Bagamat ibinasura ng Commission on Elections (COMELEC) ang aplikasyon ng Ang Ladlad bilang isang lehitimong party list group, ang basa ko sa mga nangyayari (nawa'y mali ako), hindi magtatagal ay mabibigyan rin ng akreditasyon ang grupong ito. Kung hindi man sila makakahabol sa Mayo 2010, malamang sa 2013, pasok na sila.
Hindi maikakaila ang patuloy na paglakas ng suporta para sa gay rights movement dito sa ating bansa. Kamakailan ay nagpahayag ng suporta sa kanila ang Commission on Human Rights (CHR), iba't ibang mga bigating pulitiko, at iba pang mga maiimpluwensyang tao.
Malakas rin ang impluwensya ng kulturang kanluran sa atin lalo na ang Estados Unidos. Ang kanilang kasalukuyang Pangulo na si Barack Obama ay nagpapakita ng sigasig upang maisulong ang adhikain ng mga LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, & transgender). Ito ay bahagi ng kanyang pahayag:
"that's why I support ensuring that committed gay couples have the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country. I believe strongly in stopping laws designed to take rights away and passing laws that extend equal rights to gay couples. I've required all agencies in the federal government to extend as many federal benefits as possible to LGBT families as the current law allows. And I've called on Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and to pass the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act." (-Pres. Barack Obama)
Hindi lang mga karapatan ang ipinangako ni Obama sa kanila kundi ang pagtanggap sa kanilang mga relasyon bilang MABUTI at KAAYA-AYA:
"You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman..." (-Pres. Obama) (kasunod ay MASIGABONG PALAKPAKAN mula sa mga tagapakinig)
Ang paglakas ng puwersang LGBT rights sa Pilipinas ay mahahalata sa pananaw ng karamihan. Hindi na nila ito itinuturing bilang kasalanan o paghihimagsik laban sa Diyos na siyang may akda ng dalawang kasarian (lalaki at babae). Sa halip, ito ay ibinibilang na normal at kanais-nais. Isang patunay nito ay ang isang awiting namamayagpag sa himpapawid mula sa Dagtang Lason na pinamagatang Nagmamahal ako ng Bakla.
Ipaabot mo sa kanila ang iyong pagtutol sa kanilang mga pananaw at sila ay sisigaw ng "FOUL !!! Diskriminasyon 'yan". Malaki ang posibilidad na darating ang araw dito sa Pilipinas na kahit kasinganda't kasintalino ka ni Carrie Prejean, katakot takot pa ring mga pag-aalipusta, pangungutsa at pang-iinsulto ang tatanggapin mo dahil lamang ikaw ay tutol sa mga adhikain ng LGBT rights.
Psalm 12:8 "for the wicked seem to be everywhere, when people promote evil." (NET Bible)
Romans 1:32 "Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." (NIV)
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Saturday, November 28, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Singing Songs of Hope Amidst Laments
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
(Lamentations 3:22-24)
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
(Lamentations 3:22-24)
The verses above are well-known. Perhaps they are in your list of favorites. They are so popular that I could immediately recall two of the most treasured songs in Christianity:
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
(Thomas Chisholm, 1923)
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
(Thomas Chisholm, 1923)
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to an end
They are new every morning
New every morning.
Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord.
Great is Thy faithfulness
(Robert Davidson, 1975)
His mercies never come to an end
They are new every morning
New every morning.
Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord.
Great is Thy faithfulness
(Robert Davidson, 1975)
Perhaps you have sang them yourselves on a wonderful morning when the sunrise is breathtakingly beautiful and the fragrance of the trees’ blossoms fill the air as the wind blows gently. Birds tweet sweetly as if they were saying that all is well. Indeed, we should thank God for days such as these.
But could you sing those songs when you wake up in the morning and the sun is covered by dark clouds; the wind blows violently, the branches are broken the blossoms are scattered in the mud. Tweeting is heard no more as birds are nowhere to be found. Could you sing songs about the Lord’s love, mercy, and grace amidst the storms of life?
If we would understand the context of Lamentations 3:22-24, we can, yes we can sing not just when all things are bright and beautiful but also when the days are filled with extreme pain.
