Our First Allegiance

Our first allegiance is to God. As Christians there is no two ways about it. If it is between God and the whole of humanity our allegiance is still to God. But this does not mean that Christians should a agitators to change society into some sort of pseudo theocracy. In the Muslim world we see that happening in Iran and Afghanistan etc. This road only leads to religious imperialism.

Jesus Christ is King, yet He did not agitate to remove king Herod (whom He called "that fox"). He did not join that sect called the Pharisees who were self styled champions of the Jewish religion, in fact He was their most vocal critic. He even commanded His followers to pay their Roman taxes, a colonial power. Many don't understand His ways then, and many don't understand His ways now.

The fact is that God is God. His powers don't change whether on earth or in heaven. But something did change, at least temporarily. When God created Adam, He gave him dominion over the seen world. He did not take it back. Man still have the dominion over the world. But when Adam disobeyed God, he allowed Satan to have dominion over him. So that now we see the kngdom of man in the nations but we also see the dominion of Satan over this kingdom of man through men.

But now God has given authority to the new man, who is Jesus Christ. he said, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." He has all the authority, but His specific command is to go make disciples. So when the priest commanded Peter to not preach, He says that we must obey God not men. For when the higher authority comes the lesser must give way.

The fact is, we have authority to preach the gospel. Whether laws or governments or threats of violence, all must give way to this authority.

There is no political solution

Even though Christians should speak out, we must understand that our goal is not specifically for a political solution. There will not be a Christian utopia on earth until the coming back of our Lord.

Like Enoch, Noah and even Lot, we are to lead a righteous life and to speak the truth in a dark and depraved world. Even the Lord Jesus forewarned us regarding this. If He had been called Beelzebub (a demon), how much more will those who follow Him. You will be hated and reviled and slandered.

I think Christians have been very much protected by the Lord in Singapore. The Lord has indeed put a hedge around us. Perhaps it is like a gardener who puts his young shoots in a nursery to be protected from the elements. In the days ahead I believe the hedge will be lifted. We will be tested. It is all part of maturity. I don't know how much of it is wood, hay and stubble and how much of it will be gold, silver and precious stones.

May the Lord keep His people safe until until His return.

The meaning of our existence

The meaning of life, the supreme truth, the essence of the universe is a Person. This is the fundamental truth of Christianity. The most important command is to love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your mind. This is the reason of our existence. It is what we were created for.

If we do not love God, then all else is in vain. It is altogether worthless (1 Corinthians chapter 13).

God is love. He created us to reciprocate His love. Even when Adam and Eve failed God and sinned, yet God's love remains. In fact, He is able to show His love even more. To the extent that God gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to become Man and to die for us. This is the extent of God's love.

To know God's love is to discover not only the meaning for our lives but the meaning of the universe. Love demands a reciprocity. It is evident in our human relationships. God loves us and He wants us to reciprocate His love. To those that refuse to love Him who loves them, who in fact hates the One who created them and loves them there can be no other place for them except in hell.

Hell is the place for those who refuse to love God even though He loves them. It is the place for those who willfully choose to rebel against the love of God.

Do not reject the God who loves you.

Christians speaking up

There is a pressure upon Christians not to speak up in the public space. Let us confine our believes to the closet and within the space of the church premises, they say.

But then we are called to be the salt of the earth and light of the world. So we must speak out the truth for all to hear. Whether they accept it or not is not within our control. But our Lord does not want us to be tasteless (that is to have no effect on others) nor does He want us to hide our light. For it is not His intention that after He has given us light, that we should hide it within the confines of the church or under the bushel. (From Matthew 5:13 to 16)

In another passage from the Bible, the Lord said, what I whisper in your ear, proclaim it from your housetops (Matthew 10:27). This verse is reflected in the title of this blog.

We should proclaim, as He commands us to proclaim. Even if people don't accept what we say, hate us, call us names etc, it is only what the Lord Jesus have fore-warned us in the first place.

So this blog is a place for this proclamation.

May the Lord use it to fulfill His will.

Benny

Spirit and Truth

It is a great temptation to look at the externals of Christianity. The number of members in a church, the political influence, the obedience to certain moral and ethical codes, the funds available for programs, etc.

But that is not the heart of Christianity. The heart of Christianity is the heart of a person, and the person is God. If the advantages of this world can convert people to genuine repentance from sin, then Jesus Christ would not need to die on the cross nor need He face the humiliation and shame of a criminal's death. More than that, God will ensure that Christians and churches would have worldly wealth and power beyond measure, if such can convert even a single person unto salvation.

But God hides His wealth and His power. So that men's heart would be revealed. He seeks worshippers who would worship in spirit and in truth. Not just external worship. Not just religious worship. Not just emotional worship.

Worship in spirit is to worship God in His essence. That is to worship Him as a Person. He is a Person. The "I am". The Ultimate Personality. He wants us to appreciate Him as a Person. Not only as Almighty, or omnipotent, or omniscience although He is all of this and more. Therefore we find that God made man in His Own image. Only a spirit can appreciate the Spirit. Only when we know love can we appreciate that God is love. Only when we know holiness can be appreciate God is Holy.

Worship in truth is to worship God in genuineness and reality (not a lie). An example of lie worship is the personality cults that some of the tyrants of this world promote. They make up stories of the heroics and wisdom of these worldly rulers but we know that they are all liars. They give themselves titles, attributes which they actually do not have.

Not so with God. The Son of God really did come down to earth as Jesus Christ. He really love us enough to do that. He really love us enough to let people crucify Him. And God (the Father) really love us enough to join us into His Son, so that in His Son we will have a new life.

And the most important thing is that this is not a fairy tale. It really is true. When we know this truth, this fact, we can worship Him in truth. This is eternal life.

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 17:3

Beware of Aware

What a big fuss over the leadership of Aware.  Who is making the fuss? Of course those who found themselves uncomfortably ousted from their comfortable seats on the Aware board. I think it is perfectly understandable. The shock, the hurt, and the humiliation!

Even so, I think there is more to it than that. The media seems to be enjoying playing up this story. I don't know if there is any hidden agenda. Maybe it is all about selling more newspapers. 

May be it is the Gay lobby in Singapore. An alternative lifestyle coalition. There seems to be a concerted push to move society in this direction. I think a lot of Christians are asleep over this. I was not alert to the dangers of the Aware program with the schools until it was mentioned in the newspapers. So I thank the new Aware Board for bringing attention to this. I will definitely be more alert when it comes to letting my daughters attend the school's "sexuality education program" or whatever they call it now.

Finally, I think a point has been made. The wolf in sheep's clothing has been revealed. We were also too complacent in allowing the schools to "educate" our children without a second thought. As parents, we should free our time to look into this matter. I think the schools involved should also be accountable on this matter.