6 Challenges Facing the End Times Church

The challenges for the church today is to overcome 6 temptations/deceptions:

1. the deception of the prosperity gospel where we are encouraged to strive for worldly goods.

2. the temptation to be lukewarm, neither hot nor cold. i.e. allowing anxiety and worldly values to erode our faith and purity of heart.

3. the temptation to have a judgmental spirit against people who disagree with our values/views.

4. the temptation to be caught up in doctrinal and theological issues that water down the full glorious mystery of the Bible.

5. the deception to focus on works and not grace.* 

6. the temptation to forget that God wields the power of grace and judgement for those who reject and disobey Him.

And before we turn our gaze to the state of the churches worldwide, to what extent have Malaysian churches and Christians been led astray by the above?

* According to Kenyan prophet Dr Owuor, "the entry into heaven is not an earthly reward based on the works of man, but a heavenly gift based on the grace of God Almighty."

Humanism and The Impossible Question

According to Wikipedia, humanism is defined as "an approach in study, philosophy, or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. The term can mean several things, for example:

1. A historical movement associated especially with the Italian Renaissance.

2. An approach to education that uses literary means or a focus on the humanities to inform students.

3. A variety of perspectives in philosophy and social science which affirm some notion of 'human nature' (in contrast with anti-humanism).

4. A secular ideology which espouses reason, ethics, and justice, whilst specifically rejecting supernatural and religious dogma as a basis of morality and decision-making."

 

There are various types of humanism but be it secular humanism, Renaissance humanism or modern humanism, the central theme is the human being or the qualities that make up the human character. My discussion relates to the definitions of (1), (3) and (4).

 

The way I see it, there are two ways of looking at humanism as a philosophy: (1) one is pragmatic humanism whereby we accept our human nature for what it is. We then find ways to nurture the best in us and impose laws and sanctions to restrain the worst in us from harming others.  (2) the second and more interesting humanism is idealistic humanism, a form which I used to subscribe to, half-hearted, from my teenage years up to my 30s.  

 

Idealistic humanism arises when we take a look at human nature and see how it is actually very weak and, often, destructive given the cruelty, wars, crimes, insanity and irresponsible exploitation of human and natural resources that was and continues to be committed by man. This is despite the fact there is a boundless capacity in us to be noble, kind, self-sacrificial and creative.

Idealistic humanists cannot accept this "mixed" nature and let it remain in such an unstable and inflammable state. Thus, the only recourse is to change the inner man through a program of mental and/or spiritual enlightenment, which, depending on your preferences, range from the New Age philosophies to cultural and political regenerative doctrines (e.g. Stalin's communism and China's cultural revolution).

 

Unfortunately, all these philosophies including the latest environmental cult of mother earth (Avatar) have failed to completely regenerate human nature from the inside out. So the lame excuse of humanism for its failures is to say that we are either limited or liberated by our own psychological self-imposed boundaries.

This is based on the positive thinking justification that we are what we believe: the more we believe we can or cannot do something, the more we turn that belief into a reality as if by a mere stroke of a pen. In other words, man is the master of his destiny and he has the free will to choose whatever goals and destinations he wishes as long as he does not harm another fellow traveller.

I think the question posed by humanists is the wrong one to pose because it assumes that man starts his journey from the point he was born. Instead of asking the question what is a man, what mankind can do and what mankind can realistically aspire to become, we should first ask who is man? Where did he come from and what purpose is there for his existence on earth?

That question is the pink elephant in the room that intellectuals tend to ignore because to comprehend this being called the human being in all his complexities, pretensions, strengths, genius and frailties, we need to know what is the meaning of the human being, not what is the meaning of humanity (you can find that out by reading history and the daily news).

When we ask that philosophical question we are putting man in the context of the universe. In other words, we are bound to ask if man is a creature of such marvelous complexity and intelligence, who is his creator then? Is there a God behind the universe and creation?

To make a simple analogy, imagine Martians have landed on the beach and discover a beautiful Rolex watch; they collect it and examine it and then try to figure out who is the creator of the watch. It would be quite ridiculous for them to assume that the watch evolved from the sands of the beach like a pearl in a shell over centuries of evolution and natural selection. (btw the pragmatic humanists among the Martians would wear the watch while the idealistic ones will try to disassemble it and transform it into a space navigator.)

The Impossible Question Needs to Be Asked

So the question about who we are and what we are destined to be invariably becomes a question of what is the purpose God (or gods) created us for. That remains the logical and intelligent start of a real enquiry into the truth of human nature and this strange thing called "humanity."