The early rabbis were the first ones to call this book lamentations—“loud cries”. The title in Tagalog bibles “Panaghoy” captures the idea perfectly. The book is composed of five laments (1:1-22; 2:1-22; 3:1-66; 4:1-22; 5:1-22). The writer (the scholarly consensus is it's Jeremiah) reflects it himself: “My eyes overflow with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people” (3:48).
Jerusalem was sieged by the enemy; there was famine in the city; the walls were broken and the enemy penetrates. The beautiful city was consumed by flames and the sacred things in the temple were looted.
It was such a very dark period in the nation’s history. Yet they deserved it. Jeremiah’s four decades of preaching and warning fell on deaf ears. They despised the word of the Lord for 40 years and now, they are paying the consequences.
Halfway through the laments, 3:22-24 appears as a ray of hope. Here, God reveals that though he must punish them, he did not abandoned them. I’m drawing three points from these verses:
1. The sustaining power of God’s mercy and love
“We are not consumed” because of his mercies. They were suffering much but they were not totally destroyed because of God’s sustaining love. We may go though all the pains but God does not intend destruction upon our souls. Restoration of hearts wounded by sin is what he has in mind (Jeremiah 29:11).
2. The Unending Supply of God’s Compassion
His compassions “never fail” and “they are new every morning”. God’s blessing yesterday was awesome enough. Yet The blessings he give are not drawn from yesterday. He doesn’t give recycled compassion but they are new every morning appropriate for our current situation.
3. The Sufficiency of God in times of Distress
“The Lord is my portion” says my soul (3:24). A portion usually means “landed property, which was foundational to economic stability in ancient Israel” (NET Bible). Jeremiah looked around and everything that he treasured is now gone. The economic glories of the nation and of the people had been reduced to ashes. Yet Jeremiah says he doesn’t need those stuff. All he needs is the Lord so he waits upon the Lord his hope.
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Tuesday, October 27, 2009
His Presence, Our Protection (Psalm 46)
Nang rumagasa ang bahang dulot ng bagyong Pepeng sa Pangasinan, kinansela ng Guiding Light-Dagupan ang kanyang worship service dahil lubog sa baha ang lungsod at mga karatig-bayan. Nang sumunod na linggo, sa habag ng Panginoon, ako po ang nabigyan ng pribilehiyong mangaral sa likod ng pulpito. Ito po ang buong manuscript ng mensaheng iyon.
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His Presence, Our Protection (Psalm 46)
His Presence, Our Protection (Psalm 46)
Agosto ng taong 2001, libu-libong katao mula sa iba't ibang iglesiang Kristiyano mula sa iba't ibang panig ng bansa ang lumuwas sa Quezon City upang dumalo sa isang prayer and healing meeting sa pangunguna ng Don Clowers Ministries (DCM). Sa kagandahang-loob ng DCM, ang mga delegado ay nabigyan ng libreng lodging sa sari-saring budget hotels na malapit sa Araneta Coliseum kung saan ginanap ang naturang pagtitipon. Ang ilan sa kanila ay naka-check-in a Manor Hotel.
Sa loob ng Manor Hotel ay mahimbing na natutulog ang mga delegado-- hanggang sa pagsapit ng alas-4 ng madaling araw kung kelan narinig ang mga sigawan at daing, wala nang ilaw-- at ang lahat ay nagkakagulo. May SUNOG na tumutupok sa hotel at ang bawat isa ay naghahanap ng paraan kung paano makaligtas. Tinangka nilang tumakas sa pamamagitan ng mga bintana, subalit sa takot ng may-ari ng hotel sa mga magnanakaw, ang mga bintana ay may harang na mga iron bars. Kuwento ng isang survivor: tinganggal niya ang isang aircon unit upang siya makapag- hole in the wall.
Tumagal ang sunog sa loob ng dalawang oras. Hindi ko alam ang huling bilang pero halos tiyak ako na ito ay mahigit 70. Karamihan sa kanila ay hindi naman nadampian ng apoy o baga, kundi namatay dahil sa suffocation.
