SaturateColorado.com

By Ryan Lindsey
BSU Christian Challenge Director at Colorado State University, Pueblo

Pueblo -- This summer I had the opportunity to lead a Bible study with several students from Nepal.  They are a mix of Hindu, Buddhist, or something in between.  There were interested from a social study standpoint, but none of them became a Christian through the study.  The friendships that were formed have allowed for more personal discussions of what Christianity is outside of our assigned time.

The power of these discussions recently showed me how vital it is to be their friend, so that when they have questions they know someone who is willing to spend time answering them.  While on a errand with four of these students, we were sitting outside of the Social Security office talking about different types of board and card games that we play in America.  Then one of them asked me, "If I decided to be a Christian and then after a while decided to stop being a Christian, you could kill me and there would be no sin in that act, right?"  After asking him to repeat the question to make sure that I had heard him correctly, I saw that there were still questions about what is true Christianity.

I responded that killing is a sin for Christians, especially if it is because someone has left the faith.  This would not be true for Muslims, but as Christians we are called to encourage and pray for each other.  Again I walked him through the understanding that Christ came to die for our sins and that through His death and resurrection we can know how to have a relationship with God.  This relationship, though not perfect because of our sin, will never be severed by God.  He is like a father who will never stop reaching out in love to help us take the next step.

This seemed to answer his question, but he and another student continued to discuss their views as to who and what God could be.  They talked about those things that help you, like silverware or water, that could be a god.  These are helpful things, but they cannot do anything without our power or someone else's power behind them.

God is so powerful that He can and does act outside of our control.  If we can control God then that would make us God.  The students from Nepal seemed to try to get to that point, but were not willing to call themselves God.

This conversation and others like it do not occur outside of time spent with others.  These are some students who do not have a car and are new to our culture.  Rides to Wal-Mart, to local events and festivals, and having them over for dinner have built the trust necessary to be able to have a spiritual voice in their life.  They watch The Da Vinci Code, The Passion of the Christ and Dogma to gain their ides of what Christianity is.  If you are not there to help put the puzzle together, then they are left to come up with the conclusion that it is not a sin to kill someone who leaves Christianity.

Let me encourage you to be a part of the lives of the students in your church and on your local campus.  There are many internationals who will never eat in an American's home; don't let that be someone from the campus in your community.