If humanists respond by saying there is no scientific or visible sign of God anywhere, then they are making the false premise that only what we see is real and what we don't see or cannot test scientifically, is non-existent. Does a blind man need to be shown proof that the sun exists when he can feel the warmth of sunlight on his face? His lack of sight does not hinder nor contradict his tactile senses.

Likewise, the agnostic's dismissal of all theological questions as impossible questions that can never be answered with any intellectual or scientific conviction is also intellectually dishonest. The humility of a good scientist and seeker of truth is to ask all impossible questions without worrying about their answers or consequences.   

Just because we do not have the right tools to climb the mountain does not mean the peak cannot be conquered. Much of the question about the existence of God can only be approached from circumstantial evidence and that evidence is most clearly proven by acts of faith. As a Christian, I have seen people healed miraculously by the power of God. 

But even if you have not witnessed these things, a fairly careful observation of the world around us testifies to an orderly universe and a creator who has good intentions for us. There is no need for theists (i.e. believers of a single God) to presume the supernatural: we experience and see the supernatural works of God almost everyday.

To conclude, there can never be an independent human being separate from the divine creator who created him. The real reason why humanism is such a strong belief system is because mankind refuses to give up all his weaknesses, his evil habits, his freedom of will and self-belief.

The humanism of New Age religions is based on a simple belief in a God-force who does not dictate how we live. That is a mere man-made invention of convenience and not the Truth, the Way and the Life which we will discover when we ask the impossible question with all our faculties, our senses and wisdom.

A Merdeka Praise & Prayer To God For His Goodness

In the spirit of Merdeka, let us all Malaysians unite in praising God for the bountiful harvest of peace, goodwill, health and prosperity that He has bestowed on Malaysia despite the turmoils and challenges that we as a nation have to endure and may continue to endure in the years ahead.

Let us all praise God for His goodnes in keeping us sane and loving towards the helpless, the orphans, the widows, the oppressed foreign workers and the less fortunate.

If we praise God for all the good things we can think of about Malaysia on Merdeka and Malaysia day (31st August and 16th September), we shall reap great changes and blessings in this country.

Let us not have a complaining and critical heart but one of boundless gratefullness. We will be pleasantly surprised beyond our wildest dreams.

A New Season of Great Changes Starting with 2nd Half of 2010?

The start of the second half of the year and the approach of September is usually an exciting time for world events.

I am focusing my prayers and thoughts on certain events - in particular the battle between the coming one world order contrived by man and the natural divine plans of God.

We all know who will win ultimately and my prayers are for Malaysia that we shall stand in the right standing with God in Heaven so that we will avert the global catastrophic and cataclysmic events that will sweep the earth in the coming years.

The question for end time Bible scholars is whether we are at the start of the seven year period in which the Great Tribulation will begin in the middle of Daniel's 70-weeks (seven years in Biblical time) and which will culminate with the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth.

Who knows the actual timing of these events including the Rapture and the Ezekiel war? We may not know the dates but we are instructed by God to be watchful and be ever alert about our spiritual conditions.

Until my next post, I shall make this season to be one of active prayers and intercession for my family, loved ones, friends and country.

May the good Lord grant you peace and shine His gracious light on all of you.

To Scrap or Not To Scrap Exams Is Not The Right Question

The government has raised the question of whether the UPSR and PMR exams should be scrapped as these exams do not produce problem solving and effective students. This issue was highlighted by Tony Pua's blog and comments in Parliament.

My view is that the right question is not whether to scrap or not but to change the mix of the syllabus. An education syllabus is like a preparing a healthy meal/diet that is delicious and nutritious.

If the present syllabus/diet does not produce long-term health, we have to find out why instead of jumping to the conclusion to scrap the exams (which may or may not be right).

The emphasis of exams can be split into 33% memorisation of facts, 33% analysis of facts with the help of evidence and 33% judgmental and qualitative thinking.

(The problems with most Malaysians these days is their inability to distinguish facts from opinions and their inability to be intellectually honest by keeping two opposing thoughts in their minds.

They often get caught up emotionally and lose all energy to probe the truth further. That's lazy thinking which comes from the present education system.)

It goes without saying that quality teachers and a revamp of the exam syllabus are essential for creating a new breed of creative thinking, problem solving students/citizens.

But the greatest asset that the education system should emphasize on (which is usually diluted and overshadowed by rules, policies and bureaucratic civil servants) is for teachers and students to ask the right open-ended questions that probe into the mystery of life, history and human nature.

