more interested in freedom than anyone else.” he says. Yet the US has achieved and sustained a greater degree of freedom than any other culture. Hsu wondered what the West had that China didn’t. “Before freedom comes you have to have a foundation. In the West that foundation is Christianity.”
Hsu reasons, Europe developed legal studies, hospitals, and universities, all which grew out of the church. These developments resulted in breakthroughs in human liberty, as seen in the Reformation, the Renaissance, and the Enlightenment. Today he says the church is an incubator for similar development in China.
Hsu’s quest led him to the Bible. There he learned that “Faith in God as the Lord is the beginning of freedom.” He shares, “The more I knew about the growth of freedom in the West, the more I was captivated by the role of faith in God as Lord. You need a standard of absolute truth. Another Chinese ministry leader adds, “Only Jesus can make a harmonious culture.” For Hsu and those like him the hope of the Chinese church is not simply political change. “The essence of the problem is human salvation, not politics”.
Yet a highly influential economist and an adviser to China’s Central Committee shares, “Christian faith provides the power for economic growth. Everybody wants to make more money, from the ancient times until now. And from history we see that only Christians have a continuous creative spirit and the spirit for innovation.”
Is this hitting you as it did me? I’ve just never quite grasped the depth and impact. Yes, Christianity is about freeing the captives, becoming a servant to all, and securing a hope of eternal life. And yes, it’s from that foundation that we build healthy marriages, homes, and communities. But the power for economic growth…a foundation for creativity and innovation…interesting?
- Is this Christian foundation and resulting creativity a part of what Jesus meant when he said, “I come that you have life and have it more abundantly” ?
- It seems we have failed to adequately communicate the full impact of this Christian foundation to our communities? If we had, would Hollywood and others be so reckless with the Christian issue?
Yes, Yes, Yes, that is part of what Jesus meant when he said “I come that you have life and have it more abundantly”. He came to redeem us. When something is redeemed it is return back to it’s original state. He came to bring us back to man’s original state or position with God. That is freedom. This is one of the reasons why the pharisees wanted to get rid of Jesus. Jesus wanted to get the people free and the pharisees wanted to keep the peolpe in bondage. Religion does that. It tells people what they cant do. Christianity tells people what they can do.
True freedom only comes from Jesus. Jesus walked in total freedom, and He is our model.
The statement from the economist is awesome. It tells me that the Chinese are geting the escence of the Gospel. As long as they can keep the religion and the pharisees at bay, they are gonig to expload in creativity and economic growth. Here in the U.S. we might be still fighting over why a church built this or that size building or why a pastor has such a nice car.
Since the Chinese coorporation own most of Hollywood now, maybe the Chinese Christians will start to influence the product that Hollywood puts out in years to come. We might see more of the creativity and financing going to Christian films.
Wow.
K. So, then, as the center of Christianity continues to shift west does the global center for innovation, creativity, developments in new technology, etc. also continue to move west? If so, what does that mean? What does the world look like when America has become Europe and China is the new superpower?
America has a chance to be restored and renewed. Once we renew our minds and follow what it says in the Word:
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
There is still hope.
It does not have to shift, it could spread. The choice is ours. God gave us the choice and dominion at the beginning, we dropped it and Jesus gave it back to us again.
Come on Church Stand Up!!! and Step UP!!
Lex,
You ask a very interesting question and one that troubles me.
Yes, what does the world look like when America becomes like Europe and China is the new superpower?
I’ll post my thoughts soon.
Ed