Thursday, January 8, 2009

The Works of God and its Role
in Generational Loyalty
Joshua 24:31

We hear over the religious news that a former fundamental Baptist missionary’s son turned away from the faith. He became an evangelical college teacher, and later joined the ecumenical bandwagon called the emerging church movement. Could this really happen among Filipinos? Absolutely! It is already happening just as it has happened in the past. The current generation tends to reject the militancy in the faith of the past generation. Propagandists of change keep on saying that the battles of the past are no longer relevant, so the younger generation must abandon the fight of the old generation.

This is what we call generational disloyalty. This occurs when one generation departs from the former generation’s militant stand on the Word of God. On the other hand, a generation is freed from such charge if the current generation returns to the old militant defense of the faith once abandoned by the former. Where do we stand on this issue, Cornerstone people? The current generation of Cornerstone membership is militant in its stand to carry on the beliefs and behavior of this local church. She unapologetically corrects anyone who errs from the faith. She even expels from the membership anyone who refuses to get right with the Lord after being subjected to church discipline as Mat. 18:15-17 teaches.

Will the next generation of Cornerstone people uphold the faith in similar militancy and passion as well as zeal to advance her faith to other lands? Will they sustain our zeal for missions? Will they preserve our doctrines and practices as an indigenous local Baptist church? Will they preserve our godly music untainted by worldly ones? What can be done to ensure that the younger generation of Cornerstone people will carry on the faith and practice of the current ones? Joshua gave us the answer to this query! The current generation must expose the succeeding generation into the works of God at this local church. They must see and cherish how God started and sustained this local church through indigenous ministerial philosophy. They must imbibe the same principles that governed us through the years so they can stand the hardships of their future situations.

Some significant lessons can be drawn from this success of Joshua, his successor elders, and the people of Israel. First, the Israelites chose to serve the God of Joshua all through Joshua’s term and the next leaders’. They saw and heard from Joshua the need to serve in the manner which he demonstrated to them. We see this happened in Joshua 1:16-18 where the people covenanted themselves with Joshua as witnessed by the Lord. In short they made a contract to remain faithful in the service according to the standards defined by Joshua, their leader.

A covenant is such a great tool in ensuring faithfulness. It binds us to godliness. Though it is not an absolute guarantee of faithfulness, it can reduce temptation of unfaithfulness. We need to enter into an agreement of faithfulness. Joshua led them into this contract-making but he did not coerce them to make one. When Joshua reminded the people, he led them into making a covenant of faithfulness (24:23-27).

Let us be wiser in dealing with our sinful heart’s inclination to unfaithfulness. CBC members, how is your membership contract? Are you loyally keeping each of its provisions which you vowed to maintain until He comes? Why not get right with God for violating some of its provisions before your children discover them and indirectly encourage them to the same unfaithfulness?

Second, the Israelites knew well the perfect works of God. They also saw these works being fulfilled before them (see Judges 2:7). The older generation exposed the young ones to what God has done to them. They did not confine these divine works to themselves. They, rather, devised a system by which all the young ones saw what God has done. Probably, they taught these divine workings to the children. Here we see the need of educating the next generation. Our enemies are gone. But they can always return when the old guards are gone or its spirit is slowly declining from the scene. This has happened in other local churches that resulted to their fall and compromise.

Every Cornerstone ministry must showcase to its people the works of God perfectly done through this local church. Every teacher from the nursery up to the senior adults must remind the membership of our struggles and successes over temptations, over needs, and over obstacles. These must be done biblically and diligently. When the people are ignorant of our history and struggles the devil will creep in to bring deception to the naïve and vulnerable. We ought to teach all our local church doctrines and practices (including our culture) to every child and new member so as to fully integrate them into the body of Christ. This is the reason, we tirelessly keep on with our godly traditions ( i.e., church camp, Christmas fellowship, Missions Nights, Youth camp, Lord’s Supper in December and April) that sustain our belief and behavior system. We want to establish a godly Cornerstone culture that reflects the Bible. So where do you stand now, Cornerstone members in this pursuit? How are your children keeping these godly traditions?

Third, Israel departed from the ways of Joshua and the elders due to ignorance of the works of God and His greatness. This we see in Judges 2:10-14. This generation that departed did not know the God of Joshua. Note that God does not change, neither does His doctrines. It means they had no personal knowledge of the salvation work of God. They were also ignorant of the many perfect works of God. They were either untaught with the words of God or they did not learn from their teaching leaders (v.10).