Without encouraging students to ask the right questions (and instead pressurizing them to seek the right answers), we will never promote creative thinking and a new generation of outstanding scientists, artists, craftsmen, philosophers, innovators and business leaders.

But if the government does not wish to seek the final goal of an innovative, intellectually vibrant working population, all these policy changes and academic debates are useless.

Let us not confuse the ends with the means as the government often does. Scrapping the UPSR and PMR is like using a sledge hammer to kill a fly.

We should work backwards from the final goal and ask ourselves what sound and logical steps should be taken to reach that goal.

1Malaysia Anti-Vote Buying Fund Proposal

In an ongoing debate on the Micah Mandate website regarding the suitability and wisdom of accepting money during election campaigns, I believe a good idea to resolve the political dilemma for voters is to set up a special anti-vote buying fund contributed by all the monies that the parties have given (legally, illegally, ethically or unethically) to sway voters' voting decisions.

I believe the wider perspectives of the whole issue have been quite reasonably discussed by CL’s and other commentators.

As you may know, Malaysia, like other countries during these perilous times, is going through spiritual battles that show up in political and religious tensions in recent years.

I understand why Pakatan supporters are passionate about their values of justice and integrity. By the same token, I do not condone YBH Anwar Ibrahim’s past tactics of getting MPs to switch seats to gain a parliamentary majority. That kind of approach has sown some backlash many months later.

But the debate about the 4 Sibu churches receiving the funds should be taken one step further: Assuming they (including the Hulu Selangor school) decide to return the money, would it be wise to return it to the government who will most likely unwisely give it away again at the next by or general election?

Why not put the money in a special anti-vote buying fund so that whenever any party (BN or PR) tries to buy voters’ loyalty with any amount, the fund will be activated to make a counter offer, which may be smaller but sufficient to make a statement to the whole of Malaysia?

We can call it the 1Malaysia Anti-Vote Buying fund managed by independent trustees comprising a cross section of religious and secular committee members. Meanwhile, the churches in West Malaysia can try to raise money to help those 4 Methodist Sibu churches finance their needs.

My suggestions are just ideas that seek to go above the partisan and religious heat of the issue. I have always believed in a third force in Malaysian politics and that it resides in us (bloggers and activists) keeping both BN and Pakatan Rakyat in check so that they truly serve the interests of the people.

It would be a mistake to give the impression that Malaysian Christians are mostly supporters of PR or BN. We are not neutral but politically aligned to the vision of the rainbow nation, one where unjustified privilege based on race and position is mitigated by love for our fellow citizens.

Either We Aspire To Greatness or Be The Next Greek Tragedy

The blogger/lawyer Art Harun has written an interesting philosophical piece on Integration with Integrity. I agree with much of his views and would like to expand his line of reasoning to more practical solutions.

Integrity is defined by the online Webster dictionary as:

1. firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values - incorruptibility

2. an unimpaired condition - soundness

3. the quality or state of being complete or undivided - completeness.

The problem with Malaysian society today is the same with every developing democratic society:

How do people of "different" mindsets/values live together in a peaceful and productive environment so that the best in their human potential is allowed to grow?

To the ultra-nationalist, he sees himself to be the epitome of integrity and is usually blind to his own bigotry. Same thing with the facist, the religious extremist, etc. They are locked within their own world views and think that those who don't share their views are the ones who ought to deserve less in life.

For Malaysia to move forward to have a civil and useful dialogue among people of different faiths & values, we need 4 things to happen:

1. Good and honest leaders to serve the best interest of the people, not by appealing to their worst fears/weaknesses. (Malaysia's score card: 6/10).

2. A sound, independent media that provides a platform for discussion and intellectual debate. (score: 5/10 - the average ranking is boosted by the relative free access to the Internet media, without which the media score falls to 3/10).

3. An independent and effective judiciary that ensures the government and its branches are doing their job honestly and efficiently. (score: 3/10).

4. A thriving market for art & culture free from religious/political sanctions so that artists can express their thoughts and visions of the individual and his role in the world. A healthy and world class art culture paves the way for freedom of intellectual discourse. (score: 7/10).

Are we asking too much of Malaysia with a population of 28 mil people?

I think not. Either we aspire to greatness or remain on the slippery slope of mediocrity, sliding eventually to become the victim to corrupt leaders, dictators, madmen and the mob. (e.g. Thailand, Greece & Burma today).

