in addition

To add on to my previous post, maybe the reason why we have so many denominations is partially also church leaders could not agree on a common practice and system. Maybe they could not agree on certain doctrines, especially in some of the grey areas of the Bible, where the Bible isn’t clear – some issues with answers that may not be directly revealed to us, and the a priori and a posteriori inferences differ among theologians. But more fundamentally, I think church leaders and preachers ought to know the great importance of the work they are doing, for it is through them God is working in the reconciliation, for they are as capable in helping their followers to understand the gospel as misleading the entire congregation altogether. To me, pastors, preachers and bible study leaders have to be humble, and check themselves time and time again. It is easy after all for praises and compliments to get to one’s head. It is easy to be stubborn and refuses to admit one might be in the wrong, to be offended when admonished especially by a younger person. I think we ought to know we all err, but we must know how to own up to mistakes and take criticism wisely. We are no gods. In this world where sometimes ‘face’ is more important than one’s life, it is very difficult for an older person to have his wrongs pointed out by another, or even a younger fellow. I think we must all understand as much as announcing to the world one or two blunders may be damaging to our reputation and credibility, not doing so may be devastating to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. And so for God’s sake, and for my sake, please correct me when I do go wrong!

barriers

Sunday, June 17, 2007 T: 19 03

It saddens me how Christians could quarrel among themselves, saddens me to see how those who called themselves to be the body of Christ would divide themselves, right even early church when Christians argued between following Paul and Apollos. It saddens me how we seem to have that sinful inclination to create even more barriers to overcome, as if those already present are not a strain on us. Many a times, I heard the same question from my non-Christian friends. ‘Why is it that we seem to have so many factions, so many types, the Methodist… the Charismatic… the Pentecostal… the Baptist… the Presbyterian and so on?’ I never really know a good answer, except that we are still all the same, that we believe in the same God, the same salvation. Are we? We can’t ignore the fact that each of these denominations have different administrative systems, different perspectives to the various doctrines in the Bible, different practices, and different emphasis. The only consolation is that we have Jesus Christ who is central no matter what. That at least makes us one, but we can’t pretend that a certain skepticism and wariness between people from different denominations, possibly even different churches, are non-existent.

Lately, much debating about the name of my youth group is going on. For me, I see in it nothing except pointlessness and futility. After all, I don’t think such names matter at all, for we are all the same in the body of Christ. If a name will grant identity and that sense of belonging, isn’t to be called a Christian, child of God better than any other names we come up with? If a name will make it easier to attract other non-Christians and an uninteresting name like STAR would not, then isn’t it better for it to be just called Youth Ministry, and not some abbreviations which one has to further explain, at the same time not having to be concerned about the baggage ‘PUNJ’ is carrying and the uninspiring nature of ‘STAR’? Instead, we find a line drawn across the room, separating the entire huge group of people sitting together initially into two. We find ourselves wondering why others could not see our point of view, wondering why the democratic system that is implemented turns out to be so flawed. Before we know it, we have successfully divided ourselves again. Perhaps I’m exaggerating the problem, but the utter meaninglessness of it all, in this reality that will soon fade away, does not make sense to me. Or could someone else enlighten me?

A friend was commenting after the session. He questioned the usefulness of democracy, especially about such issues, taking into account also the voters involved. After if the democratic voting isn’t chosen as a solution, would there be such worries? Perhaps if left to be independent in such matters, the church would only be torn apart because of diverse perspectives and opinions. Instead it would be better to let the church leaders, chosen by the church, to take the responsibility. Even so, chaos would arise if the leaders themselves came to a dispute. And if voting is still to be used, perhaps only when a higher percentage of people are in agreement, then could a decision be made. At least, the church would not be torn into half.

The Great Commission in Matthew is for us to go forth and spread the good news of Christ, as I have seen in my bible study today. The greatest commission, if I may suggest, is the greatest commandment in Mark 12 – to love God and love thy neighbor. Barriers are erected simply as a result of sin, as a result of the lack of love. And so, as people who called ourselves to be followers of the Cross, are we be able to give up our selfishness and be others-centered? Are we able to look at another Christian in the eye and acknowledge him or her whole-heartedly as a fellow brother and sister? Are we even trying to be our best, out of our love for Christ and what He has done? I don’t think the gospel as presented to us in the Bible is some ‘feel good’ brainwashing. Rather the foundation of Christianity is that we are all unworthy and undeserving (Total Depravity), but the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair in favor of us, that Christ willing died for us. Are we able to forgive as the Lord has forgiven us, love as the Lord has loved us? Do we try to, instead of letting the anger and frustration dominate us? Can we love the people who we do not like? How are we even treating our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? It’s human nature to let our mundane wants and desires to get the better of us, but do we see ourselves changing? I think repentance is no least important than accepting that Jesus has died for you.

We are Christians. Words like ‘chosen’ and ‘predestined’ and ‘selected’ are not foreign to us. We are supposed to be different from the rest, to be set apart from the rest. Then why are we so concerned about what others think of us?

神吊侠侣∶

“哪知道周伯通天真烂漫， 匈中更无半点机心， 虽天性好武， 却从无争雄扬名的念头， 决没想到自己是否该算五绝之一。 黄药师笑道：“老顽童啊老顽童， 你当真了不起。 我黄老邪对‘名’淡泊， 一灯大师‘名’为虚幻， 只有你， 却心中空空荡荡， 本来就不存‘名’之一念， 可比我们高出一筹了。”

I think I’m not contextualizing the above passage a little, but it will be my hope that let names be the least of our worries. However let us seek to always put the interests of others in front of ours, not easy I know, but we’ll get there someday.

competition

Sunday, June 10, 2007 T: 23 39

The words ‘friendly competition’ is an irony. I don’t think such will ever exist, especially among us humans. There is always that thirst for victory, which is so able to overwhelm any good-will intentions, any little bit of goodness still left in us. Naturally, we all love to win and hate to lose. But it’s a shame whenever such attitude can erode a relationship, and even destroy it.

