Go and Make Disciples of All Nations

Matthew 28:16-20

"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Most worldviews govern our lives completely. Christianity is one of those. I wanted to continue with my further thoughts on Islam but I felt the need to address parts of Kelvin's sharing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew's ideas on religious proselytizing [Thanks, Kel, interesting indeed! :)] especially vis-a-vis the Christian mandate of "Go and make disciples of all nations." (Matt 28:19-20, Acts 1:8) I thought Mr. Lee, with all my due respect and admiration, had been a bit naive to think that "a Christian group going out proselytizing, evangelising, was totally unexpected." There are many more statements I find misinformed (however politically correct and clever) in this Q&A at NUS in 1990. Granted, I would agree with what DPM Tharman said at St. Galen symposium in May this year, in line with Mr. Lee's thoughts, that there may be healthy boundaries to our freedoms, given a small city-nation of a variety of races, religions, and communities. I would concede the idea of active monitoring and integration by state action may be justified in the case of Singapore, but this compelling state interest is an exception rather than the rule. Nevertheless, it is very good that we are "entitled by the constitution" to even "go out and convert the Muslims" (Ps Rick Seaward denied this) and appreciate that the government has "always taken a free and liberal attitude, and assume that people would be sensitive…" I think that is a good assumption up to the point when Mr. Lee said sensitive enough to just "live and let live". I disagreed when he asked "it's not very helpful, isn't it?" I would ask for a clarification of "help" in this case, though I think he meant with respect to social cohesion, sure, but, Jesus' Great Commission is this — that we express deep concern on the truth about the destiny of our neighbours, our friends and family, that, like God, we so love 'the world' and so we proclaim that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). True compassion, involves speaking the truth, and truth, by definition, is exclusive (John 14:6), but do take note, we dialogue, persuade, convince (convert?) our community in the manner of love (Eph 4:18), in graciousness, with gentleness and respect (1 Pet 3:5). Like in Islam, Christianity indeed "is a total, all-embracing philosophy." After all, God is "an all-consuming fire" (Heb 12:29), however, there is no need as a society, to fear this and require "a sense of proportion". I'd say to the government, and Mr. Lee (may God rest his soul), Christian evangelism and our Great Commission are the least of your worries – Christians would be the first to render unto Caesar, we are not interested in a theocracy and historically being on the receiving end of intolerance ourselves, we value and respect the rights of others to live out and share their ideas; and yet, I do understand and appreciate your general concern, some maybe 'overzealous' in their approach that it might infringe on some rights but the burden of proof is on the government. I have much more to say, but I'll leave with this, Mr. Lee said to Christians "you are not going to change the world", but sir, the message of Christ throughout the centuries, at the grassroots, by peaceful personal capacity, even under persecution, already has transformed the world as it is and we all have much to be thankful for that.

“I will tell you. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and myself have founded great empires. But our empires were founded on force. Jesus alone founded His empire on love, and to this day millions would die for Him. I think I understand something of human nature, and I tell you, all these were men, and I am a man. Jesus Christ was more than man.” —Napoleon Bonaparte

~27.11.2015