P.S. Ok. I may be taken to task for comparing Malaysia to Greece, but incidentally, Malaysia's public debt/GDP ratio is 53.7%, which is comparable to Spain (54%) and Ireland (64%), members of the infamous P.I.I.G.S European nations that are causing a potential meltdown in global financial markets. And we can't depend ultimately on the nation's oil reserves to bail the economy out of trouble and assume that oil prices will remain high forever.

Post Sibu Challenge: A Referendum and A Dialogue For The Rainbow Nation

While I am happy that a miracle happened in Sibu’s by-election on 16th May 2010, the 2% margin of victory for the DAP does pose some questions about how Sibuans regard the nation as a whole. I personally do not think it is an easy task for Pakatan Rakyat to win the next GE given their internal weaknesses. If only the rest of Malaysia is as mature and sensible as Sibu voters.

Having said that, the Sibu election victory for DAP and shock defeat for BN/SUPP may signal another turning point that will tilt the balance in favour of Pakatan Rakyat if they get their house in order. The UK elections and the unlikely coalition between the Tories/Liberal Democrats is also an encouraging sign for the new politics.

What the voters in Sibu and the majority of Chinese in Hulu Selangor and all Msians want from their politicians is to come to the table and have a meaningful dialogue, a real discussion with the people on what they want to see in this country: fairness to all, economic transparency and efficiency, religious harmony and mutual understanding, etc.

Perhaps, PM Najib is well-advised to seek a national referendum on major issues that the electorate wants to see resolved once and for all. In doing so, he will take one small but major step in showing he is sincere about fulfilling the 1Malaysia vision and abandoning the old school of divisive politics.

The Allah issue was not an issue until the home ministry and the government took actions that threatened to undermine the constitutional fabric of the multi-racial and multi-religious country.

Sibuans and the Foo Chows know their real future does not lie in just cash handouts and vote-buying gains for Sibu but in more long-term issues.

Man does not live by bread alone. So the bread-for-vote tactic of BN/SUPP is a total failure.

Clearly, the prayers of Christians in this country and abroad have done wonders. I praise God that my church in Peninsular recently prayed that what He had started on March 8th 2008 to be completed in this nation. With God's grace, we are on our way to a rainbow nation.

Politically and intellectually Malaysians need to rise above their circumstances and show their politicians the mature statesmanship and leadership which all citizens deserve.

Allow me to quote this Proverb that is so relevant for all Malaysian leaders on both sides of the aisle:

"By justice, a king (leader) gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes (members of parliament, voters, etc) tears it down."

Let us not allow our country to be torn down by this spirit of bribing, vote-buying and corruption. Let us rebuild this nation with love, wisdom, mature dialogue and unassailable integrity.

What God Says About China's Future In The Bible

Does the Bible, which is meant for all people of the world, have anything to say about the land of China?

The Holy Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit of God and written by more than 40 authors over a period of 1,600 years, faithfully records the words of the God of the universe. It is a treasure mine of priceless truth. It is the great standard of right and wrong, clearly defining sin and holiness. Of all the books that have flooded the world, however valuable, the Bible is the most deserving of our closest study and attention.

The Bible opens the history of past ages. Without it we should have been left to fables and speculation regarding occurrences in past eras. This sacred volume gives not only an accurate history of the creation of this world, a history of our human race, but also the world’s only authentic account of the origin of nations. It contains instruction concerning the wonders of the universe, and reveals God as the Author of the heavens and the earth.

The Scriptures unfold a simple and complete system of theology and philosophy. Without the Bible, we are soon enveloped by false theories, superstition, and spiritual darkness.Although unappreciated by many in today’s secular world, the Bible is, in fact, the foundation of all true knowledge, for it is the revelation of God to man.

Throughout the ages God’s divine hand has preserved its purity. The many mysteries found in the Bible are perhaps the strongest evidence of its divine inspiration. One of these mysteries is Bible prophecy—foretelling persons or events in the future. In the entire Bible there are thousands of prophecies. By now, most of them have been exactly fulfilled in time and place as predicted. The rise and fall of nations have been foretold in the Bible long before they happened.

Some prophecies are yet to be fulfilled in due time. This is entirely beyond human comprehension!Jesus clearly revealed God’s purpose for giving prophecies when He said:“And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.”(John 14: 29).

One of the most powerful, yet often neglected, Bible prophecies that might bring conviction to the Chinese, as well as the world, is the prophecy of China written by Isaiah (720 - 680 B.C.).

The Land of Sinim

The ancient Dead Sea Scrolls,3 found in 1947, include the book of Isaiah, and once again confirm that today’s Bible is accurate and reliable.

This verse in Isaiah is thought to refer to China:

"Surely these shall come from afar;
Look, those from the north and the west;
And these from the land of Sinim."(Isaiah 49: 12).