Itong aking kuwento ay bunga ng aking paghalukay sa sa mga news archives, ngunit mayroong isang bagay na sariwa pa rin sa aking alaala hanggang ngayon. Sa isang panayam ng isang TV reporter sa isang Pastor, ang tanong ay "Sa palagay po ba ninyo, itong nangyari ay plano ng Diyos?"
Napailing ang pastor kasunod ay ang sagot niyang "Hindi"
I do not want to withdraw my sympathy for that pastor. You can just imagine the pain seeing the lifeless bodies of members of your flock whom you love so much.
Yet I know from the moment I heard that interview that is was bad, bad, theology. It suggests that God is so helpless that he can't even implement his plan. Such a god is too weak-- that is not the God of the bible.
Kung siya ay talagang masugid na tagasunod ni Don Clowers, hindi nakapagtataka na ganun ang sagot ng pastor. Si Don Clowers ay isa sa mga nagtataguyod sa salot ng prosperity gospel. Nawa'y 'di na kumalat ang aral na 'yan.
Mga kapatid, kung kayo po ang lalapitan ng isang TV reporter at kayo ay kanyang tatanungin, "Sa palagay po ba ninyo, itong si bagyong Pepeng ay plano ng Diyos?"-- Ano po ang inyong isasagot.
Brethren, I have high hopes for you because I know that you are all well-taught. The last sermon you heard from our pastor before Pepeng ravanged our province was about the sovereignty of God over the affairs of the world so that when you tune-in to CNN, you will see the hand of God actively moving over the current events in Pakistan, Indonesia, Russia, Iraq, Washington, and anywhere else on earth and in the universe.
Naramdaman ba ninyo ang pagkilos ng Panginoon sa nagdaang rumaragasang baha? O tulad ba ng kamangmangan ng iba, ang tingin ninyo sa nangyari ay hatid ng isang impersonal force na tinatawag nilang Mother Nature?
What we say about God after a calamity is not trivial. It is of immesurable importance. Pagkatapos ng kalamidad na tumangay sa mga ari-arian at mga anak ni Job, kanyang sinabi:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised." (Job 1:21)
Ano ang komentaryo ng bibliya dyan sa sinabi ni Job, "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." (Job 1:22)
The object of this lesson is keep our view of God high-- so that in the midst of calamity, we will not sin with our words.
GOD ASSURES HIS PRESENCE WITH US IN TIMES OF TROUBLE
Ang madalas naming laruin nang ako ay bata pa ay yung shatong/shato-- gamit namin ang dalawang patpat (isang mahaba at isang maiksi). Para mahati namin ang aming sarili sa dalawang koponan, ang ginagawa namin ay yung Impyang (hindi ko kasi alam ang Tagalog niyan eh). Yung mga naglabas ng palad ay magkakakampi. Yung naglabas ng likuran ng kamay, magkakakampi.
Subalit dahil may mga bata na mas mahuhusay maglaro kaysa sa iba, hindi maiiwasan na kung minsan, yung mga mahuhusay ay nagkakataong nagkakasama-sama at yung mga lampa ay nagkakasama-sama rin sa isang koponan. Kapag nakita mo na mahina ang iyong koponan, mapapakamot ka ng iyong ulo at makiki-usap ka sa kabilang koponan:
'Puwede bang amin na lang si ______________"
What's the point?
The point is that you want the best to join your team. But more else could you ask for if the Sovereign Ruler of the universe, the all-powerful God is on your side?
That is exactly what you can find in this Psalm.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A VERY PRESENT help in trouble.
vv.7- "The Lord of hosts is WITH US..."
vv.11- "The Lord of hosts is WITH US..."
It was the promise given to Moses (Exo.3:12). Remember the parting of the Red Sea?
It was the promise given to Joshua (Josh. 1:5). Remember the conquest of the Promised land?
Because we are in Christ, the same promise is for us: "... and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, GOD WITH US)."
In God's presence we find protection (Psalm 23:4).
In God's presence we find blessing (Gen. 26:3)
THREE METAPHORS FOR GOD'S PROTECTING PRESENCE
1. REFUGE (verse 1)
Naaalala pa ba ninyo yung mga panahong may mga Vietnamese Refugees na naglalayag papunta sa ating bansa? Sila ay sakay ng mga bangkang hindi mo aakalain na makakatawid pala sa dagat.
