Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am Won KIM voicing Pastor Caleb Soo Lee Chong. Shalom. Today, we’ll carry on with Lesson Seven “What kind of person do I want to become?”

How do we see the world around us? Are we reacting actively or passively to what is going on? It is stated clearly in the Bible that this is My Father’s World. Hence, we need to cherish and manage it diligently. If this world has fallen and is going against God, we have the responsibility to make good, so that it becomes a stage to showcase our glorious God in all His brilliance. Yes, all Christians should be bearing witness to His Glory on this stage.

The Bible says: “For everything God created is good”. Does this mean that I can eat everything, including foods that have been offered to idols? We face many challenges in this world in the form of anxieties, frustrations and uncertain issues that come in all shapes and sizes. For instance, very often we face the question whether we can eat foods that have been offered to idols. According to the book of 1 Timothy chapter 4 verses 1-5: “…For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving...” How do we apply this verse? So, can I eat foods that have been offered to idols?

Dear brothers and sisters, let’s turn to the book of Genesis, the first book in the Bible. The story of Creation by God is well-documented within these pages and climaxes in a thoughtfully-prepared habitat to receive Mankind. As one of these precious gifts, food is to be cherished, not wasted. The question is this: So, can Christians eat foods that have been offered for idol worship?

During Old Testament times, and especially in the early days recounted in the Book of Acts, food offering was a topic of great sensitivity. When it came to Paul’s time, people started to become more tolerant towards food offerings; in other words, they are less rigid on the issue of its consumption. That was the context in which Paul postulated that such foods may be consumed since everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with prayers, cleansing and thanksgiving. Here, Paul is taking a bold step forward and speaking open-mindedly on this thorny issue of the day.

Paul is putting up his theological view that God is above everything else. An idol is nothing at all in the world; it does not have the power to defile food, nor can it cause Christians to stumble after consuming these offerings. Conversely, if we truly believe that everything is created by God, then it can be consumed provided that it is received with prayers, cleansing and thanksgiving. It was a great step forward.

However, there are some who have become so sensitized towards this issue for a long time. They are still so conditioned to idol worship that when they eat sacrificial food, they are reminded of similar sacrifices made to a deity before they accepted Christ. As a result, they feel that they should not be eating the offerings in this case. If you have a strong conscience as a Christian, and do not mind doing so, you would dare to consume these foods. However, if doing so would stumble some brother, sister, relative or friend with a weak conscience, then you should refrain from eating it.

Simply put, whether you eat or don’t is not the central issue here. But we have to make sure that no one is stumbled by what you do: we have to treat others with love in everything we do and not stumble them.

Therefore, I say, dear brothers and sisters, if our conscience is at ease, you can eat the offered food. This is because if a person does not have faith or is lacking in it, his conscience would suffer after taking the food. It is sinful to eat with a lack in faith, and thus the Bible advises you to stay away from it.

On the other hand, it may be the weak conscience of someone else that is bothering you, rather than that of your own. In this case, you abstain from eating for his sake too.

Or better still, see it this way: you must glorify God whenever you are eating or drinking. Bear in mind that the issue of eating and drinking can be turned into a testimony towards God. My previous pastor is an extremely devout Christian. After accepting Christ, he led his own brothers and sisters to follow suit. However, his father and mother were still going to the temple.

Each time, the elderly couples would bring home their offerings from the temple, but none of the brothers and sisters would eat the food. Then one day, his father told their mother, “Look, none of them is eating, so let’s not go to the temple from now on!” His parents attended the church service, followed the sermons and became followers of Christ in the end. Hallelujah! Beautiful testimony, indeed! The topic of eating offerings for idols has brought members in the same family to go to church together. We see here that whether one eats these food offerings or not does not matter. The key issue is whether God can be testified and glorified in whatever we do.

Can we get to know God through everything in the universe?