You may wonder what the word “Sinim” means. Where is this land of Sinim, mentioned by Isaiah before his service was terminated in 680 B.C.?4 According to Strong’s Concordance, “Sinim is a distant Oriental region.”5 Young’s Concordance reports, “Sinim is a people in the far east; the Chinese?”6However, the meaning is still not quite clear.

Let us now check an English dictionary for help: “‘Sino’ indicates Chinese; for example, Sinophile. [French, from Late Latin ‘Sinae;’ the Chinese, from Greek ‘Sinai;’ from Arabic ‘Sin;’ China, from Chinese (Mandarin) ‘Ch’in’ [Qin], dynastic name of the country.]”7 Now it is clear that the Hebrew word “Sinim” means China, as can be seen, for example, in the word “sinology”—a study of things Chinese. As we mentioned earlier, all Chinese roots meet in the Qin dynasty.

However, the Hebrew alphabet does not have the equivalent of “ch” in English and “Q” in Chinese. Thus “Qin” has been phonetically translated as “Sinim.”

The Significance of Chin

In Isaiah’s day, the state of Qin was only one of hundreds of states under Zhou (770 - 256 B.C.). It was located in the present Gansu Province through which trade with the West was conducted.

How is it that Isaiah chose Qin to indicate the Middle Kingdom? What was so special about Qin?Rang Kung was appointed as the first Duke of Qin (770 B.C.), then a small, aristocratic house. Under his administration, the state of Qin emerged as one of the 14 major states under the Zhou dynasty.8 It was 500 years after Isaiah that Qin Shi Huangdi defeated all the other competitive states and established the Qin dynasty. From then on, Qin represented the Middle Kingdom [China].

Simply put, the God of Isaiah, with divine foreknowledge, saw all the stages in the development of Qin—from a small, dependent, aristocratic house to becoming the famous Qin empire. God knew that the Duke of Qin would become ever stronger, equal with those of the other 13 states. Furthermore, He foresaw that after another 500 years, the Dukedom of Qin would still exist, defeat all the other states, and unite them as one empire, even choosing “Qin” as the name for the new empire!Some attempt has been made to identify Sinim as Syene [Aswan] in upper Egypt.

Yet a closer look at what Isaiah said precludes this opinion. Listen to what he said:

Indeed He says,

“It is too small a thing that
You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,
That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.”(Isaiah 49: 6).

God proclaimed here that the mission of His Servant [Jesus Christ] was not limited to the salvation of the Jewish nation and its colonies [like Aswan] alone, but is also extended to all Gentiles throughout the world. In fact, when Jesus affirmed the faith shown by the Roman centurion [a Gentile] He said,“And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 8: 11).

Jesus used the expression, “from the east and west,” to represent all the Gentiles. Isaiah used the term, “those from the north and the west and these from the land of Sinim,” in the same sense. “These from the land of Sinim” should naturally be a large group of people among the Gentiles. Only China, not the small city Aswan, could fit the verse so well.

Sinim and Today

Isaiah’s prophecy about China did not stop with the Qin dynasty, but rather it extended into the future. Over the 2,600 years since Isaiah, many countries have come and gone, but the land of Sinim (Qin) still stands firm as the land of China.The most exciting phases of this prophecy relative to “Sinim” will surely continue to be fulfilled.

Reading earlier verses in this 49th Chapter of Isaiah, we find these words:

“That You [Jesus Christ] may say to the prisoners,
‘Go forth,’
To those who are in darkness,
‘Show yourselves. . . .’
For He who has mercy on them will lead them,
Even by the springs of water
He will guide them. . . .
Surely these shall come from afar;
Look! Those from the north and the west,
And these from the land of Sinim.” (Isaiah 49: 9, 10, 12).

Isaiah’s foretelling of a final gathering of God’s faithful among those “in darkness” must indicate a multitude of peoples—even from China. Most of the people living in China, since Isaiah’s day, have been “in darkness” concerning the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. Yet here is a specific prophesy and a promise to bring “prisoners of darkness” in the land of Sinim to the light of salvation, freedom and mercy.

We mentioned earlier that the Great Wall has forever been associated with the land of China—ever since the establishment of the Qin dynasty. The existence of the Great Wall is reminiscent of its first builder and planner. Hundreds of emperors have ruled and died in the long history of China. Most of them are forgotten. But the name of Qin Shi Huangdi stands out!