Ang nangyari kasi, matapos magwagi ang mga komunista sa digmaan, inusig ng pamahalaan ang mga mamamayan na kumampi sa Amerika. Ang mga inuusig ay naghanap ng mga ligtas na lugar kaya't sila'y kung saan-saan napadpad: Malaysia, Thailand, Pilipinas, Hongkong at Indonesia.
Subalit ang inaasahan nilang ligtas na lugar ay mapanganib rin pala. Ayon sa mga ulat, dumanas ng sari-saring mga pagmamalupit ang mga Vietnamese sa mga Refugee camps (lalo na sa Thailand). Malaking bahagi ng tulong na ipinapadala sa kanila ng Amerika ay hinaharang ng korapsyon.
Ang bilang ng mga naitalang namatay sa Refugee camps ay 763.
489 naman ang naitalang dinukot, samatalang 863 kababaihan ang ginahasa.
They were looking for a refuge; a place of safety-- but they did not find it.
May mga naganap rin sa kasaysayan ng Israel kung kailan naghanap rin sila ng REFUGE, pero ang napuntahan nila ay kapahamakan:
ISAIAH 30:1-3
"Woe to the obstinate children,"
declares the LORD,
"to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin;
who go down to Egypt
without consulting me;
who look for help to Pharaoh's protection,
to Egypt's shade for refuge.
But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame,
Egypt's shade will bring you disgrace.
Contrast this with the refuge we find in God's presence:
Isa.25:4 "You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat"
Psalm 104:18 "the crags are a refuge for the coneys"
I don't know what a coney is (rock badger in some versions), but one thing I know, the life of his saints are more precious in his sight than coneys, sparrows or any other animal (Matt. 10:31)
2. STRENGTH (verse 2)
To proclaim God as our stength in times of trouble is to admit that we are weak., that is we do not have a stength of our own. We are entirely helpless without him.
Madalas ipakita ng Diyos ang kanyang kapangyarihan sa pamamagitan ng ating kahinaan.
Isipin na lang ninyo ang batang pastol na David laban sa bihasang mandirigma, at ang dambuhalang si Goliath.
Isipin rin ninyo ang kakarampot na mga mandirigma ni Gideon.
2 Cor.12:9 ""My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
3. FORTRESS (verse 11)
"an isolated, elevated place where people built a stronghold against the enemy". (Willem Van Gemeren, EBC).
Yet staying in man-made fortresses, no matter how inaccessible and thickly walled, is not an assurance that you are safe.
Remember Edom?
Obadiah 3 "The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, `Who can bring me down to the ground?"... And God destroyed them.
Only in God do we find a fortress where safety is guaranteed
FEARLESSNESS-- The result of our Awareness of God's protecting presence
1. Fearlessness amidst Natural Catastrophes
~ amidst the most horrifying earthquakes:
" Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea" (vv.2)
~amidst the fierciest floods
"though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." (vv.3)
Because there is safety and stability in the city where God dwells (vv.4-5):
"There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day."
2. Fearlessness in the midst of man-made catastrophes:
Ang mga kalamidad likha ng tao ay mapanganib rin gaya ng mga natural na kalamidad. Isipin ninyo ang ginawa na at maaari pang gawin ng tao:
i.pagsalpok ng eroplano sa isang gusaling sentro ng ekonomiya
ii. pagpapakalat ng mga liham na may lamang anthrax o bomba
iii. pag-iwan ng mga poisonous gasses sa mga mataong lugar
iv. paglalagay ng lason sa mga baby's food na nasa pamilihan
v. paglason sa ating water supply
vi. pagpapasabog sa mga oil depot (kaya nga pinapalayas na ng konseho ng Maynila yung nasa Pandacan)
But by the mere voice of God, the most powerful human forces will be stopped (vv.6-9). Kahit magsabwatan pa ang mga makapangyarihan sa ibabaw ng lupa, hindi nasisindak ang Diyos. Pagtatawanan lang niya sila (Awit 2:4).
Do you know how wars are ended? Verse 9 reveals that God's hand is behind the ending of wars. He determines how long will they last, and one day he will end the very last battle in history (Rev. 20:7 ff.)