Consequently, in verse 11, (1) they did evil in God’s sight and served false gods. They committed this due to their lack of knowledge. Remember what prophet Hosea said about this (Hosea 4:6). Then, (2) they abandoned the God of Joshua (v.12, forsook the Lord, cf. v.13). In stead, they embraced and followed the false gods of the people surrounding them. They began to listen to their counsels and models of life and work. What a great tragedy! Further, (3) they provoked God to anger (v.12c; 14). God is never happy over someone’s departure from the true faith be it in one segment of the doctrinal truth we espouse or in practical and moral departure. Some have undermined the latter as less significant. But consider that departure in practice is an evidence of departure from belief or thought.

So God has to chastise the Israelites for this departure with repeated national problems evident in the book of Judges. They even further deteriorated into individualism in decision making (Judges 21:25). Other heinous crimes and sins were committed in the period of the Judges due to this departure in doctrine and practice. For us, Cornerstone people, to ensure the next generation’s faithfulness we must sustain the current zeal for God. We must diligently teach our young ones with the truths we uphold. We are not to be content with mere outward conformity but must look for their true heart and lifestyle change. Let us therefore be striving towards greater consistency, Cornerstone parents and single adults, so the young ones may have no reason to depart from this blessed and pure faith. Amen!

Ang Pananaw ng Isang Musiko
sa mga Gawa ng Diyos
Mga Awit 77:11-20

Kakaunti lamang na musiko ang nagiging tanyag. Marahil ito rin ang kurso na madalang na kunin ng mga magsisitapos sa mataas na paaralan at nagnanais na pumasok sa kolehiyo. Ito ang nangyayari sa sekular na larangan. Wala ring gaanong kaibahan sa ganitong larangan ng ministeryo ng mga Kristiyano. Ang iba ay pumapasok sa larangan ng musika dahil sa pagnanais na malaman kung ano ang meron dito habang ang iba ay pumapasok dahil sa kawalan ng iba pang mapapasukan. Sila’y mananatili habang wala pa silang ibang malilipatang gawain. Kadalasan, ang mga mahuhusay na musiko ay hindi nababayaran ng tama. At dahil sila’y may mga pangangailangang kailangang tustusan o ‘di kaya’y pamilyang kailangang buhayin, ang iba sa kanila’y napipilitang lisanin ang larangan ng musika. Ang iilang malalakas ang loob na piniling manatili at ipagpatuloy ang kanilang panawagan ay magbabata ng mga kabigatang nakapaloob sa kanilang desisyong manatili. Ang iba sa kanila’y magtatagumpay habang ang iba’y hindi.

Ang ating teksto ay sinulat ng isang musikong naglilingkod sa loob ng templo ng mga Hebreo. Siya’y si Asaph, isang levitang musiko. Bilang musiko, siya ang nangangasiwa ng lahat ng mga gawain patungkol sa musika sa loob ng templo. Araw-araw niyang pinapangunahan ang ensayo ng iba pang musiko sa templo. Para sa kanyang mga pangangailangan, siya’y umaasa lamang sa ibinibigay na ikapo at handog ng iba pang mga tribo. Minsan na siyang nainggit sa karangyaan ng mga masasama (Mga Awit 73). Marahil ay nakita niya ang yaman ng mga taong hindi naglilingkod sa Diyos habang siya at ang kaniyang pamilya’y bahagya na lamang na nabubuhay at paulit-ulit na hinaharap ang gawain sa templo. Ngunit salamat sa Diyos at napagtagumpayan niya ang tentasyong iyon sa pamamagitan ng pakikinig sa Salita ng Diyos.

Maraming mga aral ang mapupulot mula sa buhay ng isang musikong naglingkod sa Diyos sa kabila ng mga pasakit. Humanda tayong alamin ang kaniyang pananaw sa Diyos at sa mga gawa Niya. Isaalang-alang ang kaniyang sinabi sa bersikulo 1, “Babanggitin ko ang mga gawa ng Panginoon; sapagka't aalalahanin ko ang mga kabagabagan mo ng una.”

Sa mga talatang 1-10, labis na napighati si Asaph dahil sa kaniyang inggit at selos sa karangyaan ng mga masasama. Hindi siya makatulog. Hindi siya makaawit dahil wala siyang makitang dahilan upang magsaya. Kinailangan niya ang aliw na nagbubuhat lamang sa Diyos upang manumbalik ang kaniyang galak sa paglilingkod sa templo. Inisip niyang siya’y nilisan na ng Panginoon dahil wala siyang makitang palatandaan ng parating na tulong mula sa Kaniya. Siya’y lubos na nababahala dahil hindi pa sinasagot ng Diyos ang kaniyang panalangin upang iligtas ang bayang Israel. Sa kaniyang pananaw, malayo at walang pakialam ang Diyos sa kaniyang mga hinaharap na kabigatan.