The same prophet Isaiah foretold that the God of Israel paid the greatest price of all in sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue fallen humanity! Jesus Christ came to earth, was nailed to a wooden cross, and died that all mankind might be rescued from sin. He would bear the nail print scars in the palms of His hands forever.

Does the God of Israel know and care about the land of Sinim (China)? Listen to what He says right after the prophecy of China in this book:

“Can a woman forgether nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me.”(Isaiah 49: 15 - 16).

The land of Sinim is still there. The massive Walls are still before the people of China and before the God of Israel. God has not forgotten the people of China, for He says, “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.” Jesus died for the people of China who must now come out of darkness. We must learn why it was necessary for this Holy Man, the suffering Servant, to die. Just as the Great Wall cannot be separated from the land of Sinim, so the Great Wall of defense from evil and sin, built at the cost of Jesus Christ’s blood on Calvary, cannot be separated from the God of Israel!

One might ask if, since the God of heaven was so interested in Sinim as to speak through His prophet Isaiah regarding this distant nation, is there a possibility that God could have spoken directly to the people of China in past ages? Could He actually have raised up “prophets” for Himself in this ancient land? If so, could these ancient Chinese wise men yet speak to the people of China today?

Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from Samuel Wang and Dr. Ethel Nelson’s new book, God and the Ancient Chinese, which is now available. We trust that it will benefit all who read it both intellectually and spiritually.

What It Means To Be A Christian Before God and Not Before Man

In the light of the recent public outcry and shock over the caning of three Muslim women who voluntarily submitted themselves to the punishment handed out by the Shariah court, I have nothing to say except to respond with the Christian perspective of the meaning of repentance before the Almighty God. This post was written back in August 2007:

Most Christians struggle with the question of what it means to be a Christian in the eyes of the church, in the eyes of fellow Christians and non-Christians. They are at pains to create the right impression of what a good Christian ought to do, say, think and behave. Little do they understand that in the eyes of our Lord, these are not genuine spiritual questions but facile questions of the world.

The spiritual journey of man begins when we ask questions that are beyond our ability or powers to answer and only through constant struggle, unceasing wrestling with God will we find an answer that speaks to our innermost being. So deep down, when a surface Christian asks what he/she should do to appear like a good, Godly Christian, he/she is ultimately seeking his/her own happiness and trying to fit his/her life into the visible realm of a typical Christian family. In other words, these people are trying to put on what can be seen from the outside as Christian but internally they are just a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

The only litmus test to ascertain whether a person is a genuine Christian and a disciple of Christ is the one test which our Lord Jesus gave in John 13:25: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” That is the true mark of a Christian. Yet there is a great paradox in Jesus’ command: “A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” He is saying we are to love unconditionally one another and love with the same intensity, the same passion with which He loved us (“As I have loved you.”).

But we all know that this type of love will always be tested: True genuine love that is flowing naturally from an eternal spring can only occur when we have Christ in us and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. (1 John 3:16: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers…This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything.”) All other attempts to live a life of genuine love will be based on our fleshly desire to fulfill a duty, an obligation, an external rule that has no true appeal to our own selfish hearts.

So Jesus is saying that we have to love one another and yet at the same time, in order to do that in practice, we have to clean up our own hearts, give up the fleshly desire to be a happy Christian or the notion that God’s purpose in putting us on earth is for us to be “happy” Christians living in comfortable homes, doing some church work and attending church regularly. (I can well imagine a Christian who sacrifices his life for another with deep joy and peace in his heart but I find it hard to imagine a Christian “happily” sacrificing his life for another.)

Just look at what the true Christians in the Scriptures went through: Paul, Daniel, Jacob, Joseph, Elijah and all the apostles of Jesus. Did they live a comfortable, orderly life of getting cut-and-dried answers to their spiritual problems and dilemmas by asking their pastors, reading some inspiring books, attending a prayer rally or surfing some Christian sites? Were they superficially asking themselves “am I in the right books of God?” or “Is my church in the right standing with God?” and seeking these answers through external appearances and external approval from their fellow Christians? I really wonder had they been given all the technology and the resources in the world in their time whether they will take the quick-and-easy way out or would they still experience their dark nights of the soul regardless of the external environment. Would they seek to impress the public and their fellow Christians or would they seek direct answers from God through prayerful dialogue and internal baptism of fire?

The reason why Christians today no longer have any genuine arguments with God anymore is because our consciences are no longer sensitive, no longer shocked by the horrors of sin, of hatred and of violence that is burning human society each day. We have become so immune to the horror and senselessness of sin to the extent that we can no longer distinguish between right from wrong in a world where wrong is puffed up as right and right is brushed off as wrong.