THE CHIEF END OF GOD'S PROTECTING PRESENCE
The chief end of God's protecting presence is the exaltation of himself-- that is God's glory.
Psalm 46:10 ""Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
CONCLUSION
Matapos ang paglilitis sa Diet of Worms, si Martin Luther ay tinanggalan ng legal rights. Ibig sabihin, walang proteksyon ang batas para sa kanya. Isa kang kriminal kung siya ay iyong bibigyan ng pagkain o bahay na matutuluyan. Kung makakasalubong mo siya sa daan, maaari mo siyang hampasin ng dos-por-dos sa batok o pukpukin ng martilyo sa noo-- at WALA kang pananagutan sa batas. Hindi ka makukulong ni hindi ka magmumulta ng kahit isang kusing. Hindi lang iyon ang panganib na pinagdaanan ni Luther sa kanyang buhay, at tulad rin naman natin, tiyak na dumaan ang iba't ibang suliranin sa buhay niya.
Madalas daw kay Luther na kapag may problema, kanyang niyayaya ang kanyang mga katabi, "Halika, awitin natin ang ika-46 na Awit". Paborito talaga niya ang Psalm 46, kaya nga naisulat niya ang isang himno na pinamagatang A Mighty Fortress is our God.
If by some reason, Luther was inside Manor Hotel eight years ago (of course not to attend Don Clowers' meetings), he would have asked others to sing with him. "Come, let us sing the 46th Psalm".
For even in death, his protection never ceases for those who are truly his: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life... will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38-39)
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Magpakabusog tayo sa Paglilingkod (Nourishment from Christian Service)
Tayo ay madaling gutumin. Hindi pa man natutunaw ng sinangag na ating inalmusal, bumibili na tayo ng palitaw na tinda ni Aling Ansang. Maya-maya lang, pananghalian nanaman—at hindi natin kayang isuko ang ating extra rice. Bago sumapit ang alas-3, napapaindak na ang ating tainga sa kalembang ni Mamang Sorbetero. Ayos lang yan!—kung ‘yan ba ang ating ikalulusog eh…
Sa kanyang pagkakatawang-tao, ang ating Panginoong Hesus ay:
Nagugutom rin: Mateo 4:2
Nauuhaw rin: Juan 19:28
Inaantok rin: Mateo 8:24
Nauuhaw rin: Juan 19:28
Inaantok rin: Mateo 8:24
Sa limitasyon ng kanyang katawang-tao, meron rin siyang mga pangangailangang pisikal noon. Subalit para sa kanya, mayroong isang bagay na higit na pinahahalagahan niya kaysa sa pangangailangan ng kanyang katawan.
Nang sila ay madaan sa Samaria, ang kanyang mga alagad ay nagtungo sa lungsod upang bumili ng makakain (Juan 4:8). Habang wala sila, Kinausap ni Hesus ang isang babaeng Samaritana. Bunga noon, sumampalataya ang babae na si Hesus nga ang Mesiyas, at ang iba ba ay nakakilala rin sa Panginoon (Juan 4:42)
Pagbalik ng mga alagad daladala ang pagkain, siya ay kanilang inalok: "Guro, kumain po kayo” (v.31) Malamang nag-aalala sila dahil matagal nang gutom si Hesus. Subalit ito ang sagot sa kanila ni Hesus: “Ako’y may pagkain na hindi niyo nalalaman”.
Nagtaka tuloy ang mga alagad. Tanong nila sa isat isa: “may nagdala kaya ng pagkain sa kanya?”
Subalit mas malalim ang gustong ihatid sa kanila ni Hesus. Upang kanila itong maunawaan, nilinaw ni Hesus ang nais niyang sabihin:
vv. 34—“Ang pagkain ko ay ang gawin ang kalooban ng nagsugo sa akin at tapusin ang kanyang gawain”.
Para kay Hesus, ang pagtupad sa kanyang misyon ay pagkain. ‘Yan ang kanyang almusal, tanghalian at hapunan.
John 5:17: "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working."
John 17:4: “ I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to”
When we serve God and seek to glorify him, we are not depriving ourselves. Rather we feed our souls. We are nourished by doing what he wants us to do.
