Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - July/89

Contributor - Alfred C. Kwong

Title - The New Walls of Jericho

Topic - Church In The World

'Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free ... So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:32; 8:36)

There is a thirst in China and a hunger for liberty - by this metaphoric Dragon that has seen so much corruption and injustice,.

The large group of people, mostly students, gathered in the big Tiananmen Square in Beijing, braved the winds and the rains, hanging on to hope that the soldiers who waited outside the Gates of Heavenly Peace would not yield to the final prerogative of the newly imposed martial law to use brute force to disperse them.

The students were making their stand - these people in distant shores; and their for democratic reform, including the most precious treasure be ' sought - freedom, and ultimately justice, was heard all over the world - heard, and taken to heart, most of all, by Christians.

On May 28, 1989, a peace march, organized by several Christian churches, took place in Vancouver, British Columbia. By this action, those who participated not only affirmed their concern over the drastic measures employed by the Chinese government to curb freedom of speech and of the press, and the use of military might against peaceful protesters in China; they also displayed their Christian light ("You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do ' people light a lamp and put it under a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men." (Matt.5:14-17).

We walked with the other 1000 marchers - my wife, Stella, and my two children: Alexia (age 7) and Lucas (age 4). With our humble participation, we prayed for hope - 'This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.' (Heb-. 6:19)

We were moved by the speech and the manifesto handed out to various on-lookers. Excerpts from the manifesto of the Canadian Chinese Christian Pastors and Workers Group were as follows:

"We have been attentively following the development of the Beijing student and resident movement for democracy and freedom. Their self-sacrificing spirit, and their highly-restrained an reasonable actions in expressing the people's demands to the government are what we, as Christians, can highly respect and profess..."

'The God that we believe in is a God who loves righteousness and hates wickedness ('Righteousness is the sceptre of Your Kingdom' Heb. 1: 8-9), and we also believe a nation must be established through righteousness (Prov. 16:12..."

"Democracy, freedom, and law are the basic conditions of a just country ... We strongly support the people's cry for freedom..."

A new wall of Jericho stands in China. The wall in Tiananmen Square. The Wall of Corruption and Injustice, built by sinful men, nurtured by a system that knows neither God nor Man. There is a new Joshua. But he is not one man - he is all of us - who obey the Greatest Commandment of All "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:39.

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