The Test

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Published: Wednesday, 08 May 2019 14:10

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The Test

By Augusto A. Kho

IFP Monthly Prayer – Dagupan

May 7, 2019 (Tuesday); 9:00 PM

Rewritten: May 8, 2019 (Tuesday); 6:15 PM.

Readings

1 Peter 1:1-7 (New Living Translation/ NLT),

“1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia …. 6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

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SHORTLISTING OF SENATORIAL CANDIDATES

PCM (People’s Choice Movement)

Intramuros; Manila; March 15, 2019

Shortlisting

Around 120 leaders from Catholic and Evangelical groups met at Intramuros, Manila on March 15, 2019 and shortlisted senatorial candidates. This group, People’s Choice Movement (PCM) used Gabay-Kristo Guidelines inspired from Exodus 18:21 to test their moral and ethical standards and rated each senatorial candidate on their stand on some national issues like Federalism, Charter-Change, Divorce, West Philippine Sea (WPS) to name a few.

Using empirical data, the group was able to shortlist Top 10 Senatorial Candidates and given each potential voter a leeway (freedom) to choose additional two (2) more candidates according to their personal preferences should they wish to fill in the 12 senatorial slots.

The results of the shortlisting were gathered, tabulated and rated on the same day and the results were announced on the late afternoon.

The very Sunday after that important event took place, I shared to the pulpit what transpired from that meeting and announced to our congregation the results of the shortlisted senatorial candidates. And I did say, “Today’s preaching is tomorrow’s headline.”

What I shared from the very Sunday didn’t eventually appeared on the headline the next day. But March 27, 2019, Philippine Daily Inquirer printed a Headline that reads, “People’s Choice Movement endorses ‘10 best senatorial bets “ which was reported by Pathricia Ann V. Roxas.

Inquirer further reads, “Endorsed by the PCM are Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, incumbent Sen. Bam Aquino, Makabayan senatorial bet Neri Colmenares, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, Marawi civic leader and peace advocate Samira Gutoc, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, incumbent Sen. Grace Poe, former Sen. Mar Roxas, and former congressman Erin Tañada.”

This writer is bona fide member of People’s Choice Movement (PCM) representing an Evangelical organization.

Two key-words

There are two key-words I would like to share from our Readings. The first word is “foreigner” and the second is the word, “test.”

And we know that no one can qualify to become a lawyer for example without passing the Bar Exam. In the same way, no one can qualify before God without his character is being placed into test and pass the Lord’s standards.

“Foreigners” according to Peter

Last Saturday, that was May 4, 2019 at 4:10 A.M. my devotion reads this way, 1^st Peter 1:1 / NLT that says, “This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.”

Some of the places mentioned by Peter in our readings is very much related to the place we’ve gone through sometime on June, 2017 when we had a Prayer Tour in Egypt, Israel and Turkey. Turkey is ancient named Asia Minor. And below are some of the photos taken in Asia Minor. And if you look at it as if no trace of persecution in Asia Minor or Turkey today. But if you go to several ruins, cathedrals and historical excavations sites, you’ll find Turkey to be a great reservoir of rich historical facts especially in the History of Christianity. The archaeological artefacts enriches my faith because the God that I believe in not merely written in the Bible but it authenticated by truth, facts and historical evidences.

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“Test” according to Peter

By Monday, May 6, 2019 (Monday) at 8:43 A.M. I was reading this that says, So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world,” (1 Peter 1:6-7/ NLT).

I wondered then why Peter mentioned the word “glad” and “joy” when there are impending trials to come and each one will be put into severe test because he said the testing is like going through the fire.

History 1^st Epistle of Peter

Polycarp, makes use of 1 Peter in his letter to the Philippians. The author of the Gospel of Truth (140–150) was acquainted with 1 Peter. Eusebius (fourth century) indicated that it was universally received. Polycarp is the first Christian Bishop in Asia Minor.

Who is Polycarp?

Polycarp is the personal disciple of John the Beloved when the apostles frequented Asia Minor or Turkey today to encourage the brethren who were “scattered” during that time.

Polycarp (AD 69 – 155) was a 2nd-century Christian bishop of Smyrna. According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp he died a martyr, bound and burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to touch him. He died on AD 156 at age 86 or 87.

1 Peter’s writings appear in the attestation of so many of the genuine NT writings, namely, Irenaeus (A.D. 140–203), Tertullian (150–222), Clement of Alexandria (155–215) and Origen (185–253). It is thus clear that Peter’s authorship of the book has early and strong support.

