MINISTRY//Wolves in the Chinese church

Christians in Chinese churches are often told untruths are proper doctrine. A question from one of our students highlighted that.

The question was: “My sister was taught that, as a Christian, if she confesses sins in prayer, it means she is asking for Satan’s curse. The reason: Jesus clearly told us our sins are all forgiven. Therefore to ask for forgiveness demonstrates that she doesn’t believe Jesus has forgiven all her sins.” 

The official church in China, the Three-Self Church, is influenced by liberal theology. Many of those pastors deny basic Bible teachings, such as

• Jesus being entirely God and entirely human,

• the Bible is absolutely truthful in all it says because it is inspired,

• we are right with God because of everything he has done for us and not because of what we do for God.

Among the unofficial churches in China, the theology those pastors teach can range from close to right to shockingly wrong. Some of that is the result of little to no Bible education. Some of it is the result of wolf-like pastors abusing their sheep to benefit themselves.

Add to that the teaching in almost every Chinese Christian church that believers must keep God’s laws if they ever will come to heaven. The gospel truth that forgiveness comes to us through God’s grace alone is veiled in China.

For those reasons, it is not unusual for our Bible institute students to ask their professors about the faulty teachings they or others have received, like whether Christians should confess they are sinful. But our students don’t ask only because they are curious. They ask because they want to help others turn from the false teaching that burden and enslave them.

Our professors are pleased to be asked and pleased to help.

What you can do: Pray for our students that they come to understand God’s true message in the Bible. Ask the Spirit to direct our professors as they help our students discover those truths and share them with others.