Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo: May 9, 2017 - "Refutation is not a Christian practice” || John Pesebre

Question 1: What is the brief statement of the doubt?

Naka-attend recently si Ludy, isang bank teller who became a Christian nung High School ng ilang apologetics seminar at nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na masagot ang mga persistent doubts niya sa kanyang pananampalataya since High School. Nang magsimula siyang mag-grow sa kanyang mga commitments, nagsimulang ma revive ang kanyang evangelistic ministry sa work by doing apologetics. When one of her co-employees who was also a Christian heard her strategy, sinabihan siya na, “Ludy, hindi maganda na parang gusto lang nating talunin ang mga kausap natin via arguments. Hindi biblical ang mag refute ng mga tao. Share them Christ.” Sa episode po na ito, we will limit our discussion sa idea “Refutation is not a Christian practice.”

Question 2: Where did this doubt come from?

Hindi madaling susugin as a system of thought ang objection na “Refuation is not a Christian practice.” However dito sa Pilipinas, may mga dominant voices na ito ang proposal. Sa isang Facebook post na na hashtag na #neighborology,  ito ang nakasulat: “It does not help that the popular way people nowadays know of speaking the truth is by proving others wrong. You cannot love your neighbor and look at him/her as an opponent to be defeated with arguments meant to be demolished.” Ang mga statements na ganito drive a wedge between belief and behavior; and upholds behavior as primary. Si Stephen Mattheson write in Sojourners online, ‘It’s easy to get caught up in theorizing about God, but within our everyday lives reality is what matters most to the people around us. Theorizing only becomes important once it becomes relevant and practical and applicable to our lives.”

Pero I understand the issue it is trying to address because it is quite obvious -- they don’t like people who, in the words of Mattheson, “love theology more than people.”

Question 3: What is wrong about this doubt?

Hindi po totoo na ang “Refutation is not a Christian practice.”

Question 4: How is it wrong?

By way of refutation, yung statement na naman po ay falling by the weight of its own argument. Or in another figurative way of putting it: hinihila nya yung tabla na tinatapakan niya. Why do I say this? Kasi kung hindi dapat gawain ng isang Christian ang mag refute, yung katrabaho mismo Ludy ay na violate yun kasi nangre-refute siya na bawal mag refute ang Christian na tulad ng kaibigan na ito ni Ludy.

By way of affirming the Christian commitment, mapapansin natin na isa sa mga sinasabi ng 1 Timothy 3:16 na profitable ang Scripture ay “reproof.” Sabi, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” Mapapansin din natin ang idea ng “reproof” sa Titus 1:9 -- “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” At marahil pamilyar kayo sa Book of Job. Ang Panginoon doon ay may major reproof na ginawa kay Job.

Question 5: What wrong idea about God is this doubt trying to create?

Ang malaking concern ko dito is baka magmukang walang concern ang Panginoon na tayo ay i-korek. Parang lalabas niyan ibaba natin ang Diyos sa level na para siyang si Dionysius na god of wine na ang goal ay mag entertain lang ng tao, yung walang concern kung napapahamak na ang mga tao.

Question 6: What is the Biblical teaching about God that recuperates this wrong idea about God?

Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” It is God’s will that we reflect His glory in the area of trut speaking. In this verse we see the God (who refuted Job) telling His dear children (most especially elders) to utilize Scripture for the purpose of reproof.

Question 7: What application can you draw from this correct teaching about God?

By way of study, What is the goal of profitability of Scripture? Verse 17.

Meditate on how God is preparing you to grow not only in belief but in behavior and service. Where is He taking you?

Question 8: What action point can you resolve to do at this point?

It is quite a joy to know that God has a will and we can know it.  Romans 12:1-3 gives us an idea how to know it. A regular practice of believers is to pray for forgiveness. Commit today to pray daily in your daily quiet time to pray for forgiveness and grace for repentance.