2010 elections: Quo vadis Philippines?

April 28, 2010

      

          After the holy week, things changed so abruptly. The atmosphere has been filled with tension for weeks now. People have started hating each other, arguing against each other over things, which aren’t so necessary. Gifts have started to overflow- in cash or in kind. The media has become so busy these days that simple happenings are given so little attention. You could also infer that not enough people are taking their own pauses now. Church attendance has significantly decreased but at special times skyrocketed in some places especially when there is someone special coming.  You see, a great cloud of doubt and tension has already predominated the country. This happens every year, when the future of the nation is, as I quote, ‘at stake’.

     It has been a crazy season. The elections are killing the people. It is frustrating that politicians are so confident in what they do- luring the people into thinking that they are the solution to all the problems in the country. But is this right in the first place? Can someone tell me how making promises do right? And can someone show me how God encourages these things, Himself? What’s more frustrating are the actual scenes projected in TV screens and in the web, which gets worse every year. It’s funny in a disappointing manner how politicians subscribe to political bickering and enjoy the filth of mudslinging. These people are educated and they know what are at stake- their moral integrity, their integrity as leaders and most of all the integrity of the nation. How can they endure the humiliation of exposing the heinous crimes of their constituents only to gain more votes? And how can others sleep at night when other families are mourning? I was told that the highest leaders in our province have decided to switch endorsements and jump out of their party list at the last minute. It is alleged that they did this because of the surveys. Obviously, they want to go with that someone who they think has the biggest chance of winning. The hurtful thing is, everybody knows that the underlying reason is more of the assurance of office and of course, money.

 

      The citizens are not that stupid. They’re just deceived. More than arguing over coffee, who should sit in the office, the people must take a pause amidst this great political havoc. And as people who know the promises of the LORD and what He tells about government, should we not act the way we should? In Matthew 5:13 it tells us of our identity,

 

 

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

     By salt it means we have value. We are the agents of preservation and cleansing. When the salt concentration in a sector is high, justice and goodness, righteousness are preserved.Take for example the advancements in the music industry, without the salts who strive hard to preserve Christian music and make improvements in these songs of worship, there will be no breakthroughs. This is the reason why even if the political arena is already filled with filth and is infiltrated by the agents of corruption and injustice, we must not lose heart for as long as there are salts who are willing to stay inside, then the promises of the Lord will be preserved. Yes it may be hard but if hindrances such as ignorance, apathy, passivity and fear have been overcome, then the grace of God will overflow.

 

     The question now is, how to become the salt in our government so that in one part of another, we may take part in its cleansing and preservation?

      First, probably the most important one, we must pray for our leaders. Paul teaches us in 1Timothy 2:1-4 to pray with thanksgiving for everyone, for all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness for this is good and it pleases GOD. It may seem so simple, yes it is. That’s why we have to do it, we must pray for our current leaders and even those who will be elected for they badly need it.

Next, as law-abiding citizens, we must pay our taxes. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 13:17). I read this post of a friend regarding the status of the incoming elections and he mentioned how people must change and be wise enough to vote for the right people in order for them to secure the taxes they pay every now and then. Well it is true, one has the duty to secure it and the right to know where it goes but others fail to understand that they also have the duty to pay all of it in all honesty.

     The bible tells us to pick competent leaders and this is the third point.

“Choose some wise, understanding, and respected men each of your tribes and I will set them over you”- Deuteronomy 1:13

 

     God wants His people to choose wisely;to pick wise, understanding and respected men these coming elections. He further emphasized His points in exodus 18:21-22,

“But select capable men from all the people-men who fear GOD, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain- and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.”

 

 

       From the scriptures above, we see seven (7) qualities of a good leader GOD wants us to pick: wise, understanding, respected, trustworthy, one who fears GOD, who hates dishonest gain and is able. These qualities do not pertain to only one person I guess that’s why it is critical to mull over these things in the next coming days.