When a man is tested

If my recollection tells my right as I scribbled my personal notes while then Ms. Emille, our Turkish tourist guide, a native of Smyrna gives the history of ancient Smyrna

Polycarp is 1^st Bishop of Smyrna (now called Izmir) who was imprisoned and later skinned before he was thrown into the infernal blazing fire. But according to the account, prior to that the Roman Empire under the leadership of Domitian, a persecutor of Christian sent band of soldiers to Polycarp and demanded him to renounce his faith to the Lord Jesus Christ. Despite of strong political pressure from the Roman Empire and the present threat against his life.

Polycarp, a disciple of John the beloved stood strong on his ground and never renounced the Name of the Lord. Prior of skinning him alive before he was thrown into fire, he said these words (if I may remember it right);

“I’ve been young and now I am old and I never seen my Lord have forsaken me. Why should forsake Him now?”

The Church of Polycarp which is built in his honor and for his fearless witness for Christ still stands to this very day in the very heart of City of Izmir (Smyrna) which we visited sometime on June of 2017. We stayed in ancient Smyrna facing the Aegean Sea. for three nights and two days.

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The top and below left photos is Sophia Hagia, Greek words which means “Peace Church.” This houses over one million collection of art pieces and one among the largest museums, I repeat museums in the world. This Church was converted into Mosque during the Ottoman Empire. Later on this was converted as an official museum by Osman Hamdi Bey in the last part of 19^th century. The museum opened it to the guests on June 13,1891.

Trivia

How would you like your Church in the Name of the Lord Christ to be converted merely as a Museum?

Is it the Church of Jesus Christ is the home of the holy living individuals but a museum?

Foreigners

There were many Messianic Jews who fled or originated from Jerusalem during the Birth of Christianity in that Holy City. They’re all scattered in various provinces as Peter mentioned just in the likes Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.

Acts 8:1 in fact says, “And Saul was consenting unto his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. “ “Scattered abroad” in Greek word “diaspeiro” means “to disperse, to scatter, to sow throughout; distribute in foreign lands.” From the root word “speiro” means “to sow as seeds.”

In other words, God allows persecution for a reason – to sow the word of God through Christians who have been scattered to the far flung places.

To whom Peter addressed his letter?

They all belong geographically and political in Asia Minor or what we call Turkey today. And Izmir Province where the city capital is located as well where Polycarp hailed from is a part of what Peter have mentioned.

Asia Minor or Turkey is being called, “The Cradle of Christianity” where the Church have been grown and nourished for a time until the Church spread out in the whole world today. Paul, Silas, Timothy, John the Beloved, Peter and so forth frequented the place visiting the “foreigners” and encouraging them to keep the faith.

It was during 60 A.D. to 70 A.D. where great persecution from the government forced many believers in the Lord to sake refuge to a safer ground just like in those provinces in Asia Minor. And those who fled the persecution are being branded as “foreigners” by Peter.

What is a foreigner in the context of Peter’s epistle?

Foreigners defined

Foreigners from Greek parepidemos is “ one who comes from a foreign country into a city or land to reside thee by the side of the natives, a stranger.”

In the NT, metaphorically, this is in reference with “heaven as the native country, one who sojourns on earth,” according to Thayer. It is also called a “pilgrim” by Strong.

In other words, you and mere are merely pilgrims or strangers in this planet Earth. This is not our final home. We merely travel on transitory basis. And we should know where we are going and where our final home is. In other translation, foreigner means “refugees.”

Would you like to be tagged as “spiritual refugees?”

Temporary residents

Those who finds Philippines or this planet Earth as their “home” loves the world so much. Apostle John the Beloved forewarned us on loving this world in 1 John 2:15-17/KJV;

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Those who loves this world never have the love of the Father in heaven. But we are still here on earth as “refugees,” right? So, we still need to pray and do something from our end to find this earth a good place to groom us as “emigrants” to heaven otherwise we can be “scattered abroad” as well in the same way to whom the apostle addressed 1 Peter.

Why Peter called them “foreigners?” Because they were made as “refugees” due to religious persecution from the Roman Empire and from the Sanhedrin just like the Holocaust when Hitler committed genocide against the Jews. So a leader of the nation can determine the future or destiny of the people of God. Or should we say that it must be the Church that will determine the destiny of our government, our people and our nation.

At 9:11 A.M., Tuesday, May 7, while I was in an official gathering in Basista, Pangasinan, the Word of God reads this way,

“And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents” - (New Living Translation)

Kind of Leadership

The kind of leader will serve the moral and political barometer of the nation. Eddie V. often says this, “Wherever the church goes, the nation goes.”

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And I believe this as well, wherever the leader goes, the nation goes. In the same way, if the leader is righteous, the nation will be also righteous. But when the leader is evil, the nation goes as well.

Emperor Domitian influenced the Roman Senate to legislate a law in order to confer him the title of what they call, “Pontifex Maximus” meaning “Highest Priest.” So from there that whatever the king says, the people should revere him as god and his words as from god’s.

