Christian Subversion And Missionary Activities - 5

[G.Subramaniam]

Intervarsity.org

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by Satyavan

Editor’s Note: Cross-cultural ministry challenges us to discern and learn from the different biblical, cultural, and relational perspectives held by Christians. This story provides an approach the author took to a difficult situation.

Saraswati Puja
I was standing in the sanctuary of the campus church where our fellowship meets, and there was a picture of Saraswati (the Hindu goddess of wisdom and knowledge) pinned to the cross at the front. I wanted to go and tear it down but found myself unable to do so, knowing it would break relationships with the people we said could use the building.

It all started when I was handed the phone to determine whether or not to let a group of Indians use the building for their Saraswati Puja. (Puja means “ceremonial worship” I found out later.) Not knowing what either of those words meant, and after hearing them say “It is all cultural,” we (the people at the church that decide these things) let them use the building, hoping it would help us build bridges with the Indian community. I was at the church the night before, when the Indians were eating pepperoni pizza while setting up for the Puja. My interest was evoked, and I wondered what this ceremony was all about. I wondered why these college-age people were putting this event together if they did not even observe basic Hindu dietary rules.

While standing there looking at the cross being “desecrated” all kinds of thoughts began to swirl in my head. What does God think of this? How will Christians react? Are we opening up our sanctuary to evil spirits? This began my journey to understand idolatry and how it affects my life and ministry.

Idolatry
When reaching out to South Asians you will be confronted with idols. They are ubiquitous. Many students will have some kind of place of worship that will have an idol.

As one traces the concept of idols throughout Scripture,they are first found in the Old Testament as the familiar handmade figurines, statues, or pictures that people worship. As the idea develops into the New Testament, we find Paul talking of them as part of the sinful nature. He even makes this statement in Col 3:5 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” That passage certainly broadened my concept of idolatry. I wondered what I had pinned to the cross in place of Jesus.

I began to think about the relationships I was forming and how through me some of these people might come to put their faith in Christ. Later that day I was given the opportunity to speak for a few minutes in front of this group of people, and I encouraged them to pursue the true giver of knowledge and wisdom. Ps 111:10 states that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” and as they spent the day celebrating this goddess of education, why not consider Jesus and the Truth he is?

I came to this conclusion that day: just because their idols are visible does not make them any more offensive to God than my idols, so I should not respond in a way that communicates that I am spiritually superior to them when I am not.

Power
One of the most common reactions I get when telling this story is that we opened our building up to demonic or evil spirits by letting this go on. In 1 Cor 8:4 Paul says, “So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one.” There is no god beside our God and He resides in the hearts of people, not in buildings. Paul also cautions us in 1 Cor 10:19-20 that other spiritual forces may be at work. These Hindus may have opened themselves up to evil influence as they worshipped falsely, though we do too with our idols. Certainly, Hindus must deal with idolatry in their lives, and as they come to Christ and submit to him as disciples, those idols will have to fall away. He is God of gods and demands that central place in their lives, my life, and yours.

As we step into relationships with Hindus, we can bring the light of Jesus into their lives and ours. We are also confronted with our false gods and challenged to give them up to be more like Christ “so that they [and we] may be saved.” (1 Cor 10:33) I have learned that I need to allow God to deal with my idols, and I need to release my need to remove sin from the lives of those that do not yet follow Jesus. Just as Paul did in Acts 17 with the Athenians, we must build bridges to encourage Hindus on their spiritual journey to see Jesus and follow him.