The only recompense (our sacrificial payment to the Lord for our immoral indifference) is to go back to the Lord and tell Him how we feel, our hurts, frustrations of not being able to love unconditionally and disgust with our sinful hearts. And then be quiet, like Job at the end of his dialogue with God, and wait for Him to provide the peace that passeth all understanding, the vision that puts every jigsaw puzzle, every wrong in its rightful place. And this epiphany of the soul through wrestling with God is the whole essence of being a Christian before God. By allowing Him to work through our inner struggles, we are allowing Him to melt away the selfishness, the things of the flesh in us. And through this melting process, we are refined in the way which He wants to refine us.

Great Hope For Malaysia Through A Spirit of Thanksgiving

Dr. Farish Ahmad Noor, a Malaysian political scientist and historian and presently a Senior Fellow at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, recently expressed his doubts and concerns about the future of Malaysia as a nation in this article A Cold Look At The State Of Malaysia Today.

My fellow Malaysians,

Much as I empathise with Dr Farish Noor's pessimism based on the present facts (corruption in high places, attacks on church buildings, political and religious contentions of the lowest sort, etc) , I urge all Malaysians to look beyond the facts which are symptoms of a greater struggle, an inner spiritual conflict that Malaysia is going through.

If you can see that the nation is in birth pangs to give birth to a new Malaysia (be it in 2012, 2015 or 2020), then you may be filled with hope and joy.

Don't allow the immature and narrow politics to blur your vision of what God has destined for this nation.

In God's eyes, the future is eternal and He already knows the choices we have to make. One road leads to ruin and the other leads to harmony and glory. But if we Malaysians take the wrong road, the nation will have to go through a more painful lesson before she gets back to the right road.

Whatever road we take at the crossroads, in the end, God's final destiny and will for Malaysia will be achieved.

The choice of how we wish to arrive at the truth depends on us (citizens and politicians alike), through the valley of darkness or through reason, love and wise counsel.

And the secret to overcoming the negative spirit of hopelessness and despair that has arisen from the political, social and economic disintegration of the nation in recent months is a spirit of thanksgiving. Thank God for good health, for our families, for the food and the earth that He has given us to live and share among ourselves.

According Pastor Peter Tan, an attitude of thanksgiving in our words and actions has a major impact on the spiritual forces that drive a nation. This is an excerpt from his online book Prosperity Through Grace.

"We are the custodians of the New Testament flow of grace; we should be as willing as God to bestow unconditional love and grace towards all men. The manifold wisdom of God of this dispensation of grace is to be manifested through the church (Ephesians 3:2, 8-10).

The devil will seek to make us ungrateful for our country, our leaders, our fellow countrymen, our world so that our prayers for them become ineffective. We should endeavour through thick and thin to have a grateful thankful heart for everyone around us. For the atmosphere and attitude of thanksgiving is essential for the working of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Be thankful for your spouse, your family, your children. Don’t let the enemy make you an ungrateful person and hinder your prayers for your own loved ones. The seeds of divorce are found in the attitude of ungratefulness and the lack of thanksgiving. A strong loving marriage is built upon the foundations of thanksgiving and love. Always be thankful for your leaders, your country and your fellow countrymen. For you release the grace of God (and the power
of God) upon their lives when you hold them before God with thanksgiving in your prayers."

(Note: By "new Malaysia", I do not mean to say I support a change in government to PR or BN. Politics will always be subservient to a nation's spiritual quest for truth.)

Online Allah Debate Opens Up Philosophical Insights

Datuk Marina Mahathir’s blog post "Prophet Muhammad's Promise to Christians" at http://rantingsbymm.blogspot.com/ has opened up interesting philosophical issues facing Malaysia.

The diverse and interesting comments on this blog post can lead us into a deeper discussion about truth and human nature.

One of readers (pro-Allah is exclusive camp) said it is better to be unfair to non-Muslims that they cannot share their faiths while Muslims can openly do so with non-Muslims. He/she warns Muslims with a scenario of former muslims worshiping at a church in PJ.

First, openly sharing the Christian gospel is already possible through the Internet. Even without the Internet, God has His ways to show you the truth sooner or later. Just read the story of the Prodigal Son who was welcomed back by his father despite straying into a sinful life. If your religion has little influence over you, then real life experience will teach you lessons about your purpose in this world.

Second, we are again putting the cart before the horse when we espouse religious orthodoxy at the expense of fairness, kindness and peaceful acceptance of others with different beliefs.