This is also possible when the Congress and the Senate of the Philippine shall confer a “special power” to someone out there. It is a “blanketed authority” for a leader to exercise a “tyrannical authoritarian rule.”

Imperial Cult

The Pontifex Maximus give birth to what they call “Imperial Cult.”

Such title gained him absolute of control of tyrannical government putting Christians into prisons, paraded Christians into public squares, made as spectacle before throwing them into dens of lions, setting these Christians on fire, and so forth that branded his government as “Imperial Cult.”

Imperialism refers to an “emperor or empire” while cult refers “small religious belief.” Combining these two words - cult plus imperialism, thus making a “cult inspired, tyrannical-government” in a tyrannical, one-man rule?

This may happen to the Philippines as well should we elect the wrong leaders on this MAY 13, 2019 NATIONAL ELECTION.

Take note that the “beast “mentioned in the Revelation 16:10 is religious-political leader that has a “kingdom” who are “spirit of devils” and display “working miracle” power (verse 14). Satan is a religious being because he was once a former chief angel named Lucifer. And this religious-political leader who will soon control the global economy, if not regional economy wherein “no one can buy and sell unless he has the mark of the beast,” (Rev. 13:17), In other words, this religious-political leader is also an economist. He will soon control the remaining and scarce global resources.

And we know that this beast is also refers to the “serpent” and “dragon” in Revelation 12-16 who was wroth with the “woman” (Israel) and “went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ,” (verse 17).

Are you a remnant of Christ?

Remnant in Greek “loipoi” (loy-poy) means “the remaining ones, residue, which remain.” The remnant are not the majority, they are in fact, the minority or tira or tinga lang. Very few indeed remains.

In this coming election, will you vote for the “messianic wannabes” who give away his or her sweet-promises yet once elected and catapulted into power will run your town, your city, your province, and this nation like an “Imperial Cult?”

Tests defined

Tested or tried in KJV Greek “dokimazo,” i.e. “ to test, examine, prove.’ (1 Peter 1:1).

One Bishop was tasked by over 20 other Bishops to make “guidelines” for choosing a leader using the Scriptures. This Bishop gladfully accepted the offer but at the end did not obey the very Words of God he used as a standard of measurement. So whenever I hear this Bishop talks or preaches from the Bible, I don’t believe him anymore.

There are three (3) standards of measurement in using the potential good leaders in this nation. This is the RA 6713 and Exodus 18:21 and today’s pressing “national issues” that puts your candidates into test.

• R.A. 6713 “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees” that says in Section 2, “It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest.”

• Exodus 18:21, “Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: “

• “National Issues.”

RA 6713 and Exodus 18:21 puts into test the moral, ethical and spiritual conditions of the candidates or politicians.

Meanwhile the today’s pressing “national issues” puts your candidates into test whether he is able or capable to address constitutional stand and defense on social-economic and political issues

National Issues today

• BOL (Bangsamoro Organic Law) formerly called “BBL” Bangsamoro Basic Law)

• SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression) for LGBT (lesbian, gay. bisexual, transgender, transsexual).

• “Civil Partnership” or same-sex like marriage

• Federalism

• Cha-Cha (Charter Change)

• WPS (West Philippine Sea)

• Divorce

• Others

Let us test now

Let us test now the local and the national candidates whether they can qualify and pass the 3-testing standards namely:

1. R.A. 6713, Test of Ethical Standard

2. Exodus 18:21, Test of Moral Character and Spiritual Standard

• choose among you (same faith or religion, same tribe, same rank, etc)

• able men

• fear God

• truth (integrity). He hates false promises

• hates covetous (dishonesty). He hates PDAP, commissions,

3. National Issues. Test on their Abilities

Social Issues Today

Where these politicians stand their ground?

Legend:

X = No

Y = Yes, agreeable

? = No stand, lack of proof or gathered information

NA = Not applicable, lacks reliable information

Take note that those rating or test on that column a mere exercise?

Abu Baku said in 1993, “When you cannot influence the Congress’ legislations, these “laws” whether good or evil will affect you, your family, your church and nation.”

Critical Times

We are in CRITICAL TIMES to this very day up to coming May 13, 2019 Election.

Your votes re-writes the destiny of this nation.

Santayana quoted this way, “Those who never learned from history, will likely to repeat it again.”

It matters

Your VOTE matters in creating the destiny of this nation – blessing or a curse; commendation or judgment.

The vote that you will cast this coming May 13 election could rewrite our nation’s future history (that words may sounds absurd, “future history?”).

“The world belongs to our hands. You must know who you are and make a stand. No matter how it takes, we must win,” – Avengers, EndGame”

NOTES

• On PCM’s shortlisted senators.

Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1100201/peoples-choice-movement-endorses-10-best-senatorial-bets#ixzz5nJo7CWGi

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