Cabaret (Liza Minnelli)

Rico Yan, 27

Marky Cielo, 20

AJ Perez, 18

Julie Vega, almost 17

KC De Venecia 16

Hindi nagkukulang ng paalala ang Diyos tungkol sa katotohanang maiksi ang buhay ng tao. Subalit sadyang hindi basta basta natututo ang tao. Hindi sapat ang leksyon na maiksi ang buhay upang tayo ay magkaroon ng sigasig sa kabanalan.

Sa isa sa mga awitin ng sanlibutan, may mga ganitong linya:

Start by admitting

From cradle to tomb

Isn't that long a stay

Alam ng sanlibutan na maiksi ang pagitan ng ating pagiging sanggol (cradle) at ng ating kamatayan (tomb). Subalit batay sa katotohanang iyan ay ganito ang prinsipiyo na kanilang binuo:

"Life is a cabaret. old chum

Only a cabaret. old chum

I love a cabaret"

Ang mensahe ng awitin, dahil maiksi an buhay, lubos-lubusin na natin ang paglilibang. Dahil hindi tatagal ang buhay, mag-inuman at magtugtugan na lang tayo. Maiksi ang buhay kaya "Let us Party Pilipinas!". 

Basahin ang buong lyrics ng Cabaret sa link na ito.

Ipinaskil ko ang munting sulatin na ito sa mismong araw ng muling pagkabuhay ng ating Panginoong Hesus sapagkat ang katotohanan ng muling pagkabuhay ang siyang lunas natin panlaban sa Buhay Cabaret ng Sanlibutan. Sa 1 Cor. 15:32, ganito ang isinulat ni Apostol Pablo "... Kung hindi rin lamang bubuhaying muli ang mga patay, mabuti pa'y sundin na lamang natin ang kasabihang ito, 'Kumain tayo at uminom, sapagkat bukas tayo'y mamamatay.'" (Revised MBB)

Samakatuwid, ang buhay Cabaret ay para sa mga taong walang inaasahan na kabilang buhay. Ang mahalaga ay ngayon, ngayon, ngayon at baka wala nang bukas. Salungat diyan ang prinsipiyo ng mga taong may inaasahang muling pagkabuhay. Dahil sa tiyak ang tagumpay natin mula sa kamatayan at pagkabulok, ang habilin na kasunod sa v. 58 ay "Kaya nga, mga minamahal kong kapatid, magpakatatag kayo at huwag matinag. Maging masipag kayo sa paglilingkod sa Panginoon, dahil alam ninyong hindi masasayang ang inyong paghihirap para sa kanya."

Ituro mo sa akin ang isang mananampalatayang masigasig sa kabanalan at ituturo ko sa iyo ang isang mananampalatayang nasasabik sa langit.

Be careful whom you dine with... kahit paborito mo pa ang ulam

"I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat." (1 Corinthians 5:9-11 NIV)

The  Christians at Corinth misunderstood the Apostle's instruction in a previous letter. Paul must then clarify what he meant. He doesn't mean that Christians should not socialize with the unbelievers who are sexually immoral. What he means is that Christians should break the bonds of fellowship with those who confess the Christian faith yet live like unbelievers.

If we will not associate with sinners, we would have to leave this world for everywhere we go, we will always be surrounded with  sinful people. Besides, we were commissioned to saturate the  sinful world with the gospel message.

We however are  mandated to cut off the links of fellowship with the so-called brothers who sin incorrigibly. We are not even allowed to eat with such men. The reason for this was already stated in verse 6-- the principle of sin's yeast effect. Sin, when tolerated never limits itself to the offender. It will surely affect others. Sa mga Pinoy, yan ay ang epekto ng isang bulok na kamatis sa buong kaing. We could see the same principle applied in 1 Timothy 5:20 where Paul instructs the younger pastor to rebuke elders publicly so that it shall serve as a warning to others.

For this reason, we must be cautious. As for me, I will not eat with a so-called brother who is persistent in wickedness... kahit maghain ka pa ng tinolang native manok

photo credit:  http://rapsa.i.ph/blogs/rapsa/index.php?tag=tinolang-manok

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Absuwelto ba si Mr. Villanueva dahil sa I Corinthians 9?

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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Yeast in the Dough

In a way, this is part two of my previous post. As I see it, there is a link between economic improvement and the advancement of the gospel in Eddie Villanueva's thought. Let me explain.

I was an avid viewer of Villanueva's Jesus the Healer TV Program. One of Villanueva's passions way back then is Bill Hamon's prophecy in 1992. Hamon prophesied that within the span of 20 years, God will use three presidents to transform the Philippines into "The America of Asia". There will be so much economic prosperity that the Philippines could afford sending missionaries. The Philippines will be the "launching pad of the gospel" says the (false) prophecy.

Thus, Villanueva has two great dreams:

1. economic glory for the Philippines that will lead to

2. the advancement of the gospel message to the nations with the Philippines as the launching pad.

Let's suppose Villanueva wins and resides in Malacanang for the next six years, will the cause of the gospel be advanced if Villanueva refuses to repent?

Again, I DON'T THINK SO.

On the contrary, I think the witness of God's people will be severely impaired if Villanueva's sin will not be dealt with. 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.

Oh God, have mercy on us!