Magpakabusog tayo sa paglilingkod sa Panginoon!
photo credit: US Food and Drug Administration
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photo credit: US Food and Drug Administration
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Monday, September 28, 2009
The Cancer Within
After the six-part series on discernment, I think it is fitting to culminate this month with this video clip from the original Bible Answer Man, Dr. Walter Martin.
"The danger to the church today... is the person who wears the cloth of Christ. The person who wears the white collar or the cross and who stands behind the sacred desk and who is unfaithful to the word of God. That is the ultimate danger to the church. The corrupt and apostate shepherds who infest our theological seminaries and colleges and fill our pulpits across the United States and Canada who know not God, do not believe the gospel of Jesus Christ and will stand in the way of anybody that wants to preach it. That is the ultimate danger to the church because it is inside the church. The cancer is within and it eats away and we don't recognize it. Or when we do recognize it, we don't do anything about it because we are afraid that people will be offended.We are afraid that people will call us narrow, bigoted fundamentalists." (Dr. Walter Martin)
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"The danger to the church today... is the person who wears the cloth of Christ. The person who wears the white collar or the cross and who stands behind the sacred desk and who is unfaithful to the word of God. That is the ultimate danger to the church. The corrupt and apostate shepherds who infest our theological seminaries and colleges and fill our pulpits across the United States and Canada who know not God, do not believe the gospel of Jesus Christ and will stand in the way of anybody that wants to preach it. That is the ultimate danger to the church because it is inside the church. The cancer is within and it eats away and we don't recognize it. Or when we do recognize it, we don't do anything about it because we are afraid that people will be offended.We are afraid that people will call us narrow, bigoted fundamentalists." (Dr. Walter Martin)
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Walter Martin Books
Monday, September 21, 2009
The One in us vs. the one in them (part 6 of 6: HOLY UNBELIEF-- Insights from 1 John 4:1-6)
The ministry of discernment can be a very intimidating task. Some leave it ONLY for the gifted. But you know what, you may not be especially gifted in this field of ministry, but I want to assure you that you can discern. Yes you can.
1 John 4:4 "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
You have overcome them, not because of anything inherent in you. Our text sets out the reason why: because he who resides in us is greater that those whose resides in them.
Rom.8:14, “because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God”
The same Holy Spirit who leads you to a holy living will also lead you into holy believing, and if necessary, he will also lead you to holy unbelief.
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1 John 4:4 "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
You have overcome them, not because of anything inherent in you. Our text sets out the reason why: because he who resides in us is greater that those whose resides in them.
Rom.8:14, “because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God”
The same Holy Spirit who leads you to a holy living will also lead you into holy believing, and if necessary, he will also lead you to holy unbelief.
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The Congregation Test 2: Holy People listen to holy teachers with holy messages (part 5 of 6: HOLY UNBELIEF-- Insights from 1 John 4:1-6)
Spiritual messages from spiritual teachers will be received by spiritual men
John 10:27: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
John 10:5: "But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."
The word of God will come upon his people with great conviction (1 Thess. 1:4-5)
In the process of testing, we should also ask,"What is the church's attitude towards this teaching?"
“if the community we have always trusted, if the church as the historic custodian of truth refuses this prophesy, we should be warned” (Gary Burge, NIVAC)
In the Roman Catholic church, the final authority is Sola Ecclesia- whatever the church says. As evangelicals, we are for Sola Scriptura. Yet it is wrong to think that the church has no value in teaching the truth.
“Those who claim that the church has no value and isn’t instrumental in teaching Scipture are wrong. The church is the pillar and foundation of truth and this “community of God” is instrumental in keeping us in check with the rest of the Christian community.” (Ray Aviles, BARM Public Square)
On his appearance on the June Cain Miller show Dr. Walter Martin pointed out that though he wrote a book on cults (The Kingdom of Cults), he was not the one who classified groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, Cristian Science, etc. as cults. He said that it was the Christian Church who classified theses groups as cults.
