Kamakailan ay ipinadala ko sa pamamagitan ng email ang mensaheng ito sa JIL:
Dear Brothers & Sisters:
Grace to you and peace from our God.
This concerns Bro. Eddie Villanueva's controversial statements over the flock of Apollo Quiboloy. Is there an internal system within JIL by which biblical church discipline as mandated in Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 5 could be implemented?
My concern is not political. My concern is the witness of the evangelical community. The Apostle Paul teaches that sin will not restrict its effect to the offender. Like a little yeast, it will affect the entire batch of dough (1 Corinthians 5:6).
Given the prominence of Villanueva within the evangelical community, his sin is no small yeast. The extent of his influence will not be limited to the JIL churches. It threatens to affect us all. JIL should put him under disciplinary action-- not to harm him but to restore him and to fix the damage that has been done to the evangelical churches.
Sincerely yours,
Bro. Manny Ambanloc Rosario
Tumugon naman ang JIL subalit malinaw na wala silang balak isailalim sa disiplina si Mr. Villanueva. Ang kanilang ipinadala sa akin ay yung ipinamamahagi na rin nila sa Internet na transcript ng interview ni Mr. Villanueva sa Roxas city noong Abril 12. Ang transcript ay inyong mababasa sa
link na ito.
Nagbigay si Mr. Villanueva ng dalawang dahilan kung bakit niya ginawa yung kanyang ginawa doon sa pagtitipon ng kawan ni Quiboloy. Ang Una ay biblical reason at pangalawa ay tungkol sa pamamalakad ng pamahalaan ng walang diskriminasyon.
1. BIBLICAL REASON:
Ika niya: "Listen carefully please, number one biblical reason, 1 Corinthians 9 if i need to be a Jew, I have to be a Jew. if i need to be a Roman i have to be a Roman, if that is the only way i can gain these people for the kingdom of God."
2. NON-DISCRIMINATORY POLICY
Ika ulit ni Villanueva: "Number two reason, si John F Kennedy (student po ako ng history nahalukay ko po ito) the first Catholic President of the United States of America when he assumed office in the white house he was visited by a Catholic Cardinal obviously asking a special favor prejudicial against the non-catholics. Anong sabi ni John F Kennedy? "I am sorry Cardinal, my religion is secondary to me. First and foremost I am elected as president of all American people." Kaya sabi ng mga historian at mga political analyst, despite the weaknesses of John F. Kennedy as a man... president John F. Kennedy was considered by history as one of the great presidents of america because of his non-discriminatory policy."
Yung kanyang dahilan na non-discriminatory policy ay hindi ko masyadong bibigyan ng diin. Pero nais ko lang sabihin na hindi naman humihingi ng special favor ang mga born again. Puwede namang ibigay ang nararapat ibigay sa lahat ng Pilipino sa ilalim ng batas nang hindi sumasang-ayon sa doktrina ng mga demonyo. Hindi naman plataporma ang ginamit niyang panghikayat sa kanila kundi mga salitang tiyak na kikiliti sa pandinig ng mga taong nais manatili sa kadiliman. "Men loved darkness" ang sabi ni Apostol Juan sa John 3:19-- kung papupurihan mo ang kanilang madilim na paniniwala, tiyak mamahalin ka nila. Kaya naman panay ang sigawan at palakpakan habang nagsasalita si Villanueva sa harap ng Quiboloy crowd.
Ang bibigyang diin ko ay ang sinasabi ni Villanueva na biblical reason Ito ay ang 1 Corinthians 9:19-23: " Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings" (NIV)
Ang mga tinutukoy diyan ng Apostol ay mga adjustments within scriptural limits. Halimbawa na lang ay yung pagpapatuli ni Apostol Pablo sa kanyang kasamang si Timoteo alang-alang sa mga Hudyo (Acts 16:3). Bagamat hindi sila nasa ilalim ng kautusan, nagpasailalim sila sa kautusan upang maging madali para sa mga Hudyo ang pakikinig ng ebanghelyo. Minsan ay sumailalim rin siya sa mga purification ceremonies upang burahin ang ipinagkakalat ng iba na iniwan na raw niya ang kautusan ni Moises (Acts 21:20-26). Wala siyang pakinabang sa mga seremonya ng Kautusan pero sumailalim pa rin siya dito alang-alang sa mga kaluluwa ng mga taong inaabot nila.
Pagdating naman sa mga Hentil, within Scriptural bounds ulit, nakibahagi siya sa Gentile customs. Hindi kasali dito yung paggawa at pagsabi ng mga bagay na malinaw na salungat sa bibliya. Kung sa Pilipinas maglilingkod si Pablo, kakain rin siya ng balot maski gaano kalaki ang sisiw; magmamano rin siya sa mga nakakatanda at sasagot ng po at opo; maaaring magsusuot rin siya ng bahag tulad ng mga katutubo-- pero hindi niya kukunsintihin ang pagsamba nila sa mga anito.
Ganito ang komentaryo ni John Macarthur:
" If a person is offended by God’s Word, that is his problem. If he is offended by biblical doctrine, standards, or church discipline, that is his problem. That person is offended by God. But if he is offended by our unnecessary behavior or practices—no matter how good and acceptable those may be in themselves—his problem becomes our problem. It is not a problem of law but a problem of love, and love always demands more than the law “Whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone wants to sue you, and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matt. 5:39-41)." 1 Corinthians, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary
So the adjustments Paul was talking about for the sake of Jews and Gentiles are just on unnecessary behavior or practices which may serve as stumbling blocks in reaching the lost. Its not about giving approval to evil doctrines and deeds. You must not call a person who spreads destructive doctrines as "a preacher of righteousness"; It remains that we should not call as "mga kapwa ko taga-langit" those who embrace abominable doctrines. We should not give our "Amen" to a mission born out of the darkness.
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