Fear Comes from the Invisible World - An Evangelistic Tract from a Chinese House Church
Editor’s note: This was originally a short gospel tract distributed by a Chinese house church in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides an interesting glimpse into the language and topics Chinese use to evangelize their own culture. The tract starts by carefully and winsomely explaining certain points of the gospel that are not immediately understood or accepted within the Chinese worldview - particularly, the nature of sin and the universal fallenness of humanity. As people confront their own human mortality, Chinese house churches are using this time to boldly proclaim Jesus, the true source of life.
The coronavirus has caused a global panic. Moreover, it seems like the Chinese people face imminent enemies, and are in danger at all times. In our eyes, other people are no longer human beings, but ticking time bombs. Outsiders are not allowed to come in our houses. Even family members coming back from grocery shopping make us uneasy. Why? We are afraid the invisible virus might adhere to the people and things around us, and cause us to be infected by unknowingly coming in contact with it.
Fear Comes from the Invisible World
Although the virus is too tiny to be seen, it should not be taken lightly. The devastating power of the coronavirus has knocked out normalcy in society. It seems like the pause button has been pressed. City lockdowns have halted everything: work, business, productions, stock markets, vacations, and sports.
Coronavirus is scary because it is invisible. Where is it hovering? To what is it attaching? We have no idea. The air, the people, and the objects in public areas are all likely viral carriers. Things around us that were once beautiful are now like money thrown out by a dying and desperate patient; no one dares to even touch banknotes that have been contaminated by deadly viruses.
When all the visible people and objects are shrouded by this invisible shadow (the virus), we suddenly realize our professed prosperity is fragile, and that so-called supreme creatures are frail. This invisible, shadow world greatly disturbs our ordinary daily activities. It even dominates our life and death.
The Wise Should Look at the Invisible World
For instance, we come home after grocery shopping and wash our hands even though they look clean. During this pandemic, hand washing is common sense, and a prudent act. Wise people act not by sight, but by faith – faith in the truth. COVID-19 is unseen, but truly exists. We cannot neglect it and thus get ourselves fatally infected.
An American internet celebrity tried to show off by impetuously licking a public toilet three times in eight seconds. He was diagnosed with coronavirus the next day. He has since been sick and lying in critical condition.
A lot of things are invisible. However, we cannot ignore or deny their existence. Otherwise, we may be struck down by them in the end.
The Invisible but Crucial Event
Many truths that cannot be seen plainly with our eyes are crucial to our lives. For example, because of sin, people will eventually die. Unless we resolve the problem of sin, we will all die eventually, and after death comes judgment. We will suffer forever without a cure because of our sinful deeds.
Sin is like a virus. It is invisible to the eye, but can be sensed by its effect on infected people. The instances of sin are obvious according to the most popular book in the world, the Bible.
“They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, and insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, and ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them" (Romans 1:29-32).
All these sins are common and prevalent. None of us dares to say that we are without any of these sinful deeds. We are also the victims of the sins of others. Sin lasts from generation to generation. Just like getting cross contamination from this deadly virus, we live in a depraved physical body and wait for a hopeless, inevitable death.
Although the virus is lethal, it is not 100 percent fatal. However, the fatality of sin is 100 percent – because you have never seen a person who has lived forever. Moreover, the Bible that proclaims all truth also says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
However, the Bible does not only tell mankind bad news, it also proclaims God’s salvation for all human beings. The Bible tells us the most important thing: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (I Corinthians 15:3-4).
God loved the world and sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to come to the world. Jesus was willing to take the place of sinners, and Jesus received God’s righteous judgment. He bore the death and curse brought by sin, so that everyone who receives him as Lord can get out of the entanglement of sin, have resurrected life, and enjoy the blessing of eternal life.
You may doubt the existence of God or the reliability of the Bible. Remember, God is in control of the invisible world. Observing with faith, you will surely find evidence of God's works. When you see that an infected person is recovering, you know the medicine is working to diminish the viral effects, even though you cannot see the diminishing number of viral components. When a person truly believes in Jesus, you can see they are changed and less sinful. You can know that what the Bible says is true, and that Jesus' salvation is real and effective.
There may be many godly witnesses around you who truly believe in Christ. Ask them about their experiences, and they will give you honest answers. Of course, you need to distinguish between true and false converts, because sinful nature causes some people’s beliefs to be false and self-deceiving.
If there are no such Christians around you to help you, you are welcome to contact us. We will be glad to tell you this exciting good news, so that you can experience true blessing and rejoice with us.
May the loving God guide you to trust him so that you may enjoy the blessing of eternal life!