I could recommend contemporary statement on the essentials of the evangelical faith:
The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration
The Cambridge Declaration by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy
.The Cambridge Declaration by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy
Aside from contemporary statements, ancient documents are also helpful: the Heidelberg and Westminster cathechisms; The Apostles creed, Nicene Creed and Athanasian Creed.
These are helpful tools for testing the spirits.
Ano ba ang paniniwala ng mga taong banal noon at ngayon?
I have a friend from Grace Communion International (GCI), formerly the Worldwide Church of God (WCG). He is very much into theology; we discuss theological issues once in a while. Recently, GCI has embraced Karl Barth soteriology. What I am trying to do is to show my friend that Barth’s view is far from the evangelical consensus. I’m trying to warn him about the effects of these recent developments within GCI. This will surely affect GCI's standing in the evangelical community. I even think that GCI’s position is worse than Barth’s now, for they mix it with their long-held error of post-mortem salvation.
Test everything. Hold on to what is good. Shun evil.
Let us ask ourselves:
Will godly Christians celebrate this teaching?
If they treasure this doctrine, why would I reject it?
If they abhor this doctrine then why should I accept it?
Godly men will accept truth; and when you offer the same to ungodly men, they will reject it. They will find no beauty in it.
“He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God" (John 8:47)
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The Congregation Test 1: Worldly people listen to worldly teachers with worldly messages (part 4 of 6: HOLY UNBELIEF-- Insights from 1 John 4:1-6)
In this test, we will ask these questions:
Who listens to them?
Who celebrates when they teach?
For the unspiritual message of unspiritual persons will be received by an unspiritual congregation.Who listens to them?
Who celebrates when they teach?
They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world,
and the world listens to them. (1 John 4:5 NIV)
and the world listens to them. (1 John 4:5 NIV)
Nasa likas ng makasalanang tao ang ipagbunyi ang masama:
"Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32)
What does John mean when he says “they are of the world”?
Worldliness is opposed to what is heavenly and it appeals to carnal pleasures: envy; self-seeking; sensuality. It is associated with the demonic (James 3:13-15)
False teaching is enjoyed by sensual people; by a congregation hostile to God. Ang mga nakikinig sa mga gurong makasanlibutan ay yung mga kapwa nila makasanlibutan.
Nasa likas ng makasalanang tao ang ipagbunyi ang masama :
"Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." (Romans 1:32)
So a rapper can release a perverse album and receive a platinum award.
So an ungodly book like Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code could sell 80,000,000 copies.
That’s why they love documentaries such as James Cameron’s “The Lost Tomb of Jesus” which would tell them that Jesus’ bones were found in the Talpiot Tomb. They like those lies very much because if Jesus’ bones were found, that means the resurrection was a hoax. And if Jesus is dead, that means there is no Lord to obey. They could do whatever they want.
John 3:19 says ”men loved darkness instead of light” that’s why they love men from the dark.
Same is true with regards to false teaching.
Minsan, naiisip natin: “Kawawa naman, niloloko sila ng false teacher na ito”. But the bible reveals that they are not innocent. They are willing participants in the crime
2 Timothy 4:3-4: For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
From these verse we glean the following:
a. The demand for false teachers increases the supply. They collect false teachers around themselves
b. They listen to satisfy their itching ears; they want messages which are suited to their carnal desires
c. They deliberately turn their ears from what is true to listen to what is false.
~ What they want is not God. What they want is a BMW, that’s why they hired Kenneth Copeland so that someone will frequently tell them that God wants them to have a BMW.
~ They want to belittle Jesus, and so they hired an executive minister who will deny the deity of Christ. And when that executive minister dies, worldly people in the government will declare a National Day of Mourning in honor of the one who belittled Jesus Christ.
~ They love cursing that’s why they will gladly listen to their “Sugong Palamura” At habang pinagmumumura ng kanilang pinuno yung katunggali sa debate, nagdiriwang sila kasi mahilig sila sa pagmumura.
~ Who will celebrate at Brian Maclaren’s call for a 5-year moratorium on making pronouncements on homosexuality ? Only worldly people will celebrate that.
~ Who will celebrate Antinomianism? Who will rejoice over a notion that a a thief converted in 1999 can remain as a thief until 2009?
The unspiritual message of unspiritual persons will be receive by an unspiritual congregation.
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