I never like to compete against friends. It’s after all during competitive computer games friends could turn out jeering and snaring at each other. And really, sometimes we can all be able to say it’s just a silly computer game, but I can’t ignore the fact that I’ve been personally irritated by newer players, maybe even let the anger get to me as well. There is after all always that desire to win, especially in guys.

The tongue is after all like a double-edged sword. Its power is often underestimated, for it seems many a often uncontrollable. I think it’s always right to think carefully before saying anything, lest offending or saddening anyone, checking oneself time and time again to see if anywhere has gone wrong. There will be somewhere where there is a need to repent. We are after only mere sinful creatures, yet somehow called to light.

heroes

我辈练功学武， 所为何事？ 行侠仗义, 济人困厄固然乃是本分, 但这只是侠之小者。江湖上所以尊称我一声‘郭大侠’， 实因敬我为国为民， 奋不顾身地助守襄阳。 然我才力有限， 不能为民解困， 实在愧当‘大侠’两字。 你聪明智慧过我十倍， 将来成就定然远胜于我， 这是不消说的。 只盼你心中牢牢记住‘为国为民， 侠之大者’这八个字， 日后名扬天下， 成为受万民敬仰的真正大侠。是啊， 鞠躬尽瘁， 死而后已。

The Chinese language is a beautiful one. Too bad I’m never able to master in it. To write with it is simply a travesty to the language. After months of reading novels by 金庸, I decided to write something about it. I knew that it would not do justice to his great works simply commenting about it in English, and thus quoted this short except from ‘神雕侠侣.’

It is after reading each series I found myself having a deeper and more profound understanding of what heroes are all about. It’s not simply about the skills, the characters’ abilities to defeat everyone they come up against. I think when one would look closer, the ‘侠’ depicted in each series are very different people – 萧峰’s dilemma between loyalty to his friends and his country, 段誉’s undivided attention towards 王语嫣 and his loyalty to his brothers, 郭靖’s unwavering patriotism, 杨过’s steadfast love for 小龙女, 令狐聪’s carefree, ‘潇洒’ outlook to life. Yet at the same time, their lives seem to be revolving around 4 Chinese words – 孝 (filial)、 义(trustworthiness)、 仁(kindness)、 忠(loyalty)。 Maybe that’s what heroes are all about – a certain selflessness, and that willingness to sacrifice anything and everything for people they love and who love them, even people who they do not know, as well as faithfulness to their words, and that as long as their conscience is clear, they know they will owe no one explanations.

These days, everywhere seems to be filled with backstabs and gossip, out of that desperate desire for the top. Trust seems a foreign word, especially when one sees how marriage can be torn asunder, how families can be devastated, how friendships can be worth no more than a cent. 如果君子一言，驷马难追， then I wonder how many ‘君子’ are there in our world today!

Maybe it’s in such fantasy lands we can have a greater confidence in people, in life, that they could very well be people like these heroes who even we have grown to respect.

Guo Jing’s love for his country can be really amazing, especially in this age. It may be just taken from a story, but in the history of China, one can easily name one or two who will have such thoughts. Yue Fei is simply one of them. Countries fall and countries rise, but I don’t think these patriots are just defending their countries alone. Instead, I think they would want to do their part to protect their own people, people who they grew up with, and they knew they would be enslaved if the country is to fall under foreign rule. I thought it’s so sad whenever I realize that there will be countless who will try to flee first should my country come under attack. It’s ironic to see how the world is shrinking, and yet at the same time, the distance between each individual could grow larger and larger. And in the end, it sounds as if every man’s for himself. I remember watching the movie ‘We were soldiers’, remember being touched at the last part when the narrator speaks that at the end of the Vietnam world, they brought home with them not the flag but the friendships of fellow soldiers they were fighting alongside with. Perhaps it’s true tribulations the good of Man will shine. Will I risk my life for another? Will I do my best, to die without regrets? These are some questions I’ll be asking myself for perhaps the rest of my life, unless there comes one day when I’ve to make such a decision.

In his after word to his novel 神雕侠侣, 金庸 wrote the following:

郭靖说：“为国为民， 侠之大者。”这句话在今日仍有重大的积极意义。 但我深信将来国家的界限会消失， 那时候‘爱国’， ‘叛国’等等观念就没有多大意义了。 然而父母子女兄弟间的亲情，纯真的友谊、 爱情、正义感、仁善、勇于助人、为社会献身等等感情与品德， 相今后还是长期地为人们所赞美， 这似乎不是任何政治理论、经济制度、社会改革、宗教信仰等所能替代的。

Perhaps in this cosmopolitan world, patriotism is gradually losing its meaning. Yet our morals, our knowledge of what is good and what is bad (which I believe to be God’s gift and general revelation to Man) will not change. We will appreciate trust, appreciate our family ties, appreciate the kindness and generosity and altruism. Somewhat these will never cease to exist perhaps for eternity to come. And this at the very least can be what we have confidence in, what we can hope for, and what our natural conscience will tell us. For what God has given to us, let Man not destroy.