Ngunit nakadama siya ng aliw at kasiguruhan nang siya’y nagbulay-bulay sa pagkilos ng Diyos sa bansang Israel nuong unang panahon. Una, inalala niya ang ginawa ng Diyos sa kanila bilang isang bansa (bersikulo (b.) 11). Pinili niyang alalahanin ang mga dakilang milagro ng Diyos. Kasama rito ang pagligtas sa Exodo (b. 19-20). Gumawa rin ang Diyos ng paraan upang alalahanin niya ang mga pagkilos ng Diyos sa Mga Awit 111:4. Ang pag-alala sa mga ginawa ng Diyos sa iyong buhay ay isang paraan upang makabangon mula sa pighati at panghihina ng loob. Isaalang-alang ang kaligtasang natanggap, ang kapatawaran ng mga kasalanan, ang kalakasang ibinigay ng Diyos, at ang mga biyayang ibinigay ng Diyos sa panahon ng kagipitan.

Pangalawa, nagbulay-bulay siya sa lahat ng gawa ng Diyos (b. 12a). Ang salitang bubulayin ay nangangahulugan ng pag-ungol ukol sa isang bagay. Ito ay lagpas sa pag-iisip lamang. Nangangailangan ito ng imahinasyon at pagsambit ng iyong naaalala mula sa Diyos. Ito’y katulad ng pagbubulay-bulay sa Salita ng Diyos (Josue 1:7-8). Ganito din ang ginawa ni David sa Mga Awit 143:5. Sa ating panalangin at pribadong pag-iisip at pagpaplano, kailangan tayo’y magbulay-bulay sa ginawa ng Diyos noong nakaraan. Dapat tayong manabik sa pag-ulit ng Panginoon sa ating panahon ng Kaniyang ipinangako at ginawa sa bansang Israel noon. Dapat nitong pangibabawan ang ating mga pag-iisip. Dapat itong maging bahagi ng ating mga plano sa lokal na iglesia.

Pangatlo, nagdesisyon siyang talakayin ang gawa ng Diyos (b. 12b). Bilang isang musiko, obligasyon ni Asaph na lumikha ng musika at umawit ng mga himno. Sa ganitong mga paraan niya naihahayag ang mga gawa ng Diyos. Kapag siya’y lumikha ng awit at himnong gumugunita ng mga ginawa ng Diyos, naisasakatuparan niya ang biblikal niyang tungkulin. Kailangan ng mga musiko na malaman ang mga ginawa ng Diyos na nasasaad sa Bibliya. Kailangang regular na pagbulay-bulayan ang mga katotohanang ito hanggang sa maging bahagi ito ng kanilang katauhan at maging basehan ng kanilang pagtatalakay ng mga gawa ng Diyos. Sa isang banda, kapag ang puso’t isipan ng mga musiko ay puno ng makamundong kaisipan at pagnanasa o pagkabahala sa mga kaganapan sa mundo, ito rin ang magiging laman ng kaniyang mga katha at komposisyon. Isipin ninyo ang mga salita at musikang rock o mga awitin ng mga sensual at makamundong mang-aawit. Sino ang nais nilang matuwa at bigyan ng luwalhati? Bakit nahulog sa ganitong kamalian ang Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)? Alamin kung ano ang inilalagay nila sa kanilang mga isipan at kung ano ang kanilang layunin.

Inisa-isa ni Asaph ang mga gawa ng Diyos sa Israel. Una, saan matatagpuan ang mga paraan ng Diyos? Ayon kay Asaph, ito ay matatagpuan sa santuario ng Diyos (b. 13). Dahil marami ang naghahanap ng tamang daan, sinabi niyang ito’y matatagpuan sa lugar na kung saa’y nagtitipon ang mga tao ng Diyos. Kung ang ating mga paraa’y naglalarawan ng Salita ng Diyos na itinuturo ng mga alagad ng Diyos sa Kaniyang iglesia, tayo’y gagayahin ng mga taong makakarinig at makakakita sa atin. Dahil dito, ang templo ng Diyos ay magiging tagapanguna at tagataguyod ng mga maka-Diyos na pamamaraan.

