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 October 28, 1998
Dear Mary,
How are you? Time flies so quickly. After raining three times, the weather becomes colder and colder. It has been the late autumn here in Beijing. But, I always feel warm in heart when thinking of you and so many people who love God sincerely and live for the love willingly.
Though I have left my family in which my parents reject God so long
time, in God's household, I can obtain everything not only daily
needs for living but also the heavenly anointing. God is faithful. Now
I live in a sister's house, she loves God, supplying me with food.
Clothes are all the offerings of sisters and brothers. We all think
that God will bless us when we try our best to do anything for the
Gospel. Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all
good things with his instructor. if This is God's will, so everyone of
us takes charge in our own work, using our gifts, as it is said in
Romans 12:5-8. In God's household, our believers share the
possessions as that described in Acts 4:32-37. But, this household is
smaller comparing to the churches built by government.
In China, the situation of the Christianity is the same as that in
America. But the persecution is more serious to those who love God
wholeheartedly. The words "In fact, everyone who wants to live a
godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2Timothy 3:12) are
true.
China is governed by atheism, so many people crave for wealth and fame
in the society without any faith. Some of people believe in Buddhism,
Taoism and other religions. Though it is said that to believe God is a
citizen's right, once God's will is not in accordance with the
Government's rules, the persecutions will come soon to the saints who
proclaim God's true words as Jeremiah. So, here, to love man's rules
is more important and safe than to love God's law.
In late several years, the gospel was spread wider and wider. Nearly
all Chinese people have heard of God, and the number of believers gets
more and more. I have gone to a remote town in a mountain area in
Shanxi province, people there living by shepherding cattle, planting
corn or doing some little business in the local place. It is at least
one church in each of the village belonging to the town. The church is
simple, almost without any music instrument, but they still sing
the songs which use the popular song melody. Each of the church contains at lest ten to twenty believers, the larger one may have over fifty. Nearly all of them have never gone out of their area in their life, knowing little about modern knowledge,
they are pure in heart, more honest than metropolitans. They believe
God and accept Jesus as their savior, getting together for worshiping
God about three times a week. The love for God is simple and pure.
The number of the believers is getting larger than before, but those
who are enlightened by the light of Spirit and love God wholeheartedly
are rare. The crowd were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd is enough to describe the situation of the believers.The shepherds are appointed by the government in local area according to their various diplomas, seeking for their own benefit from sisters and brothers, caring for nothing about the spiritual life of the believers. The shepherds think that once people get to believe, their work should finish. The believers take it for granted that if they can sing a piece of songs and call "O Lord" by mouth, it is enough for entering the narrow gate.
So, in the busy season when sowing, reaping, and so on, the believers disappear reasonably from the churches which always are believers private house.
Though everyone knows that nowadays is the last days of this world, they would rather believe the ideas which give them the comfort that without any endeavor, believers can receive the eternal joy. The words of purifying the soul by suffering for the Lord, denying oneself to submit to the Lord are regarded false. No matter in rural or urban area, believers are all like this.
This is the general condition of todays church in China.
But, God's household does not belong to these churches. The true believers are all those who experience the words in the Bible and follow Jesus's footstep. The detail things I will tell you in the next letter.
There are lots of people who live for the Lord, risking their lives to spread the sound doctrine all over the world.
My dear sister, how wonderful we belong to them! Though the world cannot accept us (this just condemns the world), God loves us. He does not only bestow the name of the first son but also benefit us the inherent right of the first son.
"In me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
These words are all true. So, you know, it is not easy in China to
spread Gospel. But I thank God that maybe this is just his great
blessing to this centuries-old country.
Attached this letter, I send some articles to you, may you and your family, friends all like them. If you want to know other things about Chinese church, I am willing to tell you more.
Thanks for your kindness. I surely need some spiritual books in English. But the cost of book and the postage is expensive. I also worry about if Chinese custom admit the books about Christianity. I really want to share God's music with you, thanks, Charles. My computer has CD rom, I think I can listen to them, and also introduce them to Chinese Christians.
Pray for all the saints.
Yours,
Silan.
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