Let’s look into another topic. Traditionally, it is not uncommon for some devotionals to refer everything in the universe as “The Book of Nature”.  Now, can we get to know God through everything in the universe? Why? What, then, is the value of this “book”? Scripture tells us that God uses everything in the universe to reveal Himself. We are able to know His greatness and mystery if we were to read into “The Book of Nature” with awe and reverence. This is because, as written in the Bible in the book of Romans chapter 1 verse 20: "For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” However, Romans chapter 1 vers 23 shows us three verses later how “Man exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.” There is thus no way for us know God through “The Book of Nature”. We have to turn to the Bible – “The Book of Scripture” instead to seek the special revelations in order to know the true Lord of Creation.

Here is a simply analogy from John Calvin: I am an old man with blurry vision and unable to see God no matter how hard I try. I know that this is a most beautiful volume, but I cannot make out what is written in it. I only know this as head-knowledge, but cannot see it distinctly for myself, and need a pair of good glasses to do that. What I see through the “Book of Nature” is but a bleary image. One thing I am sure: I may know that there is God, but that is all. I learn about the mystery from the “Book of Nature”, but do not know who the Creator of the Heavens and Earth is. I can see everything clearly after I put on the pair of good glasses -- the special revelation in “The Book of Scripture” or the Bible. It tells us that His Son is the Word made flesh and dwells among us. It was then that I knew the God who created the Heavens and the Earth.

Nonetheless, “The Book of Nature” possesses a value of its own. Calvin stressed that the fall of Man has affected Mankind’s understanding of God badly. Even so, he affirmed that Nature is still a stage that richly displays the glory of God, ranging from the universe, constellations, animals, reptiles, fish, insects, angels, babies and so on. All of these are the domains of God’s sovereignty. Dear brothers and sisters, the world of nature is inexhaustibly wonderful! And it is through Jesus Christ that I have a clearer picture of this wonderful Maker.

How do Christians learn to attain the lofty target of His Glory?

We know for a fact that this is a fallen world. Christians, however, should not play the bystanders in a world-bashing drive hurling torrents of abuse in a bitter and negative manner. The Bible names you and me as the stewards of His grace, conferring upon us the honour to play an active role in this Creation of His. We have been entrusted to manage, take care of and rebuild this Creation. Such an undertaking would enable us to glorify Him -- God the Creator. It is only natural, therefore, for Christians to learn how to glorify God -- the highest target for us to aim for during our sojourn on this planet.

Firstly, in terms of reason and value, we are to re-affirm that no matter what our current work is, it is good so long as it highlights the beauty of God, never mind how high or low others deem it to be. If I were a humble street sweeper, all I need to do to be credited as “working for the One who has sent me” would be to work with God in mind as I dedicate my mind, body and soul to my labours. I would thus work in total dedication to God in my efforts to reform this world so that it plays its role as intended at the time of Creation.

Take doing our bit to protect the environment, for instance. How does our faith come in here? While tasks such as sorting out rubbish into waste paper, aluminum cans, glass bottles etc. for recycling, cutting down the use of plastic bags and synthetic fibres, reducing the use of chemical pesticides and so on are important in themselves, we must never lose sight of our target. We should not be training our sights on asking “What should my task be”? In other words, your cross-hairs should home in on “What kind of person do I want to become”?

Be someone with a sense of true security— one who does not seek assurance in the never-ending race after material goods. Neither does he focus on the never-ending chase after consumer products (foods to eat, clothes to wear, location of residence, make of car and so on) to pile up his bragging rights or boost his ‘position’ amongst peers. Instead, we are to aim at becoming godly people and cast out all objects of worship, such as wealth, debauchery, desires of the flesh, power and the like from our hearts.

When we are able to cultivate our hearts and minds, clean out snakes and beasts lurking within its darkest crevices, clearing of physical rubbish and waste in the world outside of us would no longer pose a problem. We would then be armed with clarity and resolve of mind to fight the greed that ruthlessly exploits and deprives us of our natural gifts. We will, instead, work to preserve nature and move forward to become good and committed stewards of God’s gifts, the priests of His land and recover the world to its original glorious state.

