One of the lesser but nevertheless important blessings of visiting the pastors in the BELC personally has been that Dave and I have been able to update our records and check the reports given, sometimes a year or two ago, against the reality of the situations in the different districts. The district chairmen are only allowed a certain number of pastors to be included in their district meetings. This is done because monetarily we can only support so many men. As it is then when one pastor leaves our fellowship for some reason he is quickly replaced by another who wishes to receive the training that we offer and join us in true doctrinal oneness. As we visit the pastors of the various districts we often end up in the following conversation:
“Okay Victor who are we visiting next?”
“Job”
“I don’t see any Job on this list.”
“He replaced Rathna Kumar.”
The reasons these men leave us are varied, some moved to a different part of the country, some leave the ministry, some find they disagree with our doctrine, but by far the most common is that some find they can receive salary from other churches. In one district, Rayachotti, every single pastor who had been on our list was now gone and has been replaced. In this case they had all left for the same reason; the Seventh Day Adventists promised them all salaries.
Not only do we face this problem among our pastors but our pastors face this among their members. The Catholic Church for example gives out sewing machines, we are told, to everyone who joins their missions. Other non-denominational and Baptist pastors are paid on a commission basis that is per members they baptize. At least some of these pastors promise to split the money with the members if they come join their church.
Given the poverty that exists in many of these villages, and the sever lack of deep theological training it is hardly surprising that many, even many sincere, Christians should be drawn away by such material promises. Indeed in our own land where we roll around in wealth beyond description hundreds of thousands of Christians are being drawn away from confessional Christianity by just such tactics. How can we really expect anything different in poverty stricken India? No, that is not surprising. What is surprising is that any remain.
When our Lord Jesus Christ made it clear to Jews of His time that he was not their bread king, that the life of the Christian was not a path of earthly comfort, and that there would be many things of difficulty along the way, we are told the crowds left him. And Jesus turns to his disciples and asks them, “Do you also want to leave?” Jesus words both before and after show us that Jesus was not surprised that the crowds left, though He was sad, nor would He have been surprised if the disciples also had turned away, though He knew they wouldn’t. Jesus knows perfectly well that the desire of the heart every single time is to turn away. What is amazing both then and now is not that the crowds left but that some remain. What is amazing is not that Judas betrayed the Lord but that the eleven were held faithful. What is astonishing is not that we lose some even many, but that so very many remain to work with us.
Let us understand and remember well that it is not the truth as truth that accomplishes this. That is to say it is not the fact that “we are right” which compels men to stay. But rather it is the truth as the Gospel that compels them to say. True Christian love of the truth is not academic. Listen again to Peter’s words, “But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life'” John 6:68. Peter does not here speak as one who has compared many different truth claims and settle on Jesus as the most correct. He does not speak of Jesus’ words as “wise” nor does He highly praise them as well reasoned arguments. He says simply that they are life. He speaks as one dying of thirst who knows of one and only one spring in which can be found water to sustain life. Peter cannot understand Jesus’ words or His actions, but this he knows that without them he is dead. Even the sacrifices and rituals of His ancestors are not an option for Peter.
Every aspect, ever piece, every bit of true theology portrays the Gospel, the love of Christ, and the enormity of what God has done for us. Those who know the depravity of their own souls and the depth of death in which we now live, by the grace of God, love the gospel to the point where they are not willing to give away any part of it for even the largest amount of money.
This is the miracle not that men should love the earth from which they were taken, but that God should change our hearts to set our treasure in His holy truth the Gospel of our salvation. In this the power of God and the Love of Christ is once again manifested that any would remain.
O heavenly Father, have mercy on us, and in your loving kindness change our hearts, that we who are sin may know You who are Love, that we who are death may see You who are Life, and by Your grace may receive this truth, according to Your gracious promise let it be to us. Amen
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