       Now let’s say the elections are done, and someone is already elected as president, what do we do next? Clearly, we have our own part to play in the success of this civil government that is why we must join, cooperate in all activities in order to reveal all information about the status quo. We must learn to be the salt in our own ways, in our own workplace, not only to take part in the cleansing and preservation of the government but to do all means to uphold it. Take for example how Carlos P. Romulo defended the Philippines during the 1948 UN General Assembly in France. Someone in the assembly insulted him when he was proposing the inclusion of the Philippine map in the logo of the UN. The person told him  blatantly,“You are just a little man from a little country”, but instead of focusing on the insult, he politely answered, “It is the duty of the little davids of this world to fling pebbles of truth in the eyes of blasphemous goliaths to make a change.” Additional remarks followed, “The Philippines is too small to include, it will be a tiny dot”. And Carlos P. Romulo gracefully told the assembly with full of conviction, “I want that dot.”. And there it was, the Philippines as the tiny dot in the UN logo. If we really want change, then we should start to make the big move. If we want the Philippines to go somewhere brighter, we must all act  as the salt. If we want GOD to pour forth blessings and prosper this nation, we must ask Him with all our hearts.

      People may ask, What if the corrupt will prevail? What if people will still suffer? Where will the country go from here if that happens? Truth is, no one can answer any of these but at least we know where to start, we know what to pray for, we know what to do. Perhaps the most helpful answer for these things is nothing but a question that shall open doors to the answers. That is, “Who is really in-charge of this government?”. :)

 

 

 

The Empty Cross

April 4, 2010

As to conform to the season, I am sharing with you the message I heard through Ptr. Christian Flores. The holy week has been one of the most celebrated holidays in the calendar, lasting for almost more than a week full of rituals for some and personal drama.  I even overheard a DJ in a radio telling her listeners to take a pause during this season and make some self-introspection. Of course one could argue that ‘taking a pause’ is not only applicable during this season but this post is not  about  her the validity and logic of the said advice. The message I am sharing is something every Christian must understand and must be aware of for it is what makes our faith unique from every other religion and what makes Christianity the truth. This is the message of the empty cross.

 

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” [Isaiah 29:14]

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,

but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.-

1cor. 1:17-25

 

 

            In this scripture, Paul talks about three (3) groups of people who challenged the idea of Christ dying on the cross for our salvation. We need to study the comparison and contrast among these groups in order to gauge our understanding on this doctrine. You see, in this spiritual journey, there will be a lot of questioning and argumentations that would come along our way, we might even get deceived by the enemy at some point that’s why a full grasp of this very essential topic is a must.

 

             The first crowd Paul mentioned is the Jews. The Jews in the scriptures are the most obedient throng of people in the early days, strictly following all the laws. Up to now, they faithfully live by the ten (10) commandments and observe all the Jewish laws. There is no harm observing the laws and obeying the Ten Commandments only that they misunderstood the message of salvation. For one, they cannot accept the cross as the way to salvation. They cannot accept that the Messiah that they were waiting for came in flesh and chose to become the greatest servant of all times thousands of years ago. In verse 22 , Paul mentioned about the Jews demanding for miraculous signs, all because they expected someone big and great and powerful to come. They expected a gladiator-like god, someone who is strong enough to speak words of authority, someone mighty, and someone who could overthrow the Roman government at that time. And when Jesus came and presented Himself as the Son of God, they doubted him, got disappointed and eventually searched and waited for another. They scorned the idea of a human Messiah, a servant, the ‘weak’, the ever yielding who got crucified. To add to the contention, crucifixion in the early days was the most humiliating punishment. Only the worst criminals get to be crucified that’s why for someone to be dying on the cross and yet be called the Messiah was unacceptable. This shattered their faith. That is why instead of believing on this great act of sacrifice, they chose to rely on their obedience to the commandments for their salvation.  In fact they were the crowd that was mentioned in John 1:11,

 

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

 

            The Jews were the closest people to God, but they were also the first people who rejected Him. Unfortunately, up to this very moment, this group of people still waits for their great Messiah to save them. They missed the point. Jesus already came thousands of years ago and died for our sins. It is already done, and they missed it.

