Many of you have probably heard this beautiful hymn played at church, perhaps for an invitation or offertory. It’s a relatively short hymn, compared to many of the others in our hymnals.

But do you know the meaning of each verse?

In the 1800s, there was a great revival spreading through various parts of the world. It had such an impact , that many missionaries answered the call to go to foreign mission fields and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Among them was a man by the name of Watkin Roberts. He felt called to go to India to proclaim the gospel.

While there, he had the opportunity to preach to several head-hunting tribes in Northeast India. They were brutally violent tribes filled with darkness from their Hindu religion.

Through the teaching of Watkin Roberts, one family came to know Christ as their Savior— a man, his wife, and their two sons. There are some differing thoughts on what the man’s name was. (Whatever the case may be as far as his name, there is no question about the account that brought this hymn about.) But most agree that the man’s name was Nokseng.

The fire that was ignited in the hearts and souls of this family is something only believers would understand. They couldn’t contain their exuberance and excitement over having been saved from their sins. Nothing could keep them from sharing Jesus Christ with the other people of their village.

It didn’t take long for word to reach the tribal chief that this family had converted to Jesus, and had turned from their Hindu beliefs. Not only that, but they were also converting other members of the tribe to Jesus. This enraged the Chief.

A meeting of the tribal leaders was called, and the family was brought before the chief. He told Nokseng that they had to publicly renounce their faith in Jesus or they would be punished.

Immediately Nokseng, speaking for his family, refused to recant his faith in Jesus.

The Chief was furious that he had been disobeyed. He looked Nokseng in the eye and told him that if he refused to renounce his new-found faith, both of his sons would be executed. A moment of silence passed, as all waited to see what the man would do.

Nokseng looked at his sons, standing beside him. Surely his heart must have been breaking. Like any father, he loved his children. But he loved Jesus more.

Returning his gaze to the Chief, he said, “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back.”

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

The Chief gave the signal to the archers standing beside him, and they drew back their arrows. Both sons were killed while their parents were forced to watch.

With the bodies of the sons still lying on the ground before them, the Chief once again told Nokseng to renounce Jesus Christ, or this time his wife would be killed.

Nokseng looked away from the bodies of his sons, and turned to his wife. I can’t imagine the thoughts running wild through their minds as their eyes met. The choice between saving her life or serving Christ didn’t come without its struggles, I’m sure.

In his heart, Nokseng knew he could not renounce Jesus. Even if it meant he lost everything. Even if it meant he lost his soulmate.

He said, “Though none go with me, still I will follow.”

Tho’ none go with me, still I will follow,
Tho’ none go with me, still I will follow,
Tho’ none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

In an instant, arrows pierced the heart of his wife, and she too lay before him dead.

He was asked if he was ready to recant his beliefs. If he refused again, he himself would be killed.

With the realization that everything he had loved in this world was lying before him dead, Nokseng looked up and said, “The world behind me, the cross before me. No turning back, no turning back.”

The archers took their aim, and within a moment the man crumpled to the ground, his body riddled with arrows. The second his heart stopped beating, he was seeing the splendor of Heaven and his Savior’s face.

He had counted the cost for serving Christ, and found that He is worth giving everything for.

The tribal leaders stood in a hushed awe over having witnessed the things that had transpired. Four bodies lay before them—representations of strong devotion to a Faith none of them could understand.

The faith of Nokseng and his family stayed with the Chief. He couldn’t get past the words of loyalty spoken by them.

What kind of Man was this Jesus, that someone would be willing to sacrifice his family and his own life to follow Him? He knew that there had to be something to the faith these four people professed.

Miraculously, through the testimony displayed by Nokseng and his family, the tribal Chief came to know Christ as his Savior shortly after. Almost all of the tribe then came to profess Christ as well.

To this day, the Garo tribe is filled with many believers. All because one man chose to follow Christ, no matter the cost.

The words that Nokseng had spoken, stayed in the Chief’s mind and he wrote them down to the tune we associate it with today. It was his reminder to always stay faithful, no matter the cost.

The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

I don’t know about you, but after learning the incredible history behind this hymn, I have never been able to look at it the same way ever again. Each time I sing it, this account is all I can think of and it inspires me to live more for Jesus than I have ever lived before.

What about you? Had you ever heard this story?

A. M. Watson

Hebrews 13:8

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Sources Cited:

Oral History from many believers in NorthEast India