“The word became flesh” - the truth that brings hope to the world 

Dear brothers and sisters, it would be worth our while to focus on the event “the word became flesh” as mentioned in the Bible. Here, both time and space are involved: God made His entry into the history of Mankind, his time, space and creation. Therefore, this creation is basically my Father’s World ---and, a good world.

“The word became flesh” is an event that allows us to see this world from a spiritual perspective and is purposed to bring it hope. As inhabitants of My Father’s world, we owe it to ourselves to express and magnify His glory, bringing it back to God through His Only Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear brothers and sisters, let me end by sharing the story of the well-known social reformer, Florence Nightingale, affectionately referred to as "The Lady with the Lamp".  Little Florence was in a horse-drawn carriage with her parents riding along a road in London on a cold winter’s day, when she saw two beggars standing by the wayside -- a woman and a little boy. The little boy stretched out his spindly arm towards Florence begging for alms. Florence noticed that the trembling boy was bare-footed and his clothes were thread-thin. His face was turning blue in the cold. At this point, Florence pushed her upper body out of the carriage and pleaded at the top of her voice, “Let me help him please! Let me help this little child! He is ill!” However, the carriage did not stop, and ignoring her cries, rushed past instead.

Florence did not sleep a wink throughout that night as she could not take her mind off the little boy shivering in the winter cold. She wanted to bring him home and sobbed bitterly, “I will take good care of him and make sure he regains his health. I have made up my mind to help all poor and sick children in this world.” Her father tried to console his little child, saying, “Dear darling, do not cry. Some people are born to remain poor! You are much too young to let these things bother you! Such is this world and there is no way to make things better!” On hearing these words, the little girl leapt off her bed, stood with her feet apart and looked upwards to her daddy, who was head and shoulders above her. She cried out in a firm voice, “No way to make things better? Then, I shall change that! I vow to make the world a little better than it is now!”

Florence Nightingale grew up to become the founder of modern nursing practice and an icon in her role of professionalizing the nursing roles for women; she also became well-known for the spirit of self-sacrifice towards those under her care. Indeed, her childhood aspirations came true in the end!

There is no doubt the world is in a fallen state and is no longer perfect because of sin. However, it is not Hades, and it does belong to the devil either. It is still my Father’s World! As Christians, we have a lot to learn how Florence Nightingale made the world into a better place to live in!

Let’s pray

Dear Heavenly Father

We are indeed most thankful to you, O, Lord, because of your wonderful gifts.  You have gifted us bountifully with this world and all its provisions. You want us to manage it well, and hold it back from going down the slippery rope any further.  You want us to glorify you conscientiously, not to sin and incur your wrath in this world. Dear Lord, may you bless your children and your own congregation to become the light and the salt of the earth, so that we may bear witness to you in every domain and glorify your blessed Name. Hear our prayers, O Lord, be in our midst! In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Recommendations by Rev. Dr Caleb SOO Lee Chong

The three books “The Gospel for the Modern Man”, “Faith of the Modern Believer” and “Values for the Modern Disciple” by Rev. Dr Caleb SOO Lee Chong are worthy books to edify disciples. In order to minimize differences in the qualities amongst Christians, our churches need to set up basic courses to address these issues. In turn, this will enable all disciples to incorporate their faith into their lives and allow changes to take place through renewal of minds. May God make use of these basic courses to edify more disciples to strengthen His soldiers and claim victory on His battle-ground!

The three books “The Gospel for the Modern Man”, “Faith of the Modern Believer” and “Values for the Modern Disciple” are suitable course materials for anyone who wish to acquire understanding of the Christian faith in a more comprehensive manner. The contents are easy to grasp and relate to the real world that we are living in. They are written with an eye for the man-in-the-street and explore how to make our faith come alive in our daily social interactions.

In particular, these are suitable if you  

1. are someone who wants to understand the Christian faith or,

2. are someone who has just accepted the Christian faith or,

3. have been a Christian for many years but still hungering for a firmer grounding in the faith or,

4. are a pastor or co-worker who plans to use these materials for teaching purposes.

If you need to take up learning or use these materials in a systematic manner, please us contact at this email address.： [email protected]