 

            Aside from the Jews, Paul talked about the second group of people, the Greeks. The Greeks are the most influential and most intellectual people of the history. It is in their group that bright minds arose, and great teachings were philosophized. In verse 22, Paul talks about the Greeks looking for wisdom. Because they had much time philosophizing things, debating on a wide range of topics, they started to question the logic and rationality of Christianity. Their intellect has captured their faith allowing them to reach the zenith of their human philosophy, freeing themselves from the bounding doctrines and truth.  In fact in Acts 17:21, they were described as people who do much thinking.

 

(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

 

            The Greeks contest the authenticity and probability of certain biblical principles and happenings. First, they question the idea of a virgin birth. In human perspective, it is improbable and totally impossible. The laws of nature bound them and so they fail to acknowledge the power of God to do the impossible. Next, just as the Jews, they scorn the idea of crucifixion of God. They philosophize that being a god means having supreme authority and power and so death is unnecessary especially if it is on the cross. They question the reasons of a god doing such while in fact he could save people and turn things around whenever he wants to. They fail to comprehend the gravity of the sacrifice God made for us who are unworthy of such. They even questioned the authenticity of God’s power by asking, if he was a god, then why didn’t he save us right from the very start. Next, they abhor the idea of resurrection. They believe nobody dies and then gets resurrected as the same person. The Greeks believe that living with the gods is their ultimate destination no matter how they live on earth. They believe that if you are good enough in your earthly life then you will automatically be with the gods, and if in your first life you fail to be good, you will live over and over again until you do it right. By this they are contesting the doctrine of Salvation. Because of their curiosity, they failed to recognize what faith really means. For years they tried to find the truth out of their own efforts. They spent much time thinking for answers, for logic, for rational explanations. And when they do not get them, they reject the premises, which is exactly the opposite of what having a faith really means.

 

            The last group of people Paul talked about in this passage in the Scripture is the group of those who are saved. Our group. For us Christians, the cross is no longer synonymous to capital punishment but rather symbolizes power and salvation. It was crucifixion that was feared by men long time ago because of hunger, thirst and lost of blood. But today, it is the one thing that people need in order to find purpose. Simply stated, it was the most humiliating death to redeem us from death itself. Right on that cross, God made the greatest exchange. He exchanged His own righteousness with our filths and inequities.

 

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.- 1corinthians 1:18

 

 

We preach Christ crucified because we kn     ow it is no longer in the context of humiliation and defeat. Christ dying on the cross is the most foolish wisdom, the most powerful weakness and the most victorious defeat.  By this ‘defeat’ on the cross, He became victorious over death and that’s why we experience freedom. The most important thing to take note of this message is that we were all saved and loved by a great GOD that He was willing to give up His Son although He knew that not everyone would be able to accept and understand the purpose. You could just imagine people scorning him, throwing stones at him and casting lots for his robe. You could just imagine the Son of God suffering from the hands of the Pharisees enduring every tinge of pain, the hunger, and the thirst. The one who is sinless and blameless, was the one who was put to cross and to death instead of us. He did it for us. We may be strangers in our very own eyes but in God’s eyes, we are precious creations. And though we are unworthy of this great sacrifice, He chose to do it all for love.

 

            You might ask yourself,’ have I been a greek or a jew at some point?’. If yes, then it is never too late to repent and understand the truth behind the empty cross. What is 750,000 miles with additional 20 miles every day? It is the length of the line of the people who are still searching for answers, waiting for someone to tell them the truth. The additional 20 miles every day is attributed to the people who started to question their faith and adopted the thinking of the Jews or the Greeks. God calls His brave soldiers to stand firm and go to the ends of the earth to proclaim the power of the empty cross. And this season of commemorating how Jesus suffered for us and died on the cross for our freedom, will you heed the call?

 

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.- Rom 1:16