HymnPod

Chinese history spans nearly 5000 years. The earliest classical texts, the Classic of Poetry and the Classic of History recorded that the Chinese people originated from God. They also tell us that the earliest Chinese only worshipped the Creator and Ruler of heaven and earth, whom meaning Supreme ，上帝， they called Shang Di Ruler.

The character of Shang Di and the God of the Bible is in essence the same. The Chinese script can therefore be traced to the earliest events of Man and God as recorded in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. See references below.

The earliest Chinese called their country 神州，or God’s Country. It was a time of public and private piety, both ruler and ruled submitting to the fear of God. The person whose moral excellence pleased God received the mandate of heaven and was appointed ruler by God. Indeed, whether the country was blessed or not depended on the moral state of the ruler and the people.

This happy state of affairs did not last for long. After about 1,500 years, at the time of the third dynasty (Zhou dynasty), the name for God, Shang Di, was gradually replaced by the term 天 or Heaven, leading to a reduced conception of personhood and majesty of the Almighty.

It was also around this time that the Zhou ruler gave the edict that Shang Di worship be confined to the royal family. Commoners were only allowed to worship their ancestors. With the loss of the fear of God in their private and public lives, Chinese history became increasingly chaotic. Buddhism arrived in China from India in 67 B.C.

Let’s take a closer look at the relationship between God and the Chinese people.

The Chinese people were bound to God by a blood covenant. This was renewed each year by the emperor as the son of heaven. This took the form of a ritual called the Border Sacrifice. It was in effect, the most important work of the emperor to approach the Almighty, that the country may be blessed with peace and good harvest.

The emperor had to ritually cleanse himself for 3 days, depriving himself of wine, women and song, humbling himself before the Sovereign of Heaven. At a raised empty platform devoid of any statues, he had to kill a male calf or sheep without blemish by shedding its blood. With music and praise to God in heaven, the dead animal is finally consumed by fire together with other precious offerings. This ritual is very similar to those described in the Bible.

What is the meaning of this ritual?

By the time of Confucius, the meaning of the ritual was already lost.

God Almighty is a Holy Being. For sinful persons such as ourselves to approach Him, he demands the shedding of blood. From the Bible, “without the shedding of blood, there is no remission (forgiveness) of sins.” Hebrews 9:22. This is why sinful man cannot see God. , God explains, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” Exodus 33:20

Man is, by nature, sinful. Sin is anything that goes against His moral law. Lies, greed, unreasonable hatred, lust, not seeking God, these are sins committed against God and man. All our evil thoughts are laid bare before God. God is holy, He will judge sin: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. (Ezekiel 18:4)”.

It is not that the blood of the bull or calf is effective. Rather, the blood points us to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)”.

“God (proved) his love toward us… while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)”

He lived a life unlike ours. His was a sinless life. Through multiple miracles, He was showed that He was God, and the Son of God. In Matthew 16: 15-17, “He (Jesus) saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God”.

Though he was without sin, he was condemned to death by evil men and crucified on the cross. He bled and died on the cross. He was buried according to the custom of the day but rose again, alive, on the third day.

As illustrated by the Border Sacrifice, the only way to heaven, is through the shed blood of Christ – the true Son of Heaven: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12)”.

The blood of Christ restores our relationship with God. God with man. We are given the privilege to be His children. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (John 1:12)”.

Jesus’ blood is shed to pay for our sins so that we need not perish in hell after death: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:( Hebrews 9:27)”. “For our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29)”.

China lost sight of the blood of the Lamb many years ago. What about you? Do you believe? Will you acknowledge your sins against God and man and be sorry for them? Will you want God to forgive you your sins? Will you want Jesus to bear your sins and not you yourself? Will you want to a child of the Almighty? If so, you can pray so to God in your heart to receive Jesus as your God, Lord and Saviour:

Dear Lord God Almighty, thank you for showing this to me, I am sorry for all my sins against you. Save me from my sins. Forgive me my sins. I receive Jesus Christ, your Son, as my Lord and Saviour. I commit the rest of my life to you. Strengthen me to live the life that is pleasing to you through your Spirit given to me. Thank you for saving me. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, you are now a child of God, forgiven of all your sins through what Jesus did for you on the cross. Seek out a Bible. Pray to God in Jesus’ name and God will direct your next step.

References:
1) Faith of our fathers, Chan Kei Thong, 2005
2) God’s Promise to the Chinese, ER. Nelson, RE Broadberry, G Tong Chock, 1997
3) God & the ancient Chinese, S Wang, 1998
4) Discovery of Genesis, CH Kang, 1979

Author: Sim Tiong Peng

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中国最古的文献 (诗经) 和 (书经) 记载着：中国人来自上帝，与上帝有着深厚的交情。

太初中华民族只敬拜至高至大，创造宇宙万物，也掌管万物，唯一的真神，称他为上帝。中国古人所敬拜的创造主上帝的品性，与圣经中表明的上帝的属性基本是一致的。

当时的中国不叫中国，乃叫“神州”, 意思就是神的国家。古人始终相信，只有上帝选定的, 品格优秀的人才能承受天命，登基为王。在那虔诚时代，老百姓与统治者谦卑的顺服在公义仁慈而至高上帝的掌管下。

