The Basis of Our Belief and Behavior

Filipinos do not have biblical heritage both in culture as well as in nationhood. This was due to the Spanish oppression of our people in keeping the Bible from its subjects. They punished even priests who violated the religious prohibition of having possession of the banned book. They merely reflected the orders of their superiors in Rome. Thus for more than 350 years our people were in gross spiritual darkness, not seeing the word of God, except for isolated smuggling of the banned book into the country or the very few instances that the old book was brought into the nation’s shores.

So we developed, as a nation, without the benefits of the word of God. We started as a people without the illumination of the inspired word of God. We educated our people without it and its influencing impact. We created government based on principles anchored on humanistic and deeply religious knowledge. So, expectedly, only one dominant religious institution was indirectly allowed both by its national leaders and its subjects. We became the only nation in Asia that is deeply Roman Catholic but not biblical. We became devout religionists committed to Romanism but not Christian in the biblical meaning of the word.

The proponents of this dominant religion “converted” the natives into a worst religion. Thus, they deepened the blindness of the people. The people became outwardly religious yet with empty hearts longing for true scriptural salvation. The “discoverers” of our archipelago sought areas they eventually donated to the king of Spain. While the reformation in Europe was raging and the Romanists was losing, the latter sought the other areas of the world as their future gains for Rome. With this they succeeded. The reformers then battled in Europe for “sola scriptura.”

So what should be the basis of our faith as Filipinos? Must we keep what the Spanish and their successors had taught us for more than four centuries? Or must we reject and discard it into the garbage bin and take the reformers’ battle cry? Consider also our Baptist forefathers’ belief through the centuries (check past issues on Baptist distinctives). Further, look into the predecessors of our Anabaptists ancestors who believed in the same even if they paid it with their blood from the monstrous, murderous, and mean Romanists with the aid of their State cohorts or puppets.

Let us allow the holy Scriptures to speak for itself regarding this issue. Let me use 2 Timothy 3:15-17 as our basis for the study on this issue. The text gives us clear principles about the benefits of the Scriptures to humanity, namely;

First, verse 15 teaches that the holy Scriptures are necessary for people to receive salvation as they express faith in Christ Jesus. The exposition of the holy Scriptures to man’s understanding will lead to man’s salvation (from hell) as he places his faith on Christ. Timothy was taught since childhood by his mother and grandmother with the holy Scriptures. And this habitual act resulted to the young man’s conversion and godly conduct. Today, people give lip service to the Bible. The tide has changed. People could not refuse anymore the validity of existence of the Bible. We are no longer in the days of the oppressive Spanish era. Yet, our general population is still captive to the old thought. Check how the older people treat the young ones within possession of the Bible in the remote areas of the nation. Consider how our politicians and national leaders treat the old book. They put it in many areas only as a decorative object. You will see it in court halls, in congress, in jeepneys, in cars, in offices, in lecture halls, as well as in homes. You will not see its eternal teachings in their hearts and work. If you go to classrooms, teachers or professors of all sorts undermine its principles. They are coward animals who could not expose and explain the word of God and yet claim to be “the teachers of teachers.” So the current morass of our people is only a deserving result of their ill attitude to the word. Try to ask how many Filipinos are truly saved. Or who have found the truth of salvation spoken of in the text by the apostle Paul? I thought the Bible is in many places here!

Secondly, verse 16 teaches that all Scriptures are inspired of God. Every word is God-breathed guaranteeing no error in every word; that all its teachings are divinely given; and that all in all it is perfect. Consequently, it also assures the current readers that s/he has access to the very words inspired and preserved by God through the centuries. If God did not ensure its perfection and preservation, then how else could it be profitable to people. There were four areas the Scriptures are profitable, namely; a) in doctrine, b) in reproof, c) in correction, and d) in instruction. What aspect of man’s life would not be covered by these? How many do you think among our countrymen believe in this teaching? Perhaps, very few because they were not exposed early to such teachings. Even if they were, the influence of ungodly views promoted in many places would give the young ones hardship to survive. So they are ridiculed by professors in the classroom when they project their biblical philosophy and principles. In the halls of congress, Biblicist legislators would surely be laughed at indirectly by his colleagues. Worst, we elected or appointed leaders who are unbiblicist in view.

If indeed the Scriptures is profitable why do we have less people who subscribe and carry its principles to fruition. Why do we have to be diluted and replaced by humanistic views? Let us promote and protect our Biblicist view carried by our institutions. Let us build more organizations that will carry the instructional profit of our Biblicist view. We are to ensure that the existing institutions are strong in this conviction that they may last in the next generation.

Thirdly, verse 17 teaches that Scriptures are sufficient to equip people in producing beneficial works. If one has experienced genuine salvation (has with it concrete changes in life) and is benefiting from the profits of biblical study exposure then, surely s/he will produce godly works beneficial to others. When professing Christians failed to produce biblical good works it is because they have no Christ or they are selling out their biblical convictions for temporal advantages. The Bible is not an isolated exclusive literature that benefits only the hermit-like communal people group. Rather, as the text says, it positively affects people. In all human endeavors, people will be blessed by its principles. The spiritual and religious matters are not the sole realm of the holy Bible. As this verse says, profitable and beneficial creative works of the saved and sanctified peoples shall affect the people surrounding them. These are works covering many areas of human studies and expertise.

Biblical studies and formulation of scriptural philosophical life views are crucial in human development. What goes on in the human mind will affect his works. The person’s philosophical framework will substantially determine his creation and behavior. Yet, many educators and policy makers have continued to reject the biblical mindset. They usually regard it as mere literature conducive for spiritual upliftment. This is a classic ignorant person if not poorly educated concerning the benefits of biblical studies and its impact in philosophical or behavioral formulation.

In one of the issues of a newspaper, the chief justice of the supreme court challenges lawyers to look into other fields of study such as sociology and economics in their preparation for globalization trend. The highest lawyer of the land, unfortunately never mentioned biblical study or philosophy. Does it mean that the centuries old holy Bible is irrelevant to the lawyer’s preparation towards one world mindset? So are you surprised why legislator-lawyers craft self-serving laws? Why do big nations under the lead of brilliant lawyers oppress the smaller nations in the area of economics? Sociologists under the spell of unbiblical theorists and practitioners continue to reject the biblical premises of man, his behavior, and dealings with community while the holy Scriptures for ages has clearly taught the answers to sociological problems and pursuits.

As Biblicist people let us keep a strong hold onto the old view – sola scriptura not only for soul salvation but in all human life endeavors. So let me encourage people in every profession to seriously study the holy Scriptures so you may know how to make your occupation biblical in framework and pursuit. Consider organizing yourselves to protect your interest and continuity. Refuse mingling with others who would dilute and render your biblical occupational pursuits to powerlessness or nothingness. The Bible is sufficient for us to make all works profitable and beneficial to others. By this we become complete as the text says. In the mean time let us not be deadened by the opium of human pursuits that rejects God’s holy word governing them in all human life endeavor.