Third, even assuming the former Muslim converts into a false religion, don't you think that one day he will open his eyes to the truth. Or is that false religion so strong and persuasive that he can't see the truth himself?

The last point is most relevant in this Allah debate because we are actually discussing about human nature: can man know spiritual truths through his own personal experience or is it through external laws governing his conduct, speech and rituals?

The Catholics would err if they think that the readers of their Bahasa publications, or Sarawakian Christians for that matter, will be less spiritual and confused by changing the name of Allah to Tuhan.

Likewise, the "Allah is exclusive" Muslim group will also be mistaken to believe that a generic name used by other faiths can have any impact on the richness of their faiths.

But the High Court ruling is right that to make the Allah word exclusive is unjustifiable. It is an infringement of constitutional rights. Not only that, it shows Malaysians to be most superficial, petty and ungracious in their religious practices, far behind Indonesia and many Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here are some of comments in the intense dialogue:

Dear Marina,

Your article about the historical promise is a wonderful discovery. True religion should tame a man from the inside and not from the outside. Only truth will set people free from the rage that imprisons their souls. Here is the best illustration of the destiny of Malaysia, which is at the crossroads between flirting with theocracy and birthing a true democracy.

Written by pastor TD Jakes on 6 April 2009:

"The founding fathers of America created a democratic system that separated church from state so that, as a country, we could avoid the slippery slope of getting into the business of telling people what to believe. That is a job they left to be determined by the individual, the synagogue, the mosque and the church!

A country that has one national religion as its only compass is much more of a theocracy than a democracy. That kind of tyranny leads to witch burning, spiritual genocide, forced and fraudulent expressions of faith, and God knows what else. As wonderful as faith is, faith out of control can be lethal. I love democracy because it is designed to keep the government from telling me when and how to serve communion, and it allows room for debate without dominance.

Religious people will never agree on everything within or outside of the bounds of the church. Democracy allows that debate without polluting it further with political intervention as long as that debate doesn’t infringe on another human’s rights.

Lately, it is my view that religion has become increasingly a servant to politics, and whenever a flame is needed to move a candidate or party closer to power, they ignite the flame of the faith community by playing on controversial issues and fear."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Munira said...

And interestingly enough, in the Netherlands...What we're really doing is we're arguing semantics. It's petty. But at the same time, as Nehemiah has pointed out, the one good thing that comes out from all this is some of us have learned something new. Nehemiah's sensible argument made a lot of strong points.

Also, if we ban the non-Muslims from using the word Allah, we'll be affecting the prayers of Sikh people as well. Or have we forgotten about them too, or simply ignorant?1. What about us?2. Ban on "Allah" word will interfere with Sikh prayers.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it very unIslamic to interfere with the prayers of other people? Bukankah salah kita mengganggu sembahyang orang lain, walaupun orang itu bukan orang seagama kita?

Be kind. Be generous. Be understanding. It's not that hard, for that is what God, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Holy Quran are trying to teach us. Not hatred. Not prejudice. And definitely not injustice.

January 7, 2010 12:08 PM

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regarding Encik Azahar's comment:

"BTW Marina, do not let your great confidence in ISLAM to blind you from sinister acts of enemies of ISLAM who are always searching for ways to destroy ISLAM"

1. Is the reason why you advise Marina not to have great confidence in ISLAM, is because you think that God will have great confidence in you to carry out the dictates of Islam? i.e. by sounding and acting extra religious?

2. Pray tell who are the sinister enemies of Islam? With the world filled with rising crimes, drug abuse, wars ,etc, is it more important to protect your religion and your God's generic name, which is not exclusive btw, or make the world a better place to live in by truly transforming man's inner soul?

The purpose of religion is to reform man so that (a) he is in a right and loving relationship with God (b) he is in a right and loving relationship with his neighbour.

And Marina hit the nail on its head by saying that this relationship is based on CONFIDENCE and trust.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Postscript: I think there can be a simple solution to avoid confusion among the Muslims:

A compromise solution that will satisfy all parties concerned would be for the Herald to put a qualifier/caveat every time it uses the word Allah (e.g. "interpreted as the triune God by Christians and distinct from the Allah referred to by Muslims").

To all bahasa-reading Christians, we must be clear that changing the word Allah to Tuhan does not change our foundational understanding of God nor our spiritual walk with Him. It is a question of religious worship and familiarity for many East Malaysians who are used for decades in calling God Allah.

Since the government banned the word, the licensing issue can only be settled by the High Court. However, the social, cultural and constitutional controversy should be discussed in interfaith dialogues to reach a mature and harmonious solution.