到了第三个朝代，周朝，人心就开始变了。上帝的名称化为“天”，把上帝的威严，人物淡化了。也在这时后，当时的皇帝下令，上帝崇拜只限皇帝家族，老百姓拜祖先就好了。那虔诚，敬畏上帝的时代就逐渐消失。中国的命运也就开始越来越乱了。孔子公元前551年出生，编辑了古代写过的五经。佛教就在公元67年从印度引入中国。

我们现在仔细了解上帝与华人密切的关系。  

上帝与中国人立下血盟，四千多年来，从黄帝一直到清朝末代。皇帝生为 “天子”，每年都要献祭。那不献祭的皇帝，不能确保他的宝座，比如秦始皇。虽然秦朝虽是皇朝主要之一，它只限15年。这祭天的礼仪是皇帝整年最隆重的仪式，叫做“郊祭”，因为它是在城外举行的。

照做上帝的吩咐，规定的地点必须没有偶像，附近摆着 “皇天上帝” 四个字，指明崇拜的对象。皇帝要向天献祭。献祭是一只完美，没有瑕疵的小公牛或一头羊。

皇帝必须亲手把它宰了，牛必须流血，丧命，讨上帝的悦纳，愿他祝福我们中华民族隔年有丰收。被宰杀的祭物要用火焚烧。仪式跟圣经所记载的一摸一样。

礼书有记载，能够明白郊祭礼仪内涵而恭敬遵守的统治者，那皇帝就很容易的治理天下。

那，为什么这头牛要为我们流血呢？

因为我们有犯罪，亏欠了上帝。上帝是圣洁的。不流血，上帝不悦纳我们。这是上帝在圣经的启示。圣经希伯来书9章22节，按着律 法，凡物差不多都是用血洁净的，若不流血，罪就不得赦免了。

人是有罪的，而罪的定义是违背神的律法，达不到神的律法要求（即使是谎言、记恨、贪心等都是罪）。我们心里不纯洁的思想，上帝都知道。

不是说这头牛所流的血有功效，乃是这头牛印证以后要来临最完美的献祭，耶稣基督，上帝自己的独生子。

“唯有基督在我们还在罪人的时候为我们死，神的爱在此向我们显明了.(罗马5：8)”

他一生不像我们。他没有犯罪。通过多项奇迹，证实他的确是上帝，是上帝的独生子。马太福音16：15-17，耶 稣说，你们说我是谁。西门彼得回答说，你是基督，是永生神的儿子。耶稣对他说，西门巴约拿，你是有福的。 因为这不是属血肉的指示你的，乃是我在天上的父指示的。

耶稣基督无辜的，被恶人把他在城外，钉在十字架，流血，死了 (受难节）， 第三天复活，胜过死亡 （复活节）。

老子所说的 “道” 原来是去天家的道路。这“道” 是个人，是真正的 “天子”，天地的中保，是 耶稣基督，上帝的独生子。圣经这么说， 约翰书1章1节, 太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。

使徒行传4：12 除他 （耶稣）以外，别无拯救。因为在天下人间，没有赐下别的名，我们可以靠着得救. 约翰书1：29  次日，约翰看见耶稣来到他那里，就说，看哪，神的羔羊，除去(或作背负）世人的罪孽。

人需要透过主耶稣的宝血得洁净，才可以回到圣洁的神那里， 与神建立永远和好的关系。

人与上帝同在，这才是福。信主耶稣的人， 有上帝儿女的名称。约翰书 1：12  凡接待他的，就是信他名的人，他就赐他们权柄，作神的儿女。

凡信他的，不至灭亡，反得永生。他的宝血为我们流，他为我们死，我们死后不用下地狱永远死多一次。希伯来书 9：27 按着定命，人人都有一死，死后且有审判。希伯来书12：29因为我们的神乃是烈火。

从古到今，回天家的道路都是一样，都要通过耶稣和他的宝血。

中国早已忽视血盟。你呢？

你相信吗？你要向上帝为自己的罪孽忏悔吗？你要耶稣基督做您的救主吗？你要做上帝的子女吗？您要的话， 请依旧下文开声祷告：

“圣洁公义永恒的上帝，感谢您把这些事的启示。我是个罪人。我相信而接受你作我的救主。求你赦免我一生所犯的罪。 求你进入我的心里，将你的生命和圣灵赐给我。我将一生信托你。谢谢你救了我。祷告奉主耶稣的名，阿们。”

您如果有这样祈祷，上帝会垂听。按照他的话，您就是上帝的子民。您的罪，通过耶稣流的宝血，已被赦免。你应该继续通过耶稣的圣名，向上帝祷告。读他的话语（圣经）。上帝会指示你下一步骤。

参考书：

1）上帝在中国，杨鹏
2）先贤之信，唐振著
3）神州忏悔录,  远志明
4）饮水思源，董大源，裴瑞明
5）上帝是谁,  董大源，裴瑞明
6）老子与圣经，远志明

沈中平 著