Pangalawa, ang Diyos ay gumagawa pa rin ng mga kababalaghan kagaya nuong una (b. 14). Hindi huminto ang Diyos sa pagbigay ng mga himala. Ito’y ginagawa Niya kung alam Niyang kinakailangan. Ginagawa rin Niya ito upang itaas ang kaniyang pangalan sa harap ng mga ‘di ligtas. Kaya’t maaari pa ring umasa sa himala ng Diyos ang mga mananampalataya. Anupa’t ang katotohanang ito’y dapat magpalakas ng ating loob upang magpatuloy na magsilbi sa Kaniya.

Pangatlo, iniligtas Niya ang Kaniyang mga tao (b. 15).
Ito ay nangyari sa panahon ng Exodo. Walang kapangyarihan ang Israel na iligtas ang kanilang sarili nuong mga panahong iyon. Kaya’t ang Diyos ang gumawa ng paraan upang sila’y iligtas. Ito’y isang larawan ng ating kaligtasan mula sa ating mga kasalanan at sa impiyerno. Hindi natin kayang iligtas ang ating mga sarili. Ngunit ginawa ng Diyos ito para sa atin nang tayo’y nagsisi sa ating mga kasalanan at nagtiwala kay Kristo bilang ating Tagapagligtas.

Patuloy na gumagawa ang Diyos ng mga kababalaghan sa mundong ito. Bawat mananampalataya ay kailangang makita at malaman ito upang magpatuloy na magbigay puri sa Diyos. Ang inyong pag-alala at pagbubulay-bulay ng mga gawa ng Diyos ay kailangan upang maihayag ninyo ang Diyos sa ibang tao. Magpatuloy na isa-isahin ang mga ginawa ng Diyos sa iyo at sa ibang tao. Punuin ang iyong isipan at kaluluwa ng mga bagay na ito nang sa gayo’y maimpluwensiyahan nito ang paglilingkod ninyo sa Diyos.

Bilang mga modernong Asaph, isaalang-alang natin ang ating kakaibang biblikal na pananaw at pamamaraan sa lokal na iglesia. Bigyang panahon ang paglikha ng mga awiting naglalarawan ng mga doktrinang pinaniniwalaan. Kung ang doktrina ng “verbal and plenary inspiration” at ang pangangalaga at pag-iingat ng Salita ng Diyos ay tama, nararapat lamang na lumikha tayo ng mga awiting nagtuturo ng doktrinang ito. Kung ang paniniwala sa pangingibabaw ng lokal na iglesia sa mga iba pang organisasyong nakakabit sa lokal na iglesia ay tama, ang ating musika ay dapat nagsasaad din ng ganitong katotohanan. Ang pagiging militante na may halong pag-ibig at awa upang ipagtanggol ang ating pananampalataya ay ipinag-uutos ng Bibliya. Hindi ba nararapat lamang na lumikha tayo ng mga awiting naglalarawan ng mga katotohanang ito? Siya Nawa!

The Perfection of the Works of God
Deuteronomy 32:4

As we start the year 2009, it is good to think about our great God especially what He has done. Our God has created all things we see and enjoy. He has made you and me in His image. He has designed our universe including our temporary place of abode-Earth. He has put in it all the living creatures He made. So there is much waste to try to find some form of life elsewhere. Such activity merely shows rejection of His revelation.

Filipinos are degenerating in appreciation of God’s works. We are gradually setting aside the traditional view, which is essentially right, of the truth of the divine creation of the universe and humankind. We do this by allowing the error of humanity that espouses man-made theory of origins to exist side by side with the long established truth. This attitude is not high scholarship, but blatant rebellion to the truth of creation. Humanity evasively declares reliance on scientific truth as he can not contain the conscience-pricking creation truth.

There is now a growing voice to absolutely remove from any science literature the creation truth. What are we going to do if this becomes legal locally? Then, we must imitate our Baptist forefathers’ methodology. They, for centuries, survived in the caves and mountains to escape the prosecuting ire of both the state and the Romanist church. The only legitimate course of action after evasion is to resort to a clandestine manner of existence. It may be hard but history is on our side. Scriptures is also on our side as the winning position. They can not fully eradicate our belief and behavior. Someone somewhere will always grasp this longing for truth and take it until the last breath.

For now, we see the terrible repugnance of Filipinos towards God’s works. They show distaste to the perfections of divine workings. More errors are promoted even by the religionists. Not behind are the false teachers in the garb of dominant Romanists, the cultists, and the deceived Charismatics. They promote ecumenism and boastfully call it divine workings. They spend much on these activities rather than on scripturally mandated efforts. You see, these groups spend millions of pesos in order to launch political and religious fun fares in the name of watchfulness. They do not bear the name of true God, neither do they promote the workings of God nor are they instruments of God’s works.

Moses wrote a song to show the faithfulness of God (of Israel) and disclose the corruption of the people of Israel. In his description of God’s faithfulness, he will teach us that God’s work is perfect. In contrast to this, man’s achievement is full of corruption. Israel will apostatize in the midst of her material prosperity. She will depart from God’s standards. Perhaps Israel would have been better if she remained poor and needy.

Moses described God as the Rock. He repeats this in verses 15, 18, 30, and 31. As such God is stable and permanent. He does not move or change. David, after experiencing victory over Saul and others, declared God as His rock in 2 Sam. 22:2-3. He learned God in the same way that Moses did. Further, David uttered the same truth in Psa. 18:2. So God’s work is indeed perfect as it needs no improvement. Why? For it is permanent and stable. Whatever God has made, that is perfect.

Did God make man? Did He make man and woman only? Or did He also make homosexuals? If God’s work is perfect then there is nothing that man can do (reinvent or revise) to improve the condition of man. Genesis 1:26-27 clearly provide answers to above queries. God hates homosexuality (practice and behavior) as it is a perversion, if not rebellion, to God’s standards. See how God acts towards this error of homosexuality in Romans 1:26-32.

To say that there is no God who made the universe including the earth is clear antagonism to God and His Holy Scriptures. It is an act of discriminating the centuries-old belief of humanity or, at least, of the Bible-believing Baptists. To make laws that outlaw such belief is pure authoritarianism and undemocratic legislation favoring only the elite, falsely so-called scholars who hide their religious convictions in the garb of science. To change our laws in order to favor those whom God has declared as in error is another evidence of instability. We can not take this error lightly and naively. We must equip our young ones to provide a defense in the future. We must enable them to provide a good fight in the near future. Retreat is not surrender. We must conserve our gains from depletion by the enemies.

So what God has made will never change. They are stable and permanent. His ways are free from imperfections. They are truthful, perfectly just (or equitable) and right (Psa. 33:4b). We must accept them by faith after discovering these truths from diligent study of the Holy Scriptures. We must replace the errors thrown upon us with these stable, equitable, and perfect truths. Our nation, just as others, will continue to deteriorate as a result of these changes in philosophy and practice. Filipinos are taking more powers into their hands to direct this nation. Anything they do not like is immediately aired in various avenues. Propaganda is employed. Followers are encouraged. Our sinful senses are the ultimate determinant of morality not anymore the stable and permanent truth derived from the Holy Scriptures.

Moses criticized Israel for her corruptions. See verses 5-7 for the basis. She was earlier warned about apostasy in the midst of prosperity. But she forgot the forewarnings and embraced the error. So Moses contrasted her with God. Israel did not bear any resemblance with her Father God’s attributes. Incidentally, note here how God expects Israel to resemble divine qualities in their conduct. What we learn from the God of Scriptures must be implemented in our lives for imitation. So we must make laws after His pattern for imitation.

Israel also disregarded God’s goodness as evident in His workings (Psa. 28:4-5). She did not make much of God’s deliverance from Egypt. This is a truth very much repeated in the whole OT Scriptures. Why? This is where God’s magnificence was seen by the whole world. Miracles occurred to favor Israel against another nation. Yet she easily undermined this. Beware of falling into similar trap as we recall our great salvation from the fires of hell when we trusted Christ as Savior.

Israel forgot who made her a nation. Verse 6 says, “Hath he not made thee, and established thee?” Here she neglected what God has done for her as a nation. God established her way back in Abraham. He can also unmake her as a nation. This is what He would do in the days of the divided kingdom of Israel (post-Solomonic period). How many nations lately realized that God who made them great as nations is now making them into miserable ones? Can this occur also to an individual believer? We see local churches that were once great and dedicated to God are no longer the same due to this sin.

Israel failed to realize that God alone made them strong and stable. See verse 12 for the basis. She relied upon the false gods of human wisdom and ingenuity. She gradually declined absolute dependence upon God and His revelations. As we experience knowledge advancement and economic prosperity we can rely upon these earthly strengths and decline to depend upon divine provisions especially His absolute power. Beware of this error as the fall of Israel may become ours, too. Let us not make idols out of knowledge, education, experience, and economic advancement. They are truly empty, for God alone is our sufficiency.

Both sinners and saints may keep rejecting the authority of God’s words upon their lives. They do this by charging the Holy Scriptures with irrelevancy and need for revision especially in matters of readability. We must strongly oppose these changes for they are inconsistent with what we learned from Moses’ declaration that God’s work is stable and permanent. And those who reject this truth will surely deteriorate to corruption. Amen!