Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?” 

In October 2019, Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey issued a short tweet supporting pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong: “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.” It was soon deleted.

Chinese Communist authorities let the NBA know that business will end until it denounces Morey’s tweet. China wants control of Hong Kong, whose sovereignty was transferred in 1997 to China from the UK. Hong Kong citizens are protesting China’s refusal to grant Hong Kong greater independence from China.

The NBA, and many more US businesses with lucrative China contracts, are afraid to speak up for Hong Kong’s humanitarian rights for fear of losing those contracts. But now, in February 2022, we have the Winter Olympics hosted by China in Beijing, and human rights are again in sharp focus.

In his opening statement at the Olympics, NBC sports anchor Mike Tirico called out China’s genocide of Uyghur Muslims in the Western Xinjiang region, telling viewers to watch NBC’s special on the genocide.

But why are we shocked by this? We only need to study recent history to understand the roots of “Maoism”. Mao Zedong, founder of the People’s Republic of China, started the Communist Party in 1949 and ruled until his death in 1976. As a Marxist, he created his own atheist “Maoism”. His “Great Leap Forward” program in 1958 resulted in the death of up to 55 million Chinese citizens by 1962.

Maoism centers on the Darwinian notion of struggle, so violence, both in the early days of the Cultural Revolution and today with Hong Kong and the Uyghur Muslims, should not shock us. Once the Communist Party defeated the Nationalists in 1949, oppression and violence remain the methods to defeat their foes, especially capitalism and religion. One of Mao’s most famous quotes on violence to achieve victory is this:

“A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained, and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.”

It was during this Marxist, atheist revolution that Watchman Nee, founder of China’s underground Christian Church movement, lost his life. Like the apostle Paul, Watchman established local churches throughout China, resulting in one of largest movements of Christianity the world has ever seen.

In 1922, he initiated church meetings in Fuzhou that sparked the beginning of local churches in China. During his 30 years in ministering the gospel of Jesus Christ, he published many books expounding on biblical truth, as well as leading many conferences to train Bible students and church workers.

Watchman never attended theological or Bible institutes. His wealth of knowledge concerning God’s purpose, Christ, the Spirit, and the church came through Bible study. In his book ‘How to Study the Bible’, he explains how God revealed truths which he taught to others, through his diligent study of the Word.

He also built a collection of over 3,000 of the best Christian books throughout church history. His ability to grasp and memorize spiritual principles, combined with his deep understanding of God’s Word, made him one of if not the most impactful church leader during China’s Christian explosive growth.

As the Communist Revolution first erupted in 1946, Watchman Nee was persecuted and imprisoned for his faith in 1952 at the age of 49, spending the 20 twenty years of his life in prison until his death in 1972.

But unlike the NBA, Watchman Nee had no fear of Maoism. He viewed his life as not under the authority of Mao, but under the authority of Jesus Christ, as he stated in his book ‘The Normal Christian Life’: “I must first have the sense of God’s possession of me before I can have the sense of His presence with me. Once His ownership is established, then I dare do nothing in my own interests, for I am His exclusive property.”  

Our verse this week could just as easily been written by Nee as it was by King David. Salvation comes only from Jesus Christ. Neither Maoism, nor secular humanism, nor the new American progressivism, can save you. Only the One who created you for Himself, Jesus Christ, has the ultimate power to forgive your sins, cleanse you of all unrighteousness, and deliver you out of this present age. Watchman Nee knew this.

The Evidence of